assignment on.docx

7/27/2019 Assignment on.docx

1/37

. Assignment onNaturalDisaster, its causes &

effects. 1 2. Introduction of Natural

Disaster:A natural disasteris a disaster caused bynature, such as floods,volcaniceruptions,earthquakes,tsunamis, avalanches,lahars (volcanicmudslides),landslides,sinkholes,blizzards, drought,hailstorms, heat waves,hurricanes, tropicalstorms,typhoons, IceAges, tornadoes, andwildfires. Epidemicscaused by bacteriaorviruses are sometimesconsidered natural


2/37

disasters, but sometimesput into adifferent

category. A biologicalthreat such as locusts ortoxic fungi could alsobeconsidered a naturaldisaster.Some disasters

are on the edge of naturaland non-natural. Famines,the chroniclack of food,may be caused by acombination of natural and

human factors. Twospace-originating categories ofnatural disaster, both ofwhich rarely effecthumanson the surface,

include asteroid impactsand solar flares. Althoughthe risk ofasteroid impactin the short term may below, some scientists argue

that in the longterm, the


3/37

likelihood of death byasteroid is similar to that of

death by traditionalnaturaldisasters such asdisease.The deadliestnatural disasters arefamines, which claimed 70

million peopleduring the20th century alone, with 30million dying during thefamine of 195861inChina. In the Soviet Union

there were several man-made famines thatkilledmillions, blamed onthe collectivist policies ofStalin, the leader of the

country atthe time.Famines have a history ofbringing out the worst inpeople, includingatrocitiesand cannibalism.Another

of the deadliest natural


4/37

disasters is epidemics,most notably the

Spanishflu of 1918-1919,which killed 50 million more than World War I,which hadoccurred justbefore. Rather than killing

infants or the aged, theSpanish flu struckdownpeople in the prime of life.Having a good immunesystem was no

protectionagainst this virus in fact, it was a liability.The virus is believed tohave killedits victimsprimarily through over

activating the immunesystem in a processcalleda cytokinestorm.Historically,volcanoes may have been

the biggest type of natural


5/37

disaster. Somescientistsbelieve that the eruption of

Mt. Toba in Indonesia over73,000 years agomayhave killed off most of thehuman species, leavingbehind only 1,000 -

10,000breeding pairs. Thisphenomenon, called apopulation bottleneck, hasbeenconfirmed throughgenetic analysis. 2

3. Definition of NaturalDisaster:A natural disasteris the effect of earths

natural hazards, forexample flood,tornado,hurricane, volcaniceruption, earthquake, heatwave, or landslide.Theycan lead to financial,environmental or human


6/37

losses. The resulting lossdependson the

vulnerability of the affectedpopulation to resist thehazard, also calledtheirresilience. If thesedisasters continue it would

be a great danger for theearth. Thisunderstandingis concentrated in theformulation: "disastersoccur when hazardsmeet

vulnerability."[Thus anatural hazard will notresult in a natural disasterinareas withoutvulnerability, e.g. strong

earthquakes in uninhabitedareas. The termnatural hasconsequently beendisputed because theevents simply are not

hazardsor disasters


7/37

without humaninvolvement. A concrete

example of thedivisionbetween a naturalhazard and a naturaldisaster is that the 1906San Franciscoearthquake

was a disaster, whereasearthquakes are a hazard.This article givesanintroduction to notablenatural disasters; refer to

the list of natural disastersfor acomprehensivelisting.Natural disastersare cataclysmic eventsthat can have a direct or

indirect impact onthepublics health and well-being, according to theUnited States DepartmentofHealth and Human

Services. Natural disasters


8/37

can include weatherphenomena aswell as

landslides and avalanches,which occur as a result oferosion or severeweatherpatterns.Natural disaster ofa different kind: Cold Spell

in Bangladesh:Being aBangladeshi, it is never apleasant experience to talkabout the periodicnaturaldisasters, mainly floods

and cyclones that ravagethe country every nowandthen. To increase thesufferings of the poordisaster vulnerable people

of thecountry, recentlythere has been a newaddition to the list ofregular naturaldisasters ofBangladesh named Cold

Spell, thanks to the global


9/37

climate change.The impactof Cold Spell is as

notorious as other regularnatural calamitiesofBangladesh as far as thedeath toll is in concern.The recent Cold Spell

thatappeared on the 7thJanuary in Bangladeshhas already taken sixteenlives, out ofwhich are 9children and made most of

the population of thenorthern Bangladeshtosuffer with pneumonia,cold diarrhea, cough,fever, asthma and other

cold-related diseases. 3 4. During a Cold Spell,

gusty extreme cold windcoupled with heavy fogcovers thewhole area of


10/37

Bangladesh. Historicallythe average winter

temperature inBangladeshis within 15 to 20 degreeCelsius. However, inrecent Cold Spellsthisaverage temperature

has dropped to as low as 4degree Celsius, a newrecord forthe country. Themost affected area duringthis calamity is the

northern part oftheBangladesh which iscloser to the Himalayas.Northern Bangladesh isthe mostpoverty stricken

area of the country wherepeople have year roundincome povertyandseasonal food povertyduring the time of

agricultural lean seasons.


11/37

The recentcatastrophe ofCold Spell has magnified

their sufferings to a severeextent,shortage of warmclothing and shelter hascaused them even theirlives.The sufferings of poor

people of northernBangladesh reached to anuntold terriblestageespecially for those wholive in the remote island

areas of river Tista,whichis locally known asChar. Some places in thenorthern part had not seenthe sun forthe last 3 to 4

days due to the extremefog and clouds. Mostplaces of the char areasinthe river basins remainedcovered with fog, reducing

the visibility till noonalmost


12/37

every day. In suchsituations, poor cannot join

their regular work becauseofthe unfavorable weathercondition as well as due tosickness. As a result, theylosea significant share of

their regular income whichfurther reduces their abilitytotake proper actionagainst the shock.Also thedaily transportation of food

items from all parts of thecountry hasbeendangerouslyinterrupted. Basic road andwater transportation has

been delayed foranindefinite time, causingmajor physicalcommunication to analmost completehalt.

Needless to say, such


13/37

physical communicationchaos has triggered the

price ofcommon householdcommodities to a seasonalextreme, causing thesufferings ofthe poor evenmore severe. People who

took desperate attempt tohit the roadignoring suchbad driving conditionshave already paid the pricewith roadaccidents if not

heavy traffic congestionsin the highways.The mainreason for such calamity isthe constant andconsistent blow of

chillywind from thenorthwest blowing at aspeed of 10-15 kms perhour which madetheweather further cooler

during the typical winter


14/37

season. As there is norain, pollencount in the air

is relatively high in thisseason making the air fullof dust andcausingrespiratory problem andallergic infections along

with asthma,pneumonia,chronicbronchitis, respiratoryproblem, chronicobstructive pulmonary

disease.Hospitals,especially those in thenorthern part of thecountry, are experiencing4

5. massive admission ofpatients suffering from coldrelated illnesses for thelast fewdays. Reportsreceived from different


15/37

sources mentionedseriously sufferings

ofthousands and millionspeople living in the sandychar areas inKurigram,Lalmonirhat,Gaibandha, Rangpur,

Nilphamari, Bogra andSirajganj districts ontheBrahmaputrabasin.Effects of NaturalDisasters:Natural disasters

have become socommonplace that theyhardly receivepassingnotice on the newsunless there have been a

large number of casualties.Volcanoes,mudslides,tsunamis and floods are

just a few of the waysnature strikes on a

dailybasis, leaving behind


16/37

destruction and heartache.Humans have learned to

preparefor the possibility oftornadoes, earthquakes,hurricanes and wildfires,but noamount ofpreparation can lessen the

impact that naturaldisasters have oneveryaspect ofsociety.PhysicalDestruction:The biggest

visible effect ofnaturaldisasters is thephysical ruin theyleavebehind. Homes, vehiclesandpersonal possessions

are often destroyed withina short period of time,leavingfamilies homelessand shutting somebusinesses down

permanently.


17/37

Tornadoesdestroystructures at whim,

earthquakes cancausestructural damage thatmight not beapparent atfirst glance, and tsunamisandfloods sweep homes

off theirfoundations.EmotionalToll:Possessions are nothard to replace, asmanypeople keep

insurance on their propertyandtangible goods. Theemotional toll ofnaturaldisasters is muchmore devastating. The

death of a loved one maybe the worst-case scenariobut its not the only lastingemotional effect victimsexperience.Whole

communities may be


18/37

displaced, separatingfriends and neighbors;

victimsface anxiety anddepression as they wonderif it could happen again. Inextremecases, they mayexperience post traumatic

stress disorder(PTSD).EconomicConcerns:According to theNational Hurricane Center,Hurricane Katrina cost the

U.S. $75billion when itslammed into New Orleansin August 2005. Thatdoesnt include 5

6. the damage caused inthe Florida counties ofMiami-Dade and Browardby thesame storm. Whiledestruction of thismagnitude is not


19/37

commonplace, evenaminor storm can cause

considerable damage. Atthe very least, the localeconomymust be able toabsorb the cost of cleanupand repairs.Indirect

Effects:While the visibleeffects of natural disastersareimmediate and stronglyfelt, communitiesthatsurround ground zero

can be indirectly affectedbythem as well. Naturaldisasters almost alwayslead toa disruption in utilityservices around the

areaimpacted. This canmean life or death forthose who rely on dialysisor oxygen tolive. Medicalassistance is also often

slowed, as emergency


20/37

crews must focus onthevictims of the disaster.

Banks and otherbusinesses might beclosed, affecting afamilysability to withdraw moneyto pay bills and buy

groceries.Geography:Geography plays a large role inhow natural disastersaffect an area. In ruralorisolated communities,

natural disasters can thrustfamilies into a situationwherethey must do withoutmodern conveniences likeelectric and running water.

Theymay not be able toget to town to buynecessities and have torely on what theyhavestocked up. Densely

populated areas face their


21/37

own unique problemsfromnatural disasters.

Hygiene becomes aconcern, as people crowdinto temporaryreliefcenters and competes forlimited

resources.Environment:Humans arent the only livingthings affected by naturaldisasters. As is thecasewith humans, animals

can be displaced from theirhomes. Sometimes theyhave noalternative but toleave the area and try to fitinto a new habitat.

Volcanoes,earthquakes,floods, wildfires andmudslides oftenpermanently alter anareasLandscape, leading

in some cases to the


22/37

destruction of a localspeciesDisruption of

UtilitiesCommunities thatsurround areas affected bynatural disasters areseriouslyaffected by thedisruption caused to utility

services. Generally, poweris the firstthing to go whentheres a natural disaster.This can literally mean lifeor death tothe people who

are on life support systemssuch as oxygen anddialysis. Medicalassistancebecomes hard to get sincethe crews are busy helping

the victims of thedisaster.Banks can be shut down,causing a shortage of cashcirculation that 6


23/37

7. prevents people fromaccessing funds for much

needed provisions forbabies and small children.Emotional Damage Whena natural disaster strikes,the emotional toll on the

people affected is quitedevastating. Whilepossessions can bereplaced eventuallythrough insurance, the

emotional damage cantake a long while to heal.People lose loved ones innatural disasters; deaths ofpeople and precious pets,

serious injury and peoplemissing all add up tosevere emotional trauma.Communities get displacedmeaning separation from

family and friends. Victims


24/37

face stress, trauma,anxiety and depression as

a result of naturaldisasters. SocialConsequences The socialconsequences of naturaldisasters in the short and

long term are wideranging. The disastersaffect housing; people areleft homeless andrebuilding a home takes a

long time and a lot ofmoney. Health careinfrastructure is affected;the impacts are worse indeveloping countries that

already have poor facilitiesto begin with. Diseasestarts spreading and,without proper medicalattention, makes a bad

situation worse. Education


25/37

is a big loser when anatural disaster happens,

schools are often closed,teachers are unable tocome in to work andchildren are displaced andunable to attend school.

Transportation capacity isreduced hindering reliefefforts and disruptingnormal life. What Are theDifferent Types of Natural

Disasters? Tornado Atornado occurs on thesurface of the earths landas a result of humidity inthe lower atmosphere

combining with windshears. The spinningcomes by way ofdowndrafts and updrafts,but the violent speed is

usually due to rapid


26/37

changes in the air (such asdry air suddenly becoming

very cool). When air massis unstable and stormscome through an area, atornado often results. Thereason most tornadoes

occur in the Midwest of theUnited States is becausetropical winds from thesouth Gulf move up tomeet the cool winds of

Canadas north. When theycollide in the middle, itsusually somewhere aroundKansas or Nebraska(though tornadoes can

occur anywhere if theconditions are right, theyreusually not as severe inother regions). 7


27/37

8. Earthquake Violenttremors of the earths

surface are the result ofearthquakes, which arecaused by the shifting ofthe earths tectonic platesand fault lines below the

surface. When the earthstemperature changes, thiscauses movement of rockand plates in the earthsmantle. This happens all

over the globe, but somestresses are more severein some areas. Parts of theworld that experiencemore earthquakes usually

do so because the platesbelow them are morebrittle and weak. In thePacific Ocean, there is theRing of Fire that stretches

up and down the coasts of


28/37

North America and SouthAmerica and continues

across to Japan and downto east of Australia.Volcanic eruption occursfor similar reasons, in thatactivity occurs below the

surface of the earthcausing stress and suddenrelease of molten rock.Hurricane Also known as atropical cyclone or

typhoon, hurricanes areviolent storms that occuroff of ocean shores. Highwinds are produced bywater that has evaporated

from an ocean surface in alow pressure area. Thisalso causes a spiralingeffect, which gainsmomentum the more

condensation it collects.


29/37

Minimal hurricanes havewinds of about 75 mph

(Category 1), but the mostcatastrophic storms willblow more than 155 mph(Category 5). Once ahurricane hits land, it

begins to cool and slow,but this is the point atwhich a hurricane does itsmost damage. Destructionof trees, cars and buildings

is likely in the event of ahurricane. Causes ofNatural Disasters:Floods: According to theU.S. Environmental

Protection Agency (EPA),barring fire, floods are themost common naturaldisaster affectingAmericans. Floods are a

factor in 90 percent of


30/37

natural disasters. Floodevents have both natural

and man- made causes.Storm events can createflood waters that exceedthe capacity of theenvironment or man-made

structures. Levees anddams provide a falsesense of security asbecame evident during theGreat Flood of 1993 in the

Upper Mississippi Rivervalley. A painful lessonwas learned. Wetlandsdestruction removed anatural means to absorb

floodwaters. Fires: Firesare natures environmentalmanagers. They createand maintain ecosystemssuch as prairies and pine

forests. In fact, prairies


31/37

evolved with the presenceof fire. The health of the

ecosystem is dependenton this disturbance. Firesremove a buildup of litteron the soil surface,allowing nutrients to be

released into theenvironment. It alsocreates favorableconditions for seedgermination. Suppression

of fire allows litter toaccumulate, setting thestage for catastrophic fires.Plants and trees haveadapted to the presence of

fire. However, the highertemperatures of crownfires can kill plants entirely.These fires are moredifficult to control. 8


32/37

9. Suppression of fires isexpensive, upward of $1

billion annually, accordingto the U.S. ForestService. Drought:Drought has had morewidespread effects than

any other natural disaster.Each year, drought coststhe United States morethan $6 billion. Its safe tosay that droughts have

greater impacts in moderntimes. More people areaffected by loss of landand food crops as well asenvironmental damage.

The immediate effects areovershadowed bysecondary issues.Compacted, dry soils arevulnerable to topsoil loss

and erosion. Dry


33/37

conditions make fires morecommon. Evidence

suggests global warmingmay be the cause for anincrease in droughtfrequency and changes inthe global climate.

Weather Events: Likedrought, an increase insevere weather events hasbeen recorded in the last100 years by the National

Climatic Data Center.While notification systemsare in place, vulnerabilitiesstill exist for propertydamage and crop loss.

Development has alsocomplicated the effects ofsuch events. An increasein development leads to adecrease in wetlands and

an increase in impervious


34/37

surfaces such as roadsand driveways. This

creates a scenario forfloods and flash flooding.As with drought, scientistsbelieve a link betweenglobal warming and

climate changes exists.Prevention/Solution: Notall natural disasters can beprevented. Each naturaldisaster has its own

factors and complications.Understanding the basicprinciples of ecology canprovide keys to lesseningtheir effects. Nature

evolved with naturaldisasters and disturbance.The best prevention islooking at the strategiesfound in nature. What Is

Natural Disaster


35/37

Management?Significance Effective

natural disastermanagement saves lives.Procedures set in placebefore a catastropheoccurs ensure a speedier

and more effectiveresponse. A preventativemeasure, such asstrengthening theinfrastructure of buildings

in earthquake regions,minimizes the risk ofinjuries and helps peopleto resume normal life morequickly. Features

Governments and somelarge corporations indeveloped countriesdesignate aid money fornatural disasters before

they happen. They also


36/37

liaise with thegovernments of affected

regions and aid workers onthe ground when adisaster occurs todetermine the extent ofmedical aid and supplies

needed. Aid workers aretrained to assess the scaleof the disaster. Non-government overseas aidworkers may already be

based in the region andhave a goodunderstanding of the local9

10. culture, which can beinvaluable in advising howto administer helpeffectively,according to theGlobal Educationwebsite.ConsiderationsGo


37/37

vernments and aidorganizations, such as the

Red Cross, andrepresentatives oftheaffected region usuallywork together to save livesand restore order after

adisaster occurs. Naturaldisaster managementcontinues long after theinitial crisishas passed.Funds, for example, may

be allocated to rebuildhomes destroyed byaflood. 10

assignment on.docx

Documents