ISSUES OF THE ENVIRONMENT: NATURAL DISASTERS

A disaster is an event which result in widespread human loss, accompanied by loss of livelihood, property etc. Disasters result in destruction, disturbing the normal life and push back the process of development. Hazard refers to a natural event whereas disaster is its consequence.

Disaster differs according to their natural of the destruction and also in terms of their potential. Disasters like earthquake, floods etc have an immediate impact while drought, crop failures etc create long standing problems.

Here is description of some of the main disasters. Before understanding disaster management and related strategies, it is necessary to understand these disasters:

1. EARTHQUAKE: - Earthquake is a sudden release of energy accumulated in deformed rocks causing the ground to tremble or shake. The exact spot underneath the surface of earth where earthquake generates is known as “focus” while the point lying on ground surface is called “epicenter”. In an earthquake stability of earthquake is immensely disturbed. Buildings crack and break apart, roads and fly over bridges collapse etc. Landslides are also caused due to earthquakes. Under water earthquakes may result in the arrival of Tsunamis.

2. FLOOD: - Floods are inundation of generally lowland areas caused by heavy rains, storm surge, tsunami, melting snow or dam burst. Some typical effects of flood are damage to structures, deaths caused by drowning, contamination of water, loss of entire harvest etc. Not only this, land may turn infertile due to erosion of top layer or may turn saline.

3. CYCLONES: - Cyclones are violent storms characterized by high winds rotating about a calm center of low atmospheric pressure. This center move onwqrds, often with a velocity of 50km per hour. Cyclone is more responsible for death and destructions than any other calamities. Maximum destruction occurs within 100km from the centre of the cyclone. This causes damage to crops, floods, disruption in communications etc.

4. LANDSLIDES: - Landslides are slippery masses of rock, earth or debris which move by force of their own weight down mountains, slopes, or river banks. Landslides may take place in combination with volcanoes, floods and earthquakes. Damages caused due to a landslide includes injuries and fatalities to human and cattle lives, road blockage, damage to agriculture, poultry, forest produce etc.

5. DROUGHT: - Drought generally means a situation where there is a reduction in rainfall for a specified period below a specified amount. It is also referred as a decline in water level of water resources much below the normal for a specified period of time. Droughts do not cause any structural damage. The typical effect includes loss of crop, dairy timber; loss of biodiversity, reduced water and landscape quality, food shortage, ground water depletion etc.