Natural Disasters | Types, Examples & Precautions
We define disaster as a sudden destructive event that causes loss of lives and property. These disasters have long-term impacts on the socio-economic conditions of the affected area. Disasters are of two types – natural disasters and human-made disasters. In this post, we will learn about natural disasters, its types, examples, and precautions we can take to minimize risks.
Types of Natural Disasters
NATURAL DISASTERS
As we know, nature has gifted us with so many things, but at times, it is this very nature that creates havoc.
Natural disasters are those catastrophic events that are caused by the nature or natural processes of the Earth. For example, earthquakes, floods, droughts, cyclones, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, and wildfires.
When a natural disasters strike, they cause a huge loss of life and property.
Topics Covered:
- Earthquakes its effects and precautions
- Floods its effects and precautions
- Drought and its prevention
- Cyclones its effects and precautions
- Volcanic Eruptions its effects and precautions
- Tsunami and precautions
EARTHQUAKES
Earthquakes are sudden vibrations or shaking of a part of the Earth’s surface. These vibrations occur due to sudden movements deep inside the earth. The vibration is maximum at the Epicenter. The epicenter is the point on the earth’s surface directly above the point of origin of the earthquake. The point of origin is called the Focus. The movement of tectonic plates and molten rocks beneath the Earth’s crust causes earthquakes. Volcanic eruptions may also lead to earthquakes at times.
Video courtesy: Frank Gregario @ youtube
Seismology is the branch of science that studies and try to predict earthquakes. We measure the intensity of an earthquake on the Richter Scale from 1 to 10. Where reading of ‘1’ indicates minor vibrations and as we move toward ’10’ intensity increases. A minor earthquake of intensity 1-2 occurs quite often which we do not even feel. But a major earthquake of reading 5 or above can create havoc resulting in massive destruction. The instrument which measures the intensity and duration of an earthquake is called the Seismograph.
Seismograph. Image courtesy Wikipedia
How seismograph works. Video courtesy: KidsKnowit @youtube
Effects of Earthquakes:
We cannot predict natural disasters like earthquakes. It can occur at any time. Due to earthquakes, buildings get damaged and collapse, where people die when they get stuck in the ruins. Road get cracks, flyover collapse, and railway lines get twisted, resulting in disruption of transportation. Electricity poles break and wires get dislocated. In coastal areas, earthquakes cause tsunamis and floods. Also, landslides occur in the mountainous regions due to the vibration of the Earth.
Precautions for Earthquakes
We know that it is difficult to predict natural disasters like earthquakes. But whenever you feel an earthquake, take the following precautions to minimize risks:
- Build earthquake-proof houses and buildings.
- Run out of the building immediately to an open area where nothing can fall on you.
- If you are unable to run out then you should move under heavy furniture such as beds and tables.
- Keep yourself away from buildings, trees, electric poles which can collapse and cause injury.
- Avoid using lifts. Use the staircase.
- Conduct mock drills in schools, offices, and residential complexes to spread awareness about the precautionary measures.
Top 10 Deadliest Earthquakes in History:
- Shaanxi, China, January 23, 1556, Richter Scale – 8, more than 830,000 people died.
- Port-au-Prince, Haiti, January 12, 2010, Richter Scale – 7.0, estimated deaths 316,000.
- Tangshan, China, July 27, 1976, Richter Scale – 7.5, more than 255,000 deaths.
- Antakya, Turkey, May 21, 526, Richter Scale – do not exist, more than 250,000 deaths.
- Aleppo, Syria, August 9, 1138, Richter Scale – do not exist, more than 230,000 people died.
- Sumatra, Indonesia, December 26, 2004, Richter Scale – 9.1, nearly 227,000 deaths.
- Damghan, Iran, December 22, 856, Richter Scale – do not exist, more than 200,000 people died.
- Haiyuan, China, December 16, 1920, Richter Scale – 7.8, about 200,000 deaths.
- Ardabil, Iran, March 23, 893, Richter Scale – do not exist, more than 150,000 people died.
- Kanto, Japan, September 1, 1923, Richter Scale – 7.9, about 149,000 deaths.
For the top 10 deadliest natural disasters from floods in World history, click here
For the top 10 deadliest natural disasters from cyclones in World history, click here
FLOODS
Natural disasters like floods occur when due to heavy rainfall, the level of water in the river rises above the banks. The rivers then overflow and submerge the surrounding areas. Some other causes of floods are:
- Melting of glacier snow in the mountain during summers.
- Cyclones, storms, and tsunamis in the coastal regions.
- Silting of river beds and blocking of river channels by landslides.
Houses on the outskirts of Lumberton, North Carolina sit in floodwater caused by Hurricane Florence on September 17, 2018. Image courtesy Business Insider
When there is sudden flooding of water due to a cloud burst or the heavy rain, we call it a flash flood. The natural disaster like this occurred in Leh, Ladakh, India in 2010 causing heavy damage.
Effects of Floods
Apart from rendering people homeless, there are many other effects of floods:
- Crops get washed away by strong water currents.
- The submergence of roads and railways affects transport and communication.
- People face a loss of livestock and a shortage of food and drinking water.
- An outbreak of diseases like cholera, diarrhea, malaria, and dengue occurs in flood-hit areas
Precautions for Floods
To face natural disasters like a flood, take the following precautions:
- Be alert and pay attention to the warnings in the newspapers, radio, and television.
- A rise in the river water level should be closely monitored.
- Keep ready a good stock of food, drinking water, and essential medicines.
- Be prepared to move to higher ground.
- Try to drink boiled water only.
- The use of electrical appliances should be avoided if flood water enters the house.
Ways to Control Floods
- To prevent natural disasters like floods, more trees should be planted. Trees help in preventing water from spreading fast thus controlling floods.
- Dams should be built over rivers to slow down the flow of water.
Top 10 Deadliest Floods in History:
- China Flood, July 1931, Rivers – Yangtze, Yellow River, and Huai, 1 million to 4 million people died.
- Yellow River Flood, China, September 1887, River – Yellow River, 900,000 to 2 million deaths.
- Yellow River Flood, China, June 1938, more than 800,000 deaths. It is artificially created by the Chinese government during the Sino-Japan war.
- Typhoon Nina, China, August 1975, River – Ru River, flood instantly killed 86,000 people and 145,000 died due to starvation and diseases.
- Yangtze River Flood, China, 1935, nearly 145,000 killed.
- St Felix’s Flood, The Netherlands, November 1530, Storm flood, an estimated 120,000 people were killed.
- Red River Delta Flood, North Vietnam, June to October 1971, Rivers – Thao, Lo and Da, nearly 100,000 people lost lives.
- Jiangsu-Anhui Flood, China, May 1911, Rivers – Yangtze and Huai, 100,000 deaths.
- St. Lucia Flood, The Netherlands, December 1287, Storm flood, nearly 80,000 people lost their lives.
- North Sea Flood, The Netherlands, June 1212, Rivers – Rhine, Scheldt, and the Meuse, claimed 60,000 lives.
For the top 10 deadliest natural disasters from earthquakes in World history, click here
For the top 10 deadliest natural disasters from cyclones in World history, click here
DROUGHT
It is a strange game of nature that some areas receive heavy rainfall thereby causing floods, whereas some areas receive little or absolute no rain. This causes a Drought. A drought is a type of natural disaster in which an affected area does not receive or receive scanty rainfall. Due to drought, rivers and underground water dry up. Farmers cannot grow crops and cattle die due to lack of water. There is also a shortage of food. It is called Famine. Many people die due to drought around the World.
The carcass of cattle died due to lack of water
Prevention from Droughts
Naturals disasters like droughts can be prevented if we adopt the following methods:
- Implement proper rainwater harvesting systems in drought-prone areas.
- Plant trees in huge numbers.
- Grow, drought-resistant crops like millets, maize, etc.
- Adopt better techniques for irrigation, and
- Build dams to store excess water in reservoirs.
CYCLONES
Cyclones are high-speed winds that rotate about a low-pressure area. It forms over a warm ocean. When warm moist air rises over the water, then surrounding cold air move downward to take it place. This results in the rotation of air and initiates the formation of a cyclone. When wind speed exceeds 100 km/hr then the storm becomes a cyclone. Cyclones are one of the most feared natural disasters, after earthquakes and floods.
Effect of Cyclones
When cyclones cross the land they bring heavy rain. Therefore, coastal areas are more prone to cyclones. Strong winds of cyclones cause heavy destruction. They uproot trees and destroy houses and crops. During cyclones, rivers overflow and cause floods. They disrupt transportation and communication by blocking roads, railway lines and uprooting electricity poles.
Precaution from Cyclones
Nowadays, with the advent of good technology prediction of natural disasters like cyclones has become easier. Thus, whenever authorities raise warning we should take the following measures:
- Be alert and attentive to the warnings and weather forecasts through radio, newspaper, and television.
- Be ready to move to a safer place.
- Store food well in advance.
- Store essential medicines and prepare a first-aid kit.
- Avoid going near or into the sea.
Top 10 Deadliest Cyclones in History:
- Great Bhola Cyclone, Bangladesh, November 1970, the death toll 300,000 to 500,0000.
- Hoogly River Cyclone, India & Bangladesh, 1737, 300,000 to 350,000 people lost their lives.
- Haiphong Cyclone, Vietnam, October 1881, more than 300,000 deaths.
- Coringa Cyclone, India, November 1839, it killed 300,000 people and destroyed 20,000 ships.
- Backerganj Cyclone, Bangladesh, 1584, the estimated death toll 200,000.
- Great Backerganj Cyclone, Bangladesh, October 1876, more than 200,000 deaths.
- Chittagong Cyclone, Bangladesh, 1897, killed 175,000 people.
- Cyclone 02B, Bangladesh, April 1991, killed more than 135,000 people and rendered 10 million people homeless.
- Cyclone Nargis, Myanmar, May 2008, the death toll 84,500 and 53,800 missing.
- Bangladesh Cyclone of 1942, Bangladesh, October 1942, more than 61,000 lost their lives.
For the top 10 deadliest natural disasters from floods in World history, click here
For the top 10 deadliest natural disasters from earthquakes in World history, click here
VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS
A Volcano is an opening on the earth’s surface through which Magma (hot molten rock) comes out.
When magma builds up beneath the Earth’s crust, it forces its way out to the surface. The opening on the surface through which magma flows out is called a Vent. This phenomenon is called volcanic eruption. When the magma flows out of the vent, it is called Lava. Along with lava. hot gases and ashes come out. As the lava cools down gradually it forms a Volcanic mountain. A bowl-shaped hollow is formed at the top which is called the Crater.
There are three types of volcanoes:
Active Volcano – Mt. Stromboli, Italy
Active Volcanoes: They are the most dangerous ones. These volcanoes have erupted recently and can erupt again, for example,
- Pacaya, Guatemala
- Mt. Stromboli, Italy
- Sakurajima, Japan
Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.
Dormant Volcanoes: They have erupted in the past and have not erupted for many years. But they have chances of erupting again. We also call them ‘sleeping volcanoes’. For example,
- Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.
- Mt. Vesuvius in Naples, Italy, which was considered extinct erupted recently.
Chimborazo in Ecuador
Dead or Extinct Volcanoes: They have not erupted for thousands of years. For example
- Mount Kulal in Kenya,
- Chimborazo in Ecuador
We mostly find volcanic areas along the Pacific Ocean. It is called the ring of Fire.
Effects of Volcanic Eruptions
Natural disasters like volcanic eruption can result in earthquakes in nearby areas. They destroy surroundings by spreading lava over large areas that result in burying of farmlands, forests, residential areas, and transport lines. Ash and poisonous gases that erupt cause air pollution and health hazards. Moreover, it disrupts air traffic and aerial animals may lose their lives.
Precautions from Volcanic Eruptions
In the case of natural disasters like a volcanic eruption, we must take the following precautions
- Prepare ourselves to move to a safer place.
- Store food and water.
- Stay away from molten lava and hot gases
- Be attentive about the warnings and the announcements made by the authorities
TSUNAMI
Tsunami is a series of high waves generated in the sea due to underwater earthquakes or volcanic eruptions. The waves in a tsunami travel at a very high speed and can occur anytime. So the effects of a tsunami are severe and cause great damage.
Tsunami – Sumatra, Indonesia
On 26 December 2004, a severe tsunami that originated from Sumatra in Indonesia hit several countries of South-East Asia killing nearly 3,00,000 people. It left many people homeless. It was perhaps the biggest natural disaster ever. Recently an undersea earthquake and tsunami in Japan in 2011, destroyed over 2,00,000 houses and more than 20,000 people died.
Precautions from Tsunami
To face natural disasters like a tsunami, take the following precautions:
- Install a good Tsunami Warning System to warn people well in advance.
- People living near the sea or a low lying coastal region should immediately move to higher grounds and stay there till it is safe to return.
Natural disasters can occur anywhere, anytime. They affect thousands of people at any single occurrence. The major task that lies after any natural disaster is relief work. It is the basic duty of all of us to help in all possible ways. There are many government agencies and non-government organizations like the Red Cross Society, the World Health Organization and UNICEF that provide help to people in different ways during any such natural disasters.
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