natural environment hazards

8/7/2019 Natural environment hazards

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Naturalenvironmental hazards

Done by:zuhdiDone by:zuhdimahermaher
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:The_Earth_seen_from_Apollo_17.jpg


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Contents1 Land movement disasters

1.1 Avalanches1.2 Earthquakes

1.3 Lahars1.4 Volcanic eruptions

2 Water disasters2.1 Floods

2.2 Limnic eruptions

2.3 Tsunami3 Weather disasters

3.1 Blizzards3.2 Cyclonic storms

3.3 Droughts

3.4 Hailstorms3.5 Heat waves

3.6 Tornadoes

4 Fire5 Health and diseases

5. Famine6 Space

6.1 Gamma ray bursts6.2 Impact events

6.3 Solar flares

6.4 Supernovae and hypernovae7 Future of natural 1 Epidemic

5.2 disasters8 Insurance
http://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Land_movement_disastershttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Avalancheshttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Earthquakeshttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Laharshttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Volcanic_eruptionshttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Water_disastershttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Floodshttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Limnic_eruptionshttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Tsunamihttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Weather_disastershttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Blizzardshttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Cyclonic_stormshttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Droughtshttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Hailstormshttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Heat_waveshttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Tornadoeshttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Firehttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Health_and_diseaseshttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Epidemichttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Faminehttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Spacehttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Gamma_ray_burstshttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Impact_eventshttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Solar_flareshttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Supernovae_and_hypernovaehttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Future_of_natural_disastershttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Epidemichttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Faminehttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Future_of_natural_disastershttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Insurancehttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Insurancehttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Insurancehttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Future_of_natural_disastershttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Faminehttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Epidemichttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Epidemichttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Future_of_natural_disastershttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Supernovae_and_hypernovaehttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Supernovae_and_hypernovaehttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Solar_flareshttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Impact_eventshttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Gamma_ray_burstshttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Spacehttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Faminehttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Epidemichttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Epidemichttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Health_and_diseaseshttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Firehttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Tornadoeshttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Heat_waveshttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Hailstormshttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Droughtshttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Cyclonic_stormshttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Blizzardshttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Weather_disastershttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Tsunamihttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Limnic_eruptionshttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Limnic_eruptionshttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Limnic_eruptionshttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Floodshttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Water_disastershttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Volcanic_eruptionshttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Laharshttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Earthquakeshttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Avalancheshttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Land_movement_disastershttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#Land_movement_disasters


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A natural disaster is the effect oanatural hazard (e.g., flood,tornado, hurricane,volcanic eruption, earthquake, or

landslide) that affects theenvironment, and leads tofinancial, environmental and/orhuman losses. The resulting lossdepends on the capacity of thepopulation to support or resist thedisaster, and their resilience.[1] This understanding isconcentrated in the formulation:"disasters occur when hazards metvulerability."[2] A natural hazard

will hence never result in anatural disaster in areas withoutvulnerability, e.g. strongearthquakes in uninhabited areas.The term natural has

consequently been disputedbecause the events simply are nothazards or disasters withouthuman involvement.[3] Naturaldisasters which occur the

movement of plate tectonics areearthquakes, volcanoes, geysereruptions and tsunami.f

IIntroductionntroduction
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_hazardhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floodhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tornadohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricanehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volcanic_eruptionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthquakehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landslidehttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#cite_note-0http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulnerabilityhttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#cite_note-1http://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#cite_note-2http://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#cite_note-2http://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#cite_note-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulnerabilityhttp://smb//tmp/sv68f.tmp/#cite_note-0http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landslidehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthquakehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volcanic_eruptionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricanehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tornadohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floodhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_hazard


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Avalanches

The 1910 Wellington avalancheThe 1954BlonsavalanchesThe 1970 Ancash earthquakeThe 1999 GaltrAvalancheThe 2002 Kolka-Karmadon

rock ice slideThe 2008 WenchuanearthquakeThe 2010 Haiti earthquakeThe 2010 Chile earthquakeThe 2010 YushuearthquakeThe 2010 Pacaya Volcano ash disaster

Avalanche on the backside (East)ofMt. Timpanogos, Utah at AspenGrove trail
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wellington_avalanchehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1954_Blons_avalancheshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1954_Blons_avalancheshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1954_Blons_avalancheshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1970_Ancash_earthquakehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galt%C3%BCr_Avalanchehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galt%C3%BCr_Avalanchehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kolka-Karmadon_rock_ice_slidehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kolka-Karmadon_rock_ice_slidehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wenchuan_earthquakehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wenchuan_earthquakehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haiti_earthquakehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chile_earthquakehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yushu_earthquakehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yushu_earthquakehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avalanchehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mt._Timpanogoshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mt._Timpanogoshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avalanchehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yushu_earthquakehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yushu_earthquakehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chile_earthquakehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haiti_earthquakehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wenchuan_earthquakehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wenchuan_earthquakehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kolka-Karmadon_rock_ice_slidehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kolka-Karmadon_rock_ice_slidehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galt%C3%BCr_Avalanchehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galt%C3%BCr_Avalanchehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1970_Ancash_earthquakehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1954_Blons_avalancheshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1954_Blons_avalancheshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1954_Blons_avalancheshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wellington_avalanche


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Main article: EarthquakeAn Earthquake is a sudden shakeof the Earth's crust caused by thetectonic plates colliding.Thevibrations may vary in magnitude.The underground point of origin of

the earthquake is called the"focus". The point directly abovethe focus on the surface is calledthe"epicenter". Earthquakes bythemselves rarely kill people or

wildlife. It is usually the secondaryevents that they trigger, such asbuilding collapse, fires, tsunamis(seismic sea waves) and volcanoes,that are actually the human

disaster. Many of these couldpossibly be avoided by betterconstruction, safety systems, earlywarning and evacuationplanning.Earthquakes are causedby the discharge of energy

accumulated along geologic fault

Earthquakes
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthquakehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsunamihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsunamihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthquake


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Lahars

A lahar is a volcanic mudflow orlandslide. The 9513 Tangiwaidisasterwas caused by a lahar, as was the1985 Armerotragedy in which thetown of Armero was buried and anestimated 23,000 people were killed.

Volcanic eruptionsMain article:Types of volcanic eruptionsSee also: World's largest eruptions

Volcanic eruptions

An Eruption may in itself be a

disaster due to the explosion ofthe volcano or the fall of rock butthere are several effects that mayhappen after an eruption that arealso hazardous to human life.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laharhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tangiwai_disasterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tangiwai_disasterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armero_tragedyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armero_tragedyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Types_of_volcanic_eruptionshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World's_largest_eruptionshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eruptionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eruptionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World's_largest_eruptionshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Types_of_volcanic_eruptionshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armero_tragedyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armero_tragedyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tangiwai_disasterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tangiwai_disasterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lahar


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An Eruption may in itself be adisaster due to the explosion ofthe volcano or the fall of rock butthere are several effects that may

happen after an eruption that arealso hazardous to human life.Lava may be produced during theeruption of a volcano a materialconsisting of superheated rock.

There are several different formswhich may be either crumbly orgluey. Leaving the volcano thisdestroys any buildings and plantsit encounters.

Supervolcanoes: According to theToba catastrophe theory 70 to 75thousand years ago a super volcanic

event at Lake Toba reduced thehuman population to 10,000 or even1,000 breeding pairs creating abottleneck in human evolution. Italso killed three quarters of all plantlife in the northern hemisphere. The

main danger from a supervolcano isthe immense cloud of ash which hasa disastrous global effect on climateand temperature for many years
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eruptionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lavahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supervolcanohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toba_catastrophe_theoryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Tobahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Tobahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toba_catastrophe_theoryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supervolcanohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lavahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eruption


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Pyroclasticflows consist of a cloudof hot volcanic ash which builds upin the air above under its ownweight and streams very rapidlyfrom the mountain burninganything in its path. It is believedthat Pompeii was destroyed by a

pyroclastic flow.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyroclastic_flowshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyroclastic_flowshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pompeiihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Puu_Oo_cropped.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pompeiihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyroclastic_flowshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyroclastic_flows


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Water disasters

Floods

Main article: List of floods

Some of the most notablefloods include:The 2010 Pakistan floods, damagedcrops and the infrastructure, whileclaiming many lives.The Huang He (Yellow River) inChina floods particularly often.The Great Flood of 1931 causedbetween 800,000 and 4,000,000

deaths.The Great Flood of 1993 was oneof the most costly floods in UnitedStates history.The 1998 Yangtze River Floods,

also in China, left 14 millionpeople homeless.The 2000 Mozambique floodcovered much of the country forthree weeks, resulting in

thousands of deaths, and leavingthe country devastated for yearsafterward
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_floodshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Pakistan_floodshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huang_Hehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1931_Huang_He_floodhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Flood_of_1993http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1998_Yangtze_River_Floodshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2000_Mozambique_floodhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2000_Mozambique_floodhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1998_Yangtze_River_Floodshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Flood_of_1993http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1931_Huang_He_floodhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huang_Hehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Pakistan_floodshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_floods


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Tropical cyclones can result inextensive flooding and storm surge,

as happened with:BholaCyclone, strikingEast Pakistan (now Bangladesh) in1970,Typhoon Nina, striking China in

1975,Tropical Storm Allison, which struckHouston, Texas in 2001 andHurricane Katrina, which left mostofNew Orleans under water in

2005. Much of the flooding was dueto the failure of the city's leveesystem.

TheLimpopo River, in southern

Mozambique,during the2000 Mozambi
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_cyclonehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Storm_surgehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhola_Cyclonehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhola_Cyclonehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Pakistanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangladeshhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Typhoon_Nina_(1975)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_Storm_Allisonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houston,_Texashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Katrinahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Orleanshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limpopo_Riverhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mozambiquehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2000_Mozambique_floodhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2000_Mozambique_floodhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mozambiquehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limpopo_Riverhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Orleanshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Katrinahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houston,_Texashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_Storm_Allisonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Typhoon_Nina_(1975)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangladeshhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Pakistanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhola_Cyclonehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhola_Cyclonehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Storm_surgehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_cyclone


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Limnic eruptions

A limniceruption occurs when a gas,usually CO2 suddenly erupts from deep

lake water, posing the threat ofsuffocating wildlife, livestock andhumans. Such an eruption may alsocause tsunamis in the lake as the risinggas displaces water. Scientists believelandslides, volcanic activity, or

explosions can trigger such aneruption. To date, only two limniceruptions have been observed andrecorded:In 1984, in Cameroon, a limniceruption in LakeMonoun caused thedeaths of 37 nearby residents.At nearby LakeNyos in 1986 a muchlarger eruption killed between 1,700and 1,800 people by asphyxiation

A cow suffocated by gasesfrom LakeNyos after alimniceruption
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limnic_eruptionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limnic_eruptionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_dioxidehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_dioxidehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsunamihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landslideshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volcanichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cameroonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Monounhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Monounhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Nyoshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Nyoshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asphyxiationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Nyoshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Nyoshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limnic_eruptionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limnic_eruptionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limnic_eruptionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limnic_eruptionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Nyoshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Nyoshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asphyxiationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Nyoshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Nyoshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Monounhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Monounhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cameroonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volcanichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landslideshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsunamihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_dioxidehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_dioxidehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limnic_eruptionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limnic_eruption


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Tsunami

Tsunamis can be caused by underseaearthquakes as the one caused in AoNang, Thailand, by the2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake, or bylandslides such as the one whichoccurred at LituyaBay, Alaska.AoNang, Thailand (2004). The2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake createdthe Boxing Day Tsunami and disaster at

this site.LituyaBay, Alaska (1953). Amega-tsunami occurred here, thelargest ever recorded.(This also fits within the "Landmovement disaster" category because

it started with an earthquake

The tsunami

caused by theDecember 26,2004,earthquakestrikes AoNang,Thailand

See also 2010 Chile earthquakeon October 26, 2010, a tsunamioccurred at Sumatra, Indonesia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ao_Nanghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ao_Nanghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Indian_Ocean_Earthquakehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lituya_Bayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lituya_Bayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaskahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ao_Nanghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ao_Nanghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Indian_Ocean_Earthquakehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boxing_Day_Tsunamihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lituya_Bay#1958_megatsunamihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lituya_Bay#1958_megatsunamihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mega-tsunamihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsunamihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthquakehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ao_Nanghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ao_Nanghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thailandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Chile_earthquakehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumatrahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:2004-tsunami.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumatrahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Chile_earthquakehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thailandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ao_Nanghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ao_Nanghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthquakehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsunamihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mega-tsunamihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lituya_Bay#1958_megatsunamihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lituya_Bay#1958_megatsunamihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boxing_Day_Tsunamihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Indian_Ocean_Earthquakehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ao_Nanghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ao_Nanghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaskahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lituya_Bayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lituya_Bayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Indian_Ocean_Earthquakehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ao_Nanghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ao_Nang


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Weather disasters

Main article: Meteorological disasters

BlizzardsSignificant blizzards in theUnited States include:

The Great Blizzard of 1888The Schoolhouse Blizzardearlier the same yearThe Armistice Day Blizzardin 1940The Storm of the Century

in 1993

Young steer aftera blizzard, March

1966
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meteorological_disastershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blizzardhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Blizzard_of_1888http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schoolhouse_Blizzardhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1888http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armistice_Day_Blizzardhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1993_North_American_storm_complexhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blizzardhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blizzardhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1993_North_American_storm_complexhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armistice_Day_Blizzardhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1888http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schoolhouse_Blizzardhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Blizzard_of_1888http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blizzardhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meteorological_disasters


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Cyclonic storms

Main articles: Tropical cyclone andCyclone

Cyclone, tropical cyclone, hurricane,and typhoon are different names forthe same phenomenon a cyclonicstorm system that forms over the

oceans. The deadliest hurricane everwas the 1970 Bhola cyclone; thedeadliest Atlantic hurricane was theGreat Hurricane of 1780 whichdevastated Martinique, St. Eustatiusand Barbados. Another notable

hurricane is Hurricane Katrina whichdevastated the Gulf Coast of theUnited States in 2005

Droughts

Well-known historical droughtsinclude:

1900 India killing between 250,000and 3.25 million.1921-22 Soviet Union in which over 5million perished from starvation dueto drought
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_cyclonehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclonehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Droughthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Droughthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclonehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_cyclone


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1928-30 northwest China resulting inover 3 million deaths by famine.1936 and 1941 Sichuan ProvinceChina resulting in 5 million and 2.5

million deaths respectively.As of 2006, states of Australiaincluding Western Australia, NewSouth Wales, Victoria and Queenslandhad been under drought conditions forfive to ten years. The drought isbeginning to affect urban areapopulations for the first time.In 2006, Sichuan Province Chinaexperienced its worst drought inmodern times with nearly 8 million

people and over 7 million cattle facingwater shortages

Hailstorms

Hailstorms (AKA hailstones) are raindrops that have formed together intoice. A particularly damaging hailstormhit Munich, Germany, on July 12,1984, causing about 2 billion dollars

in insurance claims
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munichhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insurancehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insurancehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munich


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Heat waves

The worst heat wave in recent historywas the European Heat Wave of 2003.

A summer heat wave in Victoria,

Australia, caused the massive bushfiresin 2009. Melbourne experienced three

days in a row of temperatures exceeding40C. The bushfire, otherwise known as

"Black Saturday" was also startedintentionally

Hurricane Katrina
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Heat_Wave_of_2003http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_Victoria_bushfireshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melbournehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Katrinahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hurricane_Katrina_August_28_2005_NASA.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Katrinahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melbournehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_Victoria_bushfireshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Heat_Wave_of_2003


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Tornadoes

Main article: TornadoDifferent Types ofTornadoes

Supercell TornadoesMain article: SupercellSome of the most violent tornadoesdevelop from supercell thunderstorms. Asupercell thunderstorm is a long-livedthunderstorm possessing within itsstructure a continuously rotatingupdraft of air. These storms have thegreatest tendency to producetornadoes, some of the huge wedgeshape. The supercell thunderstorm has alow-hanging, rotating layer of cloudknown as a "wall cloud." It lookssomewhat like a layer of a layer cakethat hangs below the broader cloudbase. One side of the wall cloud is oftenrain-free, while the other is neighbored

by dense shafts of rain. The rotatingupdraft of the supercell is seen on radaras a "mesocyclone."The tornadoes that accompany supercellthunderstorms are more likely to remainin contact with the ground for long

periods of timean hour or morethanother tornadoes, and are more likely tobe violent, with winds exceeding-200 mph
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tornadohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supercellhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supercellhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tornado


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LandspoutMain article: LandspoutGenerally weaker than a supercelltornado, a landspout is not associatedwith a wall cloud or mesocyclone. Itmay be observed beneath

cumulonimbus or towering cumulusclouds and is the land equivalent of awaterspout. It often forms along theleading edge of rain-cooled downdraftair emanating from a thunderstorm,known as a "gust front."

GustnadoMain article: GustnadoWeak and usually short-lived, agustnado forms along the gust front ofa thunderstorm, appearing as atemporary dust whirl or debris cloud.There may be no apparent connectionto or circulation in the cloud aloft.These appear like dust devils.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landspouthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustnadohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustnadohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landspout


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WaterspoutA waterspout is a tornado over water. A fewform from supercell thunderstorms, butmany form from weak thunderstorms orrapidly growing cumulus clouds.

Waterspouts are usually less intense andcauses far less damage. Rarely more thanfifty yards wide, it forms over warmtropical ocean waters, although its funnelis made of freshwater droplets condensedfrom water vapor from condensation - not

saltwater from the ocean. Waterspoutsusually dissipate upon reaching land.The following are tornado-like circulations

Dust DevilsMain article: Dust devilDry, hot, clear days on the desert or overdry land can bring about dust devils.

Generally forming in the hot sun during thelate morning or early afternoon hours,these mostly harmless whirlwinds aretriggered by light desert breezes thatcreate a swirling plume of dust with speedsrarely over 70 mph. These differ from

tornadoes in that they are not associatedwith a thunderstorm (or any cloud), andare usually weaker than the weakesttornado.Typically, the life cycle of a dust devil is afew minutes or less, although they can lastmuch longer. Although usually harmless,they have been known to cause minordamage. They can blow vehicles off theroad and could damage your eyes byblowing dust into them.
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FirewhirlsMain article: Fire whirlSometimes the intense heat created bya major forest fire or volcanic eruption

can create what is known as afirewhirl, a tornado-like rotatingcolumn of smoke and/or fire. Thishappens when the fire updraftconcentrates some initial weak whirlor eddy in the wind. Winds associatedwith firewhirls have been estimated atover 100 mph. They are sometimescalled fire tornadoes, fire devils, oreven firenadoes

FireMain article: List of forest firesWildfires are an uncontrolled fireburning in wildland areas. Commoncauses include lightning and droughtbut wildfires may also be started byhuman negligence or arson. They canbe a threat to those in rural areas andalso wildlife.Notable cases ofwildfires were the

1871 Peshtigo Fire in the UnitedStates, which killed at least 1700people, and the 2009Victorian bushfires in Australia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_whirlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_forest_fireshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildfirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildlandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lightninghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Droughthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arsonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildlifehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildfirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peshtigo_Firehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_Victoria_bushfireshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_Victoria_bushfireshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peshtigo_Firehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildfirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildlifehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arsonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Droughthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lightninghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildlandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildfirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_forest_fireshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_whirl


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Health and diseases

Epemic

Main article: List of epidemics

influenzaAn epidemic is an outbreak of acontractible disease that spreads at arapid rate through a human population. Apandemic is an epidemic whose spread isglobal. There have been many epidemicsthroughout history, such as Black Death.In the last hundred years, significantpandemics include:

The A H5N1 virus, whichcauses Avian
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The 1968-69 Hong Kong flu pandemicThe 2002-3 SARS pandemicThe AIDS epidemic, beginning in 1959The H1N1 Influenza (Swine Flu)

Pandemic 2009-2010Other diseases that spread moreslowly, but are still considered to beglobal health emergencies by the WHOinclude:XDR TB, a strain oftuberculosis that isextensively resistant to drugtreatmentsMalaria, which kills an estimated 1.6million people each yearEbola hemorrhagic fever, which has

claimed hundreds of victims in Africain several outbreaks

Famine

Main article: List of faminesIn modern times, famine has hitSub-Saharan Africa the hardest,although the number of victims ofmodern famines is much smaller than

the number of people killed by theAsian famines of the 20th century.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hong_Kong_fluhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SARShttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AIDShttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_flu_pandemichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WHOhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XDR_TBhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuberculosishttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malariahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ebola_hemorrhagic_feverhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outbreakhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_famineshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sub-Saharan_Africahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sub-Saharan_Africahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_famineshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outbreakhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ebola_hemorrhagic_feverhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malariahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuberculosishttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XDR_TBhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WHOhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_flu_pandemichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AIDShttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SARShttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hong_Kong_flu


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Space

Gamma ray burstsMain article: gamma ray burstGamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are flashesof gamma rays associated withextremely energetic explosions indistant galaxies. They are the mostluminous electromagnetic eventsknown to occur in the universe.Bursts can last from milliseconds toseveral minutes, although a typicalburst lasts a few seconds. The initial

burst is usually followed by a longer-lived "afterglow" emitted at longerwavelengths (X-ray, ultraviolet,optical, infrared and radio).Most observed GRBs are believed tobe a narrow beam of intense

radiation released during a supernovaevent, as a rapidly rotating, high-mass star collapses to form a blackhole. A subclass of GRBs (the "short"bursts) appear to originate from adifferent process, possibly the

merger of binary neutron stars.
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The sources of most GRBs are billions oflight years away from Earth, implying thatthe explosions are both extremely

energetic (a typical burst releases as muchenergy in a few seconds as the Sun will inits entire 10 billion year lifetime) andextremely rare (a few per galaxy permillion years[1]). All observed GRBs haveoriginated from outside the Milky Waygalaxy, although a related class ofphenomena, soft gamma repeater flares,are associated with magnetars within theMilky Way. It has been hypothesized that agamma-ray burst in the Milky Way couldcause a mass extinction on Earth.[2]GRBs were first detected in 1967 by the

Vela satellites, a series of satellitesdesigned to detect covert nuclear weaponstests. Hundreds of theoretical models wereproposed to explain these bursts in theyears following their discovery, such ascollisions between comets and neutronstars.[3] Little information was available toverify these models until the 1997detection of the first X-ray and opticalafterglows and direct measurement of theirredshifts using optical spectroscopy. Thesediscoveries, and subsequent studies of thegalaxies and supernovae associated with

the bursts, clarified the distance andluminosity of GRBs, definitively placingthem in distant galaxies and connectinglong GRBs with the deaths of massive stars

Fallen treescaused by the

Tunguskameteoroid of theTunguska event inJune 1908
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Impact events

Main article: impact event

One of the largest impact events inmodern times was the Tunguska event

in June 1908.

Solar flares

Main article: solar flare

A solar flare is a phenomenon wherethe sun suddenly releases a greatamount ofsolar radiation, much morethan normal. Some known solar flaresinclude:

An X20 event on August 16, 1989A similar flare on April 2, 2001The most powerful flare everrecorded, on November 4, 2003,estimated at between X40 and X45The most powerful flare in the past

500 years is believed to haveoccurred in September 1859
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Supernovae and hypernovae

Main articles: supernova and

hypernova

Future of natural disasters

The United Kingdom based charity

Oxfam publicly stated that the numberof people hit by climate-relateddisasters is expected to rise by about50%, to reach 375 million a year by2015.[5]

British defence secretary Liam Fox has

pubilicly warned that a massive solarflare may occur in 2013, causingwidespread damage to the world'selectronic and communicationsinfrastructures.[6]

Insurance

Natural disasters play a major role inthe insurance industry, which pays forcertain damages arising fromhurricanes, wildfires, and other

catastrophes. Large reinsurancecompanies are particularly involved.[7]
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natural environment hazards

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