Effect of Running Sand Natural Hazard on Rural Physical Structure

The instability caused by natural hazards as one of the main goals of sustainable development is the most important challenge in the relationship of a rural man with his/her environment. The present study investigates the effect of running sand natural hazard on the rural physical body. In this descriptive-analytical research, the statistical population included all rural settlements of Zahak city. According to the Zahak Governor's Office, the sample villages included 19 villages most exposed to sandstorms, which a total of 3072 households. A sample size of 292 rural households in 19 sample villages was determined using Cochran formula. Independent and dependent variables were "running sand hazard" and "physical body of rural settlements", respectively. The validity of this study was determined by university professors and experts (from Housing Foundation of Sistan and Baluchestan Province). Cronbach's alpha coefficient was used to calculate the reliability of the questionnaire. The research hypotheses were tested using goodness-of-fit test (X2), simple linear regression test, Friedman test, and one-sample t-test. According to the results, running sand natural hazard had an impact on the physical body of the studied villages. The most important aspect of physical damage to studied villages occurred in the rural infrastructure, and the physical changes mainly affected the form, shape, and physical pattern dimensions.