NATURAL DISASTERS

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NATURAL DISASTERS
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Natural Hazards vs.Natural Disasters

• Natural Hazards Have the potential to cause
  considerable harm
• Natural Disasters when a hazard is activated and
  reacts in such way to destroy human communities

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• When natural hazards become natural disasters

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• 1976 earthquake near Guatemala City
• More than 23 000 dead, thousands left injured
  and homeless

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• Kobe, Japan 1995
• 6433 people killed and more than 100 billion
  in damages

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• Earthquake in San Francisco, 1989
• Buckled highways and bridges, toppled homes
  all throughout
  the city

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December 2004 Tsunami hits Sri Lanka
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Hundreds of thousands died, and billions of
dollars in property destroyed
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• Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans
• 80 of the city was flooded

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• Powerful Tornado hit Greensburg, Kansas
• Winds of 320 km/h, sent cars flying 100
  metres into the air

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• Used to be Greensburg High School

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• 1991 Mount Pinatubo erupts in the Philippines
• 200 000 people evacuated, 330 deaths

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The eruption spewed out massive quantities of
dust, ash, sulphur dioxide and other gases into
the Earths atmosphere
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• Lack of rainfall can lead to severe drought,
  which causes large scale crop failures

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• Aberfan, Wales, 1966
• Debris slide

• Slide reached speeds of 80 km/h
• At the bottom of the hill, the debris hit the
  town school

• 116 children were killed and 28 adults

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What do these disasters have in common?
How do we determine the severity of these
disasters?
How could we compare these disasters?
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• Most Common way of comparing natural disasters is
  to measure their impact on humans
• Loss of life
• Number of Injuries
• Damage to property

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• Scientist also measure intensity
• Hurricanes Saffir-Simpson Scale
• Earthquakes Richter Scale
• Tornadoes Fujita Scale

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• Not always easy.

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Classification of Natural Hazards

• Atmospheric
• Geological
• Biological