natural disasters essay conclusion

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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Home — Essay Samples — Environment — Natural Disasters — Natural Disasters: Causes and Impacts

Natural Disasters: Causes and Impacts

• Categories: Natural Disasters

About this sample

Words: 682 |

Published: Jan 31, 2024

Words: 682 | Page: 1 | 4 min read

Table of contents

Introduction, definition of natural disasters, causes of natural disasters, environmental effects of natural disasters, economic effects of natural disasters, social effects of natural disasters, mitigation and preparedness measures.

• Callaghan, K., & Alexander, M. (2018). Hurricane Harvey on the Gulf Coast: A Comprehensive Analysis of Impacts. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Kennedy School.
• IPCC. (2014). Climate Change 2014: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability. Cambridge University Press.
• McMahon, J., & Keefer, J. (2016). Social Vulnerability and Tropical Cyclones in Sint Maarten. Journal of Water and Climate Change , 7(2), 396-408.
• UNDRR. (2017). Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction. United Nations.
• Vos, F., Dykes, J., & Pierce, L. (2017). Flood Preparedness and Early-warning System Effectiveness in the Philippines. Disasters, 41(S1), S16-S37.

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Natural Disasters Essay

Natural Disasters Essay – Introduction

Natural disasters are powerful and dangerous events that are caused by nature. Disasters happen suddenly with little or no warning and cause severe damage to people, property, and the entire environment. It can be earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions. This essay will further elaborate in detail on natural disasters.

Today, natural disasters are becoming increasingly common. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the number of disasters in the United States has tripled since the 1960s. It can be because of climate change, population growth, and urbanization. And as the Earth’s climate becomes warmer, such natural disasters will become more common.

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There are three levels of natural disasters: small, medium, and large-scale. The events that do not cause too much harm in the world are small-scale, like lightning, storms, etc. Medium Scale disasters are riskier and more harmful than small-scale disasters, like blizzards or landslides. Meanwhile, professionals who  write papers for money often analyze the impact of large-scale disasters, which cause significant environmental damage, including tsunamis, wildfires, etc.  The disasters that cause too much environmental damage, such as tsunamis, wildfires, etc., are large-scale disasters.

This natural disasters essay will talk about the types of natural disasters as well their causes and impacts.

List of Natural Disasters

Some common natural disasters, along with their nature of impact and consequences, are provided in the table below:

Types of Natural Disasters

There are different ways that natural disasters can happen. Some of the types are as follows,

Internal: It includes all the disasters that happen when there are some changes under the earth’s surface. These include earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, etc. We cannot easily predict these events.

External: It is when there is a disturbance above the earth’s surface. It is generally because of us humans who change the environment. These are usually landslides, floods, etc.

Temperature: When the temperature of the air or ocean changes, it can cause disasters like tornadoes and hurricanes. Even drought and glacier melt occurs because of the change in temperature of the environment.

Biological: These disasters occur because of viruses and bacteria that cause harmful diseases that can kill people. For instance, COVID-19, Ebola virus, etc., are some examples.

Causes of Natural Disasters

There are different causes for each natural disaster.

• Too much rain can overfill the dams and flood a large area near the dam. It can cause damage to nearby buildings and homes.
• When a storm forms over the ocean due to warm water, it is known as a Hurricane. There are also strong winds that can push the ocean water to the seashore and cause floods.
• Tornadoes form when two different air temperatures clash, i.e., damp air from the ground collides with dry air from above. It creates a spiral of air that can be very powerful.
• When two pieces of the Earth’s crust move against each other, it creates vibrations that we can feel on the ground. As these vibrations are too strong, they can cause buildings to fall and cause damage.
• Volcanoes are mountains that release hot gasses, ash, and lava from below the earth’s surface to the above ground.

Natural Disasters Effects

Natural disasters can have long-term impacts, including economic and social disruption, displacement, and health problems. The severity of the disaster depends on factors such as the event’s intensity, location, and effectiveness of the disaster management system.

Material and financial loss, social unrest, and political instability are common impacts of natural disasters. Homelessness and a lack of access to basic necessities can occur after a natural disaster, leading to social disruption and decreased economic activity.

Emotional and psychological damage, as well as long-term health problems, can result from natural disasters. Air pollution can cause respiratory problems, and trauma and stress can lead to mental health issues.

Natural disasters can also impact the environment, causing soil erosion, water pollution, and a decrease in biodiversity. These impacts can have long-term consequences and require efforts for recovery and rebuilding.

Natural Disaster Management

It’s really important to be ready for natural disasters and keep ourselves safe. Countries that are ready to face natural disasters have to suffer less damage. So, governments should have disaster management policies for prevention, response, and recovery. Here are a few precautions we can take for some common natural disasters:

Earthquake Preparedness

• Building strong structures so they don’t break during earthquakes.
• Creating early warning systems that can alert people before an earthquake happens.
• Educating people about the dangers of earthquakes and what to do when they happen.

Hurricane Preparedness

• Developing evacuation plans and identifying safe locations to stay during a hurricane.
• Establishing systems to provide early warnings and updates on approaching hurricanes.
• Ensuring proper drainage systems to mitigate flooding caused by heavy rain during hurricanes.

Flood Preparedness

• Implementing measures to manage water flow and prevent flooding.
• Educating individuals on flood risks and providing guidance on evacuation procedures.
• Creating emergency response plans to provide immediate assistance during and after a flood.

Wildfire Preparedness

• Promoting fire safety practices and educating individuals on the prevention of wildfires.
• Clearing dry leaves and vegetation around homes to reduce fire risks.
• Cooperating with firefighting agencies and having evacuation plans in place during wildfire emergencies.

Tsunami Preparedness

• Raising awareness about tsunamis and educating coastal communities on evacuation routes.
• Establishing warning systems near coastal areas to provide early alerts for tsunamis.
• Conducting drills and exercises to ensure that individuals know how to respond to a tsunami.

Volcano Preparedness

• Monitoring volcanic activities and studying eruption patterns to predict volcanic eruptions.
• Establishing communication systems to disseminate timely warnings about volcanic eruptions.
• Collaborating with scientists and experts to develop evacuation plans and safe zones during volcanic emergencies.

Overall Disaster Management

Individuals should develop personal emergency plans and be aware of the risks of different types of disasters. Governments and individuals can be better prepared to respond to natural disasters by having emergency plans. Thus, taking these precautions can lower the risk of disasters and protect ourselves and our communities.

Conclusion – Natural Disasters Essay

Natural disasters can cause immense destruction, pain, and loss of life. So, to lessen the impacts of these disasters, taking disaster management measures is necessary.

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Essays About Natural Disasters: 5 Examples and Prompts

Essays about natural disasters teach us many things; read on to see examples and prompts you can use for your piece.

Natural disasters are the sudden occurrence of natural and severe hazards threatening human welfare and survival. These events can cause injuries, destroy assets such as homes and businesses, and even death. Some examples of natural disasters are tornadoes, floods, earthquakes, wildfires, and storms.

Although emergency protocols are in place to alleviate and prevent natural disasters’ impact on both humanity and the economy, there is still no guarantee that these will be able to protect and save everyone from these misfortunes. Therefore, writing essays about natural disasters helps spread awareness on how to act when one faces these mishaps properly.

Below are five examples you should read to create essays about natural disasters effectively:

1. Planning For a Safer Tomorrow by Jyotsana B

2. natural disasters are often not natural by sandra valdez, 3. natural disasters essay by pradeep, 4. equity during natural disasters by writer kip, 5. natural disasters: nature’s revenge by anonymous on loveliessays.com, 1. my experience with natural disasters, 2. natural disasters: a history, 3. natural disasters and the economy, 4. types of natural disasters, 5. my take on natural disaster management, 6. causes of natural disasters, 7. after effects of natural disasters, 8. recovery from a natural disaster.

“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.”

The author shares tips on how to prevent calamities and be prepared in case these natural disasters occur. These steps include proper analysis and risk assessment, adequate information database, modern infrastructure, and networks of knowledge-based institutions. The essay further expounds on each point and gives specific directions on successfully implementing these precautions.

“The word ‘natural’ indicates that humans have not triggered the catastrophe. However, human activity can definitely interfere with nature, which in turn may either cause a natural disaster or make its impacts much worse.”

Although Valdez agrees that “natural disasters” means humans do not directly create them, she also considers human’s significant contributions to these tragedies. She offers an example of earthquakes and the fluid injection incident in the Rocky Mountain Arsenal in Denver, Colorado. She further lists more human activities that trigger earthquakes, blaming human engineering that stresses the Earth’s faults. Finally, she acknowledges human speeds up disasters and human elements are innate in these equations.

“There is no doubt that extending help to someone during tough times is paramount. Rich countries should support poverty-stricken nations with altruistic aid while calamities take place… Being rich, similar nations are in a position to support countries that suffer economically and emotionally during nature havoc. The result of this is, not only induces good relations between countries but also paves the way to commercial transactions with minimized taxes in the future.”

Pradeep supports that countries with more resources should aid those with lesser assets. It’s not only because of altruistic reasons but because it can also be the foundation for good relationships between governments. These relationships can result in successful transactions and give comfort and security to grief-stricken countries.

“Should we allow prices to increase during natural disasters or should we protect against price gouging?… No policy is best for everyone… In the grand scheme of things, the market will return to normal the quickest whenever the market prices are allowed to fluctuate.”

Kip criticizes the way businesses increase the goods’ prices when there is a natural disaster. He questions if it’s the right thing to do to consumers who are only trying to purchase what they need to be ready for catastrophes. 

He also includes business reviews that rationalize high prices by arguing increasing prices prevents product hoarding. He challenges this statement by asking the readers to consider those who don’t have the money to buy these overpriced essentials. The writer also mentions other terms to explain the economy during a natural disaster and even involves the government’s processes to mitigate its harmful effects.

“Our environment is our responsibility… Exactly who polluted our planet so much? There is only one answer: man. It is man’s actions that have caused the problem… Humanity must realize that if the current trends are allowed to continue unchecked, the future of life on Earth is at risk. it must be conserved.”

Is nature retaliating because of humans’ disregard for it? The author offers reports to present the unpredictability of these disasters brought by climate change. To further prove their points, the author lays down facts like the quick rising of the sea and changing rain patterns. 

At the end of the essay, the writer urges man to be an environmentalist because he depends on his surroundings for food and shelter. Therefore, to survive, humans must treat nature well.

A tip: Run your essay through essay writing apps to organize and help you with style and grammar.

8 Prompts on Essays About Natural Disasters

There are many aspects of natural disasters you can zero in on. Here are easy but compelling prompts to tackle:

Share your experience with a calamity, and narrate what happened before, during, and after. Are there certain things you wish you did or didn’t do? Include how it affected your life and how you understand things work, such as the importance of first responders and following authorities in times of panic and chaos.

Then, focus on your personal experience. For example, your family might have to move places because you lost your home. Or that today, you always have an emergency bag packed and ready. You might also be interested in these essays about nature .

List down notable natural disasters that changed the course of the world. This could include volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and hurricanes. Then, explain why they happened, how the government or country dealt with it, and discuss the precautions executed in case the disaster occurs again. Finally, include the lessons you learned from these tragedies.

Explain how natural disasters affect the economy. Then, to make it more relatable, you can relay the impact of these tragedies on your life. For example, did any of your relatives lose their job because of a natural disaster? Was your family forced to close down your business? Include personal anecdotes to create an engaging essay.

List the many natural disasters and discuss them in detail. In this essay, you can delve into the causes of each type of natural disaster and how it impacts nearby civilizations. What do you fear the most in these disasters? To make it easier, you can pick two natural disasters to compare and contrast.

Choose an incident where natural disaster management was applied and give your thoughts about it. Research a recent natural disaster and study how the local and national government managed it. If any failed initiatives or points could be improved upon, make sure to write your thoughts about this in your essay. Then, you can discuss what you believe will aid natural disaster management in the future.

For this prompt, you can split your essay into two sections. One section can discuss environmental causes, while the other delves into human activities that cause natural disasters. Topics can include pollution, climate change, and overpopulation of small areas. To create an emotive essay, write about your thoughts on what we can do as a society to mitigate these harmful activities.

Consider the short and long-term effects of these natural disasters. You can concentrate on a specific tragedy that the general public knows so your reader can easily imagine what you describe in your essay. To make your piece more interesting, you can list natural disasters’ negative and positive effects.

If you want your essay to focus on something positive, choose to discuss new beginnings. For example, you can center on a community and how its people helped each other recover. You can also include the assistance they received from different places and how it aided them in restarting their lives after the disaster.

If you are interested in learning more, check out our essay writing tips !

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.

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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

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Cause & Effect Essay: Natural Disasters and Their Causes

Natural disasters happen all over the world, and they can be utterly devastating for people’s lives and the environments in which they live. Although natural disasters are caused by nature and there is nothing that we can do to prevent them happening, there are many different natural causes that lead to natural disasters, and being aware of these causes enables us to be better prepared when such disasters do arrive.

One common natural disaster is flooding, which occurs when a river bursts its banks and the water spills out onto the floodplain. This is far more likely to happen when there is a great deal of heavy rain, so during very wet periods, flood warnings are often put in place. There are other risk factors for flooding too: steep-sided channels cause fast surface run-off, while a lack of vegetation or woodland to both break the flow of water and drink the water means that there is little to slow the floodwater down. Drainage basins of impermeable rock also cause the water to run faster over the surface.

Earthquakes are another common natural disaster that can cause many fatalities. The movements of the plates in the earth’s crust cause them. These plates do not always move smoothly and can get stuck, causing a build-up of pressure. It is when this pressure is released that an earthquake occurs. In turn, an earthquake under the water can also cause a tsunami, as the quake causes great waves by pushing large volumes of water to the surface.

Tsunamis can also be caused by underwater volcanic eruptions. Volcanic eruptions are another natural disaster, and they are caused by magma escaping from inside the earth. An explosion takes place, releasing the magma from a confined space, which is why there are often also huge quantities of gas and dust released during a volcanic eruption. The magma travels up the inside of the volcano, and pours out over the surrounding area as lava.

One of the most common natural disasters, but also one of the most commonly forgotten, is wildfires. These take place in many different countries all over the world, particularly during the summer months, and can be caused by a range of different things. Some of the things that can start the wildfires can be totally natural, while others can be manmade, but the speed at which they spread is entirely down to nature. The two natural causes of wildfires are the sun’s heat and lightning strikes, while they can also be caused by campfires, smoking, fireworks and many other things. The reasons that they spread so quickly are prolonged hot, dry weather, where the vegetation dries out, which is why they often take place in woodland.

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• Natural Disasters Essay for Students in English

Read Natural Disaster Essay on Vedantu

The planet earth has gone through many changes over these centuries. These changes are majorly due to natural disasters happening throughout time. When we talk about natural disasters, pollution, ozone depletion and global warming are the most common scenarios we witnessed.

Growing industrialisation and exploitation of natural resources have changed the echo system bringing on the verge of imbalance. However, over these decades, humans have also introduced many disaster warning systems helping to predict natural occurrence in advance. You can read more about Natural Disasters on Vedantu.

Different Faces of Natural Disasters

Nature possesses the character of a special balance in which all living beings live together in harmony with their environment. But whenever this balance is disturbed, we see the disastrous form of nature which wreaks havoc upon this world. Natural disasters come in various forms like earthquakes, Tsunami, Storms, Cyclones, droughts etc. These disasters have always occurred throughout history but the current threat of climate change has severely increased its risks. Man has to learn that he cannot control nature and his life should revolve around the conditions present in the environment and not the other way around.

We have tried to change the basic character of the Human-Nature relationship with every metric of development being centred on financial interest and the rise of global consumerism.  This way of life promotes greed and has fundamentally made human beings disoriented towards nature. Our festivals celebrate the intrinsic relationship between humans and the environment where we celebrate Mountains, Rivers, and Animals etc. Natural disasters are a reminder that humans must never take the gift of nature for granted and always reciprocate for the resources that we have received from the environment. Clean Air, Clean Water and harmony in the ecosystem is a prerequisite for Human well being.  

How to Deal with Natural Disasters?

India, due to its unique geographical character, faces natural disasters every year which cause massive harm to lives and property. Whether it be the floods of Uttarakhand in 2013 or the landslides in Western Ghats of Kerala. The cost of our blind exploitation of natural resources without showing reverence for the delicate balance of Nature has severely harmed us and we must learn lessons from these incidents.

One of the greatest stories of the Indian government in dealing with disaster readiness has been the story of the Indian state of Odisha. Odisha is a coastal state in eastern India that regularly faces cyclones that have caused great harm to the state. To deal with the menace of these cyclones the Odisha Government made an elaborate plan by taking the local communities in confidence and have successfully reduced the number of deaths in Odisha to a very small number which used to be in thousands earlier. Other Indian states should also learn from the experience of Odisha on how to improve disaster preparedness.

Keeping our environment safe and following the right process will help in bringing down the natural disasters. It is vital to learn about them.

FAQs on Natural Disasters Essay for Students in English

1.  What are natural disasters increasing?

Over the years, natural disasters have increased. Regular earthquakes, massive flooding, cyclones, etc. have increased. According to the office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) which maintains an emergency disaster database, if a natural disaster kills 10 people, then it leaves 100 people injured. Increase in hydro-meteorological disasters, the combination of natural and man-made factors is leading to an increase in natural disasters.

2. What are the natural disasters that happened in 2020?

From wildfires in the US to locusts attack in India and back-to-back cyclones in India, there are many natural disasters in 2020. According to the Global Catastrophe Recap’s First Half of 2020 report, there were more than 207 natural disasters in just the first six months of 2020, causing \[＄\]75 billion loss globally.

3. What natural disaster is the worst?

Every natural disaster causing the loss of both property and human lives is the worst. Be it the earthquake, wildfire or cyclone; each disaster can be the worst in its sense.

4. What are the causes of natural disasters?

Natural disasters are caused by a number of reasons which may or may not be linked to Human interference. Floods, for example, occur generally because of a sudden increase in water level which cannot be supported by the natural geography of the river, however, it has been observed that floods have also occurred due to human interference like encroachment of river banks, illegal sand mining and obstructions in the natural flow of the river. 

5. What are the agencies that deal with natural disasters?

On the National level, Natural disasters are dealt with by the National Disaster Relief Force or the NDRF. The NDRF has its own commissioned force which is highly experienced and trained to deal with situations when a disaster has occurred. Apart from the NDRF, there is also the SDRF which is present in every state. The central and state governments work in coordination during Natural disasters and saving lives along with restoration of normalcy is the primary concern of the relief operations.

6. What are the ways to deal with floods and droughts?

It may sound surprising to some people but India is a unique country where due to its vast geography, we have seen conditions where some parts of the country are facing floods while other parts suffer from drought in the same year. These are especially tough to deal with as the volume of water in floods just cannot be stored and once a region is facing drought, access to water becomes a question of survival. Linking rivers is a very grand scheme which can solve some of our problems but this also needs to be dealt with caution.

7. What can I do to contribute to disaster relief programmes?

The central and state governments carry out various programmes which are directly related to disaster relief work, coordinating with the agencies and donating to these relief operations are some things that we can do as citizens. There are various NGOs that provide relief material to people who are suffering from natural disasters. Creating awareness about such an important issue is also an essential activity. You can learn more about it on Vedantu website and download it in PDF format.

8. Which regions are the most affected by natural disasters in India?

Every part of the country has a unique geographical character and in some way or the other, they face the threat of natural disasters. Bihar and Assam are two such states which face floods on an annual basis, The Himalayan states have a very delicate ecology and save the menace of flash floods and landslides. Maharashtra has a problem of flooding in the Western Ghats while Vidarbha faces drought. Innovative ways must be discovered by states to deal with natural disasters.

Essay on Natural And Man-Made Disasters

Students are often asked to write an essay on Natural And Man-Made Disasters in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Natural And Man-Made Disasters

What are disasters.

Disasters are terrible events that cause a lot of harm and suffering. They can be split into two types: natural and man-made. Natural disasters happen because of nature, like earthquakes or floods. Man-made disasters are caused by people, such as oil spills or wars.

Natural Disasters

Natural disasters come from the Earth or weather. These include storms, volcanic eruptions, and droughts. They can destroy homes and make it hard for people to get food and clean water. We can’t stop them, but we can get ready and try to stay safe.

Man-Made Disasters

Man-made disasters happen because of human actions. Examples are factory explosions, pollution, and fires that people start. These disasters can also ruin homes and hurt the environment. It’s important for us to be careful and prevent these events.

Staying Safe

To stay safe, we must learn about disasters and plan ahead. Families should have emergency kits and know where to go if a disaster happens. By being prepared, we can protect ourselves and help others in tough times.

250 Words Essay on Natural And Man-Made Disasters

Natural disasters are caused by nature. This includes things like earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, and volcanic eruptions. These events are powerful and can happen without warning. For example, an earthquake can shake the ground so much that buildings fall down. Floods can happen when there is too much rain and the water rises, covering the land.

On the other side, man-made disasters are caused by people’s actions. Pollution, wars, and accidents at places like factories or nuclear power plants are examples of this. For instance, if a factory does not handle dangerous chemicals the right way, it could cause a big explosion.

To stay safe, it is important for everyone to know about these disasters and how to act when they happen. Schools teach children what to do if a disaster strikes, like how to leave a building safely during an earthquake.

Working Together

After a disaster, people often come together to help those who are affected. They might give them food, clothes, or a place to stay. It shows that even after something bad happens, people can work together to make things better.

500 Words Essay on Natural And Man-Made Disasters

Understanding disasters.

A disaster is a sudden event that causes a lot of damage or loss of life. Disasters can be split into two main types: natural and man-made. Natural disasters are caused by nature, like earthquakes or floods. Man-made disasters are caused by human actions, like wars or oil spills.

Man-made disasters are different because people cause them. Pollution can make the air, water, or land dirty and unsafe. Chemical spills can harm people and animals. Nuclear accidents can release dangerous energy. Wars can destroy cities and hurt many people. These disasters often happen because of mistakes or bad choices.

Effects of Disasters

Disasters can change lives in many ways. People may lose their homes or loved ones. They might need to leave their town or country to be safe. After a disaster, food and water might be hard to find. People can also get sick from dirty water or not enough food. Disasters can make it hard for kids to go to school or for adults to work.

Preparation and Response

Learning from disasters.

After a disaster, people can learn how to do better next time. They can build stronger houses or better walls to stop floods. Scientists can study disasters to understand them more. This knowledge can help predict when a disaster might happen and warn people to be safe.

Disasters, whether natural or man-made, can be very difficult and sad. But by understanding and preparing for them, people can help each other and rebuild their lives. It’s important to learn from past disasters to make the future safer for everyone.

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The economic impact of natural disasters has been increasing in the last decade. Lives are lost and people are disabled, sometimes for life. Even if lives are spared, harvests and livelihoods are lost, marginalizing large sections of the already poor in many countries.

This book has been a step toward bringing together varied expertise in the fi eld of the economics of natural disasters from north and south, and to look at what future research is needed in order to improve our management of disaster risks.

We conclude here with five pointers for research that could contribute most to reducing these risks and providing a clearer picture of the real costs of disasters.

The phenomenon of natural disasters has high moral imperatives linked to the tragedies of households and families. But it also has an important economic development imperative. We would like this book to encourage young economists in the future to look into this field and work on reducing the effects of natural disasters on the poor of the world.

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Reducing Disaster Losses Through Better Information (1999)

Chapter: 4 conclusions and recommendations, 4 conclusions and recommendations.

The current “nonsystem” for providing information for disaster management is not effectively utilizing a wealth of information that resides with various organizations. Existing technologies could deliver to disaster managers important new information products that could save lives, reduce damage to property, and lessen the environmental impacts of natural disasters. Continued improvements in technology should help make information more widely, quickly, and reliably available—and at less cost. The current situation is characterized by numerous shortcomings that inhibit optimal decision-making for disaster management. The inability to access information and the lack of standardization, coordination, and communication are all obstacles that a disaster information network (DIN) could overcome. It is recommended that the Global Disaster Information Network (GDIN) Transition Team move ahead in planning for a disaster information network, taking into account the following conclusions from the present study:

• The need for an improved information network and its potential benefits are clear. Chapter 3 establishes the need for an improved disaster information system. There can be no justification for continuing in the current mode of nonstandard disparate resources when available modern technologies would make their linkage into one system a relatively straightforward matter, with obvious potential payoffs in saving lives and reducing losses if the system is utilized effectively.
• The foundations for an information network are already in place. While a significant undertaking, establishing a DIN would build on a substantial foundation that already exists. The most costly element of building the basic databases is well under way, and the community of users already exists. A network could be established initially by coordinating existing information resources and developing standards and protocols to ensure their reliability and usability and effectively linking with the user

The existing federal data-gathering and information programs (see Table 2-2 ) reflect an enormous investment of funds, mostly public, and the dedicated and sustained efforts of many investigators. These databases were derived from a variety of endeavors, including instrumental monitoring, field surveys, data compilations, and laboratory studies. Many of the efforts are of a continuing nature, as data are updated and phenomena are continuously monitored. Altogether, there has been, and continues to be, a very substantial investment of resources in developing and maintaining the databases used for disaster management.

Despite the importance of these databases, their utility is impaired by a host of problems deriving from incompatible formats, inconsistent geographic reference systems, conflicting standards, and other human-caused factors. Many of these problems could be resolved and the value and utility of the databases for disaster decision-making greatly enhanced through improved organizational and technological coordination with only an incremental increase in cost. It is clearly in the public interest to do this.

• Recent advances in technology provide the mechanism for establishing a network. The Internet and high-speed telecommunications provide the necessary technologies for establishing an information network. Through the Internet, a DIN could be assembled by tapping data and information resources wherever they happen to reside worldwide. Thus, problems associated with assembling resources into a central repository are avoided, and the various organizations that developed the resources can each maintain their identity and roles in the larger system. Among the issues that require attention are determining which organizations need to be included; what datasets should be provided; who is responsible for establishing and updating links, maintaining the accuracy and currency of data, and preserving the data for long-term access; and what technical infrastructure is required at each site to accommodate increased traffic on the different systems.
• Successful implementation of the DIN concept will require a commitment of resources from a broad spectrum of stakeholders. Although the costs of establishing a DIN would not be large compared with its likely benefits or the investments already made in developing data and information resources, maintaining a DIN would require additional expenditures and commitments from the organizations involved. Converting data

Successful implementation of a DIN will require a commitment of resources from a broad spectrum of stakeholders and sustained organizational and individual commitment of material, financial, and human resources by DIN users and providers. While resource capability varies and not all DIN participants may be able to commit material or financial resources, each has a professional obligation to actively commit human resources.

In order for the DIN to provide value-added services and products, it must be responsive to the immediate and future information needs of users. The critical prerequisite is systematic and continuous involvement of an information users' representative from the disaster management community in the design, development, operation, and maintenance of the DIN throughout its evolution. Involvement means establishment of a user/provider forum wherein information users and data providers openly discuss their capabilities and needs and together address each of the major natural hazards in the context of each of the four emergency management system phases (mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery). Through the forum the needs of existing and new users could be defined through a taxonomy of user profiles that define the type, format, specificity, timeliness, and accuracy of disaster information desired for specific natural hazards.

Thus, through user/provider activities, opportunities for avoiding redundancy and reducing disaster management costs could be realized by

• improved and better use of existing data collection and data management technologies in activities such as outreach programs and data-sharing cooperatives. An inclusive and ongoing user-provider interface is a prerequisite to the development of an effective DIN.
• A major focus of a DIN should be on integration of various data types. One challenging aspect of a DIN would be to determine how data collected from a large and diverse group of providers can be linked so as to be presented in a meaningful and timely way to an even larger user community. Development of common interfaces can facilitate this process by integrating distributed information sources. Prospective information providers must also have incentives that attract them to this process. Interpretive products such as images, graphs, tables, and maps must be developed with the end users in mind. In designing these “first look” products, emphasis should be on simplicity while maintaining user capability to investigate and question the data more deeply. To accomplish this, standards and protocols should be agreed on by a representative group of potential users and information providers. Existing information integration models should be assessed to facilitate discussion and identify the pros and cons of various approaches. The selected protocols must address communications, database structure, data formatting (by both data providers and DIN servers), hardware/software requirements, networking, and quality control. Consideration should be given to future system growth and the early and continuing evolution of interpretive products. User creativity should be fostered and encouraged by the DIN.

To maximize participation and cooperation by the many potential information providers, the data collection methods must be flexible and relatively easy to implement. Prescribing fixed formats would likely be met with resistance, thereby limiting the number of providers willing to participate in the project. Metadata files (files describing the data) are one means of achieving data acquisition format flexibility. The DIN should provide examples of metadata files and standards and explain how they would be used by the system. This should help encourage participation. Procedures will also be needed to manage and maintain the information that is collected. Routine follow-ups concerning metadata records will be important to ensure system and data integrity. A management structure and staffing requirements should be specified for handling these ongoing tasks.

Integrating and sharing information from a wide variety of sources is an exciting concept that many will embrace. However, using this resource for emergency decision support will require considerable training, confidence on the part of users, and a clear understanding of the network's inherent uncertainties and limitations. It will take time before the DIN can establish

itself as a credible tool for use during critical events. Developers of the DIN should consult with emergency managers, behavioral scientists, and other professionals on how best to address this issue.

Some of the most useful information products for disaster management could be derived by merging real-time with archival information. Some examples are as follows:

• Preparing for an approaching hurricane requires incorporating meteorological data into models that predict storm track and storm surge and then overlaying the results on maps showing population distribution, evacuation routes, deployment of emergency personnel and supplies, and other relevant response information.
• Responding to an earthquake involves rapid determination of magnitude and location followed by modeling to predict ground shaking and damage, which requires soil maps and building inventories, culminating in an assessment of losses and response requirements.
• Assessing the threat of rising floodwaters requires analysis of real-time stream gage data, modeling river basin and channel hydraulics, predicting the ability of levees and other defense structures to contain the flow, and anticipating problems.

Capabilities for integrating information would be especially helpful to disaster managers during the occurrence of compound disasters. For example, an earthquake in Southern California that occurs when Santa Ana winds are blowing off the Mojave Desert could result in widespread and difficult-to-contain wildfires. The capability to integrate earthquake and wildfire modeling could be crucial in responding. Similarly, the combination of a volcanic eruption and ash fall with heavy rain, such as occurred in the Philippines when Mt. Pinatubo erupted and Typhoon Yunya hit in 1991, would require integration of information to predict the weight of ash deposits on roofs, among numerous effects, as well as the ability to move equipment in such conditions. Add to this the occurrence of an earthquake, which did happen later in the Philippines, and the need for integration of information becomes of paramount importance.

Rapid information integration would also be of critical value in predicting or responding to technological or environmental problems caused by a natural hazard. Earthquakes can cause dams to breach or rupture fuel storage tanks, landslides can break pipelines, and fires can destroy wildlife habitats. Timely information delivered to the right decision makers clearly would significantly reduce losses. Special attention should be paid to automatic

data integration, for example, to trigger alarms, so as to assure accuracy of data and avoidance of false alarms.

Emergency managers face a particular challenge in using disaster information because of the critical time-constrained nature of their situation. Therefore, a DIN would need to provide mechanisms for emergency managers to evaluate the reliability of data and information they receive. Data provided by government agencies, for example, should come with specific quality assurances, including dating. It is obvious that emergency managers who try to use a DIN for the first time during a crisis would be the most likely to have problems, which points to the importance of training.

Although the Internet may provide the common network for dissemination of information, the principles of robustness and redundancy lead to examination of other means and methods to achieve assured connectivity. Potential means and methods include private nets such as Intranet or Extranet, which allow controlled access to special communities, thus avoiding some connectivity problems in time of emergencies. At the source nodes, allowances for emergency managers to have priority access to information in time for decision-making should be implemented. Such procedures are not easily achieved on a national basis and will require additional administrative overhead and support.

• The GDIN Transition Team should focus initially on establishing a national DIN (i.e., with a U.S. focus), but the model should be extended to a global process (GDIN) as soon as it can be demonstrated that a DIN is technically and organizationally feasible. The team members represent agencies with generally limited international missions and experiences. It would be advisable to concentrate on development of a national process where agencies are most familiar and information technologies are well advanced. The process could be extended as soon as the U.S. model works reasonably well both technically and organizationally. Disasters are worldwide issues, and many of the relevant phenomena are global in nature. The International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction 1 has heightened global awareness of the value of disaster information and opened lines of communication relevant to disaster issues, factors that should help facilitate extension of a DIN from U.S. to global proportions.

Losses of life and property from natural disasters in the United States-and throughout the world-have been enormous and the potential for substantially greater future losses looms. It is clearly in the public interest to reduce these impacts and to encourage the development of communities that are resilient to disasters. This goal can be achieved through wise and sustained efforts involving mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. Implementing such efforts, particularly in the face of limited resources and competing priorities, requires accurate information that is presented in a timely and appropriate manner to facilitate informed decisions. Substantial information already exists that could be used to this end, but there are numerous obstacles to accessing this information, and methods for integrating information from a variety of sources for decision-making are presently inadequate. Implementation of an improved national or international network for making better information available in a more timely manner could substantially improve the situation.

As noted in the Preface, a federal transition team is considering the issues and needs associated with implementing a global or national disaster information network as described in the report by the Disaster Information Task Force (1997). This National Research Council report was commissioned by the transition team to provide advice on how a disaster information network could best make information available to improve decision making, with the ultimate goal of reducing losses from natural disasters. The report is intended to provide the basis for a better appreciation of which types of data and information should be generated in an information program and how this information could best be disseminated to decision makers.

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The best natural disaster response is to be prepared

The washed out remains of a road in front of a home on July 12 after remnants of Hurricane Beryl caused flooding and destruction in Plainfield, Vermont. Credit: AP/Charles Krupa

This guest essay reflects the views of Thomas Tighe, president and chief executive of Direct Relief, a nonprofit humanitarian medical organization.

The new federal hurricane forecast projects an "extremely active" season with as many as 24 named storms and 13 hurricanes. We've already seen five storms — with three months to go.

The toll of hurricanes is immense. They typically have an outsized impact on the most vulnerable communities. Recovery may take years, as Long Island saw with Superstorm Sandy in 2012.

Given that reality, we must make preparing for hurricane season a bigger priority.

The most vulnerable people are those who were most vulnerable the day before disaster struck. They may be low-income, live in substandard housing, face language or transportation barriers, or have health problems. An individual with a chronic condition can sink into crisis fast without ready access to treatment. That's why it's so important to plan ahead.

It's already difficult for many to access and afford the insulin, blood pressure medications, or inhalers they need. When extreme weather blocks roads, forces evacuations, or closes community clinics, securing lifesaving care can become nearly impossible.

From our Editorial Board, get inside the local, city and state political scenes.

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The loss of essential medical services can be just as devastating in the aftermath as the storm itself. People living in the poorest areas of Puerto Rico faced up to a 60% greater risk of death six months after Hurricane Maria made landfall in 2017. Researchers concluded that the primary cause of the increased mortality was "interruption of medical care."

Americans have long been generous about helping others in the aftermath of a natural disaster. But what if that aid consistently came before disaster struck — and focused on boosting the resilience of health systems in threatened communities?

The experience of Hurricane Maria, which wiped out much of Puerto Rico's electrical grid, demonstrated the importance of keeping the power flowing. An outage can prevent providers from operating medical equipment, accessing electronic health records, and keeping medicines at an appropriate temperature. Another area of need is pre-positioning health care and other supplies in safe but accessible areas, like weatherproof warehouses near clinics, for immediate distribution after a disaster hits.

Government programs and nonprofit organizations already collect much of the demographic and geographic data necessary to scope the areas with the greatest need and vulnerability. Then, humanitarian organizations can partner with the private sector to help prepare community health centers and clinics in these areas. Of the 30 million Americans nonprofit clinics serve, roughly 70% have incomes below the poverty line.

My organization, Direct Relief, has teamed up with health care company Abbott to provide backup generators, staff training, and emergency packs of medical supplies to health clinics in hurricane-prone areas across the U.S., Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands.

Anticipatory relief has become a top priority of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which has convened more than 1,600 organizations to help communities increase their ability to withstand and recover from hurricanes and other disasters.

But the reality is that many local organizations and health centers do not have the staffing and funding to prepare for disasters. There are tremendous opportunities for government, businesses, and individuals to help nonprofits and clinics in their communities. Efforts could include a rapid-response team of volunteers who can quickly distribute food and ensure at-risk people are safe. Local governments could earmark more funds for preventive disaster relief. Businesses could share expertise and resources.

Our society has the tools and data to enable the cooperation needed to mitigate the effects of coming natural disasters. With this year's hurricane season here, there's no time to lose.

This guest essay reflects the views of Thomas Tighe, president and chief executive of Direct Relief, a nonprofit humanitarian medical organization.

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Professional Enthusiasm and Personal Exuberance

Michael useem.

From earthquake preparedness to chess, Howard approached a range of challenges with characteristic verve.

I worked extensively with Howard Kunreuther in the later years of his career, and our efforts resulted in two co-authored books on risk management and enterprise leadership. Howard brought his lifelong devotion to understanding better how individuals and organizations thought about, coped with, and surmounted the uncertainties that plague us all. I added my own longstanding interest in how leaders actively direct their enterprises to face, mitigate, and even capitalize on the risks that companies and countries face.

With active support from the president of Chile, we chronicled how the country came back from one of the greatest earthquakes ever, an 8.8 magnitude event on February 27, 2010. Because Chile’s leadership collected the recovery lessons of that disaster in detail and used these lessons to prepare for the next event, the country was far better equipped when an 8.3 magnitude earthquake struck Chile five years later. “The 2010 earthquake provided us,” an official of the national emergency office told us, with an “enormous learning opportunity.” And as a New York Times headline explained , “Chile Uses Lessons of the Past.”

Finding that Chile’s past had served as a compelling prologue for its comeback—as well as that its president and his cabinet had been key drivers making it so—we turned to how this might also serve as a call to arms for corporate leaders. Drawing on interviews with more than a hundred executives of America’s largest companies, we learned that here, too, a disciplined plumbing of the past—both one’s own and those of others who had faced similar challenges—helped company leaders mitigate or avert their own disasters. Dissecting the causes of British Petroleum’s Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, for instance, provided indelible lessons for a host of other management teams. These teams learned that behavioral biases, risk appetites, and hazard tolerances would all bear on their own readiness for a disaster. Above all, company leaders learned that it was up to them to model for others better ways to take these psychological factors into account in their decision-making.

I loved working with Howard. Through it all—our time with Chile’s president and cabinet members, interviews with American CEOs, and endless dialogues with one another— he was always engaged and always enthusiastic, with never a down moment.

One instance brought his positive spirit home to me like no other. At an annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, I learned that a chess grandmaster, Anatoly Karpov, would be playing all takers at the same time in one of the nearby hotels. I casually mentioned this to Howard as he was traipsing through snow around the hotel but heading in the opposite direction. Howard immediately turned around, saying that of course we both had to play. I remember protesting with something like, “Are you out of your mind?” Or it may have been something a bit more colorful. My inner academic thought: it is one thing to research disasters and another to take one on.

We were indeed out of our minds, way beyond what should have been our risk limits. Anatoly Karpov had been the World Chess Champion until he was defeated by none other than Garry Kasparov, and it was thus with great trepidation that we entered the luxury hotel room where even more reporters and television cameras had assembled than had opponents. Two dozen chess boards had been set up, but barely eight of us took seats, and of course Karpov took us all on at the same time, pausing briefly in front of each board to make his killer moves as he repeatedly circled the room. Later, Howard and I confided to one another that we each had embraced the realistic objective of not being the first opponent to be checkmated.

Later that evening as we entered a reception at the World Economic Forum, Howard encountered Anatoly Karpov, who was fluent in English, and the two of them talked, Howard leading the conversation. If I remember right, he told Anatoly that “it was really great to play you,” before they discussed their game down to the details of their last moves.

The brief encounter ended on a mutual high note, each back-slapping the other, and through it all Howard was the engaged and exuberant good fellow, even giving Karpov a little advice of his own along the way. Howard may have lost that game—of course, we all did—but like so much of Howard’s life, his zest and engagement had carried the later encounter. I was not the least bit surprised. His enthusiasm had already carried me through hundreds upon hundreds of hours of our making mutual sense together of risk management and enterprise leadership.

Michael Useem is the William and Jacalyn Egan Professor of Management Emeritus and Faculty Director of the Center for Leadership and McNulty Leadership Center and McNulty Leadership Program , Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania .

The essay is part of a series celebrating the life and scholarship of Howard Kunreuther, titled “ Commemorating Howard Kunreuther .”

Related Essays

Howard Was a Valued Colleague and Friend

Howard Kunreuther was a pivotal influence on the direction of my research and career.

Howard Kunreuther and the Facility Siting Credo

Kunreuther’s early work on the siting of hazardous facilities has made a lasting contribution.

A Legacy in the Economics of Natural Disaster Risk Management

Howard Kunreuther made significant advances in the economics of natural disaster risk management at the same time that he inspired other scholars.

Natural Disasters and Global Social Issues Essay

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
• As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
• As a template for you assignment

Introduction

Hurricane katrina and its effects.

Throughout history, there has been instances of natural disasters that have led to wide spread effects across the globe. Most of them have caused a significant shift in the social life of specific or multiple population groups. This paper seeks to identify a global social issue; determine the affected population groups; determine how the social issue/natural disaster has affected global social change; explain if there is any resistance to change; offer details of how various affected social groups have dealt with the issue; and finally identify the sociological theory of social change that best applies to the social issue for future research, and offer an explanation why the theory is appropriate.

Hurricane Katrina belonged to the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season (Jamie, 2006). The hurricane has been identified as one of the most expensive natural disasters, causing loss of 1836 lives and damage to property worth about $81 billion as of 2005 (Jamie, 2005).

The Hurricane mainly affected populations in some cities and states located on the South of the United States. The states that were mostly affected include Alabama, Florida, Ohio, Mississippi, Georgia, Louisiana and Kentucky. The most devastating effects of the Hurricane were witnessed in Louisiana and particularly in New Orleans. Several other States, parts of Canada, Mexico and Cuba experienced some effects associated with the Hurricane(Jamie, 2006).

The hurricane led to a global response to try and offer relief assistance to the affected populations, particularly in Louisiana. Hundreds of thousands of people were displaced and therefore could not access basic needs. Severe damage to infrastructure was witnessed in the severely affected areas leading to complete loss of transport and communication(Jamie, 2006).

Most of the affected people were relocated to other areas but there was some resistance with some of the people preferring to stay back and wait for the effects to subside.

The hurricane led to a major shift in the social arrangement of the populations in the worst affected areas. Several measures have been undertaken to try and mitigate effects of future hurricanes. Such measures include: Redesigning of the existing levees, identification of locations for the construction of new levees and creation of inundaction zones(Jamie, 2006). Most of the reconstruction work in the severely affected areas was undertaken by the Corps of Engineers.

Several other disaster preparedness measures have been undertaken by other countries and states to try and avoid the effects should they be faced with a similar situation.

Economic effects were widespread especially in regard to infrastructure damage. This led to a significant loss of jobs in the affected areas.

Functionalism and how it applies to Hurricane Katrina

Functionalism is a sociological theory of change that stipulates the measures required to maintain the stability of a system, either by adaption or restoring a previous state (Turner, 1995). As in the case of Hurricane Katrina, functionalism applies in the quest to restore or mitigate the effects of the Hurricane. In regard to the maintenance of the stability of the system, functionalism can be used to conduct future research on how the effects of such an occurrence will be prevented or reduced to the minimum in the affected areas or elsewhere (Turner, 1995).

This paper sought to identify a social issue (Hurricane Katrina) and its effects on the populations and identify a sociological theory of change that can best apply to that situation. It has been seen that hurricane Katrina caused devastating effects on social life of the people mainly in the southern part of United States. The sociological theory that applies to the situation is functionalism as it explains how system stability and maintenance has been achieved following the hurricane.

Jamie, R. (2006). Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Katrina: 23 -30 August 2005 . Miami: National Hurricane Center (NHC). Web.

Turner, J. (1995). Macrodynamics: Toward a Theory of the Organization of Human Populations . New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press. Web.

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IvyPanda . 2020. "Natural Disasters and Global Social Issues." May 25, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/global-issues-of-the-natural-disasters/.

1. IvyPanda . "Natural Disasters and Global Social Issues." May 25, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/global-issues-of-the-natural-disasters/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Natural Disasters and Global Social Issues." May 25, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/global-issues-of-the-natural-disasters/.