essay on disaster natural calamities
Answers
We possess technology that predicts the possibility of a natural calamity to strike. For example, we have the technology to monitor weather conditions and predict the possibility of a hurricane. We have tsunami warning system that warns seashore areas about the arrival of a tsunami.
With the help of technology, we can minimize the impact of natural calamities on human lives. Calamity warning systems, coordinated rescue efforts and well trained disaster management teams can help save many lives during a natural calamity.
Such events test the grit, adaptability and spirit of people. For example, after the Nepal earthquake, help poured down from all parts of the world. Neighboring countries sent volunteers and army to help the victims by clearing the debris. Monetary help came from around the globe.
During Hurricane Harvey, people were seen helping each other out, sticking together. They shared food and shelter and showed the true spirit of USA!During recent natural calamities, social media played a very positive role. Social media had been used extensively to help people, coordinate rescue events and raise money for the victims.
Natural calamities result in mounting death tolls. People also get displaced and missing during such an adverse event. Apart from that, natural calamities also cause huge economic losses.
For example – Hurricane Harvey has destroyed countless homes, public structures and factories. It stopped businesses from conducting their operations. Transportation was seriously affected and it resulted in business operations coming to a halt!
This has resulted in a loss of Billions of Dollars! So, natural calamities not only pose threat to human lives, they also have a negative impact on the economy.
The after effects of a natural calamity are not pleasant either. They leave behind destroyed property and many harmful substances. This makes it more difficult for people to rehabilitate after the calamity is over.
Take Hurricane Harvey for example. The hurricane brought with it sediment and mud. The thick mud, slime and sediment got deposited everywhere – open spaces, inside homes and literally everywhere
On testing the mud sample in a lab, it was found that it consisted of high levels of dangerous metals, bacteria and other harmful substances. Due to the presence of mud and slime inside homes, people have been unable to move back to their homes!
Similarly, floods leave behind dirt and mud. After a flood, it is not uncommon to see an outbreak of communicable diseases in that particular area. Thickly populated areas are prone to such outbreaks.
Answer:
A Natural disaster is an unforeseen occurrence of an event that causes harm to society. There are many Natural disasters that damage the environment and the people living in it. Some of them are earthquakes, cyclones, floods, Tsunami, landslides, volcanic eruption, and avalanches. Spatial extent measures the degree or severity of the disaster.
Levels of Disaster
The severity or degree of damage can be further divided into three categories:
Small Scale Disasters: Small scale disasters are those that extend from 50 Kms. to 100 Kms. So this kind of disasters does not cause much damage.
Medium-scale disasters: Medium Scale disasters extend from 100 Kms to 500 Kms. These cause more damage than a small scale disaster. Moreover, they can cause greater damage if they occur in colonial states.
Large Scale Disasters: These disasters cover an area of more than 1000 Kms. These cause the most severe damage to the environment. Furthermore, these disasters can even take over a country if the degree is high. For instance, the wiping out of the dinosaurs was because of a large scale natural disaster.
Causes: These can cause of releasing of the energy. This release is from the core of the earth. Furthermore, the release of energy causes seismic waves. Rupturing of geological faults causes earthquakes. But other events like volcanic eruptions, landslides mine blasts can also cause it.
Landslides: Landslides is the moving of big boulders of rocks or debris down a slope. As a result, landslides occur on mountains and hilly areas. Moreover, landslides can cause destruction to man-made things in many ways.
Causes: Gravitational pull, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes can cause landslides. Moreover, soil erosion due to deforestation is also a cause of landslides.
Avalanches: Avalanches are like landslides. But instead of rocks thousand tons of snow falls down the slope. Moreover, this causes extreme damage to anything that comes in its way. People who live in snowy mountains always have fear of it.
Causes: Avalanches takes places when there is a large accumulation of snow on the mountains. Moreover, they can also occur from earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Furthermore, the chances of surviving an avalanche are very less. This is because people die of hypothermia in it.
Tsunami: Tsunami is the production of very high waves in oceans and seas. Moreover, the displacement of the ground causes these high waves. A tsunami can cause floods if it occurs near shores. A Tsunami can consist of multiple waves. Moreover, these waves have a high current. Therefore it can reach coastlines within minutes. The main threat of a tsunami is if a person sees a Tsunami he cannot outrun it.
Causes: Tsunami is unlike normal eaves that occur due to the wind. But Tsunami is waves that occur by ground displacement. Thus earthquakes are the main causes of Tsunamis.