Natural Disasters

Natural disasters are emergencies caused by severe weather or environmental events. They include volcanoes, earthquakes, wildfires, tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, severe winter storms and heat waves. The aftermath of natural disasters can include infectious diseases, unsafe food and drinking water, homelessness and psychological distress.

You can prepare for a natural disaster. Your plan should include an escape route and evacuation plans. You also need a plan for family members to get in touch if you are not together when a disaster occurs.

Natural Disaster on Wikipedia

A '''natural disaster''' is the consequence or effect of a hazardous event, occurring when human activities and natural phenomenon (a physical event, such as a volcanic eruption, earthquake, landslide etc. that does not affect human beings) become enmeshed. The resulting fatalities, or property damages depend on the capacity of the population to support or resist the disaster (Bankoff et al.2004). A disaster is a social disruption that can occur at any level of the individual, the community, or the State (Kreps 1986). ''In areas where there are no human interests, natural phenomena do not constitute hazards, nor do they result in natural disasters.'' This understanding is crystallized in the formulation: "disasters occur when hazards meet vulnerability" (Blaikie, 1994).

Common natural phenomena that can result in '''natural disasters'''

Blizzards and Snowstorms

A snowstorm is a winter storm in which the primary form of precipitation is snow. When such a storm is accompanied by winds above 32 mph that severely reduce visibility, it becomes a blizzard. Hazards from snowstorms and blizzards include traffic-related accidents, hypothermia for those unable to find shelter, as well as major disruptions to transportation and fuel and power distribution systems.

Drought

A drought is a long-lasting weather pattern consisting of dry conditions with very little or no precipitation (meteorology). During this period, food and water supplies can run low, and other conditions, such as famine, can result. Droughts can last for several years and are particularly damaging in areas in which the residents depend on agriculture for survival. The Dust Bowl is a famous example of a severe drought.

Earthquake

An earthquake is a sudden shift or movement in the tectonic plates in the Earth crust. On the surface, this is manifested by a moving and shaking of the ground, ... [ Read More ]

External Resources

Hullerman, Thatcher Cook - Documentary photographer based in Portland, Maine. His clients are primarily humanitarian aid and development organizations that work with refugees and other people affected by war, economic upheaval and natural disasters.

Silver Shores Weyr - A play-by-email club set on the Northern Continent after a series of natural disasters destroyed original locations there.

QuakeKare.com - Features items and information for natural disaster preparedness including first aid, radios and lighting, sanitation, shelter, and emergency kits.

ReadyCare - Carries a full line of first aid and emergency preparedness supplies for natural and man-made disasters.

Survivor Crates.com - Offers emergency supplies for future power-outages, evacuations, and natural disasters.

Homeland Security Pack.com - Provides backpacks for families and individuals filled with amenities and safety features needed in the aftermath of a natural disaster or terrorist event.

Architectural Surety Workshop - This Sandia National Laboratories web site presents the workshop that considered normal, abnormal (natural disasters), and malevolent (terrorist attack) environmental conditions as the basis for deliberations.

International Charter Space and Major Disasters - Provides information on the charter and updated data and images from recent Earth disasters by an association of Space Agencies offering space data support to those affected by major natural or man-made disasters.

The Disaster Finder - A search service provided by th NASA Solid Earth and Natural Hazards Program.This service was created for the disaster community at-large so that the best links in disaster information could be found quickly and easily.

University Archaeologists Return to Amuq - Inundations and other natural disasters usually spell the end for important archaeological projects, but in a rare example of a fortuitous flood, the Oriental Institute is recovering important additional artifacts from a site abandoned 55 years ago in Turkey.

Related Pages on HealthTales.com:

Coping with Disasters
Man-Made Disasters