Of all the natural disasters in the world tornadoes is the disaster that generates the highest wind speeds. A tornado is rotating storm that has a more destructive force than a hurricane but it affects a much smaller geographical area, it’s uncommon that a tornado is more than one kilometer wide.
The magnitude of a Tornado is often measured in the Fujita Scale ranging from 0 to 5. These are often referred to as an F0, F1, F2, F3, F4 and F5 with an F0 being the weakest Tornado causing only minor damage, an F5 the most powerful causing massive damage. There is also an updated version of this scale called the Enhanced Fujita Scale.
An F5 tornado can destroy even relatively strong buildings, deform a skyscraper, and pull asphalt from the roads and move vehicles and farm equipment with a weight of several tons over long distances. The damage potential is in short extreme. But much like a Tsunami a tornado can totally devastate an area only to leave structure only short distances away intact. The majority of all tornadoes take place in the Great Plain Area in the United States.
Timeline
1925 The Tri State Tornado caused massive devastation when it travelled 350 kilometers through three states; bringing destruction to over 20 cities resulting in the deaths of almost 700 people.
1974 The Super Outbreak was an event when almost 150 tornadoes was record in just two days. Over people 300 died in from the tornadoes.
1989 The Daulatpur-Saturia Tornado in Bangladesh is the Deadliest tornado in history. The Tornado hit slums and other vulnerable areas killing around 1.300 people, injuring around 12.000 and leaving tens of thousands homeless.
1999 Its relatively rare that a Tornado hits a city but The Oklahoma City Tornado is one example of such an event. The tornado produced the highest wind speeds that have ever been recorded reaching almost 500km/h. The tornado killed over 30 people and destroyed several thousand homes.
2011 The Tornado that hit Joplin was one of the worst in US history. The tornado resulted in around 160 dead and injured almost 1.000 people. The tornado caused severe damage to building an even hit the St John Regional Medical Center causing damage to the structure and the loss of power.
Survival and Preparedness
A tornado can cause massive direct damage killing individuals and destroying buildings. A tornado can also result in severe secondary damage from Fire. Vital infrastructure can also be destroyed or damaged limiting the access to water, the power grid and electronic communications.
If you are confronted with a tornado immediately seek cover in the most solid protection you can find or try to avoid its path. Even if relatively few people die in tornadoes every year compared to other Natural Disasters the economical damage is enormous. Having the right insurance and an emergency budget is an important addition to other disaster preparedness efforts like having water, food, medical supplies, light and other necessities available.
Your Home
Mobile homes are especially vulnerable since they can’t withstand the enormous power of a tornado. Unventilated structures can explode from the differences in air pressure that a tornado generates. Those how live in mobile homes and other light structures are very vulnerable to tornadoes since they can easily destroy these structures. For those how live in mobile homes cars often provide a better shelter since they have a lower center of gravity and are often better designed to withstand an impact if they roll over.
Cellars and Safe Rooms
The destructive power of a tornado can often destroy building and homes. In order to survive a tornado one of the most common tactics is to seek cover underground in cellars. Another form of tactic is to build a safe room within the structure. A safe room is part of the building with a strong roof and solid walls often made by concrete or steel with a strong steel door. There are many companies that also can retrofit older buildings that were not originally built with a safe room.
Early Warnings
It’s possible to detect tornadoes using radar; from these readings it’s possible to warn people in affected areas. These warnings are often transmitted using radio. If you live in an area where tornadoes often strike being able to get this type of Early Warning can mean the difference between life and death. Many that die in tornadoes has simply been unable to receive these Early Warnings. Following the weather reports is also an important tool to get warning regarding storm and weather condition that can generate Tornadoes. Some areas also have sirens to provide warnings. Learn what how the Early Warning system in your area operates.
The visibility of a tornado can vary; during heavy rains or at very dry locations they can be hard to spot. The sound of a tornado is often very high if you are close to storm, but they can be hard to hear over long distances.
Conclusion
Tornadoes present a very destructive event for anyone that lives in an area where Tornadoes are common. Having a place to seek cover and knowing where shelter can be found is critical in order to avoid the potential damage from a Tornado. Learn how Early Warnings are given in your area and make sure that you can receive them.
Also see
Hurricanes
Earthquakes
Tsunami
Volcanoes
Surviving Fires and Fire Safety
Showing posts with label Natural Disasters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Natural Disasters. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Natural Disasters - Hurricanes
There are many names for tropical costal storms. In the US they are known as Hurricanes, in other places as Typhoons, Tropical Depressions and Cyclones. These are all the same name for the same event, but the name varies between different regions. A Hurricane is a powerful storm that starts in the Tropics and may the travel from where they gain there in energy in form of heat. Hurricanes contain an incredible amount of energy. A hurricane can generate 100-400 times more energy than the worldwide production of electricity. This energy is comparable to the energy released from small nuclear weapons. This gives Hurricanes a capacity to inflict an enormous amount of damage.
A Hurricane gathers energy from the warmth of the ocean water and can continue to gather energy until it reaches a coastline. When a Hurricane reaches a coastline it can no longer draw energy from the warm water of the ocean and will lose its momentum and energy. Its however possible to travel over land and then travel over an area of sea and start to regain its force once again. Hurricanes are most frequent from July to October in the North Atlantic but have occurred from May to December as well, this is from the need of warm water in the ocean from witch a Hurricane can draw its energy.
A Hurricane rotates around the center of storm which is normally referred to as the Eye. When the strong Hurricane winds rotate the build up a mass of water in the center of the storm that can reach a height of several meters, when the hurricane hits a coastal area it’s not a normal wave but a enormous mountain of water in addition to high waves that can flood large areas. The wind and water from the Hurricane can cause massive damage to housing, infrastructure and communications; it can take a region several years to rebuild the damaged infrastructure. A hurricane can destroy businesses, workplaces and lead to severe economical consequences in addition to direct loses for individuals in form of housing and other belongings. The Strength of Hurricanes is often measured in the Saffir-Simpson Scale ranging from 1-5 where 1 is a relatively weak hurricane and 5 represents and catastrophic hurricane.
Timeline
1780 The Hurricane San Calixto killed around 20.000-24.000 people in the Caribbean.
1900 the low lying community Galveston in Texas was hit by a Category 4 Hurricane that destroyed most of the wood and brick buildings in the community. Many escaped but for those how where 6000 among those how where unable leave died in the disaster. After the disaster the community was isolated when the bridges to the main land were destroyed and there was little access to water, food and medical supplies.
1969 over 70cm of rainfall during less than eight hours from Hurricane Camille caused mudflows that killed 150 people and destroyed over a hundred homes, farmland and infrastructure in Virginia.
1970 The Bhola Cyclone hit Bangladesh, flooding much of the country killing somewhere between 300.000-700.000 people. This is one the deadliest natural disasters in modern time. The Cyclone also caused massive damage to infrastructure destroying almost half a million homes.
1982 The Hurricane Iwa hits the Hawaiian Island Kauai causing widespread damage and killing one person.
1989 April 12th the Hurricane Hugo killed somewhere between 50-60 people and destroyed around 100.000 homes and resulting in billions of dollars worth of damage.
1991 A massive Cyclone hit Bangladesh killing 130.000-150.000 people and leaving up to 10 million people homeless.
1992 The Category 4 Hurricane Andrew destroyed 30.000 homes and damaged a 100.000 more. In Dade County the hurricane destroyed almost all of the 10.000 mobile homes in area and caused around 25-30 billion dollar worth of damage in total.
1992 Hurricane Iniki hit the Hawaiian Island of Kauai devastating the local economy and killing two.
1997 Hurricane Pauline released an massive amount of rain over Acapulco resulting in debris flows and flood that killed 230 People.
1998 Hurricane Mitch brings massive damage to Central America, The Caribbean and Southern Florida killing 11.000 people, causing massive damage to housing, infrastructure and communications.
1999 The Category 5 Cyclone Orissa hit India killing around 10.000 and leaving several millions homeless.
2005 Hurricane Katrina killed over 1800 people and leaving several hundred still missing. A large area was affected but the most devastation took place in New Orleans where the barriers protecting the city failed resulting a severe flooding of the city. Many towns at the coastline in Missisippi also suffered massive damage to housing and infrastructure. Around 2 million people were displaced and many have been unable to return to their homes even today.
Early Warning
With modern satellites it’s possible to see how hurricanes form and how they progress. This means that it’s possible to issue early warning when hurricanes form so that people may get out of the destructive path of the storm. This is however a complicated process for several reasons. One reason is that it is hard to predict exactly how much energy a hurricane will gather when travels over the sea and how much energy it will have when it hits a coastal line. The other major problem is that it is hard to predict exactly where a hurricane will hit and predict its exact path. These two factors mean that there will always be some uncertainty both when it comes to the exact strength a hurricane will have and when or where it will hit. It may be weaker or stronger than anticipated and may change direction and hit an area that was not predicted.
Survival and Preparedness
Insurance and Emergency Budget
A Hurricane can easily destroy house, infrastructure, vehicles, businesses, farmland and many more economical and personal values. I suggest that you try to reduce your vulnerability by reviewing the setting of your home and the strength of structure – what can be done to minimize the impact if the worst would happen and how what are the likely consequences for you? If you have comprehensive food storage and other preparations for disasters they may prove to be of little use if your house will be flooded during a worst case scenario – your setting is very important.
The other step is to make sure that you have the proper Insurance so in order to minimize the economical consequences if your home would be affected. Some personal belongings and values may never be replaced but this can help to minimize the impact of such an event. During large scale hurricanes it’s common that insurance companies can go bankrupt so getting coverage may still be a hard and long process. Having an Emergency Budget may also prove to be crucial in this types of events; a hurricane can destroy businesses and livelihoods leaving individuals with no or little income. Even if property is insured it may take a long time before you see any compensation and you may have to make until then so having savings may become very important.
Setting
If you live in an area that may be affected by hurricanes your setting is one of the most critical aspects of preparedness. Having a house close to the shoreline is a setting with a beautiful view but can be devastating if a hurricane hits. Remember that a hurricane can bring a mountain of water several meters high that can flood large areas, having a house on the low lands can be devastating if a hurricane hits. Some areas may be located under sea level and protected by barriers, these areas are especially vulnerable if a hurricane breaches these barriers. The indirect effect of enormous rainfall can also cause landslides in regions located a quite long distance from the coast. Areas like canyons and hills with loose soils are especially vulnerable.
The other important aspect of your setting is the building that you live in. Hurricane winds can cause massive damage to structures. Light structures and especially mobile homes are very vulnerable and a hurricane can cause almost total damage if areas with these types of housing are affected. Roofs is one of the most crucial parts of a structure, if hurricane winds can tear a roof from a building the rest of structures will be severely weekend and vulnerable to winds. You may find some advice for guidelines in your local building codes.
Evacuation
Evacuating a large city or region is a complicated process. To evacuate an entire community normally takes from 30-72 hours. Normally the most vulnerable are those that are old, disabled or those how lack the access to vehicles or resources to get out of the area on their own. During large scale evacuations its common the highways get stuck with heavy traffic and that the progress of the traffic can be very slow. In 1999 a massive gridlock occurred when a hurricane warning was given in North Carolina, the hurricane did not however hit the area, but changed direction and hit North Carolina instead. Had the Hurricane hit North Carolina many could have been killed trying to escape.
Your Vehicles is one of the most critical aspects during an evacuation. Regularly check your tiers, check your breaks and maintain your vehicle in order to make sure that it will work properly if you would need it. Also try to
• Keep your tank as full as possible
• Store some extra Gasoline in cans
• Keep Bug Out Bags and the most Important belonging easy accessible
• Stay Updated
• Find the plan for Hurricane Evacuation from your local agencies.
• Make a Plan for Your Family
• Make a review of your situation before the beginning of every Hurricane Season
Gas Stations can easily be overwhelmed during evacuations if everyone tries to get access to gas at the same time, try to keep your vehicles tank as full as possible at all times and store some extra gasoline in metal containers in your home if possible. Gas can’t be stored for an unlimited period of time so make sure that you rotate it regularly. For advice concerning equipping vehicles for emergencies see the article Travelling With Vehicles During Crisis and Survival Situations.
Home Preparedness
A hurricane can also cause indirect consequences for people how are not directly affected by damaging infrastructure and communication. You find yourself without electricity and running water for and its common that supermarkets sells out their stock of supplies, water and generator quickly if a hurricane is about to hit. A hurricane can also result in other dangers like the spread of disease.
Having a basic food storage, the ability to prepare food, water, the means of sterilizing or filter water, light, medical supplies, emergency sanitation and a generator can spare you much trouble in such a scenario. For more suggestions on Home Preparedness see the articles Get The Ability To Cope With A Crisis and Equipment For Your Home – Checklist.
Analysis
The less resources people have the harder they are generally hit by all types of natural disasters. This is a result from multiple factors like the ability to construct strong buildings, that poor people often live in most vulnerable areas, they may lack the resources to evacuate and the resources to cope with the disaster. In rich countries its relatively few people that die in hurricanes compared to the situation in poor countries with a high population density like Bangladesh. The economical loses in rich countries tend to be very high even if the number of dead often is quite low in compared to countries with less resources. Hurricanes also present an increasing challenge from both the urbanization process that concentrate more and more people into cities and the continuing increase in world population. Today around half of the world population lives in coastal areas. Hurricanes present a large threat to the people living in areas that may be affected by hurricanes and it’s important to plan and prepare for this type of scenario if you may be affected.
A Hurricane gathers energy from the warmth of the ocean water and can continue to gather energy until it reaches a coastline. When a Hurricane reaches a coastline it can no longer draw energy from the warm water of the ocean and will lose its momentum and energy. Its however possible to travel over land and then travel over an area of sea and start to regain its force once again. Hurricanes are most frequent from July to October in the North Atlantic but have occurred from May to December as well, this is from the need of warm water in the ocean from witch a Hurricane can draw its energy.
A Hurricane rotates around the center of storm which is normally referred to as the Eye. When the strong Hurricane winds rotate the build up a mass of water in the center of the storm that can reach a height of several meters, when the hurricane hits a coastal area it’s not a normal wave but a enormous mountain of water in addition to high waves that can flood large areas. The wind and water from the Hurricane can cause massive damage to housing, infrastructure and communications; it can take a region several years to rebuild the damaged infrastructure. A hurricane can destroy businesses, workplaces and lead to severe economical consequences in addition to direct loses for individuals in form of housing and other belongings. The Strength of Hurricanes is often measured in the Saffir-Simpson Scale ranging from 1-5 where 1 is a relatively weak hurricane and 5 represents and catastrophic hurricane.
Timeline
1780 The Hurricane San Calixto killed around 20.000-24.000 people in the Caribbean.
1900 the low lying community Galveston in Texas was hit by a Category 4 Hurricane that destroyed most of the wood and brick buildings in the community. Many escaped but for those how where 6000 among those how where unable leave died in the disaster. After the disaster the community was isolated when the bridges to the main land were destroyed and there was little access to water, food and medical supplies.
1969 over 70cm of rainfall during less than eight hours from Hurricane Camille caused mudflows that killed 150 people and destroyed over a hundred homes, farmland and infrastructure in Virginia.
1970 The Bhola Cyclone hit Bangladesh, flooding much of the country killing somewhere between 300.000-700.000 people. This is one the deadliest natural disasters in modern time. The Cyclone also caused massive damage to infrastructure destroying almost half a million homes.
1982 The Hurricane Iwa hits the Hawaiian Island Kauai causing widespread damage and killing one person.
1989 April 12th the Hurricane Hugo killed somewhere between 50-60 people and destroyed around 100.000 homes and resulting in billions of dollars worth of damage.
1991 A massive Cyclone hit Bangladesh killing 130.000-150.000 people and leaving up to 10 million people homeless.
1992 The Category 4 Hurricane Andrew destroyed 30.000 homes and damaged a 100.000 more. In Dade County the hurricane destroyed almost all of the 10.000 mobile homes in area and caused around 25-30 billion dollar worth of damage in total.
1992 Hurricane Iniki hit the Hawaiian Island of Kauai devastating the local economy and killing two.
1997 Hurricane Pauline released an massive amount of rain over Acapulco resulting in debris flows and flood that killed 230 People.
1998 Hurricane Mitch brings massive damage to Central America, The Caribbean and Southern Florida killing 11.000 people, causing massive damage to housing, infrastructure and communications.
1999 The Category 5 Cyclone Orissa hit India killing around 10.000 and leaving several millions homeless.
2005 Hurricane Katrina killed over 1800 people and leaving several hundred still missing. A large area was affected but the most devastation took place in New Orleans where the barriers protecting the city failed resulting a severe flooding of the city. Many towns at the coastline in Missisippi also suffered massive damage to housing and infrastructure. Around 2 million people were displaced and many have been unable to return to their homes even today.
Early Warning
With modern satellites it’s possible to see how hurricanes form and how they progress. This means that it’s possible to issue early warning when hurricanes form so that people may get out of the destructive path of the storm. This is however a complicated process for several reasons. One reason is that it is hard to predict exactly how much energy a hurricane will gather when travels over the sea and how much energy it will have when it hits a coastal line. The other major problem is that it is hard to predict exactly where a hurricane will hit and predict its exact path. These two factors mean that there will always be some uncertainty both when it comes to the exact strength a hurricane will have and when or where it will hit. It may be weaker or stronger than anticipated and may change direction and hit an area that was not predicted.
Survival and Preparedness
Insurance and Emergency Budget
A Hurricane can easily destroy house, infrastructure, vehicles, businesses, farmland and many more economical and personal values. I suggest that you try to reduce your vulnerability by reviewing the setting of your home and the strength of structure – what can be done to minimize the impact if the worst would happen and how what are the likely consequences for you? If you have comprehensive food storage and other preparations for disasters they may prove to be of little use if your house will be flooded during a worst case scenario – your setting is very important.
The other step is to make sure that you have the proper Insurance so in order to minimize the economical consequences if your home would be affected. Some personal belongings and values may never be replaced but this can help to minimize the impact of such an event. During large scale hurricanes it’s common that insurance companies can go bankrupt so getting coverage may still be a hard and long process. Having an Emergency Budget may also prove to be crucial in this types of events; a hurricane can destroy businesses and livelihoods leaving individuals with no or little income. Even if property is insured it may take a long time before you see any compensation and you may have to make until then so having savings may become very important.
Setting
If you live in an area that may be affected by hurricanes your setting is one of the most critical aspects of preparedness. Having a house close to the shoreline is a setting with a beautiful view but can be devastating if a hurricane hits. Remember that a hurricane can bring a mountain of water several meters high that can flood large areas, having a house on the low lands can be devastating if a hurricane hits. Some areas may be located under sea level and protected by barriers, these areas are especially vulnerable if a hurricane breaches these barriers. The indirect effect of enormous rainfall can also cause landslides in regions located a quite long distance from the coast. Areas like canyons and hills with loose soils are especially vulnerable.
The other important aspect of your setting is the building that you live in. Hurricane winds can cause massive damage to structures. Light structures and especially mobile homes are very vulnerable and a hurricane can cause almost total damage if areas with these types of housing are affected. Roofs is one of the most crucial parts of a structure, if hurricane winds can tear a roof from a building the rest of structures will be severely weekend and vulnerable to winds. You may find some advice for guidelines in your local building codes.
Evacuation
Evacuating a large city or region is a complicated process. To evacuate an entire community normally takes from 30-72 hours. Normally the most vulnerable are those that are old, disabled or those how lack the access to vehicles or resources to get out of the area on their own. During large scale evacuations its common the highways get stuck with heavy traffic and that the progress of the traffic can be very slow. In 1999 a massive gridlock occurred when a hurricane warning was given in North Carolina, the hurricane did not however hit the area, but changed direction and hit North Carolina instead. Had the Hurricane hit North Carolina many could have been killed trying to escape.
Your Vehicles is one of the most critical aspects during an evacuation. Regularly check your tiers, check your breaks and maintain your vehicle in order to make sure that it will work properly if you would need it. Also try to
• Keep your tank as full as possible
• Store some extra Gasoline in cans
• Keep Bug Out Bags and the most Important belonging easy accessible
• Stay Updated
• Find the plan for Hurricane Evacuation from your local agencies.
• Make a Plan for Your Family
• Make a review of your situation before the beginning of every Hurricane Season
Gas Stations can easily be overwhelmed during evacuations if everyone tries to get access to gas at the same time, try to keep your vehicles tank as full as possible at all times and store some extra gasoline in metal containers in your home if possible. Gas can’t be stored for an unlimited period of time so make sure that you rotate it regularly. For advice concerning equipping vehicles for emergencies see the article Travelling With Vehicles During Crisis and Survival Situations.
Home Preparedness
A hurricane can also cause indirect consequences for people how are not directly affected by damaging infrastructure and communication. You find yourself without electricity and running water for and its common that supermarkets sells out their stock of supplies, water and generator quickly if a hurricane is about to hit. A hurricane can also result in other dangers like the spread of disease.
Having a basic food storage, the ability to prepare food, water, the means of sterilizing or filter water, light, medical supplies, emergency sanitation and a generator can spare you much trouble in such a scenario. For more suggestions on Home Preparedness see the articles Get The Ability To Cope With A Crisis and Equipment For Your Home – Checklist.
Analysis
The less resources people have the harder they are generally hit by all types of natural disasters. This is a result from multiple factors like the ability to construct strong buildings, that poor people often live in most vulnerable areas, they may lack the resources to evacuate and the resources to cope with the disaster. In rich countries its relatively few people that die in hurricanes compared to the situation in poor countries with a high population density like Bangladesh. The economical loses in rich countries tend to be very high even if the number of dead often is quite low in compared to countries with less resources. Hurricanes also present an increasing challenge from both the urbanization process that concentrate more and more people into cities and the continuing increase in world population. Today around half of the world population lives in coastal areas. Hurricanes present a large threat to the people living in areas that may be affected by hurricanes and it’s important to plan and prepare for this type of scenario if you may be affected.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Natural Disasters – Volcanoes
One of the most visually impressive natural disasters is volcanoes. Volcanic eruptions can send burning lava, ashes and fire through the air. Some of the dangers from a volcano are Pyroclastic bombs. A volcano can send balls of molten lava for great distances that can kill people suddenly far away from a volcanic eruption. They can be hurled over 10 miles from a volcano, killing people and starting fire to buildings. The heat from a volcano can cause snow and ice on a volcano to melt very fast and create a landslide of water, mud, rock and volcanic ash, this is often called lahars. A volcano sometime created a cloud of hot gases and pulverized volcanic rock that can travel at very high speeds down from a volcano destroying everything that it affects, this is often called pyroclastic clouds. This is one of the major dangers from a volcano and is a danger that it very hard to escape if you still find yourself in proximity to a volcano in case of an eruption. The gas that’s emitted from a volcano can both be irritating but can reach a concentration so high that it can be lethal. In some cases a major volcanic eruptions can cause devastating tsunamis that can kill people far away from the eruption. Ashes from volcanoes can severely damage infrastructure and block roads, airports, rivers and railways.
Timeline
79 The volcano Vesuvius in Italy had a devastating eruption. The two roman cities Pompeii and Herculaeum was destroyed and it is estimated that as many as 25.000 may have died in the eruption. Pyroclastic flows, lava and volcanic ashes destroyed the towns. Some of the skeletons found in Herculaeum have been found buried with the former inhabitants frozen in positions from their everyday work. This is one of the most famous volcanic eruptions in history.
1792 Unzen in Japan had a devastating eruption that resulted in a tsunami killing more than 15.000 people. This is one of the worst disasters in Japanese history.
1821 A devastating eruption took place on Iceland. The eruption covered over 500 square kilometers with lava and enormous amounts of gases and volcanic ash affected large parts of northern Europe. A large number of cattle died and famine followed. Around 20% of the Islands 50.000 inhabitants died from the following famine. A previous large eruption had taken place 1612.
1883 The Volcanic eruption on Krakatau in Indonesia resulted in the deaths of 35.000 to over a 100.000 people from both the direct effects and a devastating tsunami that was created by the explosive eruption that could be heard for over 3.000 km away. The Tsunami devastated many islands and coastal areas, none of the around 3.000 people living on the Island Sebesi survived.
1902 Mont Pelee in the Caribbean had a devastating eruption. The eruption caused a pyroclastic cloud that totally destroyed the city of Saint-Pierre and it was first sad that only two persons in the city that had around 30.000 inhabitants survived. Many wounded died later from the burns contracted by the pyroclastic cloud.
1980 Mount St Helens in the state of Washington had a devastating eruption that released as much energy as a 24 megaton nuclear weapon. The volcano lost 400m in height from the eruption that killed 62 people, two of them volcanologists. There was also extensive damage to the infrastructure in the area and road was blocked from the volcanic ashes released from the eruption. The area surrounding the volcano had been evacuated, a action that seriously reduced the loss of human lives.
1982 a volcanic eruptions at El Chichon in Mexico created a pyroclastic cloud that traveled downwards from all sides of the volcano and destroyed a number of villages, killing around 2000 people.
1985 the Nevado Del Ruiz volcanic eruption resulted in around 24.000 dead in Colombia. The Volcano melted ice and snow that resulted in devastating lahars that hit the areas and valleys surrounding the volcano. The lahars almost completely destroyed the city of Armero and more than half of the population was killed. A similar outbreak in the same location had taken place in 1895.
1986 in Cameron, Africa 1700 died after the volcanic activity at the Lake Nyos released high amounts of Gas. A high number of life stock died as well but there was no physical destruction like usually is associated with volcanic eruptions.
1991 The Japanese Volcano Unzen had another eruption that resulted in around 40 deaths.
1993 Galeras in Colombia had a sudden small eruption that resulted in the deaths of 6 scientists and 3 tourists.
2002 Mount Nyiragongo in Zaire, Africa had a eruption that sent lava flows through the city Goma. 45 died and over 100.000 homeless became homeless.
2010 A large volcanic eruption from a volcano under the glacier Eyjafjallajokull on Iceland has created a large cloud of volcanic ash that has resulted in severe problems for air traffic in large parts of Europe.
Risk and Survival
Volcanic eruptions is unpredictable events that can take place after thousands of years giving residents that surround them a sense of false security. If you live near a volcano I suggest you should take actions to understand the different kinds of risks that you may be facing. What history does the volcano have and what has these events resulted in? How are warnings given from local government agencies? Most volcanoes in the world are monitored by experts so eruptions can often be foreseen and the areas evacuated.
It’s very hard to shield from the devastating effects that a volcano can create so it is very important that you leave the area if you are in the proximity of a volcano when a warning about coming eruptions is given. It is common that people instead move to the area in order to see the visual effects of the eruption and thereby putting themselves in harm’s way. Volcanologists may often provide information that saves others but they are a group that especially find themselves at risks and deaths are common. Always takes warning serious and don’t wait to evacuate.
· During an evacuation scenario a Bug Out Bag or Get Home Bag can be useful tools to help you deal with this type of situation.
Timeline
79 The volcano Vesuvius in Italy had a devastating eruption. The two roman cities Pompeii and Herculaeum was destroyed and it is estimated that as many as 25.000 may have died in the eruption. Pyroclastic flows, lava and volcanic ashes destroyed the towns. Some of the skeletons found in Herculaeum have been found buried with the former inhabitants frozen in positions from their everyday work. This is one of the most famous volcanic eruptions in history.
1792 Unzen in Japan had a devastating eruption that resulted in a tsunami killing more than 15.000 people. This is one of the worst disasters in Japanese history.
1821 A devastating eruption took place on Iceland. The eruption covered over 500 square kilometers with lava and enormous amounts of gases and volcanic ash affected large parts of northern Europe. A large number of cattle died and famine followed. Around 20% of the Islands 50.000 inhabitants died from the following famine. A previous large eruption had taken place 1612.
1883 The Volcanic eruption on Krakatau in Indonesia resulted in the deaths of 35.000 to over a 100.000 people from both the direct effects and a devastating tsunami that was created by the explosive eruption that could be heard for over 3.000 km away. The Tsunami devastated many islands and coastal areas, none of the around 3.000 people living on the Island Sebesi survived.
1902 Mont Pelee in the Caribbean had a devastating eruption. The eruption caused a pyroclastic cloud that totally destroyed the city of Saint-Pierre and it was first sad that only two persons in the city that had around 30.000 inhabitants survived. Many wounded died later from the burns contracted by the pyroclastic cloud.
1980 Mount St Helens in the state of Washington had a devastating eruption that released as much energy as a 24 megaton nuclear weapon. The volcano lost 400m in height from the eruption that killed 62 people, two of them volcanologists. There was also extensive damage to the infrastructure in the area and road was blocked from the volcanic ashes released from the eruption. The area surrounding the volcano had been evacuated, a action that seriously reduced the loss of human lives.
1982 a volcanic eruptions at El Chichon in Mexico created a pyroclastic cloud that traveled downwards from all sides of the volcano and destroyed a number of villages, killing around 2000 people.
1985 the Nevado Del Ruiz volcanic eruption resulted in around 24.000 dead in Colombia. The Volcano melted ice and snow that resulted in devastating lahars that hit the areas and valleys surrounding the volcano. The lahars almost completely destroyed the city of Armero and more than half of the population was killed. A similar outbreak in the same location had taken place in 1895.
1986 in Cameron, Africa 1700 died after the volcanic activity at the Lake Nyos released high amounts of Gas. A high number of life stock died as well but there was no physical destruction like usually is associated with volcanic eruptions.
1991 The Japanese Volcano Unzen had another eruption that resulted in around 40 deaths.
1993 Galeras in Colombia had a sudden small eruption that resulted in the deaths of 6 scientists and 3 tourists.
2002 Mount Nyiragongo in Zaire, Africa had a eruption that sent lava flows through the city Goma. 45 died and over 100.000 homeless became homeless.
2010 A large volcanic eruption from a volcano under the glacier Eyjafjallajokull on Iceland has created a large cloud of volcanic ash that has resulted in severe problems for air traffic in large parts of Europe.
Risk and Survival
Volcanic eruptions is unpredictable events that can take place after thousands of years giving residents that surround them a sense of false security. If you live near a volcano I suggest you should take actions to understand the different kinds of risks that you may be facing. What history does the volcano have and what has these events resulted in? How are warnings given from local government agencies? Most volcanoes in the world are monitored by experts so eruptions can often be foreseen and the areas evacuated.
It’s very hard to shield from the devastating effects that a volcano can create so it is very important that you leave the area if you are in the proximity of a volcano when a warning about coming eruptions is given. It is common that people instead move to the area in order to see the visual effects of the eruption and thereby putting themselves in harm’s way. Volcanologists may often provide information that saves others but they are a group that especially find themselves at risks and deaths are common. Always takes warning serious and don’t wait to evacuate.
· During an evacuation scenario a Bug Out Bag or Get Home Bag can be useful tools to help you deal with this type of situation.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Natural Disasters - Tsunami
Tsunamis are enormous waves that can devastate coastlines and cause massive damage to both infrastructure and humans. Around 200 tsunamis were recorded from 1900-2000. The most common cause of a Tsunami is an earthquake under the sea. But all earthquakes do not result in tsunamis. Tsunamis can also be created by other sources than earthquakes like volcanic eruptions, landslides and impacts by space objects like asteroids. The water above the earthquake absorbs the energy and creating a tsunami. On the open ocean a tsunami wave is often not higher than a few meter, but when it reaches more shallow water of a coastline the wave can reach a height over ten meters. A Tsunami travels very fast over the open ocean, so the time before it strikes coastlines after an earthquake takes place can be short. A tsunami wave is not a short big wave but a very long wave that can cause devastation for up to half an hour before it goes away. The effects of Tsunamis are increased since a very high part of the human population in the world lives near coastlines. It’s also very common that people from other countries visit warm countries as tourists and spend their time near the beaches and coastlines.
Timeline and Historical Examples
During the 1755 Lisbon earthquake the city was not only affected by a devastating earthquake, tsunami waves also added to the destruction. Many from the city fled to the beaches only to be struck by these waves.
1883 There was an enormous volcanic eruptions on the island Krakatoa. The Eruption almost destroyed the entire island and the debris from the eruption created tsunami waves that killed many people far from the eruption. Over 30.000 are believed to have died from the eruption and the tsunami waves.
1896 A powerful earthquake took place outside the coast of Japan. The earthquake created a powerful Tsunami that killed around 25.000-30.000 people, destroyed around 10.000 homes and left many wounded.
1958 an earthquakes created a powerful tsunami that reached an enormous height in Lituya Bay, Alaska. A combination of factors resulted in the wave reaching a height of 520m in the bay.
The 1960 Valdivia earthquake caused a tsunami that killed people in a number of place including Chile, Japan and Hawaii. 2000-6000 died and there was damage for hundreds of millions of dollars. Around 60 of the deaths were in Hawaii.
1964 the powerful earthquake on Good Friday resulted in Tsunami waves in Alaska that killed around 130 people, most of them for the tsunami waves. The tsunami also caused damage for millions of dollar in Canada.
1995 a Tsunami hit Japan resulting in around 6000 dead. The Tsunami was caused by an earthquake measuring 6,8 on the Richter Scale.
1998 an earthquake outside of Papua New Guinea caused an tsunami that killed around 2200, Many villages was destroyed and around 10.000 became homeless.
The 2004 Tsunami in the Indian Ocean was caused by an earthquake with and magnitude of 9,1. The earthquake that caused the tsunami was the one of most powerful earthquake that’s ever been recorded. 13 countries were hit by the tsunami. Over 200.000 were killed as a direct effect, around two million became homeless and there was massive damage to infrastructure and the fishing industry. The exact number of dead will never be known, many of the dead may never be found as they were washed out into the ocean.
Survival and Preparedness
Some regions encounter tsunamis relatively often and have very well functioning systems for early warning. The Pacific Tsunami Warning System that is located on Hawaii is one example. If you live in an area where tsunamis are common make sure that you know how the warning systems operate. In some places high walls have been constructed to protect densely populated cities near the coat lines. A typical sign of tsunamis is that the water level in the ocean suddenly withdraws below normal low water levels. This is a typical warning sign and must be taken seriously at once. If a tsunami is about to hit you must get to the highest most stable ground that you find immediately.
During many of the historical tsunamis the damage caused has been relatively low compared to other natural disasters, but the 2004 event in the Indian Ocean was a drastic exception. In this case the damage caused was enormous and it took some time before the extent of the damage became clear for the people in charge of different national and international crisis management agencies.
The location of your home is a very important part if you live in an area that can be affected by a Tsunami. If your house is likely to be affected in case of a major tsunami, where do you seek cover and how will you get there? A house near the ocean may have a very nice view but the danger from possible tsunamis and hurricanes should be taken into account. These plans should be a part of your personal Risk Assessment.
Even if you are not directly affected by an Tsunami it can still cause disruptions to communications, transport and infrastructure. Having some basic items as your Every Day Carry or a Get Home Bag may provide you with the basic needs that you might need, light and some First Aid Supplies.
Timeline and Historical Examples
During the 1755 Lisbon earthquake the city was not only affected by a devastating earthquake, tsunami waves also added to the destruction. Many from the city fled to the beaches only to be struck by these waves.
1883 There was an enormous volcanic eruptions on the island Krakatoa. The Eruption almost destroyed the entire island and the debris from the eruption created tsunami waves that killed many people far from the eruption. Over 30.000 are believed to have died from the eruption and the tsunami waves.
1896 A powerful earthquake took place outside the coast of Japan. The earthquake created a powerful Tsunami that killed around 25.000-30.000 people, destroyed around 10.000 homes and left many wounded.
1958 an earthquakes created a powerful tsunami that reached an enormous height in Lituya Bay, Alaska. A combination of factors resulted in the wave reaching a height of 520m in the bay.
The 1960 Valdivia earthquake caused a tsunami that killed people in a number of place including Chile, Japan and Hawaii. 2000-6000 died and there was damage for hundreds of millions of dollars. Around 60 of the deaths were in Hawaii.
1964 the powerful earthquake on Good Friday resulted in Tsunami waves in Alaska that killed around 130 people, most of them for the tsunami waves. The tsunami also caused damage for millions of dollar in Canada.
1995 a Tsunami hit Japan resulting in around 6000 dead. The Tsunami was caused by an earthquake measuring 6,8 on the Richter Scale.
1998 an earthquake outside of Papua New Guinea caused an tsunami that killed around 2200, Many villages was destroyed and around 10.000 became homeless.
The 2004 Tsunami in the Indian Ocean was caused by an earthquake with and magnitude of 9,1. The earthquake that caused the tsunami was the one of most powerful earthquake that’s ever been recorded. 13 countries were hit by the tsunami. Over 200.000 were killed as a direct effect, around two million became homeless and there was massive damage to infrastructure and the fishing industry. The exact number of dead will never be known, many of the dead may never be found as they were washed out into the ocean.
Survival and Preparedness
Some regions encounter tsunamis relatively often and have very well functioning systems for early warning. The Pacific Tsunami Warning System that is located on Hawaii is one example. If you live in an area where tsunamis are common make sure that you know how the warning systems operate. In some places high walls have been constructed to protect densely populated cities near the coat lines. A typical sign of tsunamis is that the water level in the ocean suddenly withdraws below normal low water levels. This is a typical warning sign and must be taken seriously at once. If a tsunami is about to hit you must get to the highest most stable ground that you find immediately.
During many of the historical tsunamis the damage caused has been relatively low compared to other natural disasters, but the 2004 event in the Indian Ocean was a drastic exception. In this case the damage caused was enormous and it took some time before the extent of the damage became clear for the people in charge of different national and international crisis management agencies.
The location of your home is a very important part if you live in an area that can be affected by a Tsunami. If your house is likely to be affected in case of a major tsunami, where do you seek cover and how will you get there? A house near the ocean may have a very nice view but the danger from possible tsunamis and hurricanes should be taken into account. These plans should be a part of your personal Risk Assessment.
Even if you are not directly affected by an Tsunami it can still cause disruptions to communications, transport and infrastructure. Having some basic items as your Every Day Carry or a Get Home Bag may provide you with the basic needs that you might need, light and some First Aid Supplies.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Natural Disasters - Earthquakes
Different types of Natural Disasters results in the death of thousands of people every year. This will be the first in a series of posts that will cover some of the Natural Disasters and the effects they have. In order to create a broader understanding of the risks involved a timeline with some historical examples will be presented. Among these natural disasters few can cause as much death and devastations as earthquakes. One very problematic aspect of earthquakes is that they are events that can occur only on a few times over many years. When they takes place they can have an enormously destructive effect and with no or little warning.
Earthquakes are normally generated because of earth movement along fault lines. The area surrounding The San Andreas Fault Line that passes through California is an especially high risk area in the United States. The cause for earthquakes has only recently been discovered and today the high risk areas for earthquakes are known. The forces from an earthquake can destroy building and infrastructure like roads, bridges, the electrical grid, sanitation and water supply. This can cause secondary effects like fires and outbreak of epidemics like cholera. The collapse of building and falling items is the most common cause of death resulting from an earthquake, around 90% of all deaths result from this.
Earthquakes
There are some common scales that are used to measure the effect of earthquakes: The Richter Scale is one of the most well know. The Richter Scale is logarithmic, the difference between a level 4 and level 5 is ten times in strength, the difference between 4 and 6 is a hundred times in strength and the difference between 4 and 7 is a thousand to give some examples. The Movement Magnitude Scale is a more modern scale used to the magnitude of earthquake. The Mercalli Scale of Earthquake Intensity is a scale with the twelve steps that describes the destructive force of an earthquake where I on the scale normally aren’t felt by people and where XII equals almost total destruction. The epicenter of an earthquake is the geographical point where an earthquake is centered.
Timeline
1755 An earthquake occurred on the first of November, “All Saints day” in Lisbon, Portugal. Many of the people in the city were in the churches when the earthquake hit. The churches were not built to withstand an earthquake and collapsed. Many of the building were destroyed and a devastating fire that lasted for days followed. Many fled to the shore for safety but were hit by tsunami waves created by the earthquake. Additional earthquakes would follow that further worsened the situation and laid many towns to waste. It’s believed that somewhere between 10.000-100.000 people lost their lives in this disaster.
1906 on April the 18th a devastating earthquake hit San Francisco. The earthquake rated 7,8 on the Richter scale. The devastating fire followed that lasted for three day, fighting the fire was also hard because of the lack of water. Over 3.000 died and around 250.000 people in San Francisco became homeless as a result.
1923 The Great Kantō earthquake hit Japan. 100.000-150.000 died from the devastating earthquake. The disaster took place during lunchtime; many used fire to prepare food a factor that worsened the fires that broke out. Around 2 million became homeless.
1964 One of the most powerful earthquakes in modern took place in Alaska on “Good Friday” March 27. Only around 100 people died from the earthquake in the low populated region.
1970 The worst natural disaster in the history of Peru too place in Nevados Huascaran. The earthquake triggered a massive landslide and 60.000-75.000 died as a result. Over one million people also became homeless.
1976 One of the worst earthquakes in history took place in Tangsan, China. Around 250.000 died and around 150.000 were injured. A combination of unsafe buildings and soil condition worsened the effect of the quake and left many of the survivors homeless.
1976 a devastating earthquake hit Guatemala. Around 22.000-23.000 died, over 70.000 was injured and thousands were left homeless after the earthquake that hit during the early morning when many were still asleep in their homes.
1976 just under 10.000 died from an earthquake in the Philippines
1978 a massive earthquake took place in Iran. The city Tabas was affected the worst, 75% of the people living in the city died leaving only around 4000 alive. Almost all of the healthcare personal and doctors died in the city adding to the desperate situation. Around 25.000 died in total.
1985 around 10.000-15.000 died from an earthquake that affected Mexico City. Mexico City is particular vulnerable to earthquakes because of the ground that the city rests on that easily can move during earthquakes.
1988 over 25.000 died from an earthquake in Armenia, then a part of the Soviet Union. The earthquake took place during the winter and many died from a result of the severe cold when their housing was destroyed. The city of Spitak was almost completely destroyed.
1990 Iran was affected by a powerful earthquake that resulted in 40.000-50.000 dead, around 60.000 wounded and many thousands homeless.
1993 just under 10.000 died from an earthquake in Marashtra, India
1995 around 6.500 died from an earthquake in Japan, most of them from the city Kobe. Around 200.000 buildings were destroyed along with major damage to the infrastructure. The poor district in Nagata Ward held many of the casualties from the earthquake, a combination of unsafe buildings and flammable chemicals used in for manufacturing of shoes worsened the situation in this area.
1999 a powerful earthquake hit Izmit in Turkey. Poorly constructed buildings and poverty worsened the effect of the earthquake that killed somewhere around 15.000, injured over 40.000 and left over 600.000 homeless.
1999 around 3500 people died from an earthquake in Nantou, Taiwan
2001 around 20.000 died from an earthquake in Gujarat, India during the 51st celebration of India’s Republic Day. Over 150.000 were injured and around half a million became homeless.
2003 a major earthquake affected Bam in Iran. The earthquake resulted in over 25.000 dead and around 30.000 injured. The effect was worsened because it took place during the night when many were sleeping. The United States offered assistance to Iran that was finally accepted, this was quite controversial because of the tension between Iran and the US after 9/11 2001.
2005 a major earthquake took place in the Pakistan part of Kashmir that left around 80.000 dead. India and Pakistan managed to cooperate despite the tensed situation between the countries over Kashmir and India helped to provided disaster relief.
2010 On the 12th of January a devastating earthquake took place in Haiti that may have been the deadliest earthquake in history. The death toll is now estimated to be around 200.000-300.000 people, with an additional 300.000 injured and over one million homeless. Haiti had long series of problem with poverty, internal conflict and unsafe building that worsened the effect of the earthquake.
Survival and Preparedness
The time when an earthquake takes place in critical, during night people are much more vulnerable when people are sleeping in their beds and vulnerable to collapsing buildings and falling items. If you live in a risk area for earthquakes the location where you live and the building where you live is critical for your security. Housing that’s not earthquake resistant may literally become a deathtrap. In general housing in low income and poor areas are affected the worst since they often can have a lack of maintenance and less secure building codes. The slums in urban areas or low income countries are classic examples. High Income Countries are often much less affected than low income countries that both have a more vulnerable infrastructure and less resources to manage a disaster. Aftershocks after a first earthquake can cause already damaged building to collapse.
Other secondary effects can be that law enforcement can’t control the situation in an area; plundering, looting and general lawlessness can follow. Normally countries from all around the world will send Search And Rescue Teams (SART) to an affected area, but this is almost like sending an ambulance from oversea. Most of the victims trapped under collapsed buildings will be dead before the SART will arrive. So even they can save some individuals this is a very costly operation that often don’t give big results. The local resources are often the resources that can make the biggest difference. After a few day international organizations like the UN, aid agencies from different nations and Non Governmental Organizations (NGO:s) will start to arrive. These organization will do what they can to help but if you ever find yourself in the aftermath of a major earthquake you must understand there may be a long time before help arrives and that the needs will be greater than any can master in short period of time.
· Make sure that there is no heavy items that can fall down and cause damage, especially over or around your bed.
· The access to water and sanitation may be limited and the risk of epidemics is high – especially for cholera. Having some water stored, an emergency toilet, hand disinfection, water purification filter, water purification tablets, bleach and a first aid kit can make a big difference.
· For search and rescue after a disaster items like flashlights, headlights, heavy duty leather work gloves, protective footwear, helmet and so on can be good items to have. If you would like to be a resource after a earthquake or other disaster I recommend that you join a CERT team, some kind of first responder unit or the Red Cross so that you can get some professional training. A fire extinguisher and fireproof blanket are effective items in cases where earthquakes results in fire.
· In some cases warning of coming earthquakes can be given by government agencies. If you receive a warning take some extra action, fill up some extra water containers and check your equipment. Taking down items for shelves like books and hanging items can also be a good idea.
· During some cases it may become necessary to evacuate and affected area, a Bug Out Bag or Get Home Bag can be useful tools to help you deal with this type of scenario.
Earthquakes are normally generated because of earth movement along fault lines. The area surrounding The San Andreas Fault Line that passes through California is an especially high risk area in the United States. The cause for earthquakes has only recently been discovered and today the high risk areas for earthquakes are known. The forces from an earthquake can destroy building and infrastructure like roads, bridges, the electrical grid, sanitation and water supply. This can cause secondary effects like fires and outbreak of epidemics like cholera. The collapse of building and falling items is the most common cause of death resulting from an earthquake, around 90% of all deaths result from this.
Earthquakes
There are some common scales that are used to measure the effect of earthquakes: The Richter Scale is one of the most well know. The Richter Scale is logarithmic, the difference between a level 4 and level 5 is ten times in strength, the difference between 4 and 6 is a hundred times in strength and the difference between 4 and 7 is a thousand to give some examples. The Movement Magnitude Scale is a more modern scale used to the magnitude of earthquake. The Mercalli Scale of Earthquake Intensity is a scale with the twelve steps that describes the destructive force of an earthquake where I on the scale normally aren’t felt by people and where XII equals almost total destruction. The epicenter of an earthquake is the geographical point where an earthquake is centered.
Timeline
1755 An earthquake occurred on the first of November, “All Saints day” in Lisbon, Portugal. Many of the people in the city were in the churches when the earthquake hit. The churches were not built to withstand an earthquake and collapsed. Many of the building were destroyed and a devastating fire that lasted for days followed. Many fled to the shore for safety but were hit by tsunami waves created by the earthquake. Additional earthquakes would follow that further worsened the situation and laid many towns to waste. It’s believed that somewhere between 10.000-100.000 people lost their lives in this disaster.
1906 on April the 18th a devastating earthquake hit San Francisco. The earthquake rated 7,8 on the Richter scale. The devastating fire followed that lasted for three day, fighting the fire was also hard because of the lack of water. Over 3.000 died and around 250.000 people in San Francisco became homeless as a result.
1923 The Great Kantō earthquake hit Japan. 100.000-150.000 died from the devastating earthquake. The disaster took place during lunchtime; many used fire to prepare food a factor that worsened the fires that broke out. Around 2 million became homeless.
1964 One of the most powerful earthquakes in modern took place in Alaska on “Good Friday” March 27. Only around 100 people died from the earthquake in the low populated region.
1970 The worst natural disaster in the history of Peru too place in Nevados Huascaran. The earthquake triggered a massive landslide and 60.000-75.000 died as a result. Over one million people also became homeless.
1976 One of the worst earthquakes in history took place in Tangsan, China. Around 250.000 died and around 150.000 were injured. A combination of unsafe buildings and soil condition worsened the effect of the quake and left many of the survivors homeless.
1976 a devastating earthquake hit Guatemala. Around 22.000-23.000 died, over 70.000 was injured and thousands were left homeless after the earthquake that hit during the early morning when many were still asleep in their homes.
1976 just under 10.000 died from an earthquake in the Philippines
1978 a massive earthquake took place in Iran. The city Tabas was affected the worst, 75% of the people living in the city died leaving only around 4000 alive. Almost all of the healthcare personal and doctors died in the city adding to the desperate situation. Around 25.000 died in total.
1985 around 10.000-15.000 died from an earthquake that affected Mexico City. Mexico City is particular vulnerable to earthquakes because of the ground that the city rests on that easily can move during earthquakes.
1988 over 25.000 died from an earthquake in Armenia, then a part of the Soviet Union. The earthquake took place during the winter and many died from a result of the severe cold when their housing was destroyed. The city of Spitak was almost completely destroyed.
1990 Iran was affected by a powerful earthquake that resulted in 40.000-50.000 dead, around 60.000 wounded and many thousands homeless.
1993 just under 10.000 died from an earthquake in Marashtra, India
1995 around 6.500 died from an earthquake in Japan, most of them from the city Kobe. Around 200.000 buildings were destroyed along with major damage to the infrastructure. The poor district in Nagata Ward held many of the casualties from the earthquake, a combination of unsafe buildings and flammable chemicals used in for manufacturing of shoes worsened the situation in this area.
1999 a powerful earthquake hit Izmit in Turkey. Poorly constructed buildings and poverty worsened the effect of the earthquake that killed somewhere around 15.000, injured over 40.000 and left over 600.000 homeless.
1999 around 3500 people died from an earthquake in Nantou, Taiwan
2001 around 20.000 died from an earthquake in Gujarat, India during the 51st celebration of India’s Republic Day. Over 150.000 were injured and around half a million became homeless.
2003 a major earthquake affected Bam in Iran. The earthquake resulted in over 25.000 dead and around 30.000 injured. The effect was worsened because it took place during the night when many were sleeping. The United States offered assistance to Iran that was finally accepted, this was quite controversial because of the tension between Iran and the US after 9/11 2001.
2005 a major earthquake took place in the Pakistan part of Kashmir that left around 80.000 dead. India and Pakistan managed to cooperate despite the tensed situation between the countries over Kashmir and India helped to provided disaster relief.
2010 On the 12th of January a devastating earthquake took place in Haiti that may have been the deadliest earthquake in history. The death toll is now estimated to be around 200.000-300.000 people, with an additional 300.000 injured and over one million homeless. Haiti had long series of problem with poverty, internal conflict and unsafe building that worsened the effect of the earthquake.
Survival and Preparedness
The time when an earthquake takes place in critical, during night people are much more vulnerable when people are sleeping in their beds and vulnerable to collapsing buildings and falling items. If you live in a risk area for earthquakes the location where you live and the building where you live is critical for your security. Housing that’s not earthquake resistant may literally become a deathtrap. In general housing in low income and poor areas are affected the worst since they often can have a lack of maintenance and less secure building codes. The slums in urban areas or low income countries are classic examples. High Income Countries are often much less affected than low income countries that both have a more vulnerable infrastructure and less resources to manage a disaster. Aftershocks after a first earthquake can cause already damaged building to collapse.
Other secondary effects can be that law enforcement can’t control the situation in an area; plundering, looting and general lawlessness can follow. Normally countries from all around the world will send Search And Rescue Teams (SART) to an affected area, but this is almost like sending an ambulance from oversea. Most of the victims trapped under collapsed buildings will be dead before the SART will arrive. So even they can save some individuals this is a very costly operation that often don’t give big results. The local resources are often the resources that can make the biggest difference. After a few day international organizations like the UN, aid agencies from different nations and Non Governmental Organizations (NGO:s) will start to arrive. These organization will do what they can to help but if you ever find yourself in the aftermath of a major earthquake you must understand there may be a long time before help arrives and that the needs will be greater than any can master in short period of time.
· Make sure that there is no heavy items that can fall down and cause damage, especially over or around your bed.
· The access to water and sanitation may be limited and the risk of epidemics is high – especially for cholera. Having some water stored, an emergency toilet, hand disinfection, water purification filter, water purification tablets, bleach and a first aid kit can make a big difference.
· For search and rescue after a disaster items like flashlights, headlights, heavy duty leather work gloves, protective footwear, helmet and so on can be good items to have. If you would like to be a resource after a earthquake or other disaster I recommend that you join a CERT team, some kind of first responder unit or the Red Cross so that you can get some professional training. A fire extinguisher and fireproof blanket are effective items in cases where earthquakes results in fire.
· In some cases warning of coming earthquakes can be given by government agencies. If you receive a warning take some extra action, fill up some extra water containers and check your equipment. Taking down items for shelves like books and hanging items can also be a good idea.
· During some cases it may become necessary to evacuate and affected area, a Bug Out Bag or Get Home Bag can be useful tools to help you deal with this type of scenario.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)