Category: Disaster

Introduction

Hurricane Ike was a strong tropical cyclone that covered part of Northern America and the Greater Antilles in 2008 causing massive destruction on agriculture and infrastructure (Sebastian et al. 173). Scientists regard it as one of the most destructive cyclones in the history of the United States. It started as a tropical disturbance near Cape Verde on September 1 and grew into a full-blown storm on the evening of September 3. On the first day of the incident, Ike subsided during overnight hours due to the effect of northerly wind shear. However, the following morning, the winds were calm giving it a window to intensify. By September 3, the storm had gained momentum to almost becoming a hurricane, and by mid-afternoon, it transformed into a cyclone. Sebastian et al. say, Ike then explosively intensified and was upgraded to a major storm with winds of 185km/h only three hours after being declared a hurricane (175). It continued to intensify and was later promoted to a group 4 hurricane. The storm reached maximum strength in the morning hours of September 4 with winds of 230 km/h. The initial landfall of Hurricane Ike happened on September 7 when it reached Caicos and Turks Islands.

Hurricane Ike had both social and economic effects on the countries that it affected. According to Morss and Hayden, a lot of property was destroyed leaving thousands of families homeless (181). In Turk Island, at least 80% of the families lost their property (Morss and Hayden 181). Moreover, health facilities were damaged leading to the interruption of essential medical services. The destruction of a local pharmacy impacted the distribution of prescription drugs in the Island adversely. In Haiti, the hurricane resulted in a major humanitarian crisis due to the destruction of infrastructure. It triggered floods that washed away the only remaining bridge in the city of Gonaives (Morss and Hayden 184). Hence, it was hard for charitable organizations to supply the city with food and other humanitarian services. At least 74 people died as a result of the hurricane. In Houston, Texas, many people went without food for weeks in the wake of the damages that storm caused.

Pan alleges that most oil refineries and chemical plants were shut down in Texas (37). It resulted in a short-term increase in oil prices across the United States. The destruction in Louisiana, Texas, and Arkansas cost insurance companies at least $29.5 billion in claims, making the hurricane the third most destructive storm in the history of the United States. Pan maintains that the actual economic impact of the storm could be higher than what was reported (41). Ike had adverse economic effects on cattle ranchers who lost at least 4000 animals (Pan 44). Additionally, the hurricane resulted in the alteration of soil conditions, which affected crop production for many years. The agricultural output went down by nine percent in 2009 (Siebeneck et al. 2271).

The scientists were unable to forecast hurricane Ike effectively to give warning to the local people. Variations in the intensity of the storm made it hard for them to predict the duration it would take before initial landfall. The storm surge started earlier than expected. Consequently, many people were caught off guard. In Galveston, over 100,000 families were still in the area.

Synoptic History

Hurricane Ike started due to a well-defined tropical storm that originated from the west coast of Africa and moved towards the Gulf of Mexico. Williams posits, An area of low pressure developed along the wave axis early the next day and produced intermittent bursts of thunderstorm activity as it moved south of the Cape Verde Islands on 29 and 30 August (904). The wave could not sustain organized deep convection for two days. However, by September 1, it had acquired sufficient convective organization to qualify as a tropical depression. The depression grew in strength and transformed into a tropical storm by mid-morning on the same. The storm intensified significantly in the next two days as it traveled towards the tropical Atlantic, guided by an excellent subtropical crest to the north (Williams 904). At this time, Ike was surrounded by dry air and was unable to develop organized inner core convection, which possibly contributed to the slow strengthening rate during the early part of the storms existence (Williams 906).

A study of the microwave satellite images showed that powerful convective banding was already encircling the heart of Ike by noon of September 3. At around 1800 UTC, it was easy to spot an eye, and Ike had transformed into a hurricane. The presence of the storm in a region with practically no wind shear contributed to Ike experiencing volatile intensification (Berg 1). It reached maximum strength in a span of six hours after the scientists pronounced it a hurricane. The figure below represents a satellite image of the hurricane recorded on September 3.

Around this time, a deep-layer of a low-pressure area over the northwestern Atlantic weakened the subtropical ridge and allowed Ike to move on a west-northwestward track (Berg 2). Even though the atmospheric conditions could support the intensification of the hurricane, the northerly upper-level winds on the west side of the low were high enough to somewhat restrict the outflow on the north portion of the storm (Berg 2). Further, satellite images showed that in spite of the hurricane sustaining a sharp eye for the better part of the morning hours of September 4, its appearance deteriorated gradually as the day unfolded. The strength of the hurricane also decreased significantly. The figure below represents a satellite image of the hurricane recorded in the late hours of September 4.

Berg claims, Later, on September 4, Hurricane Ike changed its direction and headed west due to the accumulation of mid-level high pressure along the western Atlantic (2). The high was powerful enough to trigger an unclimatological movement of the hurricane towards the west-southwest direction. On the early morning of September 6, the northeasterly shear winds subsided as Ike was gradually approaching Caicos and Turks Islands. It facilitated the re-intensification of the hurricane leading to Ike regaining Category 4 status.

On September 6, the storm lost its strength at about 240km away from the Grand Turk Islands due to powerful wind shear. In spite of the wind shear subsiding and allowing Ike to re-intensify, the strength of the hurricane varied for the next few days. The microwave satellite images taken on September 6 showed that much of the deep convection over the northern semicircle was severely eroded; including the northern eyewall, but a small eye was still visible (Berg 2). Ike lost much of its strength and fell back to Category 3 status before crashing on Great Inagua Island in the Bahamas. Below is an image of Hurricane Ike after significant erosion of the deep convection.

The landfall on Inagua led to the formation of a double eyewall, which affected the strength of the storm. Nevertheless, Ike regained intensity and reached Category 4 status allowing it to make landfall near Cabo Lucrecia in Cuba on September 8 (Zhao and Xue 22). In spite of the hurricane remaining active as it traversed eastern Cuba, its nucleus had become unstable by the time it reached the Caribbean Sea. On September 9, the storm traveled westward along the southern coast of Cuba at a limited intensity with its center coming close to the coastline. Data from aircraft reconnaissance indicated that the strength of the hurricane increased progressively for about 18 hours after leaving the southern coast of Cuba. Nevertheless, images obtained from the observation report and satellite revealed that Ike had a configuration, which inhibited its swift intensification. On the same day, it made another landfall closer to Punta La Capitana and resurfaced at the Gulf of Mexico. The interaction with Cuba affected the hurricanes inner core resulting in the expansion of the wind field as it approached the Gulf of Mexico (Berg 2).

On September 10, the hurricane traveled leisurely in the northwest direction over the southeastern Gulf (Berg 3). The outer banding started to enfold the tiny eyewall that had endured the crossing of Cuba. The process inhibited swift spiraling of the hurricane with its winds reaching 85 knots (Berg 3). Moreover, hurricane-force winds and the tropical storm intensified, reaching 100 and 240 nautical miles respectively, from the core (Berg 3). Aircraft data collected at 1800 UTC indicated that the hurricane had two distinct wind maxima with equal power. Sherman et al. aver, The unusual broad distribution of high winds were associated with surface central pressures that were much lower than would be expected for the winds that were measured (74). The pressure in the Gulf of Mexico was 944 millibars, which resulted in the reduction of the speed of the hurricane.

As the storm swept through the Gulf of Mexico, high winds emanating from the east of the eye led to the generation of huge waves. Berg claims that the waves were as high as eight meters and lasted for at least 12 seconds (3).

By late September 10, the strength of subtropical ridge grew forcing Ike to change course and travel in the west-northwest direction (Berg 3). Berg argues, Moving over the warm waters of the Loop Current, Ike reached a secondary minimum in barometric pressure on 0000 UTC with an estimate 944mbar (3). The storms pressure continued to increase despite the strengthening of the power of the winds. On September 12, the hurricanes inner core convection remained weak leading to Ike upholding its broad wind field. The hurricane contacted the western rim of the neighboring region of elevated pressure towards the end of September 12 forcing it to bend northwards. The winds increased significantly due to the creation of an eye a few hours before landfall. The hurricane reached the northern edge of Galveston Island on September 13 at 0700 UTC (Berg 3). Its center swept through Galveston Bay on the east of Houston before traveling northwards towards Eastern Texas (Berg 3). Ike lost its strength and turned into a tropical storm before reaching Palestine, Texas. Ike then transformed into extratropical after coming into contact with a front as it traveled northeastwards across southern Missouri and northern Arkansas. On September 14, the active extratropical low moved swiftly northeastwards, generating hurricane-force wind bursts around Ohio Valley (Berg 3). Later in the day, the hurricane subsided and traveled across southern Ontario and Quebec. The figure below represents the path that Hurricane Ike followed from the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico.

Hurricane-Force Winds

Du et al. aver, The maximum sustained wind swaths estimated by the NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic Meteorological Laboratory Hurricane Division indicated that the hurricane-forces winds impacted approximately 180 km of coastline (23). The data showed that the winds traveled at maximum speed as they reached east of Galveston, Texas. The hurricane-force winds maintained their course as they swept across Galveston Island and Bolivar Peninsula. However, they changed the direction after the center of the hurricane made landfall. Du et al. argue that as the storm drew closer to the coast and made landfall, the winds transitioned to shore-normal orientation, blowing onshore northeast of landfall and offshore southwest of landfall (25). The storm swept across the eastern Galveston Bay, which was already flooded as a result of the forerunner surge triggered by the landfall. The hurricane-force winds swept across the Louisiana-Texas border and had a significant impact on the Louisiana coast. The figure below represents wind speeds as observed by NOAA.

Offshore Wave Climate

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration used moored buoys to record the amplitudes and frequencies of waves caused by Hurricane Ike. About 33 hours before landfall, the hurricane traveled close to one of the buoys stationed in the Gulf of Mexico (Hope et al. 4425). It recorded the greatest amplitude of 9.2 m. As the hurricane traveled across the Gulf of Mexico, the storms most high winds located on the eastern side of the eye, led to the generation of massive waves. The buoys on the northeastern Gulf captured significant wave amplitudes of between four and eight meters. The maximum frequencies of the waves ranged between 10 and 12 seconds (Hope et al. 4429). A moored float located east of Galveston, Texas went through the core of the hurricane, capturing maximum significant wave amplitude of 6.0 m. The figure below represents the recorded significant wave heights.

Storm Surge

According to Doran et al., the data about storm surge is gathered using land-based storm antennas and coastal tide gauges (4). Additionally, scientists use high-water marks to determine the maximum wind gush. A majority of the coastal tide gauges were operational during Hurricane Ike and helped to collect data on the pattern of the storm surge. The data indicated that the maximum storm surge occurred at all Gulf Coast States as the hurricane entered the Gulf of Mexico. Doran et al. posit, The large wind field pushed water towards the coastline well before landfall (5). The maximum storm gush went as high as 0.87 m above the normal tides, particularly on the coast of Florida. The shores of Southeastern Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama witnessed maximum storm surges that ranged between 0.79m and 1.98m. A majority of the tide gauges located close to the landfall did not work because of large wave action, which damaged the platforms holding the instruments. Doran et al. claim On the Bolivar Peninsula, high-water mark indicated that the entire area was covered by one meter of water (6). The high-water marks at Galveston Island revealed that the storm surges ranged between 3m and 4.5m. The hurricanes atypical broad wind field in the Gulf of Mexico resulted in the occurrence of numerous surge processes along the coast and LATEX shelf.

Conclusion

Hurricane Ike was among the most destructive storms to have ever been experienced in the United States. It resulted in the country losing at least $29 billion in property damage, not to mention the many people who lost their lives. The inability to predict the behavior of the storm led to state officials not issuing early warnings. In Houston, the officials were reluctant to request the public to evacuate the area, leading to at least 140,000 residents not leaving on time. Variations in weather conditions have made it hard for scientists to predict the occurrence of hurricanes. Nevertheless, an analysis of historical data shows that a storm akin to Ike is bound to occur in the future. It is hard to tell if the scientists, state officials, and the public as a whole learned a lesson from Ike. One may argue that the states function contributed to the impacts of the hurricane. The state was not prepared to evacuate people from areas that were vulnerable to the cyclone. However, people should appreciate that the climate also played a great role. The inability of the scientists to predict the movement of the storm was due to variations in weather conditions.

Works Cited

Berg, Robbie. Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Ike. National Hurricane Center, 2009. Web.

Doran, Kara, et al. Hurricane Ike: Observations and Analysis of Coastal Change. Reston, Virginia, 2009, U.S. Department of the Interior.

Du, Ningzhu, et al. Impact of Assimilating Airborne Doppler Radar Velocity Data Using ARPS 3DVAR on the Analysis and Prediction of Hurricane Ike (2008). Journal of Geophysical Research, vol. 117, no. 18, 2012, pp. 21-34.

Hope, Mark, et al. Hindcast and Validation of Hurricane Ike (2008) Waves, Forerunner, and Storm Surge. Journal of Geophysical Research, vol. 118, no. 9, 2013, pp. 4424-4460.

Morss, Rebecca, and Mary Hayden. Storm Surge and Certain Death: Interviews with Texas Coastal Residents Following Hurricane Ike. Weather, Climate, and Society, vol. 2, no. 1, 2012, pp. 174-189.

Pan, Qisheng. Estimating the Economic Losses of Hurricane Ike in the Greater Houston Region. Natural Hazards Review, vol. 16, no. 1, 2015, pp. 35-53.

Sebastian, Antonia, et al. Characterizing Hurricane Storm Surge Behavior in Galveston Bay Using the SWAN + ADCIRC Model. Coastal Engineering, vol. 66, no. 1, 2014, pp. 171-181.

Sherman, Douglas, et al. Impacts of Hurricane Ike on the Beaches of Bolivar Peninsula, TX, USA. Geomorphology, vol. 199, no. 1, 2013, pp. 62-81.

Siebeneck, Laura, et al. Evacuees Reentry Concerns and Experiences in the Aftermath of Hurricane Ike. Natural Hazards, vol. 65, no. 3, 2013, pp. 2267-2286.

Williams, Harry. Magnitude of Hurricane Ike Storm Surge Sedimentation: Implications for Coastal Marsh Aggradation. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, vol. 37, no. 8, 2012, pp. 901-906.

Zhao, Kun, and Ming Xue. Assimilation of Coastal Doppler Radar data with ARPS 3DVAR and Cloud Analysis for the Prediction of Hurricane Ike (2008). Geophysical Research Letters: An Agu Journal, vol. 36, no. 12, 2013, pp. 17-31.

Natural disasters that occur due to seasonal meteorological processes can become a real challenge for the affected region residents if the state does not have a clear response plan. Hurricane Katrina, a major Atlantic hurricane, killed 1,800 people when it hit New Orleans and the surrounding area in 2005, causing $ 125 billion in losses (Carafano & Keith, 2006). Hurricane Katrina is ranked more closely with Hurricane Harvey 2017 and Hurricane Kyle 2020. The lessons learned from the response to Hurricane Katrina will be useful in managing disasters in the future.

One of the main factors that complicated the emergency services situation and caused most of the deaths was flooding associated with deficiencies in the dam around New Orleans. As a result, 80% of the urban area was flooded, transport infrastructure and communications were destroyed. Tens of thousands of people became hostages of the elements and needed immediate evacuation. The evacuation involved federal, local, and private rescue operations. Despite criticism of the federal, state, and local government actions, which led to several resignations, the actions of some agencies were extremely effective. In particular, the United States Coast Guard (USCG), the National Hurricane Center (NHC), and the National Weather Service (NWS) performed best.

Hurricane Katrina created several significant challenges that have become the subject of further analysis. First, a remarkable piece of infrastructure across the Gulf Coast was destroyed, depriving 3 million customers of telephone communications (Chapter five: Lessons learned, 2005). Radio broadcast facilities were also affected, including half of local television and radio stations. In Mississippi, 50,000 power poles were demolished, according to government reports. As a result, rescue services were deprived of a network of reliable sources of information (Chapter five: Lessons learned, 2005). Besides, due to inadequate coordination with federal and local agencies, the available communication facilities were not fully utilized.

Other challenges were logistics and evacuation, search and rescue of victims, and the extensive use of military potential. According to the White House report findings, the need for the Ministry of Security to establish a regional emergency response structure was recognized. White House has also ordered to transform the National Guard to include training to prepare rescue missions (Carafano & Keith, 2006). The report also called on the Ministry of Health and Human Services to create plans for responding to natural disasters.

References

Carafano, J., & Keith, L. (2006). Hurricane Katrina lessons learned: Solid recommendations. Web.

Chapter five: Lessons learned. (2005). Web.

Nature and its actions are often unpredictable and frightening. Almost every day, TV channels and news websites report on natural disasters in different parts of the world. Many of these events are caused by global warming and other climatic and environmental changes resulting from human activities. Although many natural disasters are natural and predictable, they cannot be managed or their consequences predetermined. One of these incidents is earthquakes, which occur everywhere with less or more force and threaten the lives and health of people.

An earthquake is one of the most ancient and frequent catastrophic events. Despite this, people have yet to determine where, when, and what strength the next earthquake will occur. It occurs when a sudden release of energy accumulates for a long time due to the movement of tectonic plates (Bolt). Imagine going to a coffee shop to have some caffeine boost, as you do every morning. You have already gotten used to the fact that many people are there at this time and have learned to maneuver, avoiding collisions. However, you were late this morning and could not join this usual flow of people. As a result, you run into another customer, and the coffee stain is spilling over your shirt and coffee shop floor. People are trying to get away from the epicenter of events, and cafe workers are trying to eliminate the results of the morning catastrophe as quickly as possible. Earthquakes occur on a much larger scale, and instead of a coffee stain, a disruption is formed in the earths surface, spreading for tens of miles.

The break in the ground surface is the most common cause of horrific consequences, and people often cannot get out of the epicenter of the incident. Seismologists study and predict possible earthquakes, but it is impossible to predict any natural phenomenon in detail. Tracking seismic waves and their properties, especially in areas with a greater likelihood of an earthquake, certainly helps to warn the population and take preventive measures (Bolt). Every year, hundreds of thousands of earthquakes occur worldwide, most of which are minor and not felt by people. However, about 50,000 earthquakes can be detected without the aid of special instruments, and more than 100 of them are strong enough to cause significant harm to people (Bolt para. 2). Moreover, today, earthquakes occur even in those regions that are less prone to them, and the recent earthquakes in Turkey and Syria confirm this.

The circumstances and the number of victims of this incident are simply shocking. Moreover, neither the people nor the authorities of Turkey and Syria were prepared for such a catastrophe, which led to even more victims and deaths. Imagine another situation, in the evening, you go to bed, preparing for a hard work week because tomorrow is Monday. Suddenly, in the middle of the night, it seems that the house is starting to stagger, and after a few minutes, you find yourself under the rubble of concrete slabs. The worst thing is that this is not a nightmare from which you can wake up but a new reality. That is exactly what happened on the night of February 6 in Turkey.

I was lucky, and I never found myself in the epicenter of an earthquake, and more precisely, I did not find myself in such a strong earthquake that I could feel. However, the news and photos from the scene in Turkey startled me. According to official information from the authorities, approximately 7,000 buildings in the area have been damaged or destroyed (Pamuk para. 24). This is approximately 25,000 victims who unknowingly slept in their beds. Moreover, this event was not limited to one region but moved about 60 miles and struck Turkey with another 7.5-magnitude earthquake (Pamuk para. 28). If at night the whole scale of the catastrophe was still not so visible, then in daylight, these events caused shock and chaos.

Any emergency is certainly accompanied by chaos, and this case is no exception. People who managed to escape the earthquakes epicenter in time wandered the streets in search of help or food (Pamuk para. 28). Others looked for their relatives and friends who could remain under the rubble. The consequences of earthquakes are always unpredictable but are always accompanied by destruction and casualties among people. In addition, this natural event destroys infrastructure and communications, leaving the region isolated indefinitely. In southeastern Turkey, the earthquake destroyed water and heating systems, as well as serious problems with mobile communications (Pamuk). The inability to contact their relatives and friends who lived in the destroyed houses leads to even more panic and chaos.

Moreover, some consequences of earthquakes are not so obvious. For example, one of the most common consequences of earthquakes is tsunamis (Bolt para. 23). The wave covering the coastal regions is formed due to underwater earthquakes, which humans may not feel. The most devastating was the tsunami of December 26, 2004, in Indonesia, caused by the movement of tectonic plates on the ocean floor (Bolt para. 24). As a result, the infrastructure of cities was destroyed, but the most terrible consequence was the number of victims among people.

If people in Turkey had known about the impending earthquake, they would probably have gone to safer regions of the country, or at least would have left the city and would not have ended up under the concrete rubble of houses. If citizens and tourists in Indonesia had been warned of the magnitude of the coming tsunami, they might have moved away from the coast. It wouldnt help protect the infrastructure or keep their homes intact, but it could save thousands of lives.

However, the world around us is unpredictable and impossible to control. Yet this does not mean we cannot reduce the negative effects of natural events. Firstly, when building houses, their location is taken into account. That applies not only to proximity to the city center or the presence of developed infrastructure but also to the seismic safety of the location (Bolt). Secondly, people should know the basic algorithms of behavior during natural events. Moreover, as Turkeys practice shows, this is necessary not only in regions where earthquakes occur frequently but in all countries. Researchers, of course, are doing a lot to reduce the scale of catastrophes from natural events, but any precautions will be reasonable.

In conclusion, the world is amazing and interesting, but also dangerous and uncontrollable. Storms, floods, earthquakes, and other natural events occur daily and have devastating consequences. The damage they bring to people is impossible to predict, but their negative consequences can be reduced. Basic knowledge and precautions can help save thousands of lives. Even if nature cannot be controlled, it can and should be studied to improve our security.

Works Cited

Bolt, Bruce A. Earthquake. Britannica, Web.

Pamuk, Orhan. A Girl Trapped Under Fallen Concrete. A Man Unsure of What to Do. The New York Times, Web.

England Disaster Analysis table

Types of Disasters in England

A disaster is a sudden occurrence that interferes with the normal functioning of a community causing human, material, and environmental or economic losses that exceed the normal capacity of the community or society to cope with using its own resources, calling for external interventions (Suk et al., 2020). The major types of disasters are natural and human/technological induced disasters.

According to the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disaster data, there are a number of natural disasters affecting England; storms, earthquakes, floods, epidemics, and extreme heat (Keim, 2020). The most vulnerable one is the flood following its adverse effect both in terms of financial implications, casualties, and deaths, and the frequency of its occurrence, making it the most prioritized disaster in England. In the United Kingdom (UK), currently, at least 1 out of 6 homes are at risk of flooding regardless of area or location (Suk et al., 2020). Both the homes located in low-lying areas, near seas and oceans are at high risk of flood due to the change in the climate that tends to alter the weather patterns and make it difficult to predict future conditions.

England is prone to major five types of flood disasters, namely River, Coastal, Groundwater, Sewers, and flash floods, with each having a different risk factor. The servility of each type of flooding is largely quantified depending on the levels of damage they cause and the type of recovery measure they would require, as well as the clean-up operations involved (Suk et al., 2020). Coastal flooding in England mostly results from heavy storms or other related extreme weather conditions in conjunction with the high tides. It causes a rise in sea levels above normal, pushing the sea waters into the lands hence coastal flooding in the East coast areas of Hull, Great Yarmouth, and Peterborough. Fluvial/river flooding is the most common type of flooding in England and the UK at large (Suk et al., 2020). It is prompted by the overflow of the rivers exceeding their banks, causing flooding to the nearby areas. The surface water flooding is caused by prolonged periods of heavy pours exceeding the drainage system and failure of the flood defaces. Flooding is common in areas such as Merseyside, Yorkshire, Cambria, and Lincolnshire areas. Groundwater flooding occurs when the water tables in an area arise following heavy rain and are able to last for several weeks or months, deepening with the weather conditions in an area (Suk et al. 2020). Finally, sewer flooding is caused by the failure of sewerage systems. It is the least type of flood in England and affects homes and gardens. However, it is hazardous and unpleasant due to the presence of bacteria spreads associated with its occurrence.

Disaster management is generally how best we deal with the economic or environmental, human, and material impact of the disaster. It involves the management and organization of the available resources and responsibilities involving humanitarian assistance such as preparedness, responses, prevention, and recovery techniques to the disaster situation (Zawawi et al., 2018). Countries need an effective disaster management plan to help avert the adverse effects of disasters.

Flood Disaster Preparedness

The United Kingdom has witnessed different types of flood disasters in recent times, calling for preparedness techniques to help mitigate floods. Preparedness can be both at the family and the national levels to help save life and property destruction (Raikes et al., 2019). Flood disaster awareness creation should be done nationwide in England to help create awareness of the potential types of floods likely to be experienced. It can be done through public advertisement means such as televisions, radio stations, the Internet and billboards, and seminars. Mapping of the disaster-prone areas would then follow to help locate areas with more risk to floods. The establishment of a preparedness and communication plan helps people to respond effectively in case of disaster occurrence (Raikes et al., 2019). The national management team needs to assemble flood emergency kits such as life sever jackets, boats, and other appropriate means of transport such as airplanes, which is essential in quick evacuation hence saving numerous lives. Moreover, an online establishment of a national emergency response, as well as an evacuation plan for the flood disaster, to create knowledge among citizens can go a long way to mitigate its effects. It is also necessary to formulate and enact a long-term preparedness plan, which includes building structure and infrastructure codes to help design flood-resistant structures within flood-prone areas (Raikes et al., 2019). Economically, people living in flood-prone areas should be advised to take insurance covers for both their health and property against flood disasters.

Floods Disaster Prevention

Since flood disaster is common in England, control techniques need to be strengthened to help control or minimize its adverse effects. Disaster management programs such as Watergates, rapid flood response systems need to be developed to help prevent flooding (Raikes et al., 2019). It is very effective in controlling flashfloods and sewers flooding that is always flowing with law speeds due to their little quantity. Water inflated property protection (WIPP) systems are extremely durable polyester that entails fighting water with water by creating a water barrier to act against the flowing waters (Raikes et al., 2019). The construction of dams and flood blocks along the river channels would help reduce the chances of river flooding their banks in England. Dams would help control the floods by almost half since the most common flood in England is by the river (Raikes et al., 2019). Aquobex flood guard would also help control both the home and city flooding since they are first-line defense devices that prevent the water from entering houses through the doors and windows. Also, the construction of dykes along the eastern coastline would help reduce the storms chances and other weather-related floods that are common within those areas.

Flood Disaster Response

In case of a disaster flood, the response should be organized to help save and mitigate the floods impacts. The response is the second phase in the disaster management cycle and can be done in two major ways: immediate and long-term response techniques (Gilissen et al., 2016). The immediate response is primarily concerned with search and rescue plans. It begins with saving and protecting life by walking, swimming, or flying the flood disaster victims to safer higher grounds (Gilissen et al., 2016). Afterward, locating, uniting, and recording of families within the camps. It is important to provide basic needs such as food, temporary shelter, clothing, and medical care to the victims while in the camps.

The long-term response to flood disasters should follow, and they involve activities such as saving remaining properties such as outdoor belongings. Guidance and counseling support by professionals help victims of flood recovery (Gilissen et al., 2016). The development of temporary social amenities such as schools, hospitals, and religious centers helps normalize peoples ways of living.

Flood Disaster Recovery Plan

Flooding requires a comprehensive recovery plan to help normalize the situations following a disaster. It involves all sets of tools, policies, and procedures that the state initiates to help people recover from floods. They are community-based foundations that mainly concern emergency and disaster responses (Gilissen et al., 2016). The plan outlines the foundation strategies for responses that involve ensuring peoples safety, effective communication with both the internal and external stakeholders, and provision of timely emergency support to help make service to the community, protection of assets, and maintain the continuity of mission or critical services to support the operation (Gilissen et al., 2016). Notably, flood disaster recovery response mainly begins by defining the goals that involve saving lives, and the long-term initiatives meant to help normalize life. For instance, the resettlement of victims on permanent buildings that observes the building codes. Notably, recovery plans ensure people have their social life and economic activities reinstated.

In conclusion, flood disaster is a major concern to England and other European countries due to the unpredictable changing weather patterns. Therefore, nations should develop and operationalize their disaster management plan to help prevent, prepare, respond, and recover from the effect of disasters. From the epidemiological data of England, River and coastal flooding are the common types of flood in England following the epidemiological data showing high frequency, large numbers of casualties, and huge cost implications associated with their occurrence.

References

Gilissen, H. K., Alexander, M., Matczak, P., Pettersson, M., & Bruzzone, S. (2016). A framework for evaluating the effectiveness of flood emergency management systems in Europe. Ecology and Society, 21(4).

Keim, M. E. (2020). The epidemiology of extreme weather event disasters (1969-2018). Prehospital and disaster medicine, 35(3), 267-271.

Raikes, J., Smith, T. F., Jacobson, C., & Baldwin, C. (2019). Pre-disaster planning and preparedness for floods and droughts: A systematic review. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 38, 101207.

Suk, J. E., Vaughan, E. C., Cook, R. G., & Semenza, J. C. (2020). Natural disasters and infectious disease in Europe: a literature review to identify cascading risk pathways. European journal of public health, 30(5), 928-935.

Zawawi, E. M. A., Yusof, N. S., & Ismail, Z. (2018). Adoption of post-disaster waste management plan into disaster management guidelines for Malaysia. Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management, 20(1), 223-236.

The levels for the natural disaster risk chosen from Resilinc can be classified based on their threats to business efficiency in the modern world. The disaster risks are classified by assessing their damage to assets and physical property, damage to raw materials, disruptions to the working environment, and supply chain disruptions. Damage to property risks is prominent, and businesses are required to consider that. The assets include company buildings, physical property, and equipment. Risks to supply chain disruptions are likely to have indirect losses to the business organizations considering that they rely on shipments from external suppliers.

Severe natural disaster risks will also result in people failing to attend work or operate at peak efficiency. The Resilinc indicators provide analysis of the riskiness of the locations, such as real-time monitoring of the disruptions, analysis of the multiple risk indicators, assessment of the suppliers in the risky countries, and analysis of the revenue at risk using the patented risk algorithm for quantification. The shutdown of the key location partners such as Z-ACCESS, Z-CONLAN VU, and Z-ABBEY BUI will result in a disrupted supply of products to the business. Therefore, it will have a direct effect on the business organizations revenue levels.

The analysis of the Resilinc software is useful in locating places in the world with supply chains affected by natural disasters. The common ones include the United States, Japan, China, and Malaysia, among others. The analysis of the software provides information in regard to supplier performance that adheres to cost efficiency. The business organization will also target greater visibility by gauging the overall risks associated with supply chain practices. The strategy for data gathering will be useful in timely preparation for the avoidance of allocations and idle times when performing production activities, as well as perfect order fulfillment metric and order fulfillment cycle time. It will also provide for personalized impact analysis and incident response automation on ways to handle the disaster risks. The only limitation associated with the use of the software is the change in climatic patterns over time, leading the inaccurate results.

Based on the Resilinc software analysis, the highest risk locations for the products are countries such as the United States and Japan. The common disaster risk in the USA that leads to supply chain disruptions includes flooding resulting from severe threats of weather changes. The other disaster risks affecting various partners include hurricanes, earthquakes, and tsunamis. In Japan, disasters shake up the strategies for the supply chain. Tokyo city in Japan is an epicenter for the high-tech manufacturing practices of various businesses. However, disruptions from natural disaster risks such as earthquakes are a major blow to economic sectors. Mitigation strategies implemented by the organization involve measures that reduce or eliminate the risks and impacts of various natural hazards, such as proactive measures to address disaster occurrence.

The measures of risk mitigation include insurance programs and disaster mitigation public awareness programs. Insurance is a risk transfer approach that helps to spread and transfer the risk to external organizations to reduce the costs of major disasters. Effective preparedness and response actions will reduce and control hazardous events. The actions involve identifying emergency responses, such as developing strategies and mitigation plans for the risks. Strategic investments also entail the allocation of funds to overcome the effects of the risks and the recovery plan. Alternative sourcing options will provide a mitigation strategy for business continuity.

The Intent of the Hurricane Crisis Care Plan

It is meant to give way forward in the case of a hurricane in an area. This paper will talk about the measures that are vital for survival during a storm and what people should do to prepare for it in advance. This paper will explain why it is essential always to be ready for natural calamities, especially hurricanes.

Introduction

A hurricane is one of the tropical storm systems that rotates and is formed in low-pressure systems. They end up causing a lot of destruction because of the strong winds and heavy rains they cause in the area they are in (Reference, 2020). They are related to other tropical storms such as cyclones and tycoons, named differently depending on the region where they occur.

A hurricane disaster is a natural calamity that is not always predictable until a week until it happens. It means people who live in places where the hurricane is a common occurrence have to have a crisis care plan as an emergency plan in case it hits them. Those predictions may not be accurate because the weather is not a fixed variable (Reference, 2020). Hurricanes are very destructive and destroy everything in their way. Even if the area is not prone to natural disasters such as hurricanes or even floods, it is essential always to have a crisis care plan.

Hurricanes destroy everything in their path. They affect people by killing and causing damages to everything around them. They destroy buildings like homes, schools, and hospitals as well. During hurricanes, a power blackout may be experienced and is caused by the destruction of power lines. Fallen trees or buildings may destroy or block this cuts off communication and roads, making it very difficult to get help. Therefore, a hurricane crisis plan is required for all places but especially those prone to tropical storms.

Once a hurricane has affected a particular place, it may be difficult for business, school, and other routine operations to be run until proper disaster management is done. It is because of the destruction caused, and even to make sure it does not hit twice. In severe cases, there may be casualties or missing persons, and all of that has to be sorted out before everything goes back to normal.

An Immediate Protection Plan

Protection plans are required for post-storm response; how to make the city work again while managing the impact of the hurricanes devastation on social facilities. The project is also needed to carry out the area reconstruction and restore regular activities. One of the most popular ways to deal with hurricanes is the STREMII model (Stewart & Gail Wilson, 2016). It involves using social networks for a quick and straightforward response from security services. Moreover, through Facebook, Twitter, and other platforms, the model helps raise funds to reconstruct the destroyed infrastructure.

In practice, the STREMII model covers all aspects of hurricane management. The first step is to alert humans on how to act in the event of a disaster. For example, when a person spots a hurricane, they must immediately run in the other direction for personal protection. Further, in a safe place, it is necessary to wait out the storm. The next step is to research official sources, which will provide information on where society can live if their homes are damaged and how soon people can return to everyday life (school and work). Keeping calm and a consistent action plan by the administration is key to the quality and speed of disaster recovery.

Prediction

After weather analysts list the area as a hurricane-prone zone, it is critical to start getting all the information on storms. It helps the residents and other people staying in the area plan for the calamity. Therefore, prediction is an integral part of a crisis plan. People have to figure out some key signs that are indicators of hurricanes.

After concluding that the field is a hurricane-prone area, it is vital to note what is needed just if the cyclone occurs. People can find information in news sources during quiet times and assess their readiness in advance, both physically (state of home and health) and moral (ability to remain calm). It is best to read credible sources such as ABCnews, The New Your Times, Global News, BBC News, and local government news outlets for experiences with similar events. Hurricanes repeat periodically; therefore, previous practice will help residents. Likewise, these supports publish information about the current state of affairs when the storm occurs now and advise people on what to do.

Additionally, there are notable government organizations aimed to help in crisis times. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the United States Coast Guard (USCG) are the main ones. FEMA provides up-to-date information on various crisis-related sub-topics and assists if a person or organization is affected by a crisis (Get Assistance after a Disaster, 2021). USCG helps to search and rescue, assess water pollution, build a new operational plan for the maritime trade, and raise funds to help injured employees and their families (Strategic Priorities, 2018). Besides support information, rapid response teams are needed, while it helps to minimize damage and loss of people and buildings.

It is essential to come up with a crisis team to manage people during the crisis. They help people out if the calamity strikes to remain calm and know what they need to do. Rescuers need to have a crisis plan before learning crucial information such as assembly points and employ strategies such a having an accountability system where families can be in charge of their members and be accountable for their neighbors.

The needs required to carry out the above require a massive amount of money; hence it would be advisable to get sponsors and stakeholders who can provide funding to the crisis plan and the measures taken to prepare for the worst likely case scenario.

Prevention by Creating Awareness in the Community

One way to communicate the said problems and other methods of dealing with the disaster is by utilizing the most popular means of communication in the area. This means that if newspapers are the most popular means of communication, write a post about it in the paper, and people will read and encourage others to read. It could also be incorporated as a headline in the news and even on posters in retail stores, markets, and even schools.

Creation of a Crisis Team

A crisis team is required once the crisis plan is developed. People need to be in charge of the complete execution procedure and use the project in a hurricane calamity. The team has to have fully mastered their roles as the people in order of the catastrophe. It means that they need to have been prepared and had some teaching instantly to fight the disaster. They all have their roles, and that information should be made known to the public to keep them informed. Their work is to develop the safety measures to be put in place whether analysts make the predictions. In addition, they are in charge of knowing how communication will be made to essential services once the hurricane hits and destroys the telephone lines. Whether they will be forced to resort back to using old techniques like fax or whether they will need to deploy an entirely new system of communication to the authorities and other essential services in case the hurricane strikes. In addition, they need to know how to be accountable for people during the storm and set up assembly points in schools and hospitals where people can be accounted for and attended to if needed.

Positioning

The crisis team comprises several specialists who help at all stages. The work of the rescuers depends on how close the hurricane is. The best option is to inform people about the impending storm urgently. Immediate safety is most important, so people must move quickly to safety. These locations are basement-type rooms and areas with reinforced masonry (Emergency Response Plan 2021). After a hurricane in a certain area, rescuers look for casualties, take them to hospitals or safe shelters (KHOU.com Staff, 2016). For such operations, it is necessary to organize the transportation of those in need to state shelters by buses. People then turn to their insurance agents if their home is damaged and start rebuilding. Moreover, in shelters, people may need medical and psychological assistance; therefore, specialists must be delivered in an organized manner to an agreed place to work with victims.

The Time Line for Preparation

The rapid response begins immediately after reports of an impending disaster by meteorologists. If people do not have the time and opportunity to leave the disaster site independently, they should hide and wait for special services. Rescuers arrive a few hours after the area becomes safer and do major work on the first day. UNICEF USA delivers help to secure spots in 48-72 hours (Hurricane Relief, 2021). The response speed directly depends on the situations criticality and the security services capabilities of a particular area. In the event of a resources shortage, regions turn to the federal government for additional forces, which takes more time.

Communication Methods to be Used During the Disaster

The crisis team is in charge of all the communication methods and strategies to be implemented during the storm. This task could be designated to the heads of families to ensure they know where their family members are. When the crisis plan is being evaluated, it is essential to develop a system that will relay the information to everyone at once to give them the time to do what is required of them. An example of how to go about that is to have everyone subscribed to local texts alert controlled by the crisis team and the essential services found in the area (Yonatan, 2020). It is a good way of keeping everyone in the know without physically informing people of the hurricane about to happen.

Communication during storms can be a bit messy because telephone lines may be disrupted or the networks jammed, so it is vital to get methods of communication that do not get affected by that. An example would be to get radio services in the area. The importance of doing this in advance is to avoid the rush in setting them up. Other radio services need licensing, which could be a lengthy process to get according to the time frame set (Yonatan, 2020). Walkie-talkies are advisable but will only work within the town, making it a helpful communication tool amongst the individuals in the crisis team at different assembly points.

Once the communication is set, the essential services should be notified to be prepared and know what to do. They will also give feedback and provide more helpful information on the crisis plan since they have more experience dealing with calamities of all sorts. It is critical to make an emergency list with all essential services to have all the numbers required simultaneously to avoid confusion.

Evaluation of the Crisis Plan

Once the plan is created and shared with the relevant people, it must be evaluated on its credibility and workability to prepare for the worst-case scenario. It shows how serious the crisis care plan is and how seriously it should be taken. It has to be taken through stages of its workability to avoid finding out about faults when it is time to take action (Wright, 2017). Evaluation is going through the plan and finding weak points as you make adjustments to the crisis plan to make it as workable with the worst circumstances as possible.

Firstly, the plan should be designed to be working no matter the location of the crisis. It should be flexible enough to work from any crisis place mentioned in the program. It is vital to discuss the technology and people needed to be set (Wright, 2017). Once this is done, the audience for the program should be determined. The audience will be affected by the calamity and should be appropriately incorporated in the crisis plan. Then test out the communication channels is to relay the message in the crisis plan (Wright, 2017). It confirms whether the track is best suited for forwarding the information during the hurricane. In addition, the people in charge of the crisis plan should all be notified of their role and the necessary training carried out.

Finally, the last step of the crisis plan is to share it with the audience and gather their thought using surveys and questionnaires on what the loopholes to the program are, and other places that may have been overlooked as the plan is being created (Wright, 2017). Once enough feedback is gotten, the project is then reviewed and evaluated once more until a better plan covers all the issues raised by the audience because the hurricane crisis plan is meant to help them remain safe. It is best to treat the situation as a life-or-death crisis to achieve the said purpose of the program.

Conclusion

Crisis plans are supposed to be created, tested, and evaluated before a crisis occurs, not when the situation arises. This way, all the loopholes are tested and corrected, and the necessary audience is informed of the plans to be on high alert. The recovery process is equally important because it determines how long an area will return the lives and their town to normal.

References

Emergency response plan. (2021). Ready.Gov.

Get assistance after a disaster. (2021). FEMA.Gov.

KHOU.com Staff. (2016). When to evacuate: Should I stay or should I go? KHOU.

Reference. (2020). How do scientists predict hurricanes?

Stewart, M. C., & Gail Wilson, B. (2016). The dynamic role of social media during hurricane #sandy: An introduction of the STREMII model to weather the storm of the crisis lifecycle. Computers in Human Behavior, 54, 639646.

Strategic priorities. (2018). Uscg.Mil.

Hurricane relief. (2021). UNICEF USA.

Wright, I. (2017).7 ways to start evaluating your crisis plan.

Yonatan, R. (2020). How to communicate during a disaster.

Various disasters both, natural and human-induced, can cause disruptions to an organizations operations. As such, it is important to develop a disaster recovery plan that facilitates the resumption of operations whenever interruptions occur due to calamities (Caroll, n.d.). For example, among the disasters that can affect a company, floods and large-scale power outages are some of the disasters that can affect a business organization. Consequently, a disaster recovery plan must contain steps to respond to such problems and should be adapted to accommodate the needs of the different responses.

For instance, in the case of flooding, the main issue of concern involves workers accessing the office and protecting valuable company property from water damage. Therefore, a disaster recovery response plan ought to address the issue of accessibility and water damage. The problem of accessibility may be solved by requesting workers to operate remotely. In this regard, employees can work from home while the problem of flooding is being resolved. In addition, water damage is prevented using backups and secure storage. The valuable items must be stored in a secure, waterproof location and a backup of the data should also be available in a different location. Both strategies are useful in helping a company to resume operations after experiencing an interruption.

In contrast, a large-scale power outage may require a different disaster recovery plan because it presents different problems. Unlike floods, which cause inaccessibility and water damage, power outages halt the company operations by preventing access to electronic devices. Lack of power results in major disruptions to such activities and an organization should respond as fast as possible to resume operations. The use of secondary data centers would be helpful whereby people can be relocated to the new site in the short term. Thus, warm or cold sites can be used for disaster recovery in case of power outages.

Disaster recovery plans are an important aspect of business continuity. Different calamities cause different damages, which result in the need for varying responses. Flooding causes inaccessibility to the company and large-scale power outages result in a lack of access to electronic devices. Both disasters require different strategies to mitigate the damage they cause to the organization. Flooding can be mitigated by remote working while power outages may involve the use of warm or cold sites. Each strategy accommodates the needs of an organization depending on the cause of the disruption.

Reference

Caroll, A. (n.d). How effective is your data centers disaster recovery plan? Lifeline Data Centers. Web.

Hurricane Katrina is undoubtedly one of the most overwhelming storms in United States history, going by the number of fatalities caused and damage in dollar terms (Rogers, Keating, & Minutaglio, 2015). A penetrating analysis provided in the videos and articles offers deep insights into how a natural disaster turned into one of the worst manmade disasters due to systemic failures by stakeholders. The present paper provides a narrative description of some of the issues that transpired to qualify Hurricane Katrina into a manmade disaster.

The evidence provided in the materials shows that New Orleans is vulnerable to flooding due to its low elevation, continuous human interference, haphazard construction of levees, and disappearance of natural wetlands and barrier islands. The innovation of draining swamplands to allow for the citys expansion was counterproductive in terms of making New Orleans more susceptible to storm surges. Although wetlands serve as natures best natural defense against storms, the narratives provided in the videos show that manmade activities caused the wetlands to disappear at an incredible rate, leaving the city exposed to natural calamities.

Another factor relates to the planning failure and the inability by officials to put in place measures to deal with a storm even after information was availed about an impending hurricane. Here, evidence demonstrates that the huge investments made to divert the Mississippi River and build defensive levees actually hastened the sinking of whole neighborhoods below sea level, while poorly constructed levees served to worsen the flooding. Additionally, it is evident that city officials were unable to plan on how to prevent the tragic aftermath of the storm despite the accuracy of information provided by scientists about the harmful impact of the hurricane (Kasinitz, 2006). It is disturbing to note how officials ignored the warning despite having prior knowledge of Hurricane Ivan that ravaged Louisiana in 2004.

The engineering failures of the levees and canals aptly demonstrate how human mistakes, rather than nature, conspired to trigger the worst devastation in New Orleans history. Here, it is important to note that the Industrial Canal, 17^th Street Canal levee, London Avenue Canal, and Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet Canal failed to contain the floods due to inadequate design and construction by the Corps of Engineers (Bergel, 2007). These breaches caused massive flooding in New Orleans City and other neighborhoods, such as St. Bernard, Tennessee Street, Lower Ninth Ward, and Jefferson.

Further evidence demonstrates that there was social strife in the days after Katrina hit New Orleans, whereby cases of looting, violence, and rape increased dramatically. Although these events may have informed the police to use martial law and deadly force, it is clear from the evidence presented in the videos that the police went overboard in instigating what is now commonly referred to as premeditated homicide. The Henry Glover incident and the Danziger Bridge shootings are good examples that show New Orleans police officers lied in the handling of the disaster. Henry Glovers badly burnt body was discovered with multiple bullet injuries to the head even after it was apparent that he had been taken to police officers for assistance with injuries to the chest. While some of the police officers involved in these incidents received reduced sentences for the capital offense of murder, others are yet to pay for their mistakes.

Drawing from the evidence presented in this paper, it is clear that Hurricane Katrina caused heavy devastation due to man-made systemic failures that could have been prevented. It is therefore important for the U.S. government and other relevant stakeholders to make heavy investments in erecting quality flood clearance channels and pump stations, educating the public on proper disaster response mechanisms, and building resilient healthcare systems for use in caring for the victims. The main learning point from the videos and articles is that it is important to address the human-related issues related to surveillance, law enforcement, flood management, and coordination of response activities if the country is to succeed in preventing the catastrophic effects associated with natural disasters.

References

Bergel, J. (2007). Investigating what went wrong and how. Nieman Reports, 61, 57-58.

Kasinitz, P. (2006). Katrina, the media and the American public sphere. Sociological Forum, 21(1), 141-146. Web.

Rogers, R., Keating, C., & Minutagrio, R. (2015). Hurricane Katrina 10 years later: New lives, new hope. People, 84, 72-78.

Introduction

A natural disaster is a natural phenomenon that is of an emergency nature and leads to disruption of the everyday activities of the population, death of people, and destruction of material values. To counter such a phenomenon, preparation, support, and evacuation strategies are desirable. In order to achieve success in the fight against a natural disaster, a plan is needed to serve as a savior of the situation.

Inherent Necessities to Resist Natural Disaster

Each natural disaster, accident and catastrophe has its characteristics, the nature of the damage, the volume and scale of destruction, the magnitude of disasters, and human losses. Knowledge of the causes and phenomena of natural disasters makes it possible, with early adoption of protection measures, with reasonable behavior of the population, to significantly reduce all types of losses (Esterwood & Saeed, 2020). According to this, the best solution for preparation is awareness of the nature of a catastrophe.

The first step is identifying water sources and purchases in a disaster used by the affected population. The next step is classifying barriers to populations accessing water, distance, access roads, security, financial constraints, and other possible solutions. During a natural disaster, water supply companies must enforce a protocol to supply water to affected populations (Valdovinos, 2021). Clean water is vital, especially for people in such a difficult situation.

People affected by a natural disaster may be left without a place to live. In case of a catastrophe, hotels can offer support by providing accommodation. For example, in Japan, in the event of a tsunami, hotels always provide accommodation for the victims (Nguyen et al., 2017). This approach might greatly help people who have lost their homes. Hotels can also provide accommodation for rescuers in case of a large radius of destruction and the need for many hands.

Mobile phones and the Internet are the primary means of communication in the current century. Communication is one of the vital factors in disaster response and warning. Eventually, these communication methods may not be available. However, telephone and Internet companies must notify people of impending disasters, reducing casualties often. Thus, the central role of such companies is the prevention of a disaster and the provision of communications during and after.

Assistance from Outside Organizations During a Natural Disaster

In addition to water, victims may also need provisions, so companies and individuals can help. Examples include Walmart and farmers, who can deliver food and household items for the victims, thereby providing direct support for them. Walmart has already provided this kind of support during Hurricane Katrina (Horwitz, 2020). If one touches on the commercial side of such an act, then it is worth noting that society will adequately appreciate such a generous and noble act. Last of these but not least, aspects of assistance include logistics. Support from trucking companies might be required in a situation of catastrophe. As mentioned above, the victims need assistance with water and provisions, and the companies that provide them will not always have enough logistical resources. Trucking companies can play a crucial role in assisting supply providers.

Red Cross-What Can the Community Do to Assist Them?

One of the ways how society can help the work of the Red Cross is by volunteering. Depending on the scale of the disaster, even such large organizations may need more hands to help everyone. In such situations, volunteers can help their compatriots in trouble on an unpaid basis. Even though ordinary, untrained people will help, sometimes, this may be enough to help the victims.

Conclusion

A disaster preparedness plan can seem varied due to the inability to predict its scale accurately. Despite this, it is better to have at least some plan than not to have one at all. The above aspects and their consideration will help minimize the incoming victims of disasters in such cases. Natural disasters are unpredictable, and it is almost impossible to nullify the number of losses.

References

Esterwood, E. & Saeed, S. A. (2020). Past epidemics, natural disasters, Covid19, and Mental Health: Learning from history as we deal with the present and prepare for the future. Psychiatric Quarterly, 91(4), 11211133. Web.

Horwitz, S. (2020). The private sectors contribution to natural disaster response. Bottom-up Responses to Crisis, 5770. Web.

Nguyen, D. N., Imamura, F., & Iuchi, K. (2017). Public-private collaboration for Disaster Risk Management: A case study of hotels in Matsushima, Japan. Tourism Management, 61, 129140. Web.

Valdovinos, J. (2021). Transnational Corporations in Urban Water Governance: Public-Private Partnerships in Mexico and the US. Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.

Introduction

The world witnessed several natural disasters that clam millions and millions of human lives every year. Natural disasters such as volcanic eruption, earthquake and tornadoes are the result of a natural hazard which generally moves from potential into an active phase. This may result in serious damages and affects human activities. Additionally, if there is no proper planning and preparedness, it may lead to human vulnerability, leads financial, structural, and human losses. Hence the loss may depend on the population of the area affected and also the capacity of the population to support or resist the disaster (Bankoff et al. 5-356). Disasters such as floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, and earthquakes can occur in almost any part of the world. However, with the present scientific advancement, it is possible to predict to a certain extent the risk-prone areas. Therefore it is a good idea to prepare for them (Torrence, and Grattan, 2002).

There is a difference between the harm caused in developed and developing nations due to natural disasters. The developed nations are well equipped to face these disasters when compared to developing nations of the world. A comparison of Natural disasters in developed and developing countries show that the injury and death rates can be up to 100 times higher in the poorer developing countries. This happens because of the financial constraints and the poor living conditions in developing nations (World Bank 1-4). This paper intends to describe three natural disasters (Tornadoes, Earthquakes and Hurricanes) that have claimed several lives and economical damages.

Tornadoes

A tornado is defined as a violently rotating column of air that is in contact with both a cumulonimbus (or, in rare cases, a cumulus) cloud base and the surface of the earth. Tornadoes are of many sizes, however, these are normally in the form of a visible condensation funnel, with the narrow end touching the earth and the broader end touching the clouds. Frequently, it is observed that a cloud of debris also encircles the lower portion of the funnel.

Scientists have measured the speed and they have estimated that most tornadoes have wind speeds of 175 km/h (110 mph) or less. Besides, tornadoes are around 75 m (250 feet) across and travel from one point to another before dissipating. It is also estimated that some tornadoes can even attain wind speeds of more than 480 km/h (300 mph) and can stretch for more than a mile (1.6 km) across, and stay on the ground covering several dozens of miles (Edwards, 2007).

Perkins (2002) in the science news said that though tornadoes have been observed on every continent except Antarctica, it mostly occurs in the United States and have caused serious damages (Perkins, 296298). Tornadoes are very frequent in the United States east of the Rocky Mountains during the spring and summer months. Statistics suggest that in an average year, 800 tornadoes are recorded that result in approximately 80 deaths and over 1,500 injuries. Other areas that are prone to tornadoes as cited in the Encyclopedia Britannica (2007) include south-central Canada, south-central and eastern Asia, Southern Africa, northwestern and central Europe, east-central South America, Italy, western and south-eastern Australia, and New Zealand. (Edwards, 2007)

Earthquake

An earthquake is a natural disaster that results from the sudden release of stored energy in the Earths crust. This energy results in creating seismic waves. Earthquakes are measured using a seismometer which produces a seismograph. In general, the effects of earthquakes can be felt by common men when they feel the shaking or displacement of the ground. When an earthquake occurs in the ocean bases sometimes, they cause tsunamis, which may lead to loss of life and destruction of property. One of the most recent tsunamis on the 26th of December, 2004 that hit the Indian Ocean resulted in several deaths. In general, it can be said that an earthquake results when the tectonic plates getting stuck and putting a strain on the ground. Further, this strain becomes so much that rocks give way by breaking and sliding along fault planes. (National Academy of Sciences, 2007)

Scientific studies provide enough proof that earthquakes may occur naturally or as a result of human activities. It is also said that sometimes volcanic activities may also result in smaller earthquakes. Human activists such as mine blasts and nuclear tests may also result in earthquakes. The point at which the earthquake actually begins is called its focus or hypocenter and the point directly above the hypocenter on the ground is called epicentre (National Academy of Sciences 2007).

Earthquakes measured on the Richter scale and a magnitude 7.0 or greater have remained constant throughout the century and according to records have actually seemed to decrease in recent years. Today it is easy to predict earthquakes and as a result of this several preventive measures can be taken. Besides, the construction industry builds earthquake-resistant buildings that have helped to reduce the damage to human life and property.

Hurricanes

Hurricanes are natural disasters that are characterised by large tropical storms with heavy winds. Hurricanes generally contain winds in excess of 74 mph or 119 km per hour and large areas of rainfall. Besides, they have the potential to produce dangerous tornadoes. There are serious damages to life that has resulted from hurricanes. The strong winds and excessive rainfall, in general, produce abnormal rises in sea levels resulting in flooding (Kreger, 2005). According to the National Hurricane Center, hurricane is a name for a tropical cyclone that occurs in the Atlantic Ocean.

Tropical cyclone is the common term used for low-pressure systems that build up in the tropics. Tropical cyclones with maximum sustained surface winds of less than 17 meters per second (39 mph / 62.7 kph / 34 knots) are termed tropical depressions. Once the tropical cyclone reaches winds of at least 17 meters per second (m/s), it is typically called a tropical storm. Further, if winds reach 33 m/s (74 mph / 119 kph / 64 kt), then it is called a hurricane.

Hurricanes are very common and every year the hurricane season extends between June 1 and November 30. The most common places of occurrence are the eastern and gulf coasts of the United States, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. In the rest of the world, the same types of storms are called typhoons or cyclones. Hurricanes can kill thousands of people and cause billions of dollars of property damage when they hit heavily populated areas. (Kreger, 2005)

Today, with the advancement in technology it is easy to be prepared for these natural disasters. Besides the development of a good communication network has helped to connect the entire world. It is important for both developed and developing countries to be equally prepared for natural disasters. There are several disaster management activities taken up by several government and non-government organizations and has made their contributions at the time of need. Finally, it can be said that it is the preparedness to face natural disasters that are most important.

Work cited

1. Bankoff, G., Frerks, G. and Hilhorst D. (eds.) Mapping Vulnerability: Disasters, Development and People. (2004). pp 5-356. ISBN 1-85383-964-7.
2. Edwards, R. The online tornado FAQ
3. Kreger, C. Hurricanes (2005)
4. National Academy of Sciences, Living on an ACTIVE Earth Perspectives on Earthquake Science (2007) THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS, Washington, D.C.
5. Perkins, S. (2002-05-11). Tornado Alley, USA. Science News, pp. 296298.
6. tornado. Encyclopedia Britannica. 2007. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
7. World Bank. Lessons from Natural Disasters and Emergency Reconstruction, 2005 pp. 1-4.
8. Cox, John D. Storm Watchers: The Turbulent History of Weather Prediction from Franklins Kite to El Nino. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2002.
9. Torrence, Robin, and John Grattan, eds. Natural Disasters and Cultural Change. London: Routledge, 2002