http://clearlyexplained.com/nature/earth/disasters/
What are natural disasters?
Here is a definition: A natural disaster is an event caused by natural forces
of nature that often has a significant effect on human populations. Typically
the human populations either are displaced (left homeless) or killed.
Why are natural disasters important?
There are some obvious reasons for knowing about natural disasters:
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Environmentally natural disasters can be important to local
ecosystems. For example, smoke from brushfires in California is
sometimes needed for seeds to germinate.
Natural disasters often have an economic and emotional effect on
people and property directly affected.
Having a better understanding of natural disasters and causes can help
you better prepare and perhaps minimize or prevent brushfire
damage.
Often natural disasters can occur in all three of these board areas:
land, air, water.
How do natural disasters occur? How are natural disasters
classified?
Natural disasters occur due to the activities of naturally occurring things. It
really depends on what the specific event is.
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Weather disasters occur due to changes in atmospheric conditions. For
example: Tornadoes, Hurricanes, Floods
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Land disasters are primarily due to changes in the earth’s crust. For
example volcanoes and earthquakes.
Water disasters are often a combination of weather and land disasters.
For example: Tsunamis.
What is the history of natural disasters?
Natural disasters have been around for as long as the Earth has existed.
Although the term “disaster” has only been of significance as long as
humans have been around. The origin of the word disaster comes from the
latin “dis” meaning bad/misfortune and “aster” meaning “of the stars”. So
presumably it all combines to mean bad luck under the stars. In ancient
times stars were assumed to predict impeding (to retard in movement or
progress by means of obstacles or hindrances; obstruct; hinder) events
including bad events.
Conan-Davies, Richard. "Natural Disasters." Natural Disaters Clearly Exaplained. N.p., 23 Jan.
2003. Web. 30 Nov. 2011. <http://clearlyexplained.com/nature/earth/disasters/>.
Scienceray
http://scienceray.com/earth-sciences/three-most-destructive-natural-disasters/
Storms
Storms are also known as strong winds, thunder and lightning. Storms are of many types like:
Fire storm, heat storm, ice storm, thunder storm, blizzard, cyclone, tornado, etc. Storms are
mostly some substance being transported by the air like in dust storm, hail storm and snow
storm. Storms are also vicious winds which killed dozens of peoples.
Read more: http://scienceray.com/earth-sciences/three-most-destructive-naturaldisasters/#ixzz16pJHpGen
Floods
Video
http://videos.howstuffworks.com/science/flood-videos-playlist.htm#video-14099
There are 28 videos. For example: How Floods Work, page 2
Another type of natural disasters are floods which are caused when rivers, seas, or oceans are
flooded with water and can not take in any more so, the water escapes its boundaries and it
destroys everything that gets in its way. Floods killed millions of people and destroyed many
towns and cities.
Read more: http://scienceray.com/earth-sciences/three-most-destructive-naturaldisasters/#ixzz16pJ01JY2
"Three Most Destructive Natural Disasters." Scienceray. Scienceray 2010, 7 Aug. 2009. Web. 1
Jan. <http://scienceray.com/earth-sciences/three-most-destructive-naturaldisasters/#ixzz16pJ01JY2>
FEMA: Types of Disasters
http://www.fema.gov/hazard/types.shtm
Tsunami
Video
http://videos.howstuffworks.com/science/tsunami-videos-playlist.htm#video-27966
There are 28 videos. For example: Indonesia Tsunami
Tsunamis (pronounced soo-ná-mees), also known as seismic sea waves (mistakenly called “tidal
waves”), are a series of enormous waves created by an underwater disturbance such as an
earthquake, landslide, volcanic eruption, or meteorite. A tsunami can move hundreds of miles
per hour in the open ocean and smash into land with waves as high as 100 feet or more.
http://www.google.com/images?q=picture+of+a+tsunami&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IESearchBox&oe=UTF-8&rlz=1I7TSHB_en&um=1&ie=UTF8&source=univ&ei=Ysb1TPWHDsGclge136WwBg&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&r
esnum=1&ved=0CCYQsAQwAA&biw=1345&bih=529
Tornado
Video
http://videos.howstuffworks.com/science/tornado-videos-playlist.htm#video-36047
There are 86 to choose from. For example: When a Tornado Strikes
Tornadoes are nature’s most violent storms. Spawned from powerful thunderstorms, tornadoes
can cause fatalities and devastate a neighborhood in seconds. A tornado appears as a rotating,
funnel-shaped cloud that extends from a thunderstorm to the ground with whirling winds that can
reach 300 miles per hour. Damage paths can be in excess of one mile wide and 50 miles long.
Every state is at some risk from this hazard.
"Types of Disasters." Fema. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2010.
<http://www.fema.gov/hazard/types.shtm>.
Hurricane
Video
http://videos.howstuffworks.com/science/hurricane-videos-playlist.htm#video-28980
There are 60 to choose from. For example-Hurricane Forecasting
Weather Wiz Kids
http://www.weatherwizkids.com/
A hurricane is a huge storm! It can be up to 600 miles across and have strong winds
spiraling inward and upward at speeds of 75 to 200 mph. Each hurricane usually
lasts for over a week, moving 10-20 miles per hour over the open ocean. Hurricanes
gather heat and energy through contact with warm ocean waters. Evaporation from
the seawater increases their power. Hurricanes rotate in a counter-clockwise
direction around an "eye." The center of the storm or "eye" is the calmest part. It
has only light winds and fair weather. When they come onto land, the heavy rain,
strong winds and large waves can damage buildings, trees and cars.
Wicker, Crystal. Weather Wiz Kids. N.P, n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2010.
<http://clearlyexplained.com/nature/earth/disasters/>.
______________________________________________________________________________
Wildfire
Video
http://videos.howstuffworks.com/science/wildfires-videos-playlist.htm#video-36129
There are 2 videos. For example: Too Hot to Handle
Answers.com
http://www.answers.com/topic/wildfire
A wildfire is a raging conflagration that rapidly spreads out of control. It happens most
frequently in the summer, when the brush is dry and flames can move unchecked through a
wooded area. The fire often begins unnoticed and spreads quickly, lighting brush, trees and
homes. It may be started by a campfire that was not doused properly, a tossed cigarette, burning
debris, lightning or arson.
Weather's Role in Wildfires
How Stuff Works
http://science.howstuffworks.com/nature/natural-disasters/wildfire2.htm
Weather plays a major role in the birth, growth and death of a wildfire. Drought leads to
extremely favorable conditions for wildfires, and winds aid a wildfire's progress -- weather can
spur the fire to move faster and engulf more land. It can also make the job of fighting the fire
even more difficult. There are three weather ingredients that can affect wildfires:
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Temperature
Wind
Moisture
As mentioned before, temperature affects the sparking of wildfires, because heat is one of the
three pillars of the fire triangle. The sticks, trees and underbrush on the ground receive radiant
heat from the sun, which heats and dries potential fuels. Warmer temperatures allow for fuels to
ignite and burn faster, adding to the rate at which a wildfire spreads. For this reason, wildfires
tend to rage in the afternoon, when temperatures are at their hottest.
Bonsor, Kevin. "How Wildfires Work" 29 May 2001. HowStuffWorks.com.
<http://science.howstuffworks.com/nature/natural-disasters/wildfire.htm> 30 November 2010.
Citations
Bonsor, Kevin. "How Wildfires Work" 29 May 2001. HowStuffWorks.com.
<http://science.howstuffworks.com/nature/natural-disasters/wildfire.htm> 30 November
2010.
Conan-Davies, Richard. "Natural Disasters." Natural Disaters Clearly Exaplained. N.p., 23 Jan.
2003. Web. 30 Nov. 2011. <http://clearlyexplained.com/nature/earth/disasters/>.
How Stuff Works Videos. Discovery Company, n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2010.
<http://videos.howstuffworks.com/>.
"Three Most Destructive Natural Disasters." Scienceray. Scienceray 2010, 7 Aug. 2009. Web. 1
Jan. http://scienceray.com/earth-sciences/three-most-destructive-naturaldisasters/#ixzz16pJOlJY2
"Types of Disasters." Fema. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2010.
<http://www.fema.gov/hazard/types.shtm>.
Wicker, Crystal. Weather Wiz Kids. N.P, n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2010.
<http://clearlyexplained.com/nature/earth/disasters/>.
"Wildfires." Answers.com. Answers Corporation, n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2010.
<http://www.answers.com/topic/wildfire>.