Javna ustanova Srednjokolski centar Nedad Ibriimovi Ilija

Opa gimnazija
Jeziko izborno podruje

Natural disasters in recent history

(Maturski rad)

Mentor: Dafo Amir, prof.

Uenik: Biogradlija Amra

Ilija, maj 2015

CONTENTS:
1.

INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................ 3.

2. WHAT IS A NATURAL DISASTER............................................................................. 4.

3.

HURRICANES................................................................................................................. 6.
3.1. HURRICAN KATRINA............................................................................................. 7.

4.

EARTHQUAKES............................................................................................................. 8.
4.1. TECTONIC EARTHQUAKES.................................................................................. 9.
4.2. VOLCANIC EARTHQUAKES................................................................................10.
4.3. EXPLOSIONS EARTHQUAKES............................................................................ 11.

5.

CYCLONES.................................................................................................................... 13
5.1. EXTRATROPICAL CYCLONES............................................................................ 14.
5.2. SUBTROPICAL CYCLONES................................................................................. 15.
5.3. TROPICAL CYCLONES......................................................................................... 15.

6. VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS............................................................................................ 17.

7.

BLIZZARDS................................................................................................................... 18.

8.

DROUGHTS................................................................................................................... 20.

9.

HEAT WAVES............................................................................................................... 22.

10. FLOODS......................................................................................................................... 24.

11. FAMINE......................................................................................................................... 25.
12. CONCLUSION............................................................................................................... 26.
13. LITERATURE............................................................................................................... 28.

1. INTRODUCTION

This graduation paper is about natural disasters in recent history.

I will talk about the worst natural disasters, causes of their formation, damage coused by
natural disasters, types of natural disasters.
A natural disaster is a major adverse event resulting from natural processes of the Earth.
Examples include floods, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, blizzards, and other geologic
processes.
Natural disasters are extreme, sudden events caused by environmental factors that injure
people and damage property.
As examples, I chose disasters that have occurred around the world throughout history.
Some of the worst natural disasters in recent history are: hurricanes, earthquakes, cyclones,
volcanic eruptions, blizzards, droughts, heat waves, floods, famine and others.

2. WHAT IS A NATURAL DISASTER

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.
Then there is loss of property, which affects peoples 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 isnt easy.
Scientists, geologists, and storm watchers work hard to predict major disasters and avert as
much damage as possible. With all the technology available, its become easier to predict
major storms, blizzards, cyclones, and other weather related natural disasters. But there are
still natural disasters that come up rather unexpectedly, such as earthquakes, wildfires,
landslides, or even volcanic eruptions. Sometimes, a time of warning is there, but its 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.
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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, its the individuals who step in who help to make a difference.
Many people talk about when a disaster has hit and their neighbors 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 aidto heal
emotionally as well as physically.
ts 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.

3. HURRICANES
A hurricane is a huge storm! It can be up to 600 miles across and have strong winds spiraling
inward and upward at speeds of 75 to 200 mph. Each hurricane usually lasts for over a week,
moving 10-20 miles per hour over the open ocean. Hurricanes gather heat and energy through
contact with warm ocean waters. Evaporation from the seawater increases their power.
Hurricanes rotate in a counter-clockwise direction around an "eye" in the Northern
Hemisphere and clockwise direction in the Southern Hemisphere. The center of the storm or
"eye" is the calmest part. It has only light winds and fair weather. When they come onto land,
the heavy rain, strong winds and large waves can damage buildings, trees and cars.
Hurricanes only form over really warm ocean water of 80F or warmer. The atmosphere (the
air) must cool off very quickly the higher you go. Also, the wind must be blowing in the same
direction and at the same speed to force air upward from the ocean surface. Winds flow
outward above the storm allowing the air below to rise. Hurricanes typically form between 5
to 15 degrees latitude north and south of the equator. The Coriolis Force is needed to create
the spin in the hurricane and it becomes too weak near the equator, so hurricanes can never
form there.
Hurricane Katrina was the deadliest hurricane to hit the Gulf Coast in 2005, it was ranked as
the sixth strongest overall to hit the United States. It was also one of the costliest with
estimated property damages of US $81 billion.
Hurricane Andrew was formed by a tropical wave that moved to the west coast of Africa on
August 14, 1992. It became a major tropical depression by August 16, though its intensity was
initially prevented by a wind shear. During the succeeding days, it developed into a
destructive tropical cyclone, named Hurricane Andrew. Due to the massive destruction that
caused 65 fatalities and US $26 billion in property damages, this became the 5th costliest
hurricane in US history after hurricanes Katrina, Wilma, and Ike, with the name Andrew
retired from the hurricane names list in the spring of 1993.

The Atlantic hurricane season is from June 1 to November 30, but most hurricanes occur
during the fall months. The Eastern Pacific hurricane season is from May 15 to November 30.
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3.1. HURRICAN KATRINA

Hurrican Katrina is one of the largest and third strongest hurrican ever recorded to make
landfall in the US. In New Orleans, the levees were designed for Category 3, but Katrina
peaked at a Category 5 hurricane, with winds up to 175 mph. The final death toll was at
1,836, primarily from Louisiana (1,577) and Mississippi (238). More than half of these
victims were senior citizens. The storm surge from Katrina was 20-ft (six meters) high. 705
people are reported as still missing as a result of Hurricane Katrina. Hurricane Katrina caused
$81 billion in property damages, but it is estimated that the total economic impact in
Louisiana and Mississippi may exceed $150 billion, earning the title of costliest hurricane
ever in US history.
Hurricane Katrina impacted about 90,000 square miles.

The region affected by the storm

supported roughly 1 million non-farm jobs, and still, hundreds of thousands of local residents
were left unemployed by the hurricane. Hurricane Katrina affected over 15 million people in
different ways varying from having to evacuate their homes, rising gas prices, and the
economy suffering.

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4. EARTHQUAKES
Earthquakes, also called temblors, can be so tremendously destructive, its hard to imagine
they occur by the thousands every day around the world, usually in the form of small tremors.
Some 80 percent of all the planet's earthquakes occur along the rim of the Pacific Ocean,
called the "Ring of Fire" because of the preponderance of volcanic activity there as well. Most
earthquakes occur at fault zones, where tectonic platesgiant rock slabs that make up the
Earth's upper layercollide or slide against each other. These impacts are usually gradual and
unnoticeable on the surface; however, immense stress can build up between plates. When this
stress is released quickly, it sends massive vibrations, called seismic waves, often hundreds of
miles through the rock and up to the surface. Other quakes can occur far from faults zones
when plates are stretched or squeezed.
Scientists assign a magnitude rating to earthquakes based on the strength and duration of their
seismic waves. A quake measuring 3 to 5 is considered minor or light; 5 to 7 is moderate to
strong; 7 to 8 is major; and 8 or more is great.
On average, a magnitude 8 quake strikes somewhere every year and some 10,000 people die
in earthquakes annually. Collapsing buildings claim by far the majority of lives, but the
destruction is often compounded by mud slides, fires, floods, or tsunamis. Smaller temblors
that usually occur in the days following a large earthquake can complicate rescue efforts and
cause further death and destruction.
Loss of life can be avoided through emergency planning, education, and the construction of
buildings that sway rather than break under the stress of an earthquake.
The 2005 Pakistan earthquake, that registered 7.6 in the Richter scale, had its epicenter in
Kashmir near the city of Muzaffarabad. It occurred on the morning of October 8, 2005 and the
official death toll was 75,000 people with 106,000 people injured. The severity of the damage
was attributed to the poor construction of the buildings. Over US $5.4 billion in aid arrived
from all over the world to help with rescue and relief efforts.
A magnitude 7.0 earthquake that has a depth of 8.1 miles rocked Haiti on January 12, 2010.
Its epicenter was located just south west of Port-Au-Prince with 59 aftershocks ranging from
11

4.2 to 5.9 magnitudes in strength. The strongest earthquake to hit the country since 1770, it
had led to over 200,000 deaths, 2 million homeless, and 3 million people in need of
emergency aid. At least US $195 million have been given with another US $120 million
pledges from different countries, along with a large number of aid workers to help with rescue
operations.
Indian Ocean Earthquake, also known as the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake, it was estimated
to be a magnitude 9.15, and occurred on December 26, 2004. While the earthquake itself
lasted for only 10 seconds, it caused a tsunami that killed 200,000 to 310,000 people along the
shores of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, South India, and Thailand with one death even occurring at
Port Elizabeth in South Africa, 8,000 miles away from the epicenter.
New Zealand Earthquake, also known as the Christchurch earthquake, this magnitude 6.3
quake that occurred on February 22, 2011 severely damaged New Zealands second-largest
city. It also killed 185 people, 238 were reported missing, and164 patients were treated for
injuries. One of the nations deadliest peacetime disasters, this caused significant damage to
Christchurch and the central Canterbury region with an estimated US $16 billion worth of
damages incurred, though it was of lesser strength than the 7.1 magnitude quake that hit
Canterbury earlier in September 4, 2010.
Gujarat Earthquake in India happened January 26, 2001. The quake, which had a magnitude
between 7.6 and 7.7, lasted for over 2 minutes with the epicenter about 9 km south-southwest
of the Chobari village. It resulted in a death toll of 20,000 people, injured 167,000 and
destroyed 400,000 homes. It also caused major shock waves that spread 700 km where 21
districts were affected and left 600,000 people homeless.
There are many different types of earthquakes: tectonic, volcanic and explosion earthquakes.

4.1. TECTONIC EARTHQUAKE

Tectonic earthquake; it happens when the shifting of the Earth's plates is driven by geological
force. Understanding how these earthquakes function includes grasping both the scientific
causes and human effects.
The lithosphere (the Earth's crust) is comprised of a collection of unyielding, asymmetrically
shaped plates known as tectonic plates. The solid-rock plates range in thickness from four to
12

forty miles and are diverse sizes and shapes. Tectonic plates cover the entire surface of the
earth, with those located below the ocean being thinner than the plates located beneath the
continents. Plates often contain both land and sea within their individual boundaries. When
tectonic plates move, they develop new boundaries or change existing boundaries between
regions. Boundaries can be divergent, convergent or transform. Divergent boundaries occur
when plates move apart and new crust begins to form in the newly created space between the
plates. Convergent boundaries involve the destruction and salvaging of the existing crust into
the Earth's interior as one plate moves under another. Convergent boundaries are often noted
by the presence of volcanoes or mountains at the boundary site. Transform boundaries, also
known as fault lines, are where two plates move past each other horizontally. They are
commonly found under the ocean and are the cause for what is known as "shallow
earthquakes." Some, such as the San Andreas fault boundary in California, are on land and
visible in exposed areas.
While some earthquakes can be minor, barely affecting day-to-day human life due to location
or level of force, others have been devastating. In 1906, a century of stress was released along
the San Andreas fault causing a short but powerful 8.3 earthquake in San Francisco. The
earthquake cost more than seven hundred people their lives and 250,000 their homes due to
fires caused by the quake. In 1960, a massive 9.5 Richter scale --rated earthquake led to
20,000 deaths. Over four decades later, the 2004 earthquake near Indonesia and Sumatra
topped the Richter scale at 9.3 causing a major tsunami in the Indian Ocean and fatalities of
more than 300,000. The 2011 8.9 magnitude earthquake in Japan also caused a major tsunami,
which laid waste to human life and caused extensive property damage.

4.2. VOLCANIC EARTHQUAKE

Earthquakes related to volcanic activity may produce hazards which include ground cracks,
ground deformation, and damage to manmade structures. There are two general categories of
earthquakes that can occur at a volcano: volcano-tectonic earthquakes and long period
earthquakes.
Earthquakes produced by stress changes in solid rock due to the injection or withdrawal of
magma (molton rock) are called volcano-tectonic earthquakes (Chouet, 1993). These
earthquakes can cause land to subside and can produce large ground cracks. These
13

earthquakes can occur as rock is moving to fill in spaces where magma is no longer present.
Volcano-tectonic earthquakes don't indicate that the volcano will be erupting but can occur at
anytime.
The second category of volcanic earthquakes are long period earthquakes which are produced
by the injection of magma into surrounding rock. These earthquakes are a result of pressure
changes during the unsteady transport of the magma. When magma injection is sustained a lot
of earthquakes are produced (Chouet, 1993). This type of activity indicates that a volcano is
about to erupt. Scientists use seismographs to record the signal from these earthquakes. This
signal is known as volcanic tremor.
People living near an erupting volcano are very aware of volcanic earthquakes. Their houses
will shake and windows rattle from the numerous earthquakes that occur each day before and
during a volcanic eruption. Residents in Pompeii felt earthquakes daily before Vesuvius
erupted in A.D. 79 but continued to go about their daily routines (Francis, 1993). When
Mount Pinatubo in the Philipines erupted in 1991, nerves were rattled as much as windows by
volcanic earthquakes.
Earthquakes exhibiting volcanic tremor warn of an impending eruption so that people can be
evacuated to areas of safety. The volcanic tremor signal has been used successfully to predict
the 1980 eruptions Mount St. Helens and the 1991 eruption of Pinatubo. Volcano-tectonic
earthquakes can cause damage to manmade structures and landsliding. To prevent damage
from being done, structures should be built according to earthquake standards, building
foundations should be constructed on firm ground and not unconsolidated material which may
amplify earthquake intensity, and buildings should be constructed on stable slopes in areas of
low hazard potential.

4.3. EXPLOSION EARTHQUAKE

An Explosion Earthquake is an earthquake which results of nuclear and chemical devices.
This occurs when enormous energy nuclear energy is released during underground nuclear
explosions,which when bottled within, increases a thousand times more than the atmospheric
pressure, in intensity.

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Explosion earthquakes are produced by the detonation of chemicals or nuclear devices. Some
underground nuclear explosions fired since the 1950s have produced substantial earthquakes.
When a nuclear device is detonated in a borehole underground, enormous nuclear energy is
released. In millionths of a second, the pressure jumps thousands of times the pressure of the
Earth's atmosphere and the temperature increases by millions of degrees. The surrounding
rock is vaporised, creating a sherical cavity many metres in diameter.

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5. CYCLONES
In meteorology, a cyclone is an area of closed, circular fluid motion rotating in the same
direction as the Earth. This is usually characterized by inward spiraling winds that rotate
counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere of
the Earth. Most large-scale cyclonic circulations are centered on areas of low atmospheric
pressure. The largest low-pressure systems are cold-core polar cyclones and extratropical
cyclones which lie on the synoptic scale. According to the National Hurricane Center
glossary, warm-core cyclones such as tropical cyclones and subtropical cyclones also lie
within the synoptic scale. Mesocyclones, tornadoes and dust devils lie within the smaller
mesoscale. Upper level cyclones can exist without the presence of a surface low, and can
pinch off from the base of the Tropical Upper Tropospheric Trough during the summer
months in the Northern Hemisphere. Cyclones have also been seen on extraterrestrial planets,
such as Mars and Neptune. Cyclogenesis describes the process of cyclone formation and
intensification. Extratropical cyclones form as waves in large regions of enhanced midlatitude temperature contrasts called baroclinic zones. These zones contract to form weather
fronts as the cyclonic circulation closes and intensifies. Later in their life cycle, cyclones
occlude as cold core systems. A cyclone's track is guided over the course of its 2 to 6 day life
cycle by the steering flow of the cancer or subtropical jet stream.
Weather fronts separate two masses of air of different densities and are associated with the
most prominent meteorological phenomena. Air masses separated by a front may differ in
temperature or humidity. Strong cold fronts typically feature narrow bands of thunderstorms
and severe weather, and may on occasion be preceded by squall lines or dry lines. They form
west of the circulation center and generally move from west to east. Warm fronts form east of
the cyclone center and are usually preceded by stratiform precipitation and fog. They move
poleward ahead of the cyclone path. Occluded fronts form late in the cyclone life cycle near
the center of the cyclone and often wrap around the storm center.
Tropical cyclogenesis describes the process of development of tropical cyclones. Tropical
cyclones form due to latent heat driven by significant thunderstorm activity, and are warm
core. Cyclones can transition between extratropical, subtropical, and tropical phases under the
right conditions. Mesocyclones form as warm core cyclones over land, and can lead to
16

tornado formation. Waterspouts can also form from mesocyclones, but more often develop
from environments of high instability and low vertical wind shear. In the Atlantic and the
northeastern Pacific oceans, a tropical cyclone is generally referred to as a hurricane (from the
name of the ancient Central American deity of wind, Huracan), in the Indian and south Pacific
oceans it is called a cyclone, and in the northwestern Pacific it is called a typhoon.
Cyclone in 2008 hit the northern Indian Ocean, Cyclone Nargis made landfall in Myanmar
and devastated the Ayeyarwady Delta region along with its 37 townships for two days.
Official figures showed that 84,500 people were killed with 53,800 missing. An equivalent of
a category 3 or 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale, it led to numerous storm surges and
flooding.
Reaching wind speeds of 185 km/h, the Bhola Cyclone in Bangladesh 1970 led to over US
$490 million in damages, destroying 85% of the homes in the region. It also fetched storm
surges that wiped out entire villages, killing 45% of the population in Tazumuddin. Nearly
500,000 perished during the cyclone.
There are three main types surface-based cyclones: Extratropical cyclones, Subtropical
cyclones and Tropical cyclones.

5.1. EXSTRATROPICAL CYCLONES

An extratropical cyclone is a synoptic scale low-pressure weather system that does not have
tropical characteristics, being connected with fronts and horizontal gradients in temperature
and dew point otherwise known as "baroclinic zones".
The descriptor "extratropical" refers to the fact that this type of cyclone generally occurs
outside of the tropics, in the middle latitudes of the planet. These systems may also be
described as "mid-latitude cyclones" due to their area of formation, or "post-tropical
cyclones" where extratropical transition has occurred,[28][29] and are often described as
"depressions" or "lows" by weather forecasters and the general public. These are the everyday
phenomena which along with anti-cyclones, drive the weather over much of the Earth.
Although extratropical cyclones are almost always classified as baroclinic since they form
along zones of temperature and dewpoint gradient within the westerlies, they can sometimes
become barotropic late in their life cycle when the temperature distribution around the
17

cyclone becomes fairly uniform with radius. An extratropical cyclone can transform into a
subtropical storm, and from there into a tropical cyclone, if it dwells over warm waters and
develops central convection, which warms its core. One intense type of extratropical cyclone
that strikes during wintertime is a nor'easter.

5.2. SUBTROPICAL CYCLONE

A subtropical cyclone is a weather system that has some characteristics of a tropical cyclone
and some characteristics of an extratropical cyclone. They can form between the equator and
the 50th parallel. As early as the 1950s, meteorologists were unclear whether they should be
characterized as tropical cyclones or extratropical cyclones, and used terms such as quasitropical and semi-tropical to describe the cyclone hybrids. By 1972, the National Hurricane
Center officially recognized this cyclone category. Subtropical cyclones began to receive
names off the official tropical cyclone list in the Atlantic Basin in 2002. They have broad
wind patterns with maximum sustained winds located farther from the center than typical
tropical cyclones, and exist in areas of weak to moderate temperature gradient.
Since they form from initially extratropical cyclones which have colder temperatures aloft
than normally found in the tropics, the sea surface temperatures required for their formation
are lower than the tropical cyclone threshold by three degrees Celsius, or five degrees
Fahrenheit, lying around 23 degrees Celsius. This means that subtropical cyclones are more
likely to form outside the traditional bounds of the hurricane season. Although subtropical
storms rarely have hurricane-force winds, they may become tropical in nature as their cores
warm.

5.3. TROPICAL CYCLONES

A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a low-pressure center and numerous
thunderstorms that produce strong winds and flooding rain. A tropical cyclone feeds on heat
released when moist air rises, resulting in condensation of water vapour contained in the moist
air. They are fueled by a different heat mechanism than other cyclonic windstorms such as
nor'easters, European windstorms, and polar lows, leading to their classification as "warm
core" storm systems.
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The term "tropical" refers to both the geographic origin of these systems, which form almost
exclusively in tropical regions of the globe, and their formation in Maritime Tropical air
masses. The term "cyclone" refers to such storms' cyclonic nature, with counterclockwise
rotation in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise rotation in the Southern Hemisphere.
Depending on their location and strength, tropical cyclones are referred to by other names,
such as hurricane, typhoon, tropical storm, cyclonic storm, tropical depression, or simply as a
cyclone.
While tropical cyclones can produce extremely powerful winds and torrential rain, they are
also able to produce high waves and damaging storm surge.[38] They develop over large
bodies of warm water, and lose their strength if they move over land. This is the reason
coastal regions can receive significant damage from a tropical cyclone, while inland regions
are relatively safe from receiving strong winds. Heavy rains, however, can produce significant
flooding inland, and storm surges can produce extensive coastal flooding up to 40 kilometres
(25 mi) from the coastline. Although their effects on human populations can be devastating,
tropical cyclones can also relieve drought conditions. They also carry heat and energy away
from the tropics and transport it toward temperate latitudes, which makes them an important
part of the global atmospheric circulation mechanism. As a result, tropical cyclones help to
maintain equilibrium in the Earth's troposphere.
Many tropical cyclones develop when the atmospheric conditions around a weak disturbance
in the atmosphere are favorable. Others form when other types of cyclones acquire tropical
characteristics. Tropical systems are then moved by steering winds in the troposphere; if the
conditions remain favorable, the tropical disturbance intensifies, and can even develop an eye.
On the other end of the spectrum, if the conditions around the system deteriorate or the
tropical cyclone makes landfall, the system weakens and eventually dissipates. A tropical
cyclone can become extratropical as it moves toward higher latitudes if its energy source
changes from heat released by condensation to differences in temperature between air masses.
From an operational standpoint, a tropical cyclone is usually not considered to become
subtropical during its extratropical transition.

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6. VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS
Volcanic eruptions happen when lava and gas are discharged from a volcanic vent. The most
common consequences of this are population movements as large numbers of people are often
forced to flee the moving lava flow. Volcanic eruptions often cause temporary food shortages
and volcanic ash landslides called Lahar.
The most dangerous type of volcanic eruption is referred to as a 'glowing avalanche'. This is
when freshly erupted magma forms hot pyroclastic flow which have temperatures of up to
1,200 degrees. The pyroclastic flow is formed from rock fragments following a volcanic
explosion , the flow surges down the flanks of the volcano at speeds of up to several hundred
kilometres per hour, to distances often up to 10km and occasionally as far as 40 km from the
original disaster site.
Nevado del Ruiz Volcano Eruption, also famed as La Mesa de Herveo, this stratovolcano
holds the distinction of causing the second largest volcano-related disaster of the 20th century.
The volcano, which generally generates Plinian eruptions or swift-moving currents of hot gas
and rock called pyroclastic flows, produced an enormous flow that buried and devastated the
town of Armero in Tolima in November 13, 1985. What was tragically known as the Armero
tragedy caused the death of 25,000 people.
June 15, 2011 marks the 20th anniversary of Mt. Pinatubo's cataclysmic eruption, which sent
huge amounts of ash high into the sky and circling around the globe, lowering global
temperatures by 1 degree Fahrenheit (0.5 degree Celsius) over the following year. On this
anniversary, we countdown the largest volcanic eruptions in history as measured by the
Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) a classification system somewhat akin to the magnitude
scale for earthquakes.

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7. BLIZZARDS
Blizzards are dangerous winter storms that are a combination of blowing snow and wind
resulting in very low visibilities. While heavy snowfalls and severe cold often accompany
blizzards, they are not required. Sometimes strong winds pick up snow that has already fallen,
creating a ground blizzard.
Officially, the National Weather Service defines a blizzard as a storm which contains large
amounts of snow OR blowing snow, with winds in excess of 35 mph and visibilities of less
than 1/4 mile for an extended period of time (at least 3 hours). When these conditions are
expected, the National Weather Service will issue a "Blizzard Warning". When these
conditions are not expected to occur simultaneously, but one or two of these conditions are
expected, a "Winter Storm Warning" or "Heavy Snow Warning" may be issued.
Blizzard conditions often develop on the northwest side of an intense storm system. The
difference between the lower pressure in the storm and the higher pressure to the west creates
a tight pressure gradient, or difference in pressure between two locations, which in turn results
in very strong winds. These strong winds pick up available snow from the ground, or blow
any snow which is falling, creating very low visibilities and the potential for significant
drifting of snow.
Blizzards can create life-threatening conditions. Traveling by automobile can become difficult
or even impossible due to "whiteout" conditions and drifting snow. Whiteout conditions occur
most often with major storms that produce a drier, more powdery snow. In this situation, it
doesn't even need to be snowing to produce whiteout conditions, as the snow which is already
on the ground is blown around, reducing the visibility to near zero at times.
The strong winds and cold temperatures accompanying blizzards can combine to create
another danger. The wind chill factor is the amount of cooling one "feels" due to the
combination of wind and temperature. During blizzards, with the combination of cold
temperatures and strong winds, very low wind chill values can occur. It is not uncommon in
the Midwest to have wind chills below -60F during blizzard conditions. Exposure to such low
wind chill values can result in frostbite or hypothermia. Blizzards also can cause a variety of
23

other problems. Power outages can occur due to strong winds and heavy snow. Pipes can
freeze and regular fuel sources may be cut off.
A blizzard is a severe snow storm with winds in excess of 35 mph and visibility of less than a
1/4 mile for more than 3 hours.
Blizzards can also occur after snowfall when high winds cause whiteouts (fallen snow
blowing around) and snowdrifts (huge mountains of snow), which decrease visibility.
If you must travel by car during a blizzard, it is vital to have an emergency aid kit (water,
jumper cables, road flares, tow rope, non-perishable snacks) in case your car breaks down,
you get into an accident, or become stuck in the snow.
The first blizzard to be declared a Federal Emergency was in 1977, affecting upstate New
York and Southern Ohio. The storms accumulation was only about 12 inches over 5 days,
but the winds were deadly.
Afghanistan Blizzard in 2008 was the second worst blizzard in modern history after the Iran
blizzard with regards to casualties, it had an estimated death toll of 1,337 due to temperatures
that fell below -30C with up to 180 centimeters of snow in the mountainous regions. Some
were frozen to death, a number died when their vehicles were blocked by snowdrifts and at
least 100 people underwent frostbite amputations in hospitals across the country. It also
claimed more than 100,000 sheep and goats and 315,000 cattle.

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8. DROUGHTS
Droughts occur in virtually all climates. Of all the weather-related phenomena that can cause
severe economic impacts in the United States, droughts come in second only to hurricanes,
according to the National Climatic Data Center. But unlike hurricanes, which are easily
identified and straightforward to classify in terms of wind speeds, droughts are much tougher
to define.
Most people think of a drought as a period of unusually dry weather that persists long enough
to cause problems such as crop damage and water supply shortages. But because dry
conditions develop for different reasons, there is more than one definition of drought.
"Drought is caused by not only lack of precipitation and high temperatures but by overuse and
overpopulation," said David Miskus, a drought expert and meteorologist at the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Prediction Center.
In the 1980s, two researchers uncovered more than 150 published definitions of drought. In an
effort to bring some order to measuring drought, the scientists grouped the definitions into
four basic approaches: meteorological, hydrological, agricultural and socioeconomic. The first
three categories track drought as a physical phenomenon. The last category deals with drought
as a supply and demand problem, through the impacts of water shortfalls.
These definitions usually specify the beginning, end and degree of severity of drought by
comparing the current precipitation over a certain time period to a historical average.
Scientists include both rain and snow in precipitation measurements, because some regions,
such as mountainous West, rely on winter snow for much of their yearly water.
Here are descriptions of the four main categories of drought. Meteorological drought is
specific to different regions. For example, 20 inches (51 centimeters) of rainfall in a year is
normal in West Texas, but the same amount would be less than half the yearly average in
Virginia.

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Agricultural drought accounts for the water needs of crops during different growing stages.
For instance, not enough moisture at planting may hinder germination, leading to low plant
populations and a reduction in yield.
Hydrological drought refers to persistently low water volumes in streams, rivers and
reservoirs. Human activities, such as drawdown of reservoirs, can worsen hydrological
droughts. Hydrological drought is often linked with meteorological droughts.
Socioeconomic drought occurs when the demand for water exceeds the supply. Examples of
this kind of drought include too much irrigation or when low river flow forces hydroelectric
power plant operators to reduce energy production.
East Africa Drought, the worst drought in 60 years, the Horn of Africa experienced a severe
drought since mid-July of 2011 with an estimated 12.4 million people in need of food. It
resulted in a food crisis across Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia, and Djibouti, threatened the
livelihood of more than 9.5 million people, and caused widespread death and famine.

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9. HEAT WAVES
A heat wave is generally defined as a period of several days to weeks of abnormally hot
weather. In the past 3-4 decades, there has been an increasing trend in high-humidity heat
waves, which are characterized by the persistence of extremely high night-time temperature.
The combination of high humidity and high night-time temperature can make for a deadly
pairing, offering no relief and posing a particular threat for the elderly. Extreme heat events
are responsible for more deaths annually than hurricanes, lightning, tornadoes, floods, and
earthquakes combined.
At the same time, low-humidity heat waves associated with droughts and fueled in part by
climate change contribute to the dry conditions that are driving wild fires.
Numerous studies have documented that human-induced climate change has increased the
frequency and severity of heat waves across the globe.
For instance, a thorough statistical analysis of the Russian heat wave suggests that there was
an approximate 80% probability that the 2010 July Russian heat record would not have
occurred without climate warming, or alternatively the probability increased by a factor of
five.
Globally, extremely warm nights that used to come once in 20 years now occur every 10
years.12 And extremely hot summers, those more than three standard deviations above the
historic average, are now observed in about 10% of the global land area, compared to 0.10.2% for the period 1951-1980. These trends cannot be explained by natural variation alone.
Only with the inclusion of human influences can computer models of the climate reproduce
the observed changes. These changes include an increase in the number of warm nights,
unusually hot days, and heat waves, as well as warming of the warmest night of the year,
warming of the coldest nights and days of the year, and warming of the hottest day of the year.
While natural variability continues to play a key role in extreme weather, climate change has
shifted the odds and changed the natural limits, making heat waves more frequent and more
intense. In an unchanging climate both new record highs and new record lows are set
regularly, even while the total number of new records set each year may decrease as time goes
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on. However, the new records would be, on average, evenly balanced between record highs
and record lows. In contrast, the balance shifts in a warming climate, and on average more
new records highs than new record lows are set over any time period. It is worth noting that
even in a warming climate new record lows are still set, though fewer in number, due to
natural variation even as the climate warms.
Sixty years ago in the continental United States, the number of new record high temperatures
recorded around the country each year was roughly equal to the number of new record lows.
Over the past decade, however, the number of new record highs recorded each year has been
twice the number of new record lows, a signature of a warming climate, and a clear example
of its impact on extreme weather.20
NOAAs National Climatic Data Center reports that from January 1 June 18 of 2012 new
high temperature records outnumbered cold records across the United States by nearly 10:1.
As noted above, this ratio cannot be expected to remain at that level for the rest of the year,
but it illustrates how unusual 2012 has been, and how these types of extremes are becoming
more likely.
For the U.S., the rise in heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere has increased the probability of
record-breaking temperatures 15-fold.21 In Europe, global warming is now responsible for an
estimated 29% of the new record highs set each year.
Europe is not too used to scorching hot summers so when the 2003 European heat wave
struck, it resulted in a health crisis in several countries as well as a drought which led to crop
shortage, especially in Ukraine where 75% of wheat crops were lost. The hottest since 1540,
at least 14,802 casualties recorded in France alone with victims coming from old people in
nursing homes, or single family homes with no air-conditioning systems. The extreme
temperatures also dried up most of Europe, which resulted in forest fires and
counterintuitively, even flooding.

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10. FLOODS
Floods are one of the most common hazards in the United States, however not all floods are
alike. Some floods develop slowly, while others such as flash floods, can develop in just a few
minutes and without visible signs of rain. Additionally, floods can be local, impacting a
neighborhood or community, or very large, affecting entire river basins and multiple states.
Flash floods can occur within a few minutes or hours of excessive rainfall, a dam or levee
failure, or a sudden release of water held by an ice jam. Flash floods often have a dangerous
wall of roaring water carrying rocks, mud and other debris. Overland flooding, the most
common type of flooding event typically occurs when waterways such as rivers or streams
overflow their banks as a result of rainwater or a possible levee breach and cause flooding in
surrounding areas. It can also occur when rainfall or snowmelt exceeds the capacity of
underground pipes, or the capacity of streets and drains designed to carry flood water away
from urban areas.
Be aware of flood hazards no matter where you live or work, but especially if you are in lowlying areas, near water, behind a levee or downstream from a dam. Even very small streams,
gullies, creeks, culverts, dry streambeds or low-lying ground that appear harmless in dry
weather can flood.
Mozambique Flood, Occurring between the months of February and March in 2000 the
catastrophic flooding was caused by torrential rainfall that lasted for 5 weeks. It made many
people homeless as it affected 1,400 sq km of arable land, killing 800 people and 20,000
cattle.

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11. FAMINE
A famine is a widespread scarcity of food, caused by several factors including crop failure,
population unbalance, or government policies. This phenomenon is usually accompanied or
followed by regional malnutrition, starvation, epidemic, and increased mortality. Nearly every
continent in the world has experienced a period of famine throughout history. Some countries,
particularly in sub-Sahara Africa, continue to have extreme cases of famine.
At the dawn of a new millennium, the continent that some say witnessed the birth of the first
human civilizations -- may be dying. As widespread drought, starvation and the unchecked
spread of deadly diseases continue -- the numbers of people dying on a daily basis throughout
Africa is staggering.
In many parts of Africa, the production of food depends upon the intense manual labor of
every family. When large areas of Africa are dislocated by war especially southern Sudan
where a war of ethnic cleansing is being waged, or adults die from the scourge of AIDS, fields
cannot be worked, and food cannot be produced. Many, especially women and children are
forced to depend upon hand outs of food. Unpredictable weather can also aggravate the
situation.
Starvation is claiming lives. One international relief agency recently discovered a village in a
remote region of West Africa where more than 18,000 people were on the verge of starvation.
"Malnutrition is so great in this area," a relief worker explained, "that most of the children
under five years old had starved to death before we arrived. An entire hillside was covered
with fresh graves of the children who had recently died."
Recognized as the Arduous March, this famine that devastated North Korea from 1994 to
1998 had an estimated death toll of between 240,000 and 3,500,000 caused by starvation and
hunger-related illnesses. Out of its 24 million people, 5 million are malnourished including
800,000 children with 80,000 on the brink of starvation. Everyone felt the impact of the
famine, but those who are further from the capital suffered greater. Food assistance was given
by the United States, Japan, South Korea, China and other European Union countries, which

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continued until 2002 when the North Korean government requested to stop the deliveries of
these food supplies.

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12. CONCLUSION
Natural disasters is any catastrophic event that is caused by nature or the natural processes of
the earth.
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.
Some of the worst natural disasters in recent history are: hurricanes, earthquakes, cyclones,
volcanic eruptions, blizzards, droughts, heat waves, floods and famine.
A hurricane is a huge storm. Hurricanes only form over really warm ocean water of 80F or
warmer. Hurricanes rotate in a counter-clockwise direction around an "eye" in the Northern
Hemisphere and clockwise direction in the Southern Hemisphere. The center of the storm or
"eye" is the calmest part.
Earthquakes, also called temblors, can be so tremendously destructive, its hard to imagine
they occur by the thousands every day around the world, usually in the form of small
tremors. . Most earthquakes occur at fault zones, where tectonic platesgiant rock slabs that
make up the Earth's upper layercollide or slide against each other.
In meteorology, a cyclone is an area of closed, circular fluid motion rotating in the same
direction as the Earth. This is usually characterized by inward spiraling winds that rotate
counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere of
the Earth.
Volcanic eruptions happen when lava and gas are discharged from a volcanic vent. The most
common consequences of this are population movements as large numbers of people are often
forced to flee the moving lava flow.
Blizzards are dangerous winter storms that are a combination of blowing snow and wind
resulting in very low visibilities. While heavy snowfalls and severe cold often accompany
blizzards, they are not required. Sometimes strong winds pick up snow that has already fallen,
creating a ground blizzard.
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Droughts occur in virtually all climates. Drought is caused by not only lack of precipitation
and high temperatures but by overuse and overpopulation.
A heat wave is generally defined as a period of several days to weeks of abnormally hot
weather. In the past 3-4 decades, there has been an increasing trend in high-humidity heat
waves, which are characterized by the persistence of extremely high night-time temperature.
Floods are one of the most common hazards in the United States, however not all floods are
alike. Some floods develop slowly, while others such as flash floods, can develop in just a few
minutes and without visible signs of rain.
A famine is a widespread scarcity of food, caused by several factors including crop failure,
population unbalance, or government policies. This phenomenon is usually accompanied or
followed by regional malnutrition, starvation, epidemic, and increased mortality.

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13. LITERATURE
Internet pages:

http://www.basicplanet.com/natural-disasters/; last accessed: April 08, 2015.

change/heat-waves-the-details/; last accessed: April 14, 2015
https://www.climatecommunication.org/new/features/heat-waves-and-climate/;

acessed: April 14, 2015.

https://www.dosomething.org/facts/11-facts-about-blizzards/; last accessed: April 11,

2015.
http://www.ehow.com/search.html?s=volcanic+earthquake&skin=corporate&t=all/;

last acessed: April 08, 2015.

http://list25.com/25-worst-natural-disasters-recorded/1/; last accessed: April 15, 2015.
http://www.livescience.com/21469-drought-definition.html/; last accessed April 13,

2015
http://www.missionariesofafrica.org/challenges/food1.html/; last accessed: April 15,

2015.
http://www.ready.gov/floods/; last accessed: April 16, 2015.

last

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COMMENTS:

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