“Natural Disasters”

BY: JULLY ANN C. DUMPIT

 The World is always changing.
Natural disasters “ Acts of God” are
naturally occurring phenomena.
Natural disasters are changes that may
cause damage to the shape of the land or
to the lives of people and other living
things.
Great changes happen deep inside the
Earth and on its surface. The changes on
the outer part of the Earth happen because
of different kinds of weather.
1. Earthquake 5. Tornado
2. Hurricane 6. Avalanche
3. Floods 7. Volcanic Eruption
4. Wildfires 8. Drought
9.Tsunami
 Earthquake

When parts of the earth, called plates, move

against each other giant shock waves move
upwards towards the surface causing the
earthquake.
 Hurricane
A hurricane is an intense, rotating oceanic weather system
that possesses maximum sustained winds exceeding 119 km/hr
(74 mph). It forms and intensifies over tropical oceanic
regions.

Hurricanes are generally smaller than storms in mid-latitudes, typically

about 500 km (311 miles) in diameter. At the ocean’s surface, the air
spirals inward in a counterclockwise direction. This cyclonic circulation
becomes weaker with height, eventually turning into clockwise
(anticyclonic) outflow near the top of the storm.
 Flood
A flood is caused by an overflow of water which
covers the land that is usually dry.

Floods are caused by heavy rain or by snow melting

and the rivers burst their banks and overflow.

Costal floods are caused by high tides, a rise in

sea level, storm waves or tsunami (earthquakes
under the sea).
 Wildfire
The term “wildfire” is used for uncontrolled fire that destroys forests
and many other types of vegetation, as well as animal species.
In some regions of the world wildfires are caused by lightning however,
nowadays many fires are caused by people, either accidentally,
as a consequence of carelessness, or arson.
These fires often get out of control and spread very easily over vast
areas.
Depending on the type of vegetation or material being burnt,
they are also called: forest fires, bush fires, grass fires, or peat fires.
 Tornado
A tornado is a violently rotating column of air, which extends from
a thunderstorm to the ground.

The most powerful tornadoes are capable of producing speeds

greater than 250MPH.

Damage in the path of a tornado can spread more than one mile wide
and 50 miles long.
AVALANCHE
An avalanche, also called a snow slide
or snow slip, is a rapid flow of snow down a
sloping surface such as a mountainside.
Avalanches are caused when the snowpack
(or layers of accumulated snow) is
disturbed or weakened by events such as
new or heavy snowfall, deforestation,
earthquakes or even natural movement of
animals.
 Volcanic eruption
Volcanic eruption is a natural event in
which lava, ash and many gases a re expelled
from a volcanic vent. There are many different
types of eruptions but in terms of activity, can be
categorized as either explosive or effusive.
Explosive eruptions are primarily gas-driven
explosions that propel magma and fragmented
lava. Effusive eruptions, however, involve
outpouring of lava as a thick, sticky liquid
without a significant eruption.
 DROUGHT
A drought is a continuous or extended period
of dry spell caused by lack of rainfall and other
forms of precipitation. Depending on the severity,
droughts can last up to a month or several years and
have n adverse impact on the ecosystem, agriculture
and economy of the affected areas. A drought can
result in prolonged shortages in water supply and
loss in water quality, loss of biodiversity and
agricultural output, creation of deserts, famines and
malnutrition, increased pollution levels and diseases
as well as mass migration and displacement of
human and animal life.
A tsunami (soo-NAH-mee) is a series of waves that occur in an ocean or other large body of
water and that are caused by some activity that displaces large amounts of water.
Tsunami is the Japanese word for "harbor wave."
Tsunamis are usually caused by earthquakes that occur on the seafloor or in coastal areas.
The energy generated by the earthquake is transmitted through the water.
In deep oceans the energy in these seismic sea waves can travel virtually unnoticed because
the wave height may be only twelve inches. When this energy reaches the shallow waters of
coastlines, bays, or harbors, it forces the water into a giant wave.
Some tsunamis may reach heights of 100 feet or more.
Although a relatively rare event, since 1992 tsunamis have claimed over 2,000 lives
worldwide. The tsunamis were caused by earthquakes in Japan, Indonesia, and Nicaragua.
Damage to cities along coastlines has been in the millions of dollars.