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Frequency and disaster patterns

Damage and deaths, disaster warning systems.

• Can people cause avalanches?
• What causes a landslide?
• How can the hazards of landslides to humans be mitigated?
• What is a tsunami?
• What have been some of the worst tsunamis in history?

natural disaster

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• International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies - What is a disaster?
• U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Natural Disasters
• National Center for Biotechnology Information - PubMed Central - Natural Disasters
• NeoK12 - Educational Videos and Games for School Kids - Natural Disaster
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natural disaster , any calamitous occurrence generated by the effects of natural, rather than human-driven, phenomena that produces great loss of human life or destruction of the natural environment , private property, or public infrastructure . A natural disaster may be caused by weather and climate events or by earthquakes , landslides , and other occurrences that originate at Earth ’s surface or within the planet itself. No spot on Earth is immune from a natural disaster; however, certain types of disasters are often limited to or occur more frequently in specific geographic regions.

Weather- and climate-driven natural disasters include flooding caused by heavy rains associated with hurricanes and typhoons ( tropical cyclones ) and other intense storms; drought , famine , and wildfires brought on by heat waves and shifts in precipitation patterns; wind -generated devastation caused by tropical cyclones, tornadoes , derechos , and other windstorms ; and damage and loss of life caused by blizzards and heavy snowfalls. Earth-driven natural disasters include large volcanic eruptions (which produce lava flows, explosions, toxic gas clouds, ash falls, and pyroclastic flows that damage populated areas) and strong earthquakes (which result from the sudden fracturing of Earth’s crust ) powerful enough to damage or destroy built-up areas near their origin points.

Some phenomena that produce natural disasters may be caused by a combination of several different forces. For example, landslides (the movement of large masses of rock , debris, and soil downslope) may be caused by rains that saturate the soil on an unstable slope, or they may be triggered by earthquakes. In a similar manner, the buildup of snow on mountain slopes increases the risks of localized avalanches . Tsunamis , catastrophic ocean waves that can rise as high as 30 metres (about 100 feet) above normal sea level , are produced by submarine earthquakes, underwater or coastal landslides, volcanic eruptions, or meteor or comet impacts. The largest tsunamis are fast-moving waves that can travel across oceans to wreak havoc in coastal areas separated thousands of kilometres from one another.

Certain types of natural disasters are more likely to occur in specific geographic regions, and in some places these events occur with seasonal regularity, as in the spring tornado season in the United States or the summer-and-fall hurricane season in the Atlantic Ocean , Caribbean Sea , and the Gulf of Mexico . Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are most frequent near tectonic plate boundaries, and an especially active boundary exists between the Indo-Australian and Eurasian plates.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO)—a United Nations (UN) agency that monitors Earth’s land, water , and atmosphere —reported in 2021 that the number of natural disasters per decade showed a fivefold increase from 1979 to 2019, and data collected in the EM-DAT, an international disaster database maintained by the Center for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters, Brussels, indicate that more than 300 disasters have been tallied each year since 1998. Though many natural disasters are neither preventable nor largely predictable, the WMO report notes that global warming —an increasingly human-driven phenomenon generated by the emission of greenhouse gases , specifically those released by the combustion of fossil fuels —is increasing the frequency of weather- and climate-related natural disasters, such as droughts, heat waves, increasingly intense hurricanes, and flooding due to sea-level rise. Warmer temperatures are causing more extreme weather events by delivering more precipitation to some areas—which may be unused to receiving heavy rains and snows, increasing flooding risk—while delivering less to other areas that rely on it, increasing drought risk. In addition, reliable sources of rainfall, such as the South Asian monsoon , on which agriculture of the Indian subcontinent has long depended, are becoming less predictable, and rain events have become more violent and dangerous, damaging crops and producing more intense flooding. This change has subjected some areas under the monsoon’s influence to extended drought conditions, whereas other areas receive too much rainfall, a pattern that scientists predict will worsen in the 21st century.

The costs of individual natural disasters frequently reach the tens of billions of dollars. Such costs may be associated with damage to crops, buildings, and infrastructure that occurs annually in areas prone to tropical cyclone activity or heavy seasonal rains, with some events, such as the Pakistan floods of 2022 and Hurricane Katrina (which struck the southern United States in 2005), costing more than $30 billion and $186 billion, respectively. Similarly, costs associated with earthquakes, which occur less regularly, can be high (such as China ’s Sichuan earthquake of 2008 and Japan ’s Kōbe earthquake of 1995 , which incurred costs estimated at more than $86 billion and more than $100 billion, respectively).

The number of deaths from natural disasters also varies by location and the intensity of the event; however, the overall trend points to a decline from several hundreds of thousands of deaths annually during the first half of the 20th century to roughly 45,000 deaths globally each year. The number of deaths also varies widely from year to year, with smaller natural disasters (or natural disasters occurring in areas far from human settlement) killing few and shockingly large disasters producing truly massive losses of life. Some of the most notable catastrophic disasters in history include the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 (which killed more than 225,000 people), the Tangshan earthquake of 1976 (which resulted in more than 242,000 deaths), the 2010 Haiti earthquake (which by some estimates may have killed at least 300,000 people), and China’s Shaanxi province earthquake of 1556 (which killed more than 800,000 people).

Although deaths from natural disasters have decreased overall, people in lower-income countries often suffer disproportionately, because these locations have fewer resources and thus greater vulnerability to the elements and to food insecurity . In contrast, highly developed countries have better infrastructure (for communications, evacuation procedures, the movement of resources, and the delivery of medical services). In addition, high-income countries can implement policies that limit construction in flood-prone areas or mandate the construction of more earthquake-resistant homes, office buildings, and other structures, thereby reducing the risk of crushing injury and death stemming from building collapses. Consequently, relatively few people die from earthquakes in California , a location well-known for its strong building codes with respect to withstanding earthquakes, compared with places such as Iran and Pakistan, where building codes are either less stringent or whose codes frequently go unenforced.

Advances in weather forecasting and advances in land-based seismic sensors and sensors placed aboard satellites , aircraft, and stationary buoys floating in the world’s oceans have led to the development of various kinds of early warning systems. In some cases, these systems are capable of predicting or accurately classifying the strength of the physical forces that generate natural disasters before they cause damage. The perhaps most widespread and best known of these systems are those used by national weather bureaus that classify, track, and predict various weather events and issue bulletins about storms and other weather and climate phenomena affecting their land areas and sea zones. National weather bureaus are often made up of a network of numerous local offices spread across a country that gauge local weather conditions several times per day. Data collected by these offices can be used to develop weather models that help to predict the strength of a storm , as well as its location, days in advance of its arrival in a local area.

In addition, specialized units within national governments—such as the China Earthquake Administration, the Japan Meteorological Agency, the United Kingdom’s Met Office, India’s National Center of Seismology, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , and the U.S. Geological Survey—monitor specific physical forces capable of causing the most damaging and deadly natural disasters (that is, earthquakes, tsunamis, droughts , flooding, and winds driven by tornadoes and tropical cyclones). Many of these organizations within specific countries cooperate with their counterparts in others or assist international organizations, such as the WMO and the International Tsunami Information Center, to issue warnings, develop international safety standards, and assess the risks associated with forces that affect several countries or the planet as a whole. Some early warning systems even look beyond Earth’s atmosphere; the near-Earth objects system operated by the European Space Agency and the Scout and Sentry impact hazard systems run by NASA in the United States are a few of several systems designed to detect, track, and predict the risk associated with asteroids , comets, and other extraterrestrial objects capable of striking Earth.

Natural Disasters Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay on natural disasters.

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.

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Types of Disasters

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.

FAQs on Essay on natural disaster

Q1.What are natural disasters?

A1. Natural Disasters are unforeseen events that cause damage to the environment and the people.

Q2.Name some Natural disasters.

A2. Some Natural Disasters are earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, Landslides, floods, Tsunami, avalanches. Natural disasters can cause great damage to human society. But preventive measures can be taken to reduce the damage from these disasters.

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1.4 The Science of Natural Disasters

Carolina Londono Michel

Science and Natural Disasters

Thanks to the scientific method, we now understand where and why most natural disasters occur. For example, because of the theory of plate tectonics, we understand why nearly 90% of all earthquakes and volcanoes on Earth occur along the Pacific Ocean’s outer edges, called the Ring of Fire . The theory of plate tectonics has also helped to explain why some volcanoes are more explosive and dangerous than others. We will dedicate a Chapter to study the theory of plate tectonics since it is so fundamental to explain the main geologic hazards.

Internal and External Forces

The forces that generate natural hazards can be internal or   external to the Earth .  The internal forces arise within Earth. Examples are the internal heat of the Earth, the movement of the Earth’s plates that produces compression or tension and the movement of magma in the crust. External forces come from the Sun or the moon and influence weather and climate. For example, uneven heating from the Sun causes wind circulation around the atmosphere and different pressures, which can generate weather patterns and extreme weather events. The gravity between the moon and the Earth causes tides. The interactions between these forces and the Earth’s spheres control most natural processes.

Natural hazards controlled by external forces can show seasonality, a correlation with seasons. The United States has more tornadoes than the rest of the world combined, yet they most only occur in the spring and early fall. Landslides are more prone in the spring when the snow melts, and the saturated ground causes unstable slopes to slide. Wildfires are frequent in the middle of the summer and early fall when the land is dry, and afternoon thunderstorms in arid climates produce lightning with no precipitation. Hurricane season in the Northern Hemisphere peaks between August and September when the Atlantic Ocean is warmest.

Understanding Natural Hazards

Earth hazards are natural phenomena capable of causing harm to humans. These hazards include earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, floods, droughts, landslides, volcanic eruptions, extreme weather, lightning-induced fires, sinkholes, coastal erosion, and comet and asteroid impacts, among others. But why do they exist in the first place? Can natural disasters serve a purpose in nature?

Video 1.4.1. Think: Can natural disasters be good for nature? (6:01)

Our human history has been shaped by nature, perhaps by natural disasters. Hazardous events can significantly alter human populations and drive human migrations, that is, they pose risk. A risk is the likelihood and cost of a hazard or group of hazards. When considering risks we talk about two factors:

• the cost in terms of human life and damage to property and infrastructure
• the probability of the event, which depends on the location and the magnitude of the event.

The risks increase as populations expand into hazardous areas or concentrate in already inhabited areas. Risks are also connected to socio-economic variables. Usually, the most vulnerable populations are historically underserved. The occurrence of natural disasters in an underprivileged community can exacerbate inequitable social and economic conditions, this has given rise to the term environmental justice. A related concept is climate justice, the acknowledgment that the impacts of climate change are not felt equally around the globe. The social, economic, public health, and other adverse impacts are harder for underserved or marginalized populations (e.g., low-income communities, people of color, indigenous peoples, people with disabilities, older or very young people, women, etc.) Advocates for climate justice strive to have these inequities addressed head-on through long-term mitigation and adaptation strategies.

For more on these topics read What is climate justice and How inequality grows in the aftermath of hurricanes , both published on the Yale Climate Connections Website.

Determining Risk

To understand how to prepare for a natural hazard, scientists conduct a risk assessment for a specific geographic area. From an environmental perspective, we define the risk of a potential hazard as the probability of a disaster, or the likelihood, multiplied by the consequence to the human environment, or cost.

It is essential to determine the potential risk a location has for any particular disaster to know how to prepare for one. One of the limiting factors of risk is knowing the probability of a disaster. Too often, scientific data is lacking enough information to determine how often a disaster occurs in a particular location. This is true with geologic hazards, where geologic time is vastly more extensive than the age of scientific reasoning.

There is also an inverse relationship between the magnitude of an event (energy released) and its frequency (intervals between episodes). For example, the more earthquakes that occur in a particular location, the weaker they tend to be. That is because built-up energy is slowly being released at a relatively constant rate. However, if there are long intervals between one earthquake and the next, the energy can build and can ultimately produce a stronger earthquake. That is the problem with earthquakes along the Wasatch Front of Utah. The interval or frequency between earthquakes tends to be 1,500 years, so the magnitude tends to be high because of the built-up energy. At some point, we are going to want to get this earthquake over with because the longer it waits, the worse it will be.

Hazards, Disasters, and Catastrophes

What is the difference between a natural hazard, a disaster, or a catastrophe? A hazard is any natural process that poses a direct threat to the human environment. The event itself is not a hazard; instead, a process or event becomes a hazard when it threatens human interests. A disaster is the effect of a hazard on society, usually as an event that occurs over a limited time in a defined geographic area. We use the term disaster when the interaction between humans and a natural process results in significant property damage, injuries, or loss of life. Finally, a catastrophe is a massive disaster that significantly impacted the human environment and requires a significant expenditure of time, money, and resources for response and recovery.

Disaster Forecast, Prediction, and Warning

Humans cannot eliminate natural hazards but can reduce their impacts. We can reduce the loss of life, property damage, and economic costs by identifying high-risk locations and minimizing human habitation and societal activities in them, improving construction methods, developing warning systems, and recognizing how human behavior influences preparedness and response. This is the function of forecasting, predicting, and warning when a disaster is coming. Another way in which we can reduce the impacts of disasters is by refining our knowledge about them.

Earth scientists are continually improving estimates of when and where natural hazards occur. Since hazards are statistically predictable, it becomes essential to develop a warning system. Predictions , such as weather predictions, state that it will occur at a specified time, date, and intensity. It is like saying, “a major dust storm will reach Phoenix at 4:30 PM for the commute home.” A forecast states a probability of something occurring, such as “5 percent of showers today.” Forecasts are much broader than predictions.

When a natural disaster event is about to happen or has occurred, we have set up a system up to alert the public. A watch is issued when the conditions for an event are right. If a severe thunderstorm is strong enough and is rotating, a tornado may form. Alternatively, if an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.5 strikes somewhere in the ocean, a tsunami watch may be issued because it was strong enough to generate one. However, a watch does not necessarily mean that it will occur. A warning is sent out to the areas that could be impacted if a tornado is spotted on the ground or an ocean sensor records an approaching tsunami.

Video 1.4.2  The science of natural disasters (1:43)

The financial and human cost of natural disasters is rising.

To help prepare for these disasters, better mitigation efforts will be required, such as proper building and zoning codes, first responder preparedness, and public education.

As humans over-populate the Earth and live in more hazard-prone areas, disasters seem to be getting worst: affecting more people and costing more money. Over the last 70 years, the world’s population has tripled to 7.97 billion. World population projections suggest that the human population will reach 9.7 billion by 2050 (Worldmeter.info).  Our increased population has caused air quality problems, reduced availability of clean water, increased the world’s extreme poverty rate and has made us more prone and vulnerable to natural hazards.

How we choose to build our cities will significantly determine how many lives we save in a disaster. For example, we should not be building homes in areas that are prone to landslides, liquefaction, or flash floods. Instead, these places should be open space, such as parks, golf courses, or nature preserves. This is a matter of proper zoning laws which are controlled by the local government. Another way we can reduce the impact of natural disasters is by having evacuation routes, disaster preparedness and education, and building codes so that our buildings do not collapse on people.

Natural Hazards in Arizona

Natural hazards abound in Arizona. At the top of list: flash floods, severe weather, landslides and debris flows, earthquakes, and earth fissures. Other hazards, include: problem soils – a multi-billion dollar problem annually in the U.S.; volcanism – Arizona has three active volcanic fields and 1000s of extinct volcanoes, some of which are prone to collapse; locally, radon and arsenic can threaten health and human life. (Source: AZGS https://azgs.arizona.edu/center-natural-hazards)

You can visualize the nature and location of natural hazards in Arizona thanks to the interactive map  developed by the Arizona Geological Survey. The interactive map Interactive map highlights fissures, floods, fires, earthquakes, and fault lines in Arizona. Visit the viewer here .

Visit the Center for Natural Hazards to learn more about Arizona’s hazards.

You may also want to check out the Home buyers guide to geologic hazards for Arizona

an extreme natural event that is a threat to life and property

Statement that under specific circumstances something will occur, leading to recognition of cause and effect.

Description of what may happen in the future, usually stated in terms of propability

The identification of actions that will avoid, lessen, or compensate for anticipated adverse environmental impacts

Dynamic Planet: Exploring Geological Disasters and Environmental Change Copyright © 2021 by Carolina Londono Michel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Natural Disasters, Definition, Types and Examples

Natural disasters, stemming from Earth's processes over 4.54 billion years, encompass floods, hurricanes, tsunamis, and earthquakes, profoundly impacting the environment and life.

Table of Contents

Natural disasters are catastrophic events that stem from various natural phenomena on Earth, with a history spanning the planet’s 4.54 billion years. These events, ranging from floods and hurricanes to tsunamis and earthquakes, have had profound effects on the environment and the diverse species that inhabit the Earth.

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What Natural Disasters?

A natural disaster is a major event caused by Earth’s natural processes, resulting in widespread destruction to the environment and loss of life. It typically follows a natural hazard, such as living in an area with active fault lines, as exemplified by the Gujarat Earthquake in 2001.

It’s noteworthy that some natural hazards can be influenced by human activities. For instance, deforestation, mining, and agriculture can trigger landslides, emphasizing the interconnectedness between natural processes and human actions.

Types of Natural Disasters

Natural disasters can be categorized into geological, hydrological, meteorological, space disasters, and other types.

Geological Disasters

An avalanche refers to a sudden and rapid descent of snow, ice, and debris down the slopes of a mountain or a steep incline. This natural occurrence is often triggered by factors such as snow accumulation, temperature changes, or disturbances, leading to a cascading flow of snow, ice, and accompanying debris down the mountainous terrain. Avalanches can pose significant threats to both human settlements and natural landscapes, impacting the ecosystem and potentially causing harm to individuals caught in their path.

Landslides are geological events characterized by the movement of rock, soil, and debris down a slope. This movement can be triggered by various factors, including heavy rainfall, earthquakes, volcanic activity, or human-induced disturbances such as deforestation. Landslides can result in the displacement of large volumes of earth material, leading to the destruction of infrastructure, alteration of landscapes, and posing risks to communities situated in landslide-prone areas.

Earthquakes

Earthquakes are seismic events caused by the shifting of tectonic plates beneath the Earth’s surface. This movement generates intense shaking of the ground, resulting in seismic waves that propagate through the Earth. Earthquakes vary in magnitude, with higher magnitudes indicating more significant seismic energy release. These natural phenomena can have widespread and devastating impacts on communities, causing structural damage to buildings, triggering landslides, and sometimes leading to tsunamis in coastal regions.

Sinkholes are abrupt collapses in the Earth’s surface, occurring due to underground erosion of soluble bedrock, such as limestone or gypsum. When water gradually dissolves these rocks, underground voids or cavities can form. If the overlying material can no longer support its own weight, it collapses into the void, creating a sinkhole. These sudden depressions in the ground can appear without warning, posing risks to infrastructure and landscapes. Human activities, such as excessive groundwater pumping, can exacerbate sinkhole formation.

Volcanic Eruption

A volcanic eruption is the forceful release of magma, ash, and gases from a volcano. This occurs when pressure beneath the Earth’s crust causes molten rock to erupt through the surface. Volcanic eruptions can take various forms, including explosive eruptions with ash clouds and pyroclastic flows or effusive eruptions with the slow release of lava. The consequences of volcanic activity can be severe, impacting the surrounding environment, climate, and posing hazards to nearby communities through ashfall, lava flows, and even secondary events like lahars (mudflows) or volcanic tsunamis.

Hydrological Disasters

A flood is a natural disaster characterized by the overflow of water onto areas that are typically dry. This can occur due to various reasons, including heavy rainfall, storm surges, rapid melting of snow or ice, or the sudden release of water from natural reservoirs such as dams. Floods can result in extensive damage to infrastructure, displacement of populations, loss of crops, and contamination of water sources. The severity of floods can range from localized flash floods to large-scale riverine floods, each posing unique challenges for preparedness, response, and recovery efforts.

A tsunami is a series of ocean waves with extremely long wavelengths and high energy, typically caused by underwater disturbances such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or underwater landslides. When these disturbances displace a large volume of water, it sets off a chain reaction that results in the formation of powerful and often destructive tsunami waves. Tsunamis can travel across entire ocean basins, making them capable of impacting coastlines far from the source. The immense energy carried by these waves can lead to widespread inundation of coastal areas, causing significant loss of life, destruction of infrastructure, and long-term economic and environmental consequences.

Limnic Eruption

A limnic eruption, also known as a lake overturn, is a rare and potentially deadly natural event that involves the sudden release of dissolved gases from the depths of a lake. This phenomenon typically occurs in deep, stratified lakes where layers of water have different temperatures and chemical compositions. If triggered by a geological event or other factors, such as volcanic activity or an earthquake, the deep layers of water may undergo a rapid and violent mixing process. This mixing causes the release of large amounts of dissolved gases, such as carbon dioxide, into the lake and its surroundings. The discharged gases can be lethal to both aquatic life and nearby human populations, as they can displace the oxygen necessary for survival. While relatively infrequent, limnic eruptions have the potential for catastrophic consequences, emphasizing the importance of monitoring and understanding the conditions of deep lakes prone to such events.

Meteorological Disasters

Cyclonic storm.

A cyclonic storm is a meteorological phenomenon characterized by a rotating low-pressure weather system. These storms are known by different names in various regions, such as hurricanes in the Atlantic and northeastern Pacific, typhoons in the northwestern Pacific, and cyclones in the South Pacific and Indian Ocean. Cyclonic storms derive their energy from warm ocean waters, and their distinctive circular motion is driven by the Earth’s rotation. These storms can unleash powerful winds, heavy rainfall, and storm surges, causing widespread damage to coastal areas. The intensity of cyclonic storms is categorized on scales like the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, with higher categories indicating stronger and more destructive storms.

A blizzard is an intense and severe snowstorm characterized by strong winds, low temperatures, and reduced visibility due to blowing snow. Blizzards typically occur in regions with cold climates and sufficient moisture content in the air. The combination of heavy snowfall and strong winds creates whiteout conditions, making travel extremely hazardous. The impact of blizzards extends beyond transportation disruptions to include power outages, damage to infrastructure, and threats to human safety. Effective preparation and response strategies are crucial to mitigating the risks associated with blizzards.

Cold Waves, Heat Waves, Drought

Extreme temperature events encompass cold waves, heat waves, and droughts, each presenting unique challenges to ecosystems and human societies. Cold waves involve an extended period of unusually cold temperatures, potentially leading to freezing conditions, frostbite, and stress on heating systems. Heat waves, on the other hand, bring prolonged periods of excessively high temperatures, causing heat-related illnesses, stressing power grids, and posing risks to vulnerable populations. Droughts involve prolonged periods of abnormally low precipitation, leading to water scarcity, crop failures, and ecological imbalances. These extreme temperature events underscore the importance of adaptive measures, water conservation, and public health interventions to mitigate their impacts.

Hailstorms, Tornadoes

Hailstorms and tornadoes are destructive meteorological phenomena associated with severe thunderstorms. Hailstorms involve the formation of large hailstones due to updrafts in thunderstorm clouds. These hailstones can cause damage to crops, vehicles, and structures. Tornadoes are violent and rotating columns of air extending from thunderstorms to the ground. They can have devastating impacts, destroying buildings, uprooting trees, and posing severe threats to life and property. Early warning systems, storm shelters, and community preparedness are essential for minimizing the risks associated with hailstorms and tornadoes.

Space Disasters

Solar flares.

Solar flares are intense bursts of energy and radiation emanating from the Sun’s surface. They occur in the Sun’s outer atmosphere, or corona, and are triggered by the complex interplay of magnetic fields. During a solar flare, there is a rapid release of energy in various forms, including X-rays, ultraviolet light, and charged particles. The sudden increase in solar radiation can impact space weather and cause disturbances in the Earth’s atmosphere. While solar flares do not pose a direct threat to human health, they can affect communication systems, navigation equipment, and power grids. Monitoring solar activity is crucial for space agencies and utilities to minimize potential disruptions caused by these energetic outbursts.

Gamma-Ray Bursts

Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are highly energetic explosions that release an extraordinary amount of gamma-ray radiation, the most energetic form of electromagnetic radiation. These bursts can last from milliseconds to several minutes and are observed in distant galaxies. The exact mechanisms that trigger gamma-ray bursts are still under investigation, but they are often associated with cataclysmic events such as the collapse of massive stars or the merging of binary neutron stars. While GRBs are not a direct threat to Earth due to their distance, they provide valuable insights into the processes shaping the universe. The energy released in gamma-ray bursts is so immense that, if occurring nearby, it could have severe consequences for life on Earth, making their study important for understanding the broader cosmic landscape.

Impact Events

Impact events refer to collisions between celestial bodies, such as asteroids or comets, and planets or moons. One of the most well-known impact events in Earth’s history is the Chicxulub impact, which occurred approximately 66 million years ago. This impact, involving a large asteroid, is widely believed to be a major contributing factor to the mass extinction event that wiped out the dinosaurs. Impact events can have catastrophic consequences, causing widespread fires, tsunamis, and altering the Earth’s climate. While large impacts are rare on human timescales, studying and monitoring near-Earth objects is crucial for understanding potential threats and developing strategies for planetary defense. Advances in space observation technology allow scientists to identify and track these celestial bodies, providing early warning and the potential for mitigating measures if a significant impact threat is identified.

Natural Disasters Examples

Natural Disasters in India

• Geographical Vulnerabilities: India’s diverse topography, ranging from the Himalayas to coastal regions, exposes it to various natural disasters.
• Earthquakes: The Himalayan belt and other seismic zones make India prone to earthquakes, with historical instances causing significant damage.
• Cyclones: Coastal regions, especially in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea, face the recurring threat of cyclones, impacting lives and infrastructure.
• Floods: Monsoon rains lead to floods in many states, causing displacement, agricultural losses, and damage to property.
• Landslides: Hilly terrains, particularly during the monsoon, are susceptible to landslides, affecting communities and transportation.
• Droughts, Heatwaves, and Cold Waves: Different parts of India experience extremes in temperature, leading to droughts, heatwaves, and cold waves, impacting agriculture and human health.
• Urban Challenges: Urban areas grapple with issues like pollution, affecting public health and adding to the disaster management challenges.
• Ongoing Mitigation Efforts: Despite efforts to enhance disaster preparedness and response, India continues to require resilient infrastructure and comprehensive mitigation strategies.

Natural Disasters UPSC

Natural disasters, stemming from Earth’s processes over 4.54 billion years, encompass floods, hurricanes, tsunamis, and earthquakes, profoundly impacting the environment and life. Triggered by natural hazards like active fault lines, some are influenced by human activities. Categorized into geological, hydrological, meteorological, and space disasters, examples include avalanches, floods, cyclones, solar flares, and impact events. These events, such as the 2001 Gujarat Earthquake or the 2011 Japanese tsunami, demonstrate the interconnectedness between Earth’s processes and human existence.

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Natural Disasters FAQs

What is natural disasters explain.

Natural Disasters are catastrophic events that result from any of the Earth's natural phenomena.

What was the biggest natural disaster?

1931, China floods

What is an example of a natural disaster?

A natural disaster is a catastrophic event caused by severe weather or other natural processes. Some examples of natural disasters include: Earthquakes, Volcanic eruptions, Hurricanes, Tornadoes, Floods, Blizzards, Hailstorms, Wildfires, Tsunamis, Extreme heat.

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Natural Disaster Essay: How to Write, Topics, & Examples

What would you do if someone told you that a tsunami would wipe out your house tomorrow afternoon? You won’t believe them. It always seems that natural disasters happen in someone else’s life. But every year, millions of people worldwide suffer from various natural calamities. This article attempts to systemize the chaos of nature for you to write an impressive natural disaster essay. You will get acquainted with the seven types of disasters, get a long list of topics and examples of natural disaster essay in 200 words and 300 words.

• 🌪️ Natural Disaster: The Basics
• 💡 114 Essay Topics
• 📑 Outlining Your Essay
• 🌊 Essay Sample (200 Words)
• 🏜️ Essay Sample (300 Words)

🌪️ Natural Disaster Essay: What Is It About?

A natural disaster is a large-scale meteorological or geological event that can to cause loss of life or massive damage to people’s property. Floods and severe storms are the most reported acts of nature in the US, but other incidents also happen from time to time. That is why you can dedicate your essay on natural disasters to earthquakes, droughts, wildfires, floods, tsunamis, hurricanes, or tornadoes.

💡 114 Natural Disasters Essay Topics

What could you write in a natural disaster essay? You can invent your own topic about various types of natural disasters, their causes, and aftermath, or their impact on human life and the economy. Depending on the discipline, you can also describe historic calamities that changed the direction of human civilization. Alternatively, choose one from our comprehensive list below.

• Why are the Great Plains of the central US ideal for tornado formation?
• Global Warming and Climate Change Legislation.
• Research the atmospheric parameters inside a tornado.
• Energy, Technology and Climate Change.
• Why are the boundaries of Tornado Alley in the US so debatable?
• The global climate change as a manmade disaster.
• Which actions should you never do when a tornado is nearby?
• Volunteers’ Role During Disasters.
• Suggest your opinion on the best action strategy in a hurricane.
• The Columbia Disaster and safety violations.
• What were the causes and effects of a flood?
• Analysis on Climate Change and Global Impact.
• Describe the most devastating wildfires in the US and find their common features.
• Earthquake Engineering Considerations and Methods.
• Brainstorm ideas to prevent wildfires.
• Global warming and the greenhouse effect.
• How can building dams cause earthquakes?
• Climate Change and Its Impact on Freshwater.
• Analyze the impact of droughts on tourism.
• Climate Change Effect on Coral Reef Communities.
• Describe the most extended droughts in human history.
• Marine and Coastal Climate Change in Australia.
• Write an essay on natural disasters and earthquakes in particular.
• Air pollution and mortality rates
• What are the distinctive features of droughts in third-world countries?
• Global Warming, Climate Change, and Society’s Impact on the Environment.
• Study the relationship between global warming and droughts.
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder After a Hurricane.
• Evaluate the damage caused by Hurricane Maria in 2017.
• Social Media’s Role in Disaster Response.
• Classify the effects of natural disasters in an essay.
• Sustainability and Climate Change.
• Describe the 1815 volcanic eruption of Mt. Tambora, Indonesia.
• Hurricane Katrina: Overview, Impact, Response.
• Each new leap of civilization causes new responses of nature.
• Animal Exploitation. Animal Agriculture and Climate Change.
• Think of any positive effects a volcanic eruption may have.
• In Arizona, Collaboration Averts Water Disaster.
• Children are the poorest victims of any disaster.
• A Solution to Remedy Climate Change.
• Which ways of disaster risk reduction do you know?
• An Emergency Operations Center During Hurricane Harvey.
• Research the current problems in disaster management.
• Disaster Recovery Plan for Information Technology Organizations.
• Analyze ineffective disaster management in an essay about hurricane Katrina.
• Nurse Competencies and Scope of Practice in Disaster.
• What should a household have at home in the case of a disaster?
• Hurricane Katrina: The Powerful Natural Disaster.
• Describe the humanitarian disaster during the drought in Somalia.
• Technology in Disaster Preparedness.
• Can man-made disasters entail natural calamities?
• Disaster Management in Philadelphia.
• Review the criteria for disaster classification.
• Jeddah Floods and Adaptation Strategies in the City of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
• Search for real examples of hybrid disasters.
• Natural Disasters Prevention: A Tabletop Exercise.
• Who is responsible for casualties after a natural disaster?
• The Sand Storms: Remote Sensing and Meteorological Variables.
• List the lessons we could learn from our past disaster experience.
• Fire Development, Growth, and Spreads.
• The ice storm and silver thaw: A gentle disaster.
• Fire Crisis Management in the UAE.
• Rockslides: A pressing issue for rural areas.
• 1d – 2d Flood Modeling Using PCSWMM.
• What are the psychological benefits of disaster preparedness?
• Structural Control and Origin of Volcanism in the Taupo Volcanic Zone.
• When does a blizzard become a disaster?
• Extreme Weather Events + Geographies of Globalization.
• Research the causes of dust storms and name the affected areas.
• Strategies for Sustainable Integrated Oil Disaster Management in West Africa.
• Why did the San Francisco earthquake (1906) cause devastating fires?
• Causes of Climate Change.
• What could be done to help people who lost their homes in an earthquake?
• Book Review: Energy and Global Climate Change.
• Analyze the role of World Vision in humanitarian aid after disasters.
• Tangshan earthquake of 1976 showed that high population density is disastrous.
• The Role of Carbon Dioxide in Climate Change.
• Rock avalanche: Why water is the most powerful geological agent.
• Aspects of Climate Change.
• When do extreme weather conditions turn into a disaster?
• Climate Change: Reasons, Kyoto Protocol.
• Write an article on shelter-providing organizations for disaster victims.
• Establishing an IT Disaster Recovery Plan.
• Describe earthquake cycles in Haiti.
• Effects of Climate Change on Agriculture and Food.
• How can nature damage ecology in natural disasters?
• Climate Change. Problems. Effects.
• Disaster management should include psychological help to the survivors.
• Climate Change Causes: Position and Strategies.
• Suggest ways to prevent damage caused by debris flow.
• HAT 4: Disaster in Franklin Country.
• How did the lack of evacuation after the Bhola cyclone (1970) result in the massive death toll?
• The Effects of Climate Change.
• The most significant Yellow River flood: 2 million deaths in 1887.
• Resilience Building Against Natural Disasters in the Caribbean Islands.
• Sinkholes: A natural disaster or attraction for cavers and water-divers?
• Global Climate Change and Health.
• Describe the dynamics of landslides in California.
• Which early-warning systems to detect avalanches do you know?
• Los Angeles Regional Collaborative for Climate Action.
• Pyroclastic flow: The deadliest volcanic hazard.
• Communication During Disaster Response.
• Describe the volcano eruption of Vesuvius that destroyed the Herculaneum and Pompeii.
• Disaster Planning for Families.
• Disaster prevention measures: Investments that save millions of lives.
• Natural Disaster Management and Historical Prospective Study in the UAE.
• Research the PTSD in survivors of natural disasters.
• Are the latest disasters the nature’s fightback to humanity?
• Estimate the human impact on natural disasters.
• List the countries with the largest number of disasters and find their standard features.
• Everyday Communication on Climate Change.
• Insurance coverage against disasters: Our inevitable future.
• Emergency Planning Before and After Hurricane Katrina.
• One natural disaster could bring the world to its end.

Haven’t found a suitable topic in the list above? Use our essay topic generator to get more ideas.

📑 Natural Disaster Essay Outline

Outlines differ, depending on the assigned length and essay type. It is a reference sample. Feel free to modify it, extending some points and narrowing the others. Still, the overall structure should remain the same. We have chosen the “Causes of Earthquakes” essay topic for demonstrative purposes.

• Hook . There are millions of possible ways to start your essay, from a rhetorical question to any imaginable scenario. The point is to grab the reader’s attention, showing them that your writing is unique and creative. For example: We are always concerned with the consequences of a natural disaster. But what brought us into such a calamity in the first place?
• Concepts. Natural disasters can be studied in the framework of various disciplines. But in all cases, they are linked with geology, biology, chemistry, geography, and some other subjects with broad and complicated terminology. Explain the terms that could be elusive for your readers here. For example: For the purposes of this essay, an earthquake is a sudden displacement of the land surface.
• Background. How did you come to think of this problem? Why is it topical? The causes of earthquakes are numerous and often unrelated. To understand them as a system, we need a strict classification.
• Thesis statement . Clearly state the aim of your essay. This essay attempts to group the causes of earthquakes to determine which factors can be tackled by human forces.
• Transition sentence. It comes in the previous sentence (for paragraphs 2 and 3) and ensures smooth reading. E.g.: Tectonic movements are the most powerful causes of earthquakes, and we cannot influence them. But still, there is something we could do.
• Topic sentence . What will you explain in this paragraph? Human interference with nature can also cause earthquakes.
• Evidence. How can you confirm the topic sentence? Heavy clubbing of dam water can disturbance the crustal balance. Nuclear bombing causes shockwaves that penetrate the surface, changing the tectonic plates and their natural alignment. Mining can also cause earthquakes by removing extensive volumes of stone from under the ground.
• Warrant. Why does the reader need this information, and how does it relate to the thesis statement? Knowing these facts can help us change the old-fashioned approaches and lessen the ecological damage to our planet.
• Summary. Collect and summarize all your arguments here. Tectonic movements, volcano eruptions, and geological faults cause a significant part of earthquakes worldwide. But various man-made causes bring us to the same result.
• Rephrased thesis. We cannot stop the tectonic movements or hinder volcanic eruptions, but we can use natural resources with more care.

🌊 Natural Disaster Essay 200 Words

Below you will find a short natural disaster essay for 200 words. It explores the causes and effects of the tsunami in Japan in 2011.

Tsunami in Japan: Causes and Effects The proximity of the deadliest disasters is often unpredictable. As a result, the consequences of a tsunami can exceed any possible expectations. This essay looks for the decisive factors that caused the tsunami in Japan in 2011 and its results for the local population and other countries. The causes were out of human control and could not be predicted. The Pacific plate moved in the horizontal and vertical plane, advancing beneath the Eurasian Plate. It displaced the seawater above and entailed several destructive waves. The disaster had enormous consequences for the Japanese people and their economy. It killed almost 16,000 people, although the country had a sophisticated alarming system. Besides, the earthquake caused fires and explosions at oil factories. The cooling system of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant went out of service. Two people were lost, and many were injured. Nissan, like many other large corporations, had to suspend the operation of its four factories. The economic losses due to the catastrophe amounted to 300 billion dollars. But the disaster moved to other places. On 24 March 2011, the earthquake in the east of Myanmar claimed the lives of 60 people and destroyed 300 buildings. As we can see, everything is linked on our planet. Movements of the earth’ crust in any part of the world bring about earthquakes and tsunami in other countries. The series of waves in Japan was caused by the underwater earthquake and had horrible consequences.

🏜️ Natural Disaster Essay 300 Words

If your assignment is longer, you will have to provide your opinion in the essay. Or, you can make your argumentation more detailed. Below you can check our 300-word sample of a disaster essay.

The Economic Effects of the Dust Bowl Drought When someone says “a natural disaster,” we usually imagine an earthquake or a tsunami. Buildings are destroyed, and property is lost. But imagine a scenario of a devastating drought, which happened in the US in the 1930s. Its effect is less visible because it lies in the domain of the national economy. This essay reveals the economic consequences of the Dust Bowl drought. During the third decade of the XX century, strong winds raised choking dust in the southern states, from Texas to Nebraska. People and animals died as the crops failed in the area for several years in a row. The Dust Bowl lasted for almost a decade and was also called “the Dirty Thirties.” This drought intensified the impact of the Great Depression. Local farmers had to migrate to urban areas in search of better conditions and other sources of living. About 2.5 million people moved West from the worst-hit states, namely New Mexico, Texas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Kansas. But they found only discrimination, meager salaries, and inhuman working conditions. Many had to live in tents near irrigation ditches. They were called “Okies,” a disdainful name for migrants of any state. Regular rains returned to the southern states by the end of 1939, closing the drought. However, the economic aftermath persisted. The counties that suffered the most failed to recover the agricultural value of their land till the 1950s. Thus, the local population kept decreasing for twenty years. Although a drought does not ruin property, it can tangibly lower human life levels. The Dust Bowl threw people into a lose-lose situation. Their farms were unfit for gaining any profit, and the new places of living gave them no better opportunities. It took two decades to restore public wellbeing in the Southern States.

Researching the worst acts of nature can teach you to value what you have. We hope that this article has made your creative writing more manageable and pleasurable. You can write an essay of any length by simply following our outline. All you will need to do after that is make a cover page for it.

Please share your natural disaster essay ideas in the comments below.

❓ Natural Disaster Essay FAQ

How to write an essay about natural disaster.

Your approach should depend on the discipline. But in any case, you can discuss the types of disasters, their consequences, characteristics, and preconditions. The excellent idea is to select a past disastrous event and analyze it from the economic, social, or individual point of view.

What Is a Disaster Essay?

A disaster essay explores the stages of a natural or man-made calamity and seeks the possible ways to prevent similar emergencies in the future. An article on disaster management studies the correct and efficient activities to lower the casualties and property loss after a disaster.

What Is Disaster Preparedness Essay?

This type of writing analyzes the level of readiness of a region or municipality to an unexpected natural disaster. You can highlight the vulnerable groups of the population that will suffer the most. Or, you may invent measures that could reduce the disaster response and coping time. Such assignments teach you strategic thinking and a systematic approach to problem-solving.

How to Describe a Natural Disaster for an Essay?

You should specify that the event was unexpected and led to many deaths and property loss. The most critical things include the causes of the disaster, its progress and duration, and the negative consequences for the locals. You can also specify the negative effect on the economy and humanitarian condition of the area.

🔗 References

• Natural Disasters and Severe Weather | CDC
• Types of Disasters | SAMHSA
• Natural Disaster – an overview | ScienceDirect Topics
• Natural Disasters – National Geographic
• What Is Disaster Management: Prevention and Mitigation

FREE K-12 standards-aligned STEM

curriculum for educators everywhere!

Find more at TeachEngineering.org .

• TeachEngineering
• Naturally Disastrous

Lesson Naturally Disastrous

Grade Level: 5 (3-5)

Time Required: 15 minutes

Lesson Dependency: None

Subject Areas: Earth and Space

NGSS Performance Expectations:

• Print lesson and its associated curriculum

Curriculum in this Unit Units serve as guides to a particular content or subject area. Nested under units are lessons (in purple) and hands-on activities (in blue). Note that not all lessons and activities will exist under a unit, and instead may exist as "standalone" curriculum.

• Engineering to Prevent Natural Disasters: Save Our City!
• Scale Model of the Earth
• Drifting Continents
• Faulty Movement
• Testing Model Structures: Jell-O Earthquake in the Classroom
• Seismology in the Classroom
• Mercalli Scale Illustrated
• Magnitude of the Richter Scale
• Ready to Erupt!
• Mini-Landslide
• Survive That Tsunami! Testing Model Villages in Big Waves
• Floodplain Modeling
• Tornado Damage!
• A Tornado in My State?
• Build It Better!

TE Newsletter

Engineering connection, learning objectives, more curriculum like this, introduction/motivation, associated activities, lesson closure, vocabulary/definitions, user comments & tips.

Engineers learn about our planet so that humans can exist with and survive its natural hazards. Engineers must be aware of natural hazards in order to prevent or minimize their harmful effects on people and property. They create devices that detect natural hazards, build structures to withstand them, and invent devices to study them. Our homes must withstand the powerful forces of wind, snow, water, fire and moving earth. Engineers design avalanche beacons and airbags, lightning rods and all kinds of environmental sensors. They also design special equipment to fight fires on the ground and from the air.

After this lesson, students should be able to:

• Differentiate between a natural disaster and a natural hazard.
• Name at least three different natural hazards.
• Explain why engineers care about natural disasters.

Educational Standards Each TeachEngineering lesson or activity is correlated to one or more K-12 science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) educational standards. All 100,000+ K-12 STEM standards covered in TeachEngineering are collected, maintained and packaged by the Achievement Standards Network (ASN) , a project of D2L (www.achievementstandards.org). In the ASN, standards are hierarchically structured: first by source; e.g. , by state; within source by type; e.g. , science or mathematics; within type by subtype, then by grade, etc .

Ngss: next generation science standards - science.

International Technology and Engineering Educators Association - Technology

View aligned curriculum

Do you agree with this alignment? Thanks for your feedback!

State Standards

Colorado - science.

What is a natural disaster? Can you give me an example of a natural disaster? (Expect students to mention natural forces that cause destruction such as volcanoes, earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, hurricanes, tornados, landslides, etc. Write these examples on the classroom board.)

If a volcano erupts in Antarctica, where no human is affected, is it a natural disaster? What about an earthquake that no one feels? Well, these are actually considered natural hazards, not natural disasters. The difference between a natural disaster and a natural hazard is that a natural hazard has the potential to cause damage to people, but doesn't necessarily, while a natural disaster is a natural hazard that affects human populations. For example: Volcanoes are natural hazards because they have the potential to erupt and affect humans. Mt. Pinatubo, a volcano, erupted in the Philippines in 1991 destroying communities and taking the lives of 300 people, making the Mt. Pinatubo eruption a natural disaster.

Why do engineers care about natural hazards? Engineers must understand natural hazards in order to understand their effects on the "things" they create. They also must know where natural hazards are likely to occur, so they can contribute to the design of communities to help people survive and minimize the impact of natural hazards. Engineers design structures such as buildings and bridges so they do not fall down in earthquakes, they build channels to deflect lava flows from volcanoes, and they raise buildings on stilts to limit the damage from high water. Engineers also design instruments that collect data and make measurements, which helps us predict natural hazards like hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis and floods. Engineers develop tracking devices for thunderstorms and tornadoes. Engineers also design the equipment and devices used by rescuers to find people buried in avalanches or collapsed buildings.

Lesson Background and Concepts for Teachers

Natural Hazards: What is a natural hazard? A natural hazard is any naturally occurring event that poses a danger to human life or property. "Natural hazards" is a general term for events such as volcanoes, earthquakes and tsunamis. Types of natural hazards include: avalanche, earthquake, flood, forest fire, hurricane/typhoon/cyclone, landslide, thunderstorm/blizzard/ice storm, tornado, tsunami and volcano. Below are short descriptions of these natural hazards. In later lessons of this unit, many of these natural hazards are examined in more detail.

An avalanche is a large mass of snow, ice and/or rock that is carried down a slope by gravity. Typically, the term avalanche refers to snow sliding down a mountain. Of several different kinds of avalanches, the most common and most dangerous is a slab avalanche. A slab avalanche occurs when a large section of snow can no longer stick to the side of a slope and is overcome by the force of gravity. These typically form on slopes that have an incline between 25 and 60 degrees. Most avalanche victims are backcountry skiers, but avalanches can sometimes destroy human settlements. One example is the mountain town of Montroc in France, which was hit by an avalanche in 1999, killing 12 people. Predicting and preventing avalanches can be difficult, but engineers use several methods to mitigate the impact of avalanches. Passive methods include snow fences and retarding structures that hold the snow on the slope or redirect or slow the avalanche so that it does not damage structures. Active techniques typically involve triggering small avalanches with explosives in order to prevent larger avalanches from forming. Engineers also design devices such as beacons and airbags that people can wear in the backcountry to help them survive an avalanche. A beacon is an electronic transmitter that helps rescuers find a buried person, while airbags inflate during an avalanche, keeping the a person buoyant as well as providing breathing room once the avalanche stops.

Earthquakes are potentially devastating natural hazards. Earthquakes are formed as the tectonic plates that make up the crust of the earth rub against each other. While approximately 8,000 earthquakes occur every day worldwide, nearly all are too small to feel. Occasionally one is large and close enough to a populated area to create significant damage. Engineers design devices such as seismometers and lasers that can help predict earthquakes through the data they collect. Engineers take into consideration the powerful forces of earthquakes when designing structures and bridges.

Floods are natural hazards that involve an overflow of water that submerges usually dry land. Of the many different types and causes of floods, the most common are periodic river flooding and flash flooding. Periodic river flooding is caused by melting snow and spring rain increasing a river's water level. Even though this type of flooding is easy to predict since the water level rises at a slow rate, these floods can still be disastrous if the amount of water is more than is expected. Flash floods occur when water from rainstorms is suddenly too much for streams and rivers to contain. Engineers design river gauges and weather monitoring devices that take measurements that help us predict and monitor floods. They also design dams and levees to prevent and minimize flooding.

Forest fires are natural hazards that can be tremendously destructive. Forest fires occur in heavily forested areas during the dry season. They are usually started by lightning or human activities such as campfires. Periodic forest fires are good for the forest because they help to thin the forest and allow for new growth. Forest fires also have the potential to destroy houses and towns in or near forested areas. To minimize the impact of forest fires, engineers design tractors that cut and clear fire lanes (forest strips in which all vegetation is removed) to halt the spread of a forest fire. Engineers also design aircraft that drop water or chemical retardants on fires.

Hurricanes are powerful tropical storms with wind speeds in excess of 74 mph (119 kph). Hurricanes form in the warm ocean waters near the equator. A hurricane has an organized rotation with a central "eye" where the winds are calm. The eye is typically between 20 and 40 miles (32-64 k) in diameter. Surrounding the eye is the eye wall — where the winds are usually the strongest and are accompanied by heavy rain. Beyond the eye wall are rain bands, which are long thunderstorms that curve out away from the center of the storm. Damage from hurricanes is caused by the high winds, a powerful storm surge as the storm makes land fall, and inland flooding as an area is saturated with heavy rain. Hurricanes are known as typhoons in the Pacific Ocean and as cyclones in the Indian Ocean. Engineers address the dangers of hurricanes by designing weather instruments and satellites that detect these storms and predict their paths. Engineers also design structures and sea walls to help people and property survive storms and minimize destruction.

Landslides are similar to avalanches in that they involve gravity pulling material down slopes. Of the wide variety of types and causes of landslides, the most common are caused by heavy rains and erosion. Engineers create monitoring devices to help predict landslides, as well as nets, anchors and walls that support slopes and hold back landslides.

A thunderstorm is a severe storm characterized by thunder and lightning. Thunderstorms are often accompanied by heavy rain, hail or (rarely) snow. The term thunderstorm comes from the thunder that accompanies the lightning. Thunder is the sound of the shockwave caused by the lightning heating and expanding the air around it. Lightning is the discharge of electrical energy that is formed as particles in a cloud rub against each other. This is similar to the static electricity that forms if you rub a balloon on your hair, but it is much more powerful; each bolt of lightning transfers 500 megajoules of electricity. Thunderstorms are dangerous and damaging because of the risk of being struck by lightning, the destruction caused by hail, the possibility of flash flooding, and the potential for tornados. Engineers design radar that is used to track storms and warn residents of storm paths. They also design lightning rods, which provide safe routes for lightning to reach the ground.

Tornadoes are powerful, funnel-shaped windstorms. Tornadoes usually start as vigorous thunderstorms that form supercells. A supercell is a thunderstorm with a rotating core, called a mesocyclone. As the mesocyclone descends, it forms a funnel cloud. Once the swirling funnel cloud reaches the ground it is called a tornado. With wind speeds of up to 300 mph (483 kph), tornadoes can be incredibly destructive. Tornadoes that form over water are called waterspouts. Engineers track tornadoes in the same way they track thunderstorms.

Tsunamis are large waves caused by displacement in the sea floor, typically caused by landslides or earthquakes under the ocean. The huge waves can move far inland, threatening coastal areas and wreaking havoc on communities. Engineers design special ocean buoys to detect the tsunami when it is still far out in the ocean so that people can be given advance warning to evacuate coastal areas.

Volcanoes are formed when liquid magma located under the crust of the earth finds a way to the surface. When it reaches the surface it is known as lava. Volcanoes can erupt violently with a huge explosion, spreading lava, ash and rock over a large area. Or, they can erupt more calmly, as when lava oozes out of the ground. Three basic types of volcanoes are shield volcanoes, stratovolcanoes and cinder cones. Shield volcanoes form when lava flows like a liquid creating a low and wide (shield-like) dome. Stratovolcanoes are large, conical-shaped volcanoes formed by layers of deposit from explosive eruptions. Cinder cones are usually smaller and form from the scoria of a single eruption. Scoria is solidified chunks of magma. Engineers create devices such as tiltmeters to monitor mountains so that nearby inhabitants can be warned of impending eruptions.

Natural Disasters: What is a natural disaster? A natural disaster is any natural hazard that affects human lives or property. A natural hazard, such as an earthquake that occurs at the bottom of the sea and that no one feels, is not considered a natural disaster, while an earthquake such as the one in Pakistan in 2005 that killed nearly 100,000 people and destroyed many homes and roads was a terrible natural disaster.

Engineers must study and understand natural hazards to be able to create structures that can survive and protect people from their powerful forces. Engineers also design devices and tools that people use to detect the powerful and natural forces of our planet, as well as methods for avoiding or diverting natural hazards. Refer to the associated activity Engineering to Prevent Natural Disasters: Save Our City! for students to learn about some of the basic methods that engineers use to detect and prevent natural disasters and are challenged to decide where to place these devices on a map of an hypothetical city.

Watch this activity on YouTube

What is a natural hazard? (Answer: A natural event that has the power to damage or destroy property as well as injure or take lives.) We discussed that volcanoes, earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, hurricanes, tornados and landslides are examples of natural hazards.

What is the difference between a natural disaster and a natural hazard? (Answer: Natural hazards are natural occurances that pose danger to human settlements and lives, while natural disasters are specific happenings that harm people.)

Can anyone tell us about a specific natural disaster? What types of natural hazards occur in the region where we live?

Why are studying and understanding the natural events of our planet important for engineers? (Answer: Engineers must understand hazards and disasters in order to create devices that can monitor, predict, prevent and/or minimize the impact of natural forces as well as design structures so people can survive them.)

avalanche: A large slide of snow, ice and/or earth down a slope.

earthquake: Shaking of the ground caused by friction between the tectonic plates.

engineer: A person who applies his/her understanding of science and mathematics to creating things for the benefit of humanity and our planet.

flood: When normally dry land is submerged with water.

forest fire: An uncontrolled fire in a forested area.

hurricane: An organized rotating storm that forms in or near the tropics.

landslide: A large movement of earth down a slope.

natural disaster: A disaster affecting humans that is caused by a natural hazard.

natural hazard: A natural event that has the ability to cause destruction.

thunderstorm: A powerful storm that includes lightning and thunder.

tornado: A funnel-shaped storm characterized by high winds.

tsunami: A large ocean wave caused by the displacement of the sea floor.

volcano: An opening in the earth's crust through which molten lava, ash and gases are ejected.

Pre-Lesson Assessment

Discussion Questions : Solicit answers to the following questions and explain to students these questions will be answered as we explore the lesson.

• What is a natural disaster?
• Name a specific example of a natural disaster.
• Can we prevent or predict natural disasters?

Post-Introduction Assessment

Voting : Have students vote on the following true/false questions and then explain the answers.

• True or False : Natural hazards and natural disasters are exactly the same thing. (False: Natural hazards are natural occurances on our planet that have destructive powers, while natural disasters are what we call specific natural hazards that caused the destruction of human settlements and lives).
• True or False : The 1906 San Francisco earthquake that left nearly 300,000 people homeless was a natural disaster. (True: This earthquake was a specific event that caused lots of destruction to the people and property in that city).
• True or False : A nuclear power plant meltdown is a natural hazard. (False: A nuclear power plant is created by humans and is therefore not a natural event.)
• True or False : A fire that started by a burning candle and destroyed the personal belongings of all the people who live in an apartment building is a natural disaster. (False: This fire sounds like a disaster, but it was caused by humans and is therefore not considered a natural disaster.)

Lesson Summary Assessment

Drawing : Have students make and label drawings that each illustrate one type of natural hazard. To turn them into drawings of natural disasters, have them show the hazard affecting people and communities. Have students discuss how an engineer might help track or predict the pictured event. As an extension, have students act as engineers and draw devices or structures with the purpose of protecting people, warning people or predicting the timing or location of natural hazards.

Summary Questions : Ask the students and discuss as a class:

• What is a natural hazard? (Answer: A natural event that has the power to damage or destroy property as well as injure or take lives.)
• What is an example of a natural hazard? (Answers: Avalanche, volcano, earthquake, hurricane, tornado, landslide, thunderstorm, flood, forest fire.)
• What is a natural disaster? (Answer: A specific event in which a natural hazard did damage to a human population.)
• What is an example of a natural disaster? (Answer: See Table 1.)
• Why do engineers care about natural hazards and natural disasters? (Answer: Engineers care because they must first understand hazards before they can create devices that monitor, predict, prevent or minimize the impact of natural hazards, as well as design structures that can survive natural hazards and protect people.)</

Lesson Extension Activities

Have students research specific natural disasters, making posters that describes them. Have them talk about what natural hazard caused each disaster as well as the effects and what might have been done to prevent or minimize the impact of the disaster.

As a side activity, have students learn more about potential and kinetic energy as they design and build a way to safely and accurately deliver relief goods (represented by an egg) to people in a natural disaster area with no road access. Similar to real-world engineering design teams, students must design their devices with constraints such as limited materials. This Bombs Away! activity is targeted for sixth-grade studens but may be suitable for grades 4-8.

Ask students to think about the types of natural disasters that might occur in the region in which they live. Then, imagining that a natural disaster occurs in their community, what have engineers created that would help students survive the dangerous situation? For example, if you are safe during a blizzard, what keeps you safe? Engineer-designed examples might include: Strong roof, insulated walls, heating system, lighting, communication devices (radio, television, phones), indoor plumbing and electricity, stoves and refrigerators, warm clothing made with modern fabrics, weather predicting and warning devices, safe vehicles, etc. Have them summarize in a one-page paper.

Students learn about various natural hazards and specific methods engineers use to prevent these hazards from becoming natural disasters. They study a hypothetical map of an area covered with natural hazards and decide where to place natural disaster prevention devices by applying their critical thi...

Students are introduced to our planet's structure and its dynamic system of natural forces through an examination of the natural hazards of earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, tsunamis, floods and tornadoes, as well as avalanches, fires, hurricanes and thunderstorms. They see how these natural event...

Students learn about landslides, discovering that there are different types of landslides that occur at different speeds — from very slow to very quick. All landslides are the result of gravity, friction and the materials involved. Students learn what makes landslides dangerous and what engineers ar...

Students learn what causes hurricanes and what engineers do to help protect people from destruction caused by hurricane winds and rain.

Abromeit, Doug, Anne Marie Deveraux, and Britt Overby. Forest Service National Avalanche Center. U.S. Forest Service. Accessed December 20, 2006. http://www.avalanche.org

Central Region Headquarters, NOAA's National Weather Service. Updated November 17, 2006. NOAA. Accessed December 20, 2006. (Find out about weather events currently happening everywhere in the US) http://www.crh.noaa.gov/crh/

National Hurricane Center and Tropical Prediction Center. Updated December 7, 2006. NOAA/National Weather Service, Miami, FL. Accessed December 20, 2006. http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

National Interagency Fire Center. NIFC, Boise, ID. Accessed December 20, 2006. http://www.nifc.gov/

Lightning Safety: Photos, Medical, Brochures, More. Office of Climate, Water and Weather Services, NOAA/National Weather Service, Silver Springs, MD. Accessed December 20, 2006. http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/

Sawall, Hardy. Avalanche Defense Techniques. Michigan Technological University. Accessed December 20, 2006. http://www.geo.mtu.edu/

Volcano Hazards Program. Last modified December 10, 2006. U.S. Geological Survey. Accessed December 20, 2006. http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/

Watson, John and Kathie. Last updated October 23, 1997. Predicting Earthquakes – General Interest Publication. U.S. Geological Survey. Accessed December 20, 2006. http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/earthq1/predict.html

Contributors

Supporting program, acknowledgements.

The contents of this digital library curriculum were developed under a grant from the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), U.S. Department of Education and National Science Foundation GK-12 grant no. 0338326. However, these contents do not necessarily represent the policies of the Department of Education or National Science Foundation, and you should not assume endorsement by the federal government.

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Featured Activity: Teaching about Natural Disasters

Melissa Sullivan , this week’s Educator of the Week , inspires her 5th graders to care about natural disasters through the lens of science, social studies, and math. Read about how she connects her Earth Science lessons to real-world situations.

Activity: Teaching about   Natural Disasters Grade Level: 5 Time Commitment: Two weeks

When I teach, I like to augment my lessons with a local, regional, and global perspective. As part of our Earth Science unit, during one school day we investigated rapid changes in the earth’s surface caused by natural disasters. We incorporated the scientific method, and I guided my students to observe these catastrophes through stream tables. We built our own stream table and simulated the effects of a hurricane and a flash flood.

Throughout the two week unit, I linked the lesson to social studies and math by discussing the social and economic impacts and decisions humans make to lessen the impact of natural disasters. We connected this lesson to a real-world situation by watching news clips of Hurricane Katrina and looked at that area from a bird’s eye view using Google Earth. We then discussed how the levee in New Orleans was not tall or strong enough to withstand Hurricane Katrina.

One of my students…remarked during this lesson, “I love fifth grade!” when he was able to start making connections to the world outside of the classroom.

We also touched upon how surrounding regions were impacted through refugees and strained resources. The discussion, along with a bit of scaffolding, incorporated the economic impact of the disaster and how disasters like Katrina are common throughout the world. This included ideas of cost versus function with engineering (i.e. how tall/strong to make a levee) and city planning in order to offer solutions to prevent such catastrophes in the future.

How did this activity impact your students?

My students were eager to learn how to help when disasters occur. They enjoyed learning about the importance of planning and the consequences of poor planning.

One of my students who had walked into my classroom with a bit of apathy at the beginning of the year remarked during this lesson, “I love fifth grade!” when he was able to start making connections to the world outside of the classroom.

How does teaching with a geo-education mindset impact your students?

One of my teaching goals is to connect science and social concepts to promote geo-literacy. I strive to empower my students to become decision-makers by the knowledge acquired through lessons. For example, I take science concepts such as how humans change the environment and link it to Ten on Tuesday , a concept that if each citizen picks up ten pieces of trash on Tuesday, cities can reduce the amount of litter. My students are so excited about helping the environment that they voluntarily spend part of their recess time on Tuesdays picking up trash.

What is one simple activity to get students to think about their world?

After giving a lesson on a topic, a teacher can write on the whiteboard three columns of words: local, regional, and global, and lead a discussion on these that relate to the lesson. The repetition of these words over time will encourage students to relate future concepts on all three levels.

Do you have a favorite book that inspires your teaching?

My favorite teaching book is Teach Like Your Hair’s on Fire: The Methods and Madness Inside Room 56 by Rafe Esquith, an inspiring teacher who taught in a low-income area of Los Angeles. His students, despite being first generation immigrants, scored in the top 1% of standardized tests and went on to attend Ivy League Universities. He links learning to the “real world” through movies, art, music, and baseball.

Do you have a favorite quote that inspires you in your life or in your teaching?

“If your dreams do not scare you, they are not big enough.” – Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the first female President of Liberia

Melissa Sullivan is a 5th grade bilingual teacher (English/Spanish) at Seabourn Elementary in Mesquite, Texas. She is passionate about getting her students to think locally and globally and care about the planet. This year her class participated in the Global Monster Project .

TEACHER TOOLKIT

Activity: In Your Watershed (Grades 6-8) Activity: Extreme Natural Disasters (Grades 4-5) Activity: Mapping Extreme Natural Disasters (Grades 4-5) Activity: Preparing for Extreme Natural Events (Grades 3-5) Activity: Why Communities Move (Grades 3-5) This Day in Geographic History: Hurricane Katrina Makes Landfall in Louisiana

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3 thoughts on “ Featured Activity: Teaching about Natural Disasters ”

There are places prone to earthquakes. Several earth structures have formed areas that produce more earthquakes which are medium to large earthquakes. The impact can be lethal. The most dangerous areas are located at plate boundary.

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Natural Disasters- Cause and Effects

Natural disasters as we all know are the consequences of events triggered by natural hazards that overwhelm local response capacity and seriously affect the social and economic development of a region. There is basically no human control over the natural disaster. We cannot stop these natural disasters but what is in our hands is to be prepared for these. Also, there are a lot of ways through which we can minimize the damage caused due to these natural disasters. Traditionally, natural disasters have been seen as situations that create challenges and problems mainly of a humanitarian nature. There is no way to prevent or avert these natural disasters, though scientists do claim to have found the ways to predict these natural disasters at most of the times they have failed to predict natural disasters causing some serious destruction.

During the last few years, there has been an increase in the reports of natural disasters as well as destruction caused due to these disasters. The tsunamis, hurricanes and earthquakes, which hit parts of Asia and the Americas in 2004/2005 are some examples of natural disasters in past few years and floods in the parts of Uttarakhand is a recent example of the destruction caused due to these natural calamities. These calamities have led to the displacement of a lot of people and heavy loss of life as well as the property was also reported. Not just these few cases, natural disasters can be of many types which may include volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, floods, drought, landslides, or earthquakes etc.

From past many years, there has been a constant debate on the topic of natural disasters and the human role in the same. A lot of human practices, as well as rapidly growing developmental activities, have been blamed for the constant rise of these natural disasters like floods, hurricanes and tsunamis in past few years. One of the major causes of natural disasters has been attributed to the global warming, which has sparked debate analyzing what the effects may be. The reality at present is that we are experiencing an increasing number of natural disasters, and disaster preparedness is an area still to develop. Also along with the disaster preparedness, there is a need to keep a check on developmental activities so that we could have a sustained environment.

Types of Natural Disasters

The natural disaster is the consequence when a natural hazard affects humans in an adverse manner. Human vulnerability, caused by the lack of appropriate preparedness often leads to financial, environmental, or human impact in a negative manner. A natural disaster always brings along loss of life and property damage, and typically leaves economic damage in its wake, the severity of which depends on the intensity of the disaster. At times there can be some minor losses only whereas human life has also witnessed few disasters that have caused a major loss of life and property as well.

The resulting loss due to a natural disaster also depends on the capacity of the population or authorities to support or resist the disaster as well as emergency preparedness. This understanding is concentrated in the formulation: "disasters occur when hazards meet vulnerability". A natural hazard will hence never result in a natural disaster in areas without vulnerability, e.g., strong earthquakes in uninhabited areas. The term natural has consequently been disputed because the events simply are not hazards or disasters without human involvement. Different types of natural disasters can be:

• Earthquakes
• Forest fires
• Thunderstorms
• Winter storms

Causes of Natural Disasters

• There are different types of natural disasters and depending on different types of disasters the causes are also different. For example, the causes of an earthquake cannot be the same as that of forest-fire. Natural disasters are caused due to different reasons like soil erosion, seismic activity, tectonic movements, air pressure, and ocean currents etc. natural disaster is not a new phenomenon these natural events have occurred since the earth began forming and continue to cause serious damage and loss of life all over the globe from many years. The root causes of most of the natural disasters that occur on earth can be attributed to the imbalance created in our environment. This imbalance may either be in the form of air pollution, noise pollution or water pollution and the collective effect of these imbalances are also one of the few reasons for the natural disaster. Though it also a fact that we cannot blame anyone because this is just one of the few reasons. Natural disasters like earthquake, floods etc have also occurred in past era when the human was far away from modernization. So it would not be fair enough to blame modernization for the same.
• Natural activities taking place in the earth’s crust, as well as surface, are the main reasons for these disasters. Seismic activity caused by earthquakes have been the root cause of volcanoes erupting and typhoons. It has been studied that the continents sit on huge plates that occasionally shift and when these plates shift they cause an increase in pressure underneath the earth’s surface which is also a cause of natural disasters. Tectonic movements in the earth’s crust are responsible for the earthquakes, which at times can get really dangerous and may lead to some heavy loss of life and property. In areas where volcanoes have formed by solidified magma, pressure from gasses and magma can explode or erupt to send tons of ash into the atmosphere.
• The activity of the moon determines the ocean waves which can get really high during the full moon and at times these can be really dangerous. It was also observed that deadly December 2004 tsunami also occurred on a full moon night. The earthquake was caused when the Indian Plate was subducted by the Burma Plate and triggered a series of devastating tsunamis along the coasts of most landmasses bordering the Indian Ocean, killing over 230,000 people in fourteen countries, and inundating coastal communities with waves up to 30 meters (98 ft) high. It was one of the deadliest natural disasters in recorded history. Indonesia was the hardest-hit country, followed by Sri Lanka, India, and Thailand.
• Changing ocean currents are also dangerous at times and can result in changes in water temperature which could result in a global food shortage by killing fish and ocean plant life. These changing oceanic currents could also adversely affect the intensity as well as the frequency of storms. Tornadoes which are really dangerous are often formed by the interaction of high and low-pressure air and these have proved to be really dangerous as well as devastating for many communities in the area of America, especially the area of Tornado Alley. Air pressure, high and low determines whether or not we have thunderstorms, rain and hurricanes. Flooding and high winds are caused by the crashing together of low and high-pressure air. Damage caused by flooding and hurricanes along coastal cities and towns can be really difficult to overcome for their victims.
• Natural Disasters are a set of naturally occurring events which can directly or indirectly cause severe threats to human health and well-being and adversely affects the human life for quite some time. It has been witnessed that the natural disasters have their root causes in the normal activities of the earth. However during the past few years, we have witnessed some rapid modernization and growth, man's increased knowledge and technology has served to trigger for some natural disasters. Flooding and erosion can occur are really prone to the areas where mining, deforestation, and manufacturing have taken place. Global warming, which could eventually affect the ocean currents, has its roots in modern man's overuse of fossil fuels. Earthquakes resulting as a result of tectonic movements and movements of plates inside the earth’s crust can also be triggered by drilling, bombing, mining, and construction.

The Impact of Human Activities on Natural Disasters

• It has been estimated that rapidly growing modernization is leading to ignorance towards the environment. Today we are growing at a rapid rate neglecting the harm that we are causing to our environment. Environmental bylaws are being neglected for personal gains by few businessmen. The dual forces of global warming, as well as poor human management in the field of land and water resources, combine to the cause of natural disasters. Humans have created a situation where ordinary events like earthquakes and hurricanes become increasingly elevated to the level of natural disasters which results in heavy losses in the terms of human life as well as property.
• Scientists researching on this topic from past many years have found that the increase in hydro-meteorological disasters can be attributed to a combination of natural and human-caused factors. The main problem is global warming which is increasing the temperatures of Earth's oceans and atmosphere, leading to more intense storms of all types, including hurricanes and floods due to the melting of these oceans. Unplanned urbanization is at its peak, no one is really caring about the environmental risks and everyone is busy making money. There are a lot of constructions coming up in flood-prone regions which have increased the likelihood that their towns and villages will be affected by flash floods and coastal floods. A recent flood in Uttarakhand is one such example. Human greed is increasing day by day and people are not at all hesitant in ignoring the environmental laws and result is the destruction.
• In one way or the other we are hampering our environment, the rapidly growing industrialization has led to a lot of air as well as water pollution. Though there are environmental laws that these industries need to follow to treat the waste before disposing of into the environment but most of the times the industry owners neglect these laws for their personal gain and even authorities are also quite relaxed and do not take a prompt action against the culprits. Rapid construction has led to large land areas being covered with cement, which means that the flow of water becomes very strong, and the runoff from the water can't get absorbed by the soil anymore, so it keeps collecting and rushing down, getting heavier and faster, which may ultimately lead to much bigger floods.  
• It is not that everyone is being ignorant in the race to be the best. There are also a lot of people who really care about the environment and are really serious about taking up the matter at a larger scale. There are many societies and group of people who are working in the field of environmental awareness and are working day and night out to make people aware of the harmful effects of the pollution and other practices that are harmful to our environment. Several NGO’s are taking up the issue of pollution and global warming publically by taking out rallies and organizing various campaigns to save the environment and such initiatives need to be appreciated.

Prevention and Control On Natural Disaster

• Natural disasters are inevitable, even if we have the technology to predict disasters we cannot stop it from occurring. The best that we can do is to stop the practices that are harmful to our environment and leading to environmental degradation and at the same time, we should also be prepared for a disaster with our disaster management plan. Beyond damaging and destroying physical infrastructure, natural disasters can lead to outbreaks of infectious disease. Once a disaster strikes it leaves behind a lot of destruction and loss of life. In the case of disasters like floods, earthquake etc. where a large number of people are displaced there is also a great loss of life and after the disaster, there are a lot of causalities also. This is the time when emergency preparedness comes into effect giving first aid to injured and providing rescue and relief operation.
• The overwhelming majority of deaths immediately after a natural disaster is directly associated with blunt trauma, crash-related injuries and burn injuries. The risk of infectious disease outbreaks in the aftermath of natural disasters has usually been overemphasized by health officials and the media, leading to panic, confusion and sometimes to unnecessary public health activities. After a disaster strikes there is a great risk of epidemic hence it is very important to control the causalities as well as it is also required to dispose of the dead animals as well human bodies properly before an epidemic outbreak.
• The risk factors for increased infectious diseases transmission and outbreaks are mainly associated with the after-effects of the disasters rather than to the primary disaster itself or to the corpses of those killed. It is very important to deal with these problems which in turn can pose a greater threat. These after-effects include displacement of populations, environmental changes and increased vector breeding sites. Unplanned and overcrowded shelters, poor water and sanitation conditions, poor nutritional status or insufficient personal hygiene are often the cases which may cause diarrhoea and other water-borne diseases. Consequently, there are low levels of immunity to vaccine-preventable diseases, or insufficient vaccination coverage and limited access to health care services. Hence it is very important to be prepared with a proper disaster management team who can take charge as soon a disaster strikes. 

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500+ Words Essay on Natural Disasters For Students

From the towering walls of water that sweep across coastlines to the ground-shaking tremors that ripple through the earth’s surface, natural disasters are a stark reminder of the immense power of nature and the fragility of our existence. These catastrophic events strike without warning, leaving in their wake a trail of destruction, displacement, and heartbreak.

Table of Content

Types of Natural Disasters

Causes of natural disasters, effects of natural disasters, precautions and preparedness, 500 words essay on natural disasters.

Natural disasters can take many forms, each with its unique characteristics and consequences. Some of the most devastating types include:

1. Earthquakes: Triggered by the sudden release of energy within the Earth’s crust, earthquakes can cause massive structural damage, trigger tsunamis, and disrupt vital infrastructure.

2. Tsunamis: Towering waves generated by underwater earthquakes or volcanic eruptions, tsunamis can inundate coastal regions with incredible force, sweeping away everything in their path.

3. Hurricanes and Cyclones: These powerful rotating storm systems, fueled by warm ocean waters, bring destructive winds, torrential rain, and storm surges that can devastate entire communities.

4. Floods : Caused by excessive rainfall, melting snow, or dam failures, floods can submerge vast areas, disrupting lives and destroying property.

5. Wildfires: Driven by dry conditions, high winds, and human activities, wildfires can consume vast swaths of land, threatening lives, homes, and natural habitats.

6. Volcanic Eruptions: The explosive release of molten rock, ash, and gases from the Earth’s interior can bury entire regions in a blanket of destruction.

7 . Droughts : Prolonged periods of abnormally low rainfall can lead to water scarcity, crop failures, and even famine in some regions.

While some natural disasters are triggered by geological processes deep within the Earth, others are influenced by human activities and the changing climate. Factors such as deforestation, urbanization, and the burning of fossil fuels can increase the risk and intensity of certain disasters.

Climate change, in particular, is playing an increasingly significant role in the frequency and severity of many natural disasters. Rising global temperatures are contributing to more intense hurricanes, prolonged droughts, and the melting of glaciers and ice sheets, which can exacerbate coastal flooding.

The impact of natural disasters can be catastrophic, affecting every facet of human life and the environment. Some of the most significant effects include:

1. Loss of Life: Natural disasters can claim countless lives, leaving families and communities devastated by the loss of loved ones.

2. Destruction of Infrastructure: Roads, bridges, buildings, and critical infrastructure can be severely damaged or destroyed, hampering relief efforts and hindering recovery.

3. Economic Losses: The damage caused by natural disasters can result in staggering economic losses, affecting businesses, industries, and entire economies.

4. Displacement of Populations: Disasters often force people to abandon their homes and seek shelter elsewhere, leading to humanitarian crises and long-term displacement.

5. Environmental Degradation: Natural disasters can disrupt ecosystems, pollute water sources, and contribute to soil erosion and habitat loss, threatening biodiversity and natural resources.

6. Psychological Trauma: Survivors of natural disasters often grapple with the psychological toll, including post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety.

While it is impossible to prevent many natural disasters, proactive measures can be taken to mitigate their impact and enhance preparedness. Some of these measures include:

1. Effective Early Warning Systems: Developing and implementing robust early warning systems can provide valuable lead time for evacuation and emergency response efforts.

2. Disaster Risk Reduction: Identifying and addressing vulnerabilities through measures such as land-use planning, building codes, and infrastructure improvements can minimize potential damages.

3. Community Preparedness: Educating and empowering communities on disaster preparedness, including emergency plans, evacuation routes, and survival skills, can save lives and facilitate quicker recovery.

4. Resilient Infrastructure: Investing in resilient infrastructure, such as earthquake-resistant buildings and flood control systems, can reduce the impact of natural disasters.

5. Environmental Protection: Conserving and restoring natural ecosystems, such as wetlands and forests, can act as natural buffers against certain disasters and mitigate their effects.

6. International Cooperation: Fostering global partnerships and collaborations can facilitate knowledge-sharing, resource allocation, and coordinated response efforts during disasters.

Throughout human history, civilizations have grappled with the unpredictable and often merciless power of nature. Natural disasters, ranging from earthquakes and tsunamis to hurricanes and wildfires, have left indelible scars on communities worldwide, reminding us of our fragility in the face of nature’s might.

At their core, natural disasters are events triggered by the Earth’s natural processes, such as tectonic shifts, atmospheric disturbances, or geological phenomena. However, their consequences extend far beyond the physical realm, profoundly impacting lives, livelihoods, and the very fabric of societies.

The destructive force of these events is unparalleled. Earthquakes can reduce towering structures to rubble in mere seconds, while hurricanes and cyclones unleash winds of incredible ferocity, capable of obliterating entire coastlines. Wildfires, fueled by dry conditions and strong winds, consume everything in their path, leaving smoldering landscapes and displaced communities in their wake.

The human toll of natural disasters is staggering. Lives are tragically lost, families are torn apart, and survivors are left to grapple with the psychological trauma of witnessing such overwhelming devastation. Beyond the immediate loss of life, the aftermath often brings a cascade of challenges, including displacement, lack of access to essential resources, and the daunting task of rebuilding shattered communities.

The economic impact of natural disasters is equally profound. Infrastructure is crippled, businesses are disrupted, and entire industries can be brought to a standstill. The ripple effects of these events can reverberate throughout local and global economies, hampering recovery efforts and exacerbating existing vulnerabilities.

Moreover, the environmental consequences of natural disasters are far-reaching. Ecosystems are disrupted, delicate habitats are destroyed, and biodiversity is threatened as species struggle to adapt to the altered landscapes. The long-term effects on the natural world can be felt for generations, further compounding the challenges faced by impacted communities.

Addressing the threat posed by natural disasters requires a multifaceted approach that spans prevention, preparedness, and resilience-building efforts. Investing in robust early warning systems, fortifying infrastructure, and promoting disaster risk reduction strategies are crucial steps in minimizing the impact of these events.

Furthermore, addressing the underlying drivers of climate change is paramount, as many natural disasters are exacerbated by the effects of global warming. By transitioning towards more sustainable practices and reducing our carbon footprint, we can mitigate the intensity and frequency of certain disasters, safeguarding both human and environmental well-being.

Ultimately, natural disasters serve as a humbling reminder of the immense power of nature and the fragility of our existence. While we cannot control the forces that give rise to these events, we can cultivate resilience, foster global cooperation, and prioritize preparedness efforts to better withstand their fury.

As we navigate the unpredictable landscape of natural disasters, let us embrace our shared responsibility to protect lives, safeguard communities, and forge a more sustainable relationship with the natural world. By doing so, we can forge a path towards a future where the devastating impacts of these events are minimized, and humanity emerges stronger and more resilient in the face of nature’s challenges.

Also Read: My Aim in Life Essay For Students: 100, 200 & 500 Words Essay My Village Essay in English For Students 500+ Words Essay on Importance of Education in English

Natural disasters underscore our need for resilience and preparedness. By bolstering infrastructure, safeguarding the environment, and addressing climate change, we can lessen their impact. Emphasizing risk reduction and sustainable practices, we aim to protect lives, economies, and ecosystems. Together, through resilience and cooperation, we can build a future where communities coexist with nature’s forces.

Essay on Natural Disasters- FAQs

What is disaster 1 paragraph.

A disaster is a major disturbance in the operation of a community or society resulting in widespread human, material, economic, or environmental losses and impacts that surpass the afflicted community’s or society’s ability to manage using its own resources.

What are the 2 main types of disasters?

Disasters are typically divided into two categories: natural and man-made. Natural catastrophes are typically related with weather and geological occurrences such as severe temperatures, floods, storms, earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, landslides, and drought.

What are 5 man-made disasters?

A. Man-made disasters involve human intent, neglect, or error in the breakdown of a man-made system, as opposed to natural disasters caused by natural hazards. Such man-made calamities include crime, arson, civil unrest, terrorism, war, biological/chemical threats, cyber-attacks, and so on.

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What is a Natural Disaster? Types, Causes, Events

• Updated on  
• Apr 5, 2023

Natural disasters refer to hazardous activities damaging both resources and lives. There are different types of natural disasters such as floods , storms, tsunamis, earthquakes, etc. Over the course of its billions-year history, the earth has seen several natural disasters . Several mass extinction events and severe consequences for various surviving species have resulted from some of these events. To find the answer to this and more details on Natural disasters, here is a blog that will explore everything!

This Blog Includes:

What is natural disaster, geological disasters, meteorological disasters, hydrological disasters, biological disasters, other disasters.

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A natural disaster can be defined as “A major event caused by Earth’s natural processes that leads to significant environmental degradation and loss of life.” A natural disaster is frequently preceded by a natural hazard. The Gujarat Earthquake, for example, which struck on January 26, 2001, was a natural calamity. The natural danger lives underneath the active fault lines that run through Gujarat .

Anthropogenic causes, on the other hand, can cause or affect some natural dangers. Deforestation, mining, and agricultural activities, for example, can all cause landslides . Natural disasters frequently result in widespread damage. Natural disasters, such as wildfires, destroy animal habitats while also causing property damage and loss of life.

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Types of Natural Disasters

Geological Disasters, Hydrological disasters, Meteorological Disasters, and Biological Disasters are the four broad types of natural hazards.

Geological hazards, or dangers caused by geological (i.e., Earth) processes, such as plate tectonics, are a type of risk. Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are examples of this. In general, geological extreme events are beyond human control, however, humans have a significant impact on the events’ consequences.

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Hazards caused by meteorological (i.e., weather) phenomena, particularly those related to temperature and wind, are known as meteorological hazards. Heat waves, cold waves, cyclones, hurricanes, and freezing rain are all examples of this. In the Atlantic, cyclones are known as hurricanes, while in the Pacific, they are known as typhoons.

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Hazards caused by hydrological (water) processes are known as hydrological hazards. Floods, droughts, mudslides, and tsunamis are examples of natural disasters. Floods and droughts may cause havoc on agriculture and are one of the leading causes of famine. The 1931 Central China floods killed three or four million people, making it the greatest natural disaster in history(excluding pandemics).

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Biological dangers are those that arise as a result of biological processes. This comprises a wide range of diseases, including infectious diseases that move from person to person and pose a significant threat to vast populations of people. Biological hazards are often left out of discussions about natural hazards, instead of falling under the purview of medicine and public health.

Now that we have studied the classification of Natural Disasters let us look into some Natural Disasters in depth. 

Tornadoes are rotating, funnel-shaped clouds that form as a result of intense thunderstorms. With powerful winds averaging 30 miles per hour, they extend from a thunderstorm to the ground. They can also go from being stationary to 70 miles per hour in a matter of seconds.

Tornadoes can strike with little or no notice, giving those in affected areas only seconds to seek shelter. People often endure emotional anguish as a result of the unexpected nature of tornadoes and severe storms. Overwhelming anxiety, difficulty sleeping, and other depression-like symptoms are common reactions to natural disasters.

Tropical storms that originate in the southern Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and the eastern Pacific Ocean are known as hurricanes. Every year, hurricanes harm millions of people living along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Hurricanes are known to cause mental suffering in their victims. Before, during, and after these types of storms, people commonly experience intense anxiety, continual worrying, difficulty sleeping, and other depression-like symptoms. Other symptoms of hurricane-related emotional distress include:

Fearing that forecasted storms could turn into hurricanes, even if the chances of this happening are slim, yelling or fighting with family and friends on a regular basis Having storm-related thoughts, memories, or dreams that you can’t seem to get out of your head.

Floods happen when water overflows from an area that is ordinarily dry. Floods are caused by a variety of factors, including hurricanes and tropical storms, broken dams or levees, and flash floods that happen within minutes or hours of heavy rain. Although floods are more common around the shore, especially during hurricane season, they can happen anywhere and vary in magnitude and length. Even little streams, gullies, and creeks that appear to be unaffected in dry weather might become flooded. Here are some symptoms of emotional discomfort caused by floods:

If you’re feeling hopeless or helpless, Fearing that anticipated storms would turn into hurricanes, even if the chances of this happening are slim, yelling or fighting with family and friends on a regular basis.

An earthquake occurs when the Earth’s plates shift, causing a violent shaking of the ground that can last anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes. Mild initial shaking might quickly intensify and become violent. Earthquakes are quite common, and they happen every day somewhere in the world. Even mild earthquakes that cause minor damage and destruction can induce emotional discomfort in people (especially in areas not accustomed to these events). Aftershocks can occur for months after an earthquake, and they can be just as distressing. Here are some symptoms of emotional distress caused by earthquakes:

Being easily startled, having trouble sleeping or sleeping too much, and having thoughts and memories of the earthquake that you can’t shake

A drought is a common, recurring meteorological occurrence that varies in intensity and duration depending on the region of the country and even within a state. Drought occurs when precipitation is below average for an extended period of time, usually a season or more. Drought can also be caused by a delay in the rainy season or rain timing in relation to crop development. Some symptoms of drought-related emotional discomfort include:

Feelings of overwhelming anxiety, continual worrying, difficulty sleeping, and other depressive-like symptoms, disagreements between people over limited water supplies, health issues connected to dust, insufficient water flow, or poor water and air quality, and financial problems due to crop failures

Examples of Natural Disasters

Here given below are the some examples of natural disasters-

• Avalanche : An earthquake triggered an avalanche in Peru, killing nearly 20,000 people in 1970.
• Landslides : An entire village was wiped away in the Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand in 1998.
• Earthquakes : An earthquake which registered 7.9 on the Richter scale, ripped through Gujarat, killing over 1,00,000 people in 2001.
• Sinkholes : A sinkhole over 100 meters deep formed suddenly. The event resulted in the death of five people and the evacuation of thousands in 2007.
• Volcanic Eruption : Mount Vesuvius – the deadliest volcano to ever erupt. It released 100,000 times the thermal energy of the Hiroshima-Nagasaki bombings. It was speculated that around 2,000 people died as a direct result in 79 AD.

• Flood : A series of floods devastated China in 1931. It was also called one of the deadliest floods in history, with the death toll estimated to be between 3.7 million to 4 million.
• Tsunami : A 9.0 magnitude earthquake caused a 33-foot-high tsunami to strike in 2011. It resulted in the deaths of over 18,500 individuals. The tsunami also caused the nuclear meltdown of the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant.
• Limnic Eruption : A limnic eruption was a rare kind of natural disaster in 1986. Because of its invisible nature, only two instances of this disaster have been ever observed. The deadliest among the two was the Lake Nyos limnic eruption. 1746 people and 3500 cattle were killed in this event.
• Cyclonic Storm : Cyclone Amphan caused widespread damage in Eastern India, while Cyclone Nisarga wreaked havoc on the West Coast of India in 1920.
• Blizzard : In 1972, a blizzard dropped nearly 26 feet of snow, completely covering 200 villages in Iran. It was the deadliest in recorded history, causing the death of 4,000 individuals.
• Cold waves : In February 2020, Baghdad experienced the very first snowfall since the 1910s.
• Drought : Cape Town, in South Africa, faced a major water crisis between 2017 to 2018. This crisis had an extensive impact on public health and the nation’s economy.
• Tornadoes: The Daulatpur-Saturia tornado was the deadliest tornado to occur in recorded history. It killed approximately 1,300 people and injured an estimated 12,000 people

Forest fires: The 2019-20 Australian Bushfires resulted in 34 deaths, the destruction of 5,900 buildings, and an estimated 46 million acres were burnt.

Relative Articles

An extreme weather condition that has the potential to threaten the safety of living beings and the land in general, comes under natural disaster.

Earthquakes, tornadoes, and wildfires are the three examples of natural disasters.

Pollution, deforestation, and soil erosion are some of the reasons because of why natural disasters can occur.

The following are geological disasters: Avalanche Landslides Earthquakes

The following are hydrological disasters: Flood Tsunami Limnic Eruption

We hope now you are aware of what are natural resources. For more information on such interesting topics for your school, visit our school education page and follow Leverage Edu.

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Geography Notes

Essay on natural disasters: top 12 essays | geography.

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Here is a compilation of essays on ‘Natural Disasters’ for class 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12. Find paragraphs, long and short essays on ‘Natural Disasters’ especially written for school and college students.

Essay on Natural Disasters

Essay Contents:

• Essay on the Initiatives Taken by the Government

Essay on Natural Disaster # 1. Introduction:

The definition of natural disasters is any catastrophic event that is caused by nature or the natural processes of the earth. The severity of a disaster is measured in lives lost, economic loss, and the ability of the population to rebuild. Events that occur in unpopulated areas are not considered disasters. So a flood on an uninhabited island would not count as a disaster, but a flood in a populated area is called a natural disaster.

All natural disasters cause loss in some way. Depending on the severity, lives can be lost in any number of disasters. Falling buildings or trees, freezing to death, being washed away, or heat stroke are just some of the deadly effects. Some disasters cause more loss of life than others, and population density affects the death count as well.

Hence, there is loss of property, which affects people’s living quarters, transportation, livelihood, and means to live. Fields saturated in salt water after tsunamis take years to grow crops again. Homes destroyed by floods, hurricanes, cyclones, landslides and avalanches, a volcanic eruption, or an earthquake are often beyond repair or take a lot of time to become livable again. Personal effects, memorabilia, vehicles, and documents also take a hit after many natural disasters.

The natural disasters that really affect people worldwide tend to become more intense as the years go on. Frequency of earthquakes, mega storms, and heat waves has gone up considerably in the last few decades. Heavy population in areas that get hit by floods, cyclones, and hurricanes has meant that more lives are lost.

In some areas, the population has gotten somewhat prepared for the eventuality of disasters and shelters are built for hurricanes and tornadoes. However, loss of property is still a problem, and predicting many natural disasters isn’t easy.

Scientists, geologists, and storm watchers work hard to predict major disasters and avert as much damage as possible. With all the technology available, it’s become easier to predict major storms, blizzards, cyclones, and other weather related natural disasters. But there arestill natural disasters that come up rather unexpectedly, such as earthquakes, wildfires, landslides, or even volcanic eruptions.

Sometimes, a time of warning is there, but it’s often very short with catastrophic results. Areas that are not used to disasters affected by flash floods or sudden hail storms can be affected in an extreme way. However, despite the many natural disasters the world over, mankind has shown amazing resilience.

When an area or country is badly affected by a natural disaster, the reaction is always one of solidarity and aid is quick to come. There are organizations set up with the primary goal of being prepared for natural disasters. These groups work on global and local scale rescue work. Aside from those who have chosen to make disaster relief their life-work, when disasters hit, it’s the individuals who step in who help to make a difference.

Many people talk about when a disaster has hit and their neighbours and countrymen have come to aid, often to their own loss. People will step in and donate items, time, and skills in order to help those affected by a natural disaster. Celebrities will often do what they can to raise money through concerts, phone marathons, and visiting affected areas with aid.

People have also shown that they can rebuild, lives can be remade or start over. Trauma is a big after effect of natural disasters and getting counseling has been the focus of aid-to heal emotionally as well as physically. It’s clear that natural disasters are a part of life as we know it. However, science is making it more possible to predict, aid is faster at coming, and people are learning how to rebuild in safer areas.

Essay on Natural Disaster # 2. Earthquake :

India is having a high risk towards earthquakes. More than 58 per cent of India’s land area is under threat of moderate to severe seismic hazard. During the last 20 years, India has experienced 10 major earthquakes that have resulted in more than 35,000 deaths. The most vulnerable areas, according to the present seismic zone map of India include the Himalayan and Sub-Himalayan regions, Kutch and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Depending on varying degrees of seismicity, the entire country can be divided into the following seismic regions: Of the earthquake-prone areas, 12% is proneto very severe earthquakes, 18% to severe earthquakes and 25% to damageable earthquakes.

Though the regions of the country away from the Himalayas and other inter-plate boundaries were considered to be relatively safe from damaging earthquakes, the presence of a large number of non-engineering structures and buildings with poor foundations in these areas make these regions also susceptible to earthquakes.

In the recent past, even these areas also have experienced earthquake, of lower magnitude than the Himalayan earthquakes. The North-eastern part of the country continues to experience moderate to strong earthquakes. On an average, this region experiences an earthquake with magnitude greater than 5.0 every year.

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are situated on an inter-plate boundary and therefore are likely to experience damaging earthquakes frequently. The increase in earthquake risk in India in recent times is caused due to a spurt in developmental activities driven by urbanization, economic development and the globalization of India’s economy. The increase in the use of high-technology equipment and tools in manufacturing and service industries have also made them susceptible to disruption due to relatively moderate ground shaking.

Essay on Natural Disaster # 3. Flood and Drought :

The country receives an annual precipitation of 400 million hectare meters. Of the annual rainfall, 75% is received during four months of monsoon (June — September) and, as a result, almost all the rivers carry heavy discharge during this period. The flood hazard is compounded by the problems of sediment deposition, drainage congestion and synchronization of river floods with sea tides in the coastal plains.

The area vulnerable to floods is 40 million hectares and the average area affected by floods annually is about 8 million hectares. About 30 million people are affected by flood every year. Floods in the Indo-Gangetic-Brahmaputra plains are an annual feature. On an average, a few hundred lives are lost, millions are rendered homeless and several hectares of crops are damaged every year around 68% arable land of the country is prone to drought in varying degrees.

Drought prone areas comprise 108.11 million hectares out of a total land area of 329 million hectares. About 50 million people are affected annually by drought. Of approximately 90 million hectares of rain-fed areas, about 40 million hectares are prone to scanty or no rain.

Essay on Natural Disaster # 4. Cyclone :

India’s long coastline of 7,516 kilometer is exposed to nearly 10 per cent of the world’s tropical cyclones. Of these, the majority has their initial genesis over the Bay of Bengal and strike the east coast of India. On an average, five to six tropical cyclones form every year, of which two or three could be severe.

Cyclones occur frequently on both the Coasts (the West Coast —Arabian Sea; and the East Coast —Bay of Bengal). More Cyclones occur in the Bay of Bengal than in the Arabian Sea and the ratio is approximately 4:1.

An analysis of the frequency of cyclones on the East and West Coasts of India between 1891 and 1990 shows that nearly 262 cyclones occurred (92 severe) in a 50 km wide strip on the East Coast. Less severe cyclonic activity has been noticed on the West Coast, with 33 cyclones occurring in the same period, out of which 19 of these were severe.

In India, Tropical cyclones occur in the months of May-June and October-November. The cyclones of severe intensity and frequency in the north Indian Ocean are bi-modal in character, with their primary peak in November and secondary peak in May. The disaster potential is particularly high at the time of landfall in the north Indian Ocean (Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea) due to the accompanying destructive wind, storm surges and torrential rainfall.

Of these, storm surges are the greatest killers of a cyclone, by which sea water inundates low lying areas of coastal regions and causes heavy floods, erodes beaches and embankments, destroys vegetation and reduces soil fertility.

Essay on Natural Disaster # 5. Landslide :

In the hilly terrain of India including the Himalayas, landslides have been a major and widely spread natural disasters that often strike life and property and occupy a position of major concern. One of the worst tragedies took place at Malpa (Uttrakhand) on 11th and 17th August, 1998. When nearly 380 people were killed when massive landslides washed away the entire village. This included 60 pilgrims going to Lake.

Mansarovar in Tibet. In 2010 Cloud burst led flash mudslides and flash floods killed 196 people, including 6 foreigners and injured more than 400 and swept away number of houses, sweeping away buildings, bus stand and military installations in trans-Himalaya Leh town of Jammu and Kashmir.

Giving due consideration to the severity of the problem various land reform measures have been initiated as mitigation measures. Landslides occur in the hilly regions such as the Himalayas, North-East India, the Nilgiris, and Eastern and Western Ghats.

Essay on Natural Disaster # 6. Avalanche :

Avalanches are river like speedy flow of snow or ice descending from the mountain tops. Avalanches are very damaging and cause huge loss to life and property. In Himalayas, avalanches are common in Drass, Pir Panijat, Lahaul-Spiti and Badrinath areas.

As per Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment (SASE), of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), on an average around 30 people are killed every year due to this disaster in various zones of the Himalayas. Beside killing people, avalanches also damage the roads and others properties and settlements falling in its way.

Area Prone to Avalanches:

I. Avalanches are common in Himalayan region above 3500 m elevation.

II. Very frequent on slopes of 30-45°.

III. Convex slopes more prone to this disaster.

IV. North facing slope have avalanches in winter and south facing slopes during spring.

V. Slopes covered with grass more prone to this hazard.

Essay on Natural Disaster # 7. Tsunami:

Tsunami, or seismic sea waves, are large ocean waves generated by impulses from geophysical events occurring on the ocean floor or along the coastline, such as earthquakes, landslides and volcanic eruptions.

Mostly occurring in the Pacific Ocean, tsunamis, although hardly noticeable at sea, can reach gigantic proportions as they reach shallow, coastal waters. In Hawaii and Japan, for example, tsunamis have been known to reach 30 m in height. At least 22 countries along the rim of the Pacific are estimated to beat risk from potential tsunami.

The fact that tsunamis can travel 10,000 km at velocities exceeding 900 km per hour with little loss of energy and are, therefore, capable of hitting areas not directly affected by the inducing event, has led to the establishment of a tsunami early warning service for the whole circum-Pacific area.

However, only a few of the 22 countries most at risk are considered to have standard operating procedures for immediate evacuation or reliable, rapid communication systems capable of receiving real-time warnings from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre.

About 6,000-people have been killed by tsunami during 1977-1986 alone. Probably the best documented of these events is the occurrence at Noshiro, Japan, in 1983 which caused approximately 100 deaths and extensive property damage and flooding. The tsunami (Dec. 2004) in South East Asia lead to a death tool of over 2.5 lakhs peoples of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Sumatra and India.

Tsunamis have multiple origin—16.5 per cent resulted from tectonic earthquakes associated with the eruption, 20 per cent from pyroclastic (ash) flows or surges hitting the ocean, 14 per cent from submarine eruptions, 7 per cent resulted from the collapse of the volcano and subsequent caldera formation, 5 per cent from landslides or avalanches, 3 per cent from atmospheric shock waves and 25 per cent had no discernible origin, but probably were produced by submerged volcanic eruptions.

A partial geographical distribution of tsunamis is given in Table 30.2:

Over past two thousand years there have been 10, 00,000 deaths attributed to tsunami in the Pacific region alone. Earlier Pacific Tsunami warning system was established for forecasting the event. Now global network was established in all Oceans & Seas.

Essay on Natural Disaster # 8. Windstorms:

Judged by the frequency with which they cause damage and by the surface area of the regions they strike, windstorms can be said to be the most significant of all natural hazards. Windstorms influence precipitation systems floods and, most importantly, cause severe destruction to crops and properties.

Severe tropical cyclones (called “ hurricanes ” in the Atlantic, Caribbean and north-eastern Pacific; “ typhoons ” in the western Pacific; and “ cyclones ” in the Indian Ocean and in the sea around Australia), tornadoes, monsoons and thunderstorms between them affect every country in the world.

Today increasing attention is being paid to windstorms, particularly tropical cyclones as some scientists see their incidence as being a possible indicator of global climatic change and predict an increase in their frequency.

Have tropical cyclone frequencies or their intensities increased with global changes throughout the last century? At present, available evidence does not support this idea, perhaps because the warming is not yet large enough to make its impact felt (WMO/UNEP, 1990).

Global information on Kanor windstorms and their impact is collated by organisations such as UNDRO UNEP and AID/OFDA. However, global listings of disasters rarely include those which occur in small states such as island states, which in areas such as the Caribbean, Indian Ocean and South Pacific are particularly prone to tropical cyclones.

This is because listings often set a criteria based on magnitude of impact with which small states cannot compete against larger countries. However, the proportional impact upon small states is often far greater in terms of population, housing and economics.

The impact of cyclones goes far beyond just deaths and building damage. In developing countries destruction of infrastructure and primary agriculture can lead to a decrease in exports and gross national product, while increasing the likelihood of forfeiture of international loan repayments. Contamination of water supplies and destruction of crops can also lead to disease and starvation.

Many mid-latitude cyclonic depressions can give rise to exceptionally heavy rain and widespread flooding and snow fall too. Dust storms are windstorms accompanied by suspended clay, silt materials, usually but not always without precipitation. Average 130-800 million tonnes of dust are entrained by winds each year.

Severe windstorms with high level of flush rain often called thunderstorms associated with lightning, hail and tornadoes cause massive destruction of properties and also human lives through out the world. Early warning and emergency relief operation are the major management activity.

Essay on Natural Disaster # 9. Forest Fire :

Forest or bush fire, though not causing much loss to human life, is a major hazard for forest cover in the country. As per Forest Survey of India report, 50 per cent of the forest cover of the country is fire prone, out of which 6.17 per cent is prone to severe fire damage causing extensive loss to forest vegetation and environment. Average annual physical loss due to forest fire in the country is estimated to worth Rs.440 crores.

The major loss due to forest fire is caused to the environment which gets adversely affected by this calamity. The degradation of climate, soil and water quality, loss of wildlife and its habitat, deterioration of human health, depletion of ozone layer, etc., along with direct loss to timber are the major adverse impact of forest fires.

The coniferous forests in the Himalayan region are very susceptible to fire and every year there are one or more major fire incidences in these areas. The other parts of the country dominated by deciduous forest are also damaged by fire up to an extent. It is worth mentioning that in India 90 per cent of the forest fires are man-made (intentionally or unintentionally).

Essay on Natural Disaster # 10. Volcanoes:

Volcanoes are conduits in the earth’s crust through which gas enriched molten silicate rock magma reaches to the surface of earth crust.

An active volcano occurs where magma (molten rock) reaches the earth’s surface through a central vent or a long crack (fissure) Volcanic activity can release ejecta (debris), liquid lava and gases (H 2 O vapour C 2 , SO 2 , NO x , etc.) to the environment.

There are two types of magma ejected out of volcanoes —silica poor materials, and silica rich materials. The silica poor volcanoes called basaltic volcanoes, while the silica rich volcanoes are andesitic volcanoes.

There are many hazardous phenomena produced directly or as secondary effects, by volcanic eruptions.

The direct hazards of volcanic eruptions are:

a. Lava flow;

b. Ballistics and tephra clouds;

c. Pyroclastic flows and base surges;

d. Gases and acid rains;

e. Lahars (mud flows); and

f. Glacier bursts (Jokulhlamps).

In addition indirectly they are associated with earthquake and tsunami events. Volcanoes are visually one of the most spectacular natural hazardous to occur and probably most devastating in terms of loss of human life.

The volcano likes Mt. Vesurivs, Mt. St Helena, Krakatoa, and Mt, Pelee are significant because of either the enormity of the eruption or the resulting death tool. As per Gaius Pinius Caecilius secundus on 24 August, 79 AD the Nt. Vesuvius eruption causes 2,000 death and burying of the Pompeii city.

There is no doubt that the earth is experiencing on of the most intense periods of volcanism in the last 10,000 years. This period began at the beginning of the seventh century, concomitant with global cooling that peaked in the little ice age.

In contrast the volcanic events of the last century may be viewed as freak eruption of supposedly dormant volcanoes. In the present era, volcanic eruption are pervasive, unpredictable and deadly.

Land use planning better prediction of volcanic eruptions and development of effective evacuation plans reduce the loss of human life from volcanic eruption. The prediction systems related to volcanic activity has improved considerably during past few decades. The environmental consequence of volcanic eruption without or with anthropogenic emission is shown in Fig. 30.3.

Essay on Natural Disaster # 11. Planning For a Safer Tomorrow :

Natural disasters have a severe impact on the society, therefore it is important to plan and develop a safety programme and devise means to efficiently deal with natural disaster. Development programme that go into promoting development at the local level have been left to the general exercise of planning.

Measures need also to be taken to integrate disaster mitigation efforts at the local level with the general exercise of planning, and a more supportive environment created for initiatives towards managing of disasters at all levels: national, state, district and local.

The future blue-print for disaster management in India rests on the premise that in today’s society while hazards, both natural or otherwise, are inevitable, the disasters that follow need not be so and the society can be prepared to cope with them effectively whenever they occur.

The need of the hour is to chalk out a multi-pronged strategy for total risk management, comprising prevention, preparedness, response and recovery on the one hand, and initiate development efforts aimed towards risk reduction and mitigation, on the other. Only then can we look forward to “sustainable development”.

Prevention and Preparedness :

Disaster prevention is intrinsically linked to preventive planning.

Some of the important steps in this regard are:

1. Introduction of a comprehensive process of vulnerability analysis and objective risk assessment.

2. Building a Robust and Sound Information Database:

A comprehensive database of the landuse, demography, infrastructure developed at the national, state and local levels alongwith current information on climate, weather and man-made structures is crucial in planning, warning and assessment of disasters. In addition, resource inventories of governmental and non-governmental systems including personnel and equipment help inefficient mobilization and optimization of response measures.

3. Creating State-of-the-Art Infrastructure:

The entire disaster mitigation game plan must necessarily be anchored to front line research and development in a holistic mode. State-of-the art technologies available worldwide need to be made available in India for upgrading of the disaster management system; at the same time, dedicated research activities should be encouraged, in all frontier areas related to disasters like biological, space applications, information technology, nuclear radiation etc., for a continuous flow of high quality basic information for sound disaster management planning.

4. Establishing Linkages between all knowledge-based Institutions:

A National Disaster Knowledge Network, tuned to the felt needs of a multitude of users like disaster managers, decision-makers, community etc., must be developed as the network of networks to cover natural, man-made and biological disasters in all their varied dimensions.

Capacity Building :

Reconstruction and rebuilding is a long drawn process and those involved in this exercise have to draw upon knowledge of best practices and resources available to them. Information and training on ways to better respond to and mitigate disasters to the responders go a long way in building the capacity and resilience of the country to reduce and prevent disasters.

Training is an integral part of capacity building as trained personnel respond much better to different disaster sand appreciate the need for preventive measures. The multi-sectoral and multi-hazard prevention based approach to disaster management. Professional training in disaster management is essential and should be built into the existing pedagogic research and education.

Specialised courses should be treated as a distinct academic and professional discipline, the subject needs to be discussed and taught as a specific component in professional and specialised courses like medicine, nursing, engineering, environmental sciences, architecture, and town and country planning.

Secondly, there has to be a focus towards preventive disaster management and development of a national ethos of prevention calls for an awareness generation at all levels. An appropriate level of awareness at the school level will help increase awareness among children and, in many cases, parents and other family members through these children.

Curriculum development with a focus towards dissemination of disaster related information on a sustained basis, covering all school levels may be worked out by the different school boards in the country.

Training facilities for government personnel involved in disaster management are conducted at the national level by the National Centre for Disaster Management at the Indian Institute of Public Administration, in New Delhi which functions as the nodal institution in the country for training, research and documentation of disasters.

At the State level, disaster management cells operating within the State Administrative Training Institutes (ATIs) provide the necessary training. Presently, 24 ATIs have dedicated faculties. There is a need for strengthening specialized training, including training of personnel in disaster response.

Finally, capacity building should not be limited to professionals and personnel involved in disaster management but should also focus on building the knowledge, attitude and skills of a community to cope with the effects of disasters. Identification and training of volunteers from the community towards first response measures as well as mitigation measures is an urgent imperative.

A programme of periodic drills should be introduced in vulnerable areas to enable prompt and appropriate community response in the event of a disaster which can help save valuable lives.

Communi ty Level:

Disaster management programme must strive to build a disaster resilient community equipped with safer living and sustainable livelihoods to serve its own development purposes. The community is also the first responder in any critical situation there by emphasizing the need for community level initiatives in managing disasters.

There is a need to create awareness through education training and information dissemination, community based approach followed by most NGOs and Community Based Organizations (CBOs) should be incorporated in the disaster management sector as an effective means of community participation.

Finally, within a vulnerable community, there exist groups that are more vulnerable like women and children, aged and in firm and physically challenged people who need special care and attention especially during crisis. Efforts are required for identifying such vulnerable groups and providing special assistance in terms of evacuation, relief, aid and medical attention.

Management of disasters should therefore be an interface between a community effort to mitigate and prevent disasters as also an effort from the government machinery to buttress and support popular initiatives.

Developing a St ronger Plan:

Given the damage caused by disaster, planned expenditure on disaster management and prevention measures in addition to the CRF is required. The Central Sector Scheme of Natural Disaster Management Programme has been implemented since 1993-94 by the Department of Agriculture and Co-operation with the objective to focus on disaster preparedness with emphasis on mitigation and preparedness measures for enhanced capability to reduce the adverse impact of disasters.

The major activities undertaken within this scheme include the setting up of the National Centre for Disaster Management (NCDM) at the Indian Institute of Public Administration, creation of 24 disaster management faculties in 23 states, research and consultancy services, documentation of major disaster events and forging regional cooperation.

The Eighth Plan allocation of Rs.6.30 crore for this scheme was increased to Rs.16.32 crore in the Ninth Plan. Within this scheme, NCDM has conducted over 50 training programme, training more than 1000 people, while 24 disaster management centers with dedicated faculty have been established in the states.

Over 4000 people have been trained at the State level. In addition, some important publications and audio-visual training modules have been prepared and documentation of disaster events has been done.

Though limited in scope and outlays, the Scheme has made an impact on the training and research activities in the country. Creation of faculties in disaster management in all 28 states is proposed to be taken up in the Tenth Plan in addition to community mobilisation, human resource development, establishment of Control Rooms and forging international cooperation in disaster management.

There is also an urgent need for strengthening the disaster management pedagogy by creating disaster management faculties in universities, rural development institutes and other organisations of premier research. Sustainability is the key word in the development process.

Development activities that do not consider the disaster loss perspective fail to be sustainable. The compounded costs of disasters relating to loss of life, loss of assets, economic activities, and cost of reconstruction of not only assets but of lives can scarcely be borne by any community or nation.

Therefore, all development schemes in vulnerable areas should include a disaster mitigation analysis, where by the feasibility of a project is assessed with respect to vulnerability of the area and the mitigation measures required for sustainability. Environmental protection, afforestation programme, pollution control, construction of earthquake resistant structures etc., should therefore have high priority within the plans Mitigation measures on individual structures can be achieved by design standards building codes and performance specifications.

Building codes, critical front-line defence for achieving stronger engineered structures, need to be drawn up in accordance with the vulnerability of the area and implemented through appropriate techno-legal measures. Mitigation measures need to be considered in land use and site planning activities.

Constructions in hazardous areas like flood plains or steep soft slopes are more vulnerable to disasters. Necessary mitigation measures need to be built into the design and costing of development projects. Insurance is a potentially important mitigation measure in disaster-prone areas as it brings quality in the infrastructure consciousness and a culture of safety by its insistence on following building codes, norms, guidelines, quality materials in construction etc.

Disaster insurance mostly works under the premise of ‘higher the risk higher the premium, lesser the risk lesser the premium’, thus creating awareness towards vulnerable areas and motivating people to settle in relatively safer areas?

Essay on Natural Disaster # 12. Major Initiatives taken by Government of India:

Natural disasters have become a recurring phenomenon in the recent past. In the last twenty years or so three million people have been killed as a result of such events. There is a need to focus and develop a plan that would focus on disaster management planning for prevention, reduction, mitigation, preparedness and response to reduce life and property due to natural disaster.

If we take it in the Indian context, the five year plans have never really taken into consideration the issues relating to the management and mitigation of natural disasters. The traditional perception has been limited to the idea of “calamity relief”, which is seen essentially as a non-plan item of expenditure. Disasters can have devastating impact on the economy and is a significant setback to the development in a given region.

Two recent disasters, the Orissa Cyclone and the Gujarat Earthquake, are cases in point. The development process needs to be sensitive towards disaster prevention and mitigation aspects. There is thus a need to look at disasters from a development perspective as well.

Disaster management may not be directly associated with planned financing, but number of schemes are in operation, such as for drought proofing, afforestation, drinking water, etc., which deal with the prevention and mitigation of the impact of natural disasters. Extra assistance for post-disaster reconstruction and streamlining of management structures also is a major consideration of the plan.

A specific, centrally sponsored scheme on disaster management also exists. The plan thus already has a defined role in dealing with the subject. There have been an increasing number of natural disaster over the past years, and with it, increasing losses on account of urbanisation and population growth, as a result of which the impact of natural disasters is now felt to a larger extent.

According to the United Nations, in 2001 alone, natural disasters of medium to high range caused at least 25,000 deaths around the world, more than double the previous year, and economic losses of around US $ 36 billion. Devastations in the aftermath of powerful earthquakes that struck Gujarat, El Salvador and Peru; floods that ravaged many countries in Africa, Asia and elsewhere; droughts that plagued Central Asia including Afghanistan, Africa and Central America; the cyclone in Madagascar and Orissa; and floods in Bolivia are global events in recent memory.

However, what is disturbing is the knowledge that these trends of destruction and devastation are on the rise instead of being kept in check.

Natural disasters know no political boundaries and have no social or economic considerations. They are borderless as they affect both developing and developed countries. They are also merciless, and as such the vulnerable tend to suffer more at the impact of natural disasters.

For example, the developing countries are much more seriously affected in terms of the loss of lives, hardship borne by population and the percentage of their GNP lost. Since number of the most vulnerable regions is in India, natural disaster management has emerged as a high priority for the country.

Going beyond the historical focus on relief and rehabilitation after the event, we now have to look ahead and plan for disaster preparedness and mitigation, in order that the periodic shocks to our development efforts are minimized.

Physical vulnerabilities have a direct impact on the population their proximity to the hazard zone and standards of safety maintained to counter the effects. For instance, some people are vulnerable to flood only because they live in a flood prone area. Physical vulnerability also relates to the technical capacity of buildings and structures to resist the forces acting upon them during a hazard event.

However, physical calamities is not the only criteria, there are prevailing social and economic conditions and its consequential effect on human activities within a given society. Parts of the Indian sub-continent are susceptible to different types of disasters owing to the unique topographic and climatic characteristics.

About 54 per cent of the sub-continent’s land mass is vulnerable to earthquakes while about 4 crore hectares is vulnerable to periodic floods. The decade 1990-2000, has been one of very high disaster losses within the country, losses in the Orissa Cyclone in 1999, and later, the Gujarat Earthquake in 2001 alone amount to several thousand crore of Rupees, while the total expenditure incurred on relief and reconstruction in Gujarat alone has been to the tune of Rs.11,500 crore. Disasters often result in enormous economic losses that are both immediate as well as long term in nature and demand additional revenues.

Also, as an immediate fall-out, disasters reduce revenues from the affected region due to lower levels of economic activity leading to loss of direct and indirect taxes. In addition, unplanned budgetary allocation to disaster recovery can hamper development interventions and lead to unmet developmental targets.

Disasters may also reduce availability of new investment, further constricting the growth of the region. Besides, additional pressures may be imposed on finances of the government through investments in relief and rehabilitation work.

Related Articles:

• Essay on Natural Hazards in India | Geography
• Essay on Tsunami: Top 8 Essays | Natural Disasters | Geography
• Cyclones: Compilation of Essays on Cyclones | Natural Disasters | Geography
• Tsunami: Compilation of Essays on Tsunami | Natural Disasters | Geography

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Natural Disasters

Introduction: all natural disasters.

A significant event caused due to Earth's natural processes that result in massive environmental degradation and loss of life and property is called a natural disaster. Some examples of natural disasters include firestorms, dust storms, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tsunamis, storms, and other geologic processes. The planet has experienced countless natural disasters in its 4.54 billion-year history. Several mass extinction events have occurred, with catastrophic repercussions for various surviving species .

What is a Natural Disaster?

A natural disaster is an event that occurs unexpectedly and causes harm to society.

Many natural catastrophes do harm to the environment and the people who live in it.

Examples of Natural disasters: Earthquakes, cyclones, floods, tsunamis, landslides, volcanic eruptions, and avalanches.

The disaster's spatial extent is a measure of its magnitude or severity.

Disasters are severe disturbances to a community's functioning that surpass the community's ability to cope using its own resources.

Natural, man-made, and technical risks, as well as various elements that influence a community's exposure and vulnerability, can all contribute to disasters.

Anthropogenic factors, on the other hand, can contribute to some natural hazards.

Landslides can be caused by a variety of factors, including deforestation, mining, and agricultural activities.

Natural disasters frequently cause widespread destruction. Wildfires, for example, ruin animal habitats while also causing property damage and human deaths.

Types of Natural Disaster

There are four broad types of natural disasters:

Natural Disasters Based on Changes in the Structure of Earth:

Image: Layers of the Earth

If the Changes Occur in the Interiors of the Earth : Earthquake, Tsunamis and Volcano will cause the disaster.

If the Changes are On the Surface of the Earth: Flood, Cyclones and Drought will cause disaster.

Causes of Natural Disaster

Natural: The main causes of natural disasters are natural phenomena occurring in the earth's crust as well as on the surface. Examples: Earthquake, Tsunamis, Flood etc.

Man-made: In contrast to natural disasters caused by natural risks, man-made disasters involve human intent, neglect, or error involving a failure of a man-made system. Crime, terrorism, war, biological/chemical threats, and cyber-attacks are examples of man-made disasters.

Effects of Natural Disaster

Natural calamities include short-term consequences, such as loss of life and property destruction, as well as long-term consequences, such as harming a region's or country's economic stability.

Infrastructure and energy production hubs that are damaged have a negative impact on a country's economic development.

They result in property destruction, financial loss, and personal injury or disease.

In less-developed countries, the loss of resources, security, and access to shelter can result in enormous population migrations.

This article gives insight into natural disasters, their causes, and their effects. Earthquakes, floods, landslides, and other natural disasters can be identified from natural disaster charts use at various levels of documentation. When combined with economic, environmental, and social elements, however, the destruction is magnified or lessened. Since these disasters can have a great negative impact on the environment, we have to take preventive measures to lessen their impact.

FAQs on Natural Disasters

1. How can we prevent and control these natural calamities?

To prevent these disasters, the best we can do is to put an end to practices that are harmful to our environment and lead to environmental deterioration, while simultaneously ensuring that we are prepared for a disaster through our disaster management plan. Prior to an epidemic outbreak, it is also necessary to properly dispose of dead animals and human bodies. Pollution should be avoided in our surroundings. We should stop destroying the environment by burning plastics or by chopping down trees. The after-effects of disasters are the primary risk factors for increased transmission of infectious diseases.

2. Can you list some major disasters that have occurred in India?

Disasters that have occurred in India are:

Kerala Flood (2018): In the first 48 hours, Kerala experienced 310mm of heavy rain. Dams began to overflow as a result of this.

Kashmir Flood (2013): In Kashmir, heavy rains and the expansion of the Jhelum river resulted in a severe flood. It generated a monetary loss of 6000 crores.

Uttarakhand Flood (2013): From the 14th to the 17th of June, a massive cloudburst in Uttarakhand produced landslides and flash floods. In the Kedarnath temple, over 1 lakh pilgrims were struck by lightning.

Tsunami (2004): This calamity was caused by an earthquake with a magnitude of 9.1 to 9.3. The tsunami wreaked havoc on people's lives. The majority of Indian homes, as well as those in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Sri Lanka, were affected.

• Gujarat Earthquake (2001): The magnitude of the earthquake was 7.6 on the Richter scale. It wreaked havoc on over 4 lakh homes. This earthquake was 120 seconds long.

3. What are things to avoid during Natural Disasters?

Things to be avoided during Natural disasters are

Do not approach live wires or trash.

Do not seek refuge beneath a fragile structure.

Avoid standing in the shade of the trees.

During cyclones and floods, stay away from river and sea areas.

During a crisis, avoid using gas stoves or electronic devices.

Take these precautions to protect yourself from the devastating effects of natural disasters. A disaster, on the other hand, causes property or livestock loss. Hence, it is recommended that one must have some insurance policy to manage the loss.

10 Types of Natural Disasters

What Are Natural Disasters?

A natural disaster is a sudden and extreme event caused by nature that can cause damage and harm people.

Examples include earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, wildfires, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis.

These events can have serious consequences for communities and the environment.

Today, we’ll go through all 10 types of natural disasters .

1. Hurricanes

A hurricane is a type of tropical storm, but much more powerful. It’s like a gigantic, spinning storm that forms over warm ocean waters.

Hurricanes have powerful winds that blow things around, heavy rain causes flooding, and storm surges flood coastal areas. 

Meteorologists classify them into categories based on their wind speed, with Category 5 being the most powerful.

2. Tornadoes

Tornadoes form when warm and cold air collide during big thunderstorms. This collision can force the wind to start spinning in a circle.

When a tornado comes, it can be extremely destructive, like a powerful giant vacuum cleaner that sucks up everything in its path.

Imagine a tornado as a long, twisting tube of wind and clouds that reaches down from the sky to the ground. Inside this spinning tube, the wind can be so strong that it can pick up houses, cars, and trees and toss them around like toys.

Tornadoes are natural disasters because they can cause a lot of damage and are very dangerous to people. They’re not something we can control or prevent, but we can try to stay safe by listening to weather warnings and taking shelter.

3. Volcanoes

Volcanoes form hot molten rock, ash, and gases from deep within the Earth. They can burst out through an opening, often creating an eruption.

They typically occur where two plate tectonic boundaries meet such as the Ring of Fire . But they can also happen at subduction zones, hot spots, and mid-oceanic ridges.

A volcano can lead to the release of lava and ash because of the Earth’s internal heat and activity. All the parts of a volcano like lava bombs and lahar can cause damage to the surrounding areas. 

4. Earthquakes

An earthquake happens when there’s a sudden release of energy in the Earth’s crust. This creates seismic waves that cause the ground to shake.

This release of energy happens because of the movement of tectonic plates beneath the Earth’s surface.

Earthquakes can range in size and strength, from small ones that are hard to notice to big ones that can damage buildings and landscapes.

They can also lead to aftershocks , which are smaller tremors that follow the main earthquake.

5. Tsunamis

A tsunami is a super-sized ocean wave that can be extremely destructive. It happens when something big, like an undersea earthquake disturbs the ocean floor.

This disturbance creates a massive amount of energy, which sends powerful waves spreading across the ocean.

As these waves approach shallower coastal areas, they can grow in height and speed, causing massive flooding when they reach the shore.

Tsunamis can be very dangerous and lead to significant damage and loss of life in coastal regions.

6. Droughts

A drought is a prolonged period of abnormally low rainfall in a particular region. This can cause water shortages and impact the environment and agriculture.

In a drought, there isn’t sufficient water for people, plants, and animals. This causes dry soil, less crop growth, and water restrictions for communities.

Droughts can greatly impact ecosystems and make life difficult for people who rely on water. 

7. Landslides

A landslide is a sudden movement of dirt, rocks, or even entire chunks of land that suddenly moves downhill .

It can happen because of heavy rain, earthquakes, or other factors that make the ground unstable.

Landslides can be slow and gradual, or they can be very fast and destructive .

They often cause damage to homes, roads, and the natural landscape in the affected area.

8. Forest fires

A forest fire, also known as a wildfire, is when a forest suddenly catches fire and spreads quickly to the surrounding area.

It’s a fast-spreading, uncontrolled fire that occurs in forests, grasslands, or wild areas. Fires can start from lightning, human activities, or even volcanic eruptions .

Forest fires can cause a lot of damage. They burn trees, plants, and wildlife. But they can also put nearby communities and the environment at risk. Firefighters work hard to control and extinguish these fires to minimize their impact.

9. Flooding

Water overflowing onto dry land is called flooding . Flooding can occur because of heavy rain, melting snow, or rising rivers, lakes, or oceans. 

Floods can be slow and gradual, or they can come on quickly, depending on the cause. They can damage homes, roads, and farmland and can be very dangerous.

A subcategory is flash floods, which is a sudden and unexpected rush of water . Flash floods are very dangerous because they occur suddenly and the fast-moving water can carry debris, putting people and property at risk.

10. Typhoons

A typhoon is essentially the same thing as a hurricane, but it’s called a typhoon in the western Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea.

In other parts of the world, such as the Atlantic Ocean and the northeastern Pacific, we refer to these powerful storms as hurricanes. 

Typhoons and hurricanes are big tropical storms with strong winds and heavy rain that can cause a lot of damage. They usually hit coastal areas.

Natural disasters are powerful and often devastating events that result from the forces of nature. 

They encompass a wide range of phenomena, including hurricanes, typhoons, cyclones, volcanoes, earthquakes, tsunamis, droughts, landslides, forest fires, and flooding.

These events have the potential to cause significant damage to communities and the environment.

We can reduce destruction and loss by understanding nature and taking appropriate measures. Let’s build resilient, disaster-resistant societies.

A Guide to Earth’s Lithosphere

How To Define the Geosphere

Earth Age: How Old Is the Earth?

What Color Is the Moon?

5 Facts of Ice-Cold Planet Uranus [Infographic]

Facts About Asteroids and Our Asteroid Belt

Universe Expansion: The Farthest Galaxy from Earth [Infographic]

7 Planet Saturn Facts: Beyond its Signature Rings [Infographic]

Moon Gravity: Your Weight on the Moon

Why Do We Have Seasons?

10 Planet Venus Facts [Infographic]

Lunar Maria: Volcanic Basins on the Moon

Mars Atmosphere Compared to Earth

Neptune Facts: The Big Blue Planet [Infographic]

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• IAS Preparation
• UPSC Preparation Strategy
• Disaster Management India

Disaster Management in India

Disruption on a massive scale, either natural or man-made, occurring in short or long periods is termed a Disaster. Disaster management in India has been an important point of discussion owing to frequent natural disasters ranging from earthquakes, floods, drought, etc. This makes the issue of disaster management worthwhile to consider as part of the preparation for the IAS Exam .

Explore the Ultimate Guide to IAS Exam Preparation Download The E-Book Now!

In this post, you will read all about disaster and disaster management in the Indian context. IAS aspirants can also download the Disaster Management notes PDF.

Loss of life and property due to these disasters has been steadily mounting throughout the world due to inadequate technology to combat disasters, rise in population, climate change, and continuing ecological degradation. The global efforts to manage disasters have proven to be insufficient to match the frequency and magnitude of natural disasters.

Table of Contents:

What is a Disaster?

A disaster is defined as a disruption on a massive scale, either natural or man-made, occurring in short or long periods. Disasters can lead to human, material, economic or environmental hardships, which can be beyond the bearable capacity of the affected society. As per statistics, India as a whole is vulnerable to 30 different types of disasters that will affect the economic, social, and human development potential to such an extent that it will have long-term effects on productivity and macro-economic performance.

Disasters can be classified into the following categories:

• Water and Climate Disaster: Flood, hail storms, cloudburst, cyclones, heat waves, cold waves, droughts, hurricanes. (Read about Cyclone Disaster Management separately at the linked article.)
• Geological Disaster: Landslides, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tornadoes
• Biological Disaster: Viral epidemics, pest attacks, cattle epidemic, and locust plagues
• Industrial Disaster: Chemical and industrial accidents, mine shaft fires, oil spills,
• Nuclear Disasters: Nuclear core meltdowns, radiation poisoning
• Man-made disasters: Urban and forest fires, oil spill, the collapse of huge building structures

What is Disaster Management?

In this section, we define what is disaster management as per the Disaster Management Act of 2005.

The Disaster Management Act of 2005 defines Disaster Management as an integrated process of planning, organizing, coordinating and implementing measures which are necessary for-

• Prevention of threat of any disaster
• Reduction of risk of any disaster or its consequences
• Readiness to deal with any disaster
• Promptness in dealing with a disaster
• Assessing the severity of the effects of any disaster
• Rescue and relief
• Rehabilitation and Reconstruction

Agencies involved in Disaster Management

• National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA):- The National Disaster Management Authority , or the NDMA, is an apex body for disaster management, headed by the Prime Minister of India. It is responsible for the supervision, direction, and control of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).
• National Executive Committee (NEC):- The NEC is composed of high profile ministerial members from the government of India that include the Union Home Secretary as Chairperson, and the Secretaries to the Government of India (GoI)like Ministries/Departments of Agriculture, Atomic Energy, Defence, Drinking Water Supply, Environment and Forests, etc. The NEC prepares the National Plan for Disaster Management as per the National Policy on Disaster Management.
• State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA):- The Chief Minister of the respective state is the head of the SDMA.The State Government has a State Executive Committee (SEC) which assists the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) on Disaster Management.
• District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA):- The DDMA is headed by the District Collector, Deputy Commissioner or District Magistrate depending on the situation, with the elected representatives of the local authority as the Co-Chairperson. The DDMA ensures that the guidelines framed by the NDMA and the SDMA are followed by all the departments of the State Government at the District level and the local authorities in the District.
• Local Authorities:- Local authorities would include Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI), Municipalities, District and Cantonment 11 Institutional and Legal Arrangements Boards, and Town Planning Authorities which control and manage civic services.

Now let’s have a look at some of the types of disasters and the means to combat them.

Biological Disasters

Definition: The devastating effects caused by an enormous spread of a certain kind of living organism that may spread disease, viruses, or an infestation of plant, animal, or insect life on an epidemic or pandemic level.

• Epidemic Level – Indicates a disaster that affects many people in a given area or community.
• Pandemic Level – Indicates a disaster that affects a much larger region, sometimes an entire continent or even the whole planet. For example, the recent H1N1 or Swine Flu pandemic.

To know more about Bio-Terrorism threat to India and India’s Preparedness visit the linked article.

Biological Disasters – Important points to remember for UPSC

1. The nodal Ministry for handling epidemics – Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

• Decision-making
• Advisory body
• Emergency medical relief providing

2. The primary responsibility of dealing with biological disasters is with the State Governments. (Reason – Health is a State Subject).

3. The nodal agency for investigating outbreaks – National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD)

4. Nodal ministry for Biological Warfare – Ministry of Home Affairs ( Biological warfare is the use of biological agents as an act of war)

Biological Disasters – Classifications

Charles Baldwin developed the symbol for biohazard in 1966.

The US Centres for Disease Control classifies biohazards into four biosafety levels as follows:

• BSL-1: Bacteria and Viruses including Bacillus subtilis, some cell cultures, canine hepatitis, and non-infectious bacteria. Protection is only facial protection and gloves.
• BSL-2: Bacteria and viruses that cause only mild disease to humans, or are difficult to contract via aerosol in a lab setting such as hepatitis A, B, C, mumps, measles, HIV, etc. Protection – use of autoclaves for sterilizing and biological safety cabinets.
• BSL-3: Bacteria and viruses causing severe to fatal disease in humans. Example: West Nile virus, anthrax, MERS coronavirus. Protection – Stringent safety protocols such as the use of respirators to prevent airborne infection.
• BSL-4: Potentially fatal (to human beings) viruses like Ebola virus, Marburg virus, Lassa fever virus, etc. Protection – use of a positive pressure personnel suit, with a segregated air supply.

Legislations for prevention of Biohazards in India

The following legislations have been enacted in India for the prevention of biohazards and implementation of protective, eradicative and containing measures when there is an outbreak:

• The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974
• The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981
• The Environmental (Protection) Act, 1986 and the Rules (1986)
• Disaster Management Act 2005, provides for the institutional and operational framework for disaster prevention, mitigation, response, preparedness, and recovery at all levels.
• Air Prevention and Control of Pollution Act 1981
• Disaster Management Act of 2005

Prevention of Biological Hazards

The basic measure to prevent and control biohazards is the elimination of the source of contamination. Some of the prevention methods are as follows:

Preventive Measures for workers in the field (Medical)

• Engineering controls – to help prevent the spread of such disasters including proper ventilation, installing negative pressure, and usage of UV lamps.
• Personal hygiene – washing hands with liquid soap, proper care for clothes that have been exposed to a probably contaminated environment.
• Personal protection equipment – masks, protective clothing, gloves, face shield, eye shield, shoe covers.
• Sterilization – Using ultra heat or high pressure to eliminate bacteria or using biocide to kill microbes.
• Respiratory protection – surgical masks, respirators, powered air-purifying respirators (PAPR), air-supplying respirators.

Prevention of Biological Hazards (Environmental Management)

Safe water supply, proper maintenance of sewage pipelines – to prevent waterborne diseases such as cholera, typhoid, hepatitis, dysentery, etc.

Awareness of personal hygiene and provision for washing, cleaning, bathing, avoiding overcrowding, etc.

Vector control:

Environmental engineering work and generic integrated vector control measures.

Water management, not permitting water to stagnate and collect and other methods to eliminate breeding places for vectors.

Regular spraying of insecticides, outdoor fogging, etc. for controlling vectors.

Controlling the population of rodents.

Post-disaster Epidemics Prevention

The risk of epidemics is increased after any biological disaster.

Integrated Disease Surveillance Systems (IDSS) monitors the sources, modes of diseases spreading, and investigates the epidemics.

Detection and Containment of Outbreaks

This consists of four steps as given under:

• Recognizing and diagnosing by primary healthcare practitioners.
• Communicating surveillance information to public health authorities.
• Epidemiological analysis of surveillance data
• Public health measures and delivering proper medical treatment.

Legal Framework for Biological Disasters

• The Epidemic Diseases Act was enacted in the year 1897. (Read about RSTV’s In-Depth Analysis on Epidemic Diseases Act 1897 in the linked article.)
• This Act does not provide any power to the centre to intervene in biological emergencies.
• It has to be substituted by an Act that takes care of the prevailing and foreseeable public health needs including emergencies such as BT attacks and the use of biological weapons by an adversary, cross-border issues, and international spread of diseases.
• It should give enough powers to the central and state governments and local authorities to act with impunity, notify affected areas, restrict movement or quarantine the affected area, enter any premises to take samples of suspected materials, and seal them.
• The Act should also establish controls over biological sample transfer, biosecurity and biosafety of materials/laboratories.

Institutional Framework

In the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoH&FW), public health needs to be accorded high priority with a separate Additional Directorate General of Health and Sanitation (DGHS) for public health. In some states, there is a separate department of public health. States that do not have such arrangements will also have to take initiatives to establish such a department.

Operational Framework

At the national level, there is no policy on biological disasters. The existing contingency plan of MoH&FW is about 10 years old and needs extensive revision. All components related to public health, namely apex institutions, field epidemiology, surveillance, teaching, training, research, etc., need to be strengthened.

At the operational level, Command and Control (C&C) are identifiable clearly at the district level, where the district collector is vested with certain powers to requisition resources, notify a disease, inspect any premises, seek help from the Army, state or centre, enforce quarantine, etc. However, there is no concept of an incident command system wherein the entire action is brought under the ambit of an incident commander with support from the disciplines of logistics, finance, and technical teams, etc. There is an urgent need for establishing an incident command system in every district.

There is a shortage of medical and paramedical staff at the district and sub-district levels. There is also an acute shortage of public health specialists, epidemiologists, clinical microbiologists, and virologists.

Biosafety laboratories are required for the prompt diagnosis of the agents for the effective management of biological disasters. There is no BSL-4 laboratory in the human health sector. BSL- 3 laboratories are also limited. Major issues remain regarding biosecurity, the indigenous capability of preparing diagnostic reagents, and quality assurance.

Lack of an Integrated Ambulance Network (IAN). There is no ambulance system with advanced life-support facilities that are capable of working in biological disasters.

State-run hospitals have limited medical supplies. Even in normal situations, a patient has to buy medicines. There is a lack of stockpile of drugs, important vaccines like anthrax vaccine, PPE, or diagnostics for surge capacity. In a crisis, there is further incapacitation due to tedious procurement procedures.

National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) :- The command and supervision of the NDRF would be under the Director-General of Civil Defence and National Disaster Response Force selected by the Central Government. Currently, the NDRF comprises of eight battalions who will be positioned at different locations as per the requirements.

Read about Crowd Disaster Management in the linked article.

Disaster Prevention and Mitigation

Proper planning and mitigation measures can play a leading role in risk-prone areas to minimize the worst effects of hazards such as earthquakes, floods, and cyclones. These are the key areas which should be addressed to achieve this objective:

• Risk Assessment and Vulnerability Mapping: Mapping and vulnerability analysis in a multi-risk structure will be conducted utilizing Geographic Information System (GIS) based databases like the National Database for Emergency Management (NDEM) and National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI).
• Increasing Trend of Disasters in Urban Areas:- Steps to prevent unplanned urbanization must be undertaken, with the plan of action formulated being given the highest priority. State Governments/UTs concerned on the other hand focus on urban drainage systems with special attention on non-obstruction of natural drainage systems.
• Critical Infrastructure:- Critical infrastructure like roads, dams, bridges, irrigation canals, bridges, power stations, railway lines, delta water distribution networks, ports and rivers, and coastal embankments should be continuously checked for safety standards concerning worldwide safety benchmarks and fortified if the current measures prove to be inadequate.
• Environmentally Sustainable Development: – Environmental considerations and developmental efforts, should be handled simultaneously for ensuring sustainability.
• Climate Change Adaptation:-. The challenges of the increase in the frequency and intensity of natural disasters like cyclones, floods, and droughts should be tackled in a sustained and effective manner with the promotion of strategies for climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction.

The topics of internal security and disaster management are diverse and also important for both the prelims and the mains exams. These topics are also highly linked with current affairs. Almost every question asked from them is related to current events. So, apart from standard textbooks, you should rely on newspapers and news analyses as well for these sections. To read on how to prepare for internal security and disaster management , check the linked article.

Multiple Choice Question

• The National Disaster Management Authority, or the NDMA, is an apex body for disaster management, headed by the Prime Minister of India. It is responsible for the supervision, direction, and control of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).
• The DDMA is headed by the District Collector, Deputy Commissioner or District Magistrate depending on the situation, with the elected representatives of the local authority as the Co-Chairperson.
• The Governor of the respective state is the head of the State Disaster Management Authority
• The Epidemic Diseases Act was enacted in the year 1897.

Choose the correct answer from the below-given options

A) All of the above statements are false.

B) All of the above statements are true.

C) Only statements 2, 3, and 4 are true

D) Only statements 1, 2, and 4 are true

Candidates can find the general pattern of the Civil Service Exam by visiting the UPSC Syllabus page.

Frequently Asked Questions on Disaster Management in India

Q 1. what is the aim of disaster management in india, q 2. what is disaster risk management, q 3. in how many categories can disasters be classified.

Ans. Disaster can be classified into the following categories:

• Water and Climate Disaster
• Geological Disaster
• Biological Disaster
• Industrial Disaster
• Nuclear Disasters
• Man-made disasters

Q 4. Which body is responsible for Disaster Management in India?

Q 5. what is the disaster management act 2005.

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Natural Disasters

Natural Disasters explores different kinds of severe storms and their causes and effects. Students will be able to define what a natural disaster is and list the traits of several types.

The “Options for Lesson” section lists several extra ideas to add to the lesson if you have time or want additional material. One idea is to assign students a natural disaster to write about in a story. You can then make a booklet with all the stories in it. Students can read their story to the rest of the class. You could also have students create skits about a specific storm.

Description

Additional information, what our natural disasters lesson plan includes.

Lesson Objectives and Overview: Natural Disasters teaches students about several types of common dangerous storms. Students will learn what causes these storms and what their effects are. By the end of the lesson, they will be able to identify each type and list their traits. This lesson is for students in 4th grade, 5th grade, and 6th grade.

Classroom Procedure

Every lesson plan provides you with a classroom procedure page that outlines a step-by-step guide to follow. You do not have to follow the guide exactly. The guide helps you organize the lesson and details when to hand out worksheets. It also lists information in the yellow box that you might find useful. You will find the lesson objectives, state standards, and number of class sessions the lesson should take to complete in this area. In addition, it describes the supplies you will need as well as what and how you need to prepare beforehand. For this lesson, make sure you have writing paper and access to some kind of word processing software. You will also need access to the internet.

Options for Lesson

This lesson contains quite a few suggestions in the “Options for Lesson” section that you can take advantage of for your students. One idea is to assign students a single natural disaster to write about for their story or diary for the activity. They can expound on the details of that one storm rather than writing about all 10 of them. Students can then read their stories to the class. You could also collect all the students’ stories and create a booklet. Another suggestion is to divide students into groups and have each one create a skit that relates to one of the natural disasters. If any students have parents who have experienced one of these storms, you could also invite them to the class to talk about what happened.

Teacher Notes

The paragraph on the teacher notes page provides a few extra guidelines to consider while planning the lesson. You will definitely want to ensure you are sensitive to students’ feelings if any have been affected by a natural disaster in some way. You should stress that these events happen throughout the world and that students do not need to live in fear of them if they prepare. The lesson does not describe ways to prepare for each one, but you could do your own research and provide it as supplemental material. You can also use the blank lines on this page to write down any other ideas or thoughts you have for the lesson.

NATURAL DISASTERS LESSON PLAN CONTENT PAGES

Introduction.

The Natural Disasters lesson plan contains five pages of content. Students will learn that while disasters can include any number of events, natural disasters are very specific. These catastrophes can only happen by natural processes. Such events occur in populated areas of the world and often cause loss of life, property damage, and economic issues.

Included in this list are tornados, hurricanes, droughts, landslides, blizzards, and hail storms. The interesting thing about these events is that we don’t consider them disasters if they don’t cause damage or loss of life. If a tsunami washes over an unpopulated island, we don’t consider it a natural disaster. To be a disaster, it must cause loss or damage of some kind.

Students will then learn that it is entirely possible for more than one natural disaster to occur at the same time. They happen all over the world, and people can sometimes prepare for them. Other times, however, there is no warning. The lesson also explains that some places are more prone to certain types of storms than others. For instance, if someone lives in the middle of the United States, they don’t need to worry about tsunamis, which would only occur along the coasts. However, they might have to prepare for tornados, which happen far more often in that region than on the coasts.

Types of Natural Disasters

The lesson introduces several types of storms, including the following. These are 10 of the most common types that happen throughout the world. Students will also discover how important it is to understand these storms even if they don’t live in a place where they happen often. It is always important to respect and be sensitive to those who have been through such experiences either directly or indirectly.

Blizzard, Drought, Earthquake, Flood, Heat Wave

Blizzard: These are extremely intense snowstorms with winds that reach up to 35 miles an hour. During a blizzard, it is very difficult to see, making it incredibly dangerous to travel.

Drought: One of the worst natural disasters, droughts happen when there is no rainfall for a long period of time. Human activities like deforestation can also cause droughts. Effects include water shortages, dust bowls and storms, famines, hunger, malnutrition, starvation, and wildfires.

Earthquake: These sudden and violent movements of the earth can be minor, but major earthquakes can topple buildings and bridges. They can cause a lot of property damage and loss of life. They can also cause other disasters, such as tsunamis, fires, avalanches, and floods.

Flood: Floods occur when heavy rain, melting ice and snow, or overflowing bodies of water cover the land where water should not be. These can cause tremendous property damage, sometimes destroying homes or cars completely. They can also contaminate water supplies and destroy farmlands.

Heat wave: A heat wave involves temperatures that are much higher than normal. High pressure in the atmosphere builds up, holding in hot air on the surface of the earth. As a result, it’s less likely to rain. Heat waves often affect people’s health and cause heat exhaustion and other illnesses. They can also cause roads to buckle and plants to die.

Hurricane, Thunderstorm, Tornado, Tsunami, Wildfire

Hurricane: With wind speeds up to 160 miles per hour, these giant swirling water storms can cause a great amount of damage. Hurricanes, or typhoons, occur at specific times of the year, which is helpful in regards to preparation.

Thunderstorm: These storms include lightning, high winds, and usually heavy rain. They can also send hail, sleet, and snow to the earth’s surface. They occur when there is a surge of moist, warm air. They can even turn into tornados.

Tornado: Another of the most dangerous and destructive natural disasters, tornados have wind speeds from 100 to 300 miles per hour. They occur over land and sea. The destructive column of rotating air can come in many shapes and sizes, but they always appear as some kind of funnel.

Tsunami: These giant water waves that surge onto land reach heights of up to 100 feet. They usually happen in oceans but can also occur on lakes. Underwater quakes cause tsunamis.

Wildfire: These major fires mostly happen because of human error, but sometimes happen naturally. They are dangerous and unpredictable and often spread very easily, causing major damage to forests and animal habitats.

Other natural disasters include landslides, avalanches, and volcanoes. The lesson provides some information on these events as well. Students will learn which of these events are predictable and which are not.

How to Prepare for a Natural Disaster

Meteorologists, or people who study and predict the weather, know when the weather conditions are right for thunderstorms. However, one result of violent thunderstorms is a tornado. There is no accurate way to predict if, when, or where a tornado will touch down. Thunderstorm lightning can cause wildfires and knock out power even if no tornado exists.

The winds can blow down trees and rip rooftops from houses. The hard rain causes flooding, which creates landslides and sinkholes. Thunderstorms can produce large hail stones that pound on the ground and anything else in the area. Even in storms that don’t seem as dangerous as a hurricane, there is still a lot of potential damage. All natural disasters are harmful and destructive. And while we can’t always predict them, we can prepare.

Regardless of the potential disaster, we need to have a plan. For example, if the electricity goes off, what do we need to ensure we an see and remain warm? Do we have enough water and food to last for a few days?Next, we need to prepare. Flashlights, batteries, matches, and bottled water are all necessities. How much we need depends on how long we think the disaster will last. For example, people who suffer from hurricanes sometimes go ten or more days without electricity and running water.

Finally, we need to practice. If we are in school, we practice fire drills. Similarly, we should practice going through the plans we made so that everyone knows what to do, where to go, and how to contact other family members.

Natural Disasters and Climate Change

For several decades, scientists have been monitoring the weather. Remember, the scientific definition for weather is “the state of the atmosphere, including temperature, atmospheric pressure, wind, humidity, precipitation, and cloud cover.” So how we think about weather is how cold or hot, wet or dry, and sunny or cloudy it is outside daily.

Climate is the “long-term pattern of weather in a particular area. Weather can change from hour-to-hour, day-to-day, month-to-month, or even year-to-year.” Climate change is the long-term change in weather patterns and climate. Scientists have noted an alarming trend in studying climate—the earth is warming.

Over thousands of years, the climate has gone through many changes, from colder to warmer or the opposite. However, in the last 200 years, the earth has gotten much warmer much faster. What does this have to do with natural disasters? Well, weather is caused by heat generated by the sun and air movement. Therefore, the weather doesn’t stay the same in the same place. For example, millions of years ago, what is now the Sahara Desert teemed with plant life. Now it is a dry, arid desert. Because the earth is rapidly warming and heat is trapped in our atmosphere by carbon dioxide gases, the heat in the atmosphere has devastating effects on the surface.

Increased natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, violent thunderstorms, and winter blizzards may result from climate change. Scientists believe there are more natural disasters today than a few short centuries ago due to global warming. As a result, natural disasters will be more common, intense, and devastating to life today and in the future. Therefore, you must be prepared in the future for more and more intense natural disasters.

NATURAL DISASTERS LESSON PLAN WORKSHEETS

The Natural Disasters lesson plan includes three worksheets. Each one will help students solidify their grasp of the concepts in different ways. You can look at the classroom procedure guidelines to know when to hand them out.

FLOOD ZONE PREP ACTIVITY WORKSHEET

For the activity, students will read the paragraph about natural disasters at the top of the worksheet. A table below shows five questions about the area in which the students live. In the right column, they will explain what they would do if they were to answer yes to these questions.

CHECKLIST PRACTICE WORKSHEET

The practice worksheet continues on from the activity. Students will use the information they provided in the activity to create an emergency bag. They will gather various items according to what they would need. Such items will be based on where the students actually live and the natural disasters common to the area.

NATURAL DISASTERS HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT

Students will again reference the previous two worksheets to develop a disaster plan. They will first fill out the chart at the top of the page. Then they will write in the information on the paragraph at the bottom.

Worksheet Answer Keys

There is an answer key for the activity page that provides sample responses for the assignment. You could choose to show these answers to help guide students’ work if you prefer. If you choose to administer the lesson pages to your students via PDF, you will need to save a new file that omits this page. Otherwise, you can simply print out the applicable pages and keep this as reference for yourself when grading assignments.

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I used the article with a 5th grade class. The content was on level and the students enjoyed learning about natural disasters. We had a great agree/disagree discussion about the topic.

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The packets followed our curriculum and provided relevant, meaningful lessons and activities that helped greatly with the surprise distant learning situation.

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Great engaging lessons and activities that align with the standards. I also liked how the videos add to the lessons.

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Types of Disasters

Learn about the different types of natural and human-caused disasters and their impact on behavioral health.

Natural and human-caused disasters affect thousands of people each year. Major adverse events such as these have the potential to cause catastrophic loss of life and physical destruction. They are often unexpected and can leave whole communities in shock.

People who live through a disaster can experience emotional distress. Feelings of anxiety, constant worrying, trouble sleeping, and other depression-like symptoms are common responses to disasters before, during, and after the event. Many people are able to “bounce back” from disasters with help from family and the community, but others may need additional support to cope and move forward on the path of recovery. Anyone can be at risk, including survivors living in the impacted areas and first responders and recovery workers.

Natural Disasters

Natural disasters are large-scale geological or meteorological events that have the potential to cause loss of life or property. These types of disasters include:

• Tornadoes and Severe Storms
• Hurricanes and Tropical Storms
• Earthquakes

Severe storms and floods are the most common types of natural disasters reported in the United States. These meteorological events are occasionally preceded by presidential “emergency declarations” requiring state and local planning prior to the event, such as evacuations and protection of public assets. Disaster Distress Helpline staff are available to speak to those who call or text before, during, and after a natural disaster.

Human-Caused Disasters

Examples include industrial accidents, shootings, acts of terrorism, and incidents of mass violence . As with natural disasters, these types of traumatic events may also cause loss of life and property. They may also prompt evacuations from certain areas and overwhelm behavioral health resources in the affected communities.

In the aftermath of the tragic loss of life that occurred on September 11, 2001, the feelings of loss of security and well-being—arguably the most crucial ingredients for leading a happy, healthy life—dramatically affected the citizens of the United States. Disaster Distress Helpline staff are also trained to respond to calls or texts related to these types of disasters.

• Toolkit of Behavioral Health Resources Pertaining to the Israel-Hamas Conflict (PDF | 371)
• Incidents of Mass Violence

Other Incidents of Mass Trauma

Infectious disease outbreaks, incidents of community unrest, and other types of traumatic events can also bring out strong emotions in people. The Disaster Distress Helpline provides immediate crisis counseling to people affected by traumatic events. 

• Coping with Grief After Community Violence – 2014
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• Talking with Children: Tips for Caregivers, Parents, and Teachers During Infectious Disease Outbreaks – 2014

The SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center (DTAC) also helps states, territories, tribes, and local entities deliver an effective mental health and substance abuse (behavioral health) response to disasters and traumatic events. Learn more about these issues and find more disaster-related resources at Disaster Preparedness, Response, and Recovery .

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The University Policy Office (UPO) is an administrative unit with responsibility for the strategic design and implementation of the university policy management program. UPO coordinates policy lifecycle management with key policy owners and maintains the Handbook of Operating Procedures (HOP) policy library and website. 

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The University of Texas at Austin has adopted ComplianceBridge as the primary policy management system for the university. The HOP policy library can be viewed at the UT Policy Library webpage . 

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For questions related to the University Policy Office or the Handbook of Operating Procedures (HOP), please contact: Betty Brooks, Deputy Compliance Officer and Policy Program Manager by phone at (512) 471-0426 or by email at [email protected] .

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