Natural disasters in the world

Natural disasters in the world

By Dr. Kyle Muller

Natural disasters are events that occur in nature and can be caused by natural forces such as hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, tornadoes, droughts, landslides, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis. These events cause harm to people, animals and the environment. Among the natural disasters that most impacted on the world we found the serious floods in Europe, the great nine typhoon, extreme heat waves, droughts in Africa and many more.

In this ecology article, we will explain how some of the Natural disasters in the worldtheir characteristics, causes and consequences they had.

Floods in Europe

In July of the year 2021, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands were hit by a catastrophic flood. Caused the death of more than 120 people and hundreds disappeared. In order to protect and rescue the rest of the people, a great effort had to be made as the water level continued to increase.

The floods caused in these countries also caused landslides and cuts in the electricity supply. Earth landslides can cause serious damage to homes, crops, people, etc. Experts described these events as the most intense rains in a century.

In this link you can read about the causes and consequences of floods.

Natural disasters in the world - Floods in Europe

Nina Typhoon in China

The Nina Typhoon was one of the worse natural disasters that China has suffered In its history. This typhoon touched land on August 1, 1975and during the following days, he swept with much of the province of Zhejiang on the east coast of the country.

The winds reached speeds up to 250 km/hcausing the destruction of numerous structures, including houses, buildings, bridges and roads. In addition, heavy rains caused flooding and landslides that caused a large number of deaths and material damage.

The Nina typhoon was characterized by its large size and its slow speed of displacement, which caused the storm to remain on the region for several days, generating more rains and winds. This constant situation hindered rescue and emergency work, and aggravated the situation for affected people.

It is estimated that the Nina typhoon caused The death of more than 230,000 people and left millions of homeless people. The disaster also had a great impact on the economy of the region, with millionaire losses in agriculture, fishing and industry.

We recommend you learn more reading these other ecology articles about what a typhoon is and how it is formed and difference between hurricane and typhoon.

Natural disasters in the world - Typhoon Nina in China

Image: Red-Lorg

Heat wave in British columbia

Heat waves are another natural disaster that seriously affects the population. They may not have a visual impact as “striking” as storms and typhons, but they cause ravages. In British Columbia, the Canadian authorities counted almost 800 deaths between June 25 and July 1, 2021500 more than normal for the same period, caused by a Great heat wave.

In addition, this unprecedented heat wave ended the lives of hundreds of people in a week and caused More than 240 forest fires. The fire reduced ashes much of Lytton, forcing its residents, as well as hundreds of people around them, to flee from their homes.

Here you can learn more about heat waves: what are, temperatures, causes and consequences.

Natural disasters in the world - heat wave in British columbia

Image: Heat record in Canada with 49.6 degrees, measured in Lytton. Climate.com

Drought in East Africa

The increase in the temperature of the sea related to climate change is doubling the probability of drought in the Horn region of Africa. Severe droughts in 2011, 2017 and 2019 destroyed crops and cattle and submerged 15 million people in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia in a humanitarian crisis.

Despite this, humanitarian calls received only 35% of the requested funds. Many do not have access to food and are forced to leave their homes. Millions of people suffer Water and food shortage today.

In this link you can read about what drought is, its causes and consequences to learn more about this type of natural disaster. Here you can also read about water scarcity: what is, causes and consequences.

Natural disasters in the world - drought in East Africa

Forest fires in Australia

The forest fires that whipped Australia in 2020 They were some of the worst that the country has experienced in decades. These forest fires, which began in September 2019 and lasted until March 2020, affected large parts of the east coast of Australia and destroyed thousands of homes, businesses and buildings.

One of the most notable characteristics of the forest fires of Australia in 2020 was its magnitude and scope. According to reports, the fires affected More than 17 million hectares of landwhich is equivalent to an area of ​​the size of England. It is also estimated that More than one billion animals were affected.

Here you can read about the consequences of forest fires and how to prevent forest fires.

Natural disasters in the world - Forest fires in Australia

Earthquake in Tangshan

Tangshan’s earthquake was one of the most devastating events in China’s history. It happened on July 28, 1976in the city of Tangshan, Hebei province, in the north of the country.

The magnitude of the earthquake was 7.6 On the Richter scalewhich makes it one of the Stronger earthquakes of the twentieth century. The shake lasted approximately 23 seconds and was followed by multiple replicas for days, which caused even more damage to the city.

The official government reports indicate that More than 240,000 people died As a direct result of the earthquake, although some estimates suggest that the real figure could be much higher. In addition, more than 160,000 people were seriously injured and approximately One million people were homeless.

In this other article you can learn more about the earthquake: what is, how it occurs and types.

Natural disasters in the world - earthquake in Tangshan

Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano eruption

The eruption of the Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano, which took place in January 2022It was a spectacular and dangerous event that had a significant impact on the South Pacific region.

The Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano is a Submarine volcano. Although its initial activity was not visible on the surface, some signs of volcanic activity were soon evident, such as the emission of gases and ashes through water.

As the eruption continued, the activity of the volcano intensified and the lava began to go to the surface, creating a new island. This island, which was baptized as Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai.

Experts estimate that around 100 million cubic meters of volcanic gases were released, including carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and chlorine. In addition, the eruption also produced large amounts of volcanic ashes, which dispersed throughout the South Pacific. This eruption also had a significant impact on the population and infrastructure of the region. The island of Tonga, which is near the volcano, suffered cuts of energy, communications and water supply due to the eruption. The residents of the nearby islands had to be evacuated due to Risk of tsunamis and air pollution.

In these posts you can read about the types of volcanic eruptions and the most dangerous volcanoes in the world.

Natural disasters in the world - eruption of the Tonga -Hunga Ha'apai volcano

Image: Agency SIN

Impacts of natural disasters in the world

Natural disasters can have a Very negative impact on the lives of people and animals. They can cause injuries and diseases, damage properties and homes, destroy crops and food, and cause the death of people and animals. They can also affect the economy and the environment instantly and long term.

It is important that people are prepared for natural disasters and know how to protect themselves and their loved ones. This may include having an evacuation plan in case of an emergency, having emergency supplies such as water and food, and being attentive to alerts and notices of the authorities.

Normally, natural disasters are unpredictable events and that are often out of our control. Although we cannot prevent them from happening, We can take measures to reduce their impact and help affected people to recover and reconstruct their lives After disaster. From the action in the face of prevention and recovery after a natural disaster, governments are usually occupied.

These are some of the most shocking natural disasters of recent centuries. Hopefully more measures are taken against climate change so that they do not continue to increase.

Now that you have known these 7 natural disasters in the world, we encourage you to read these two articles on how to prevent natural disasters and 7 natural disasters caused by man.

If you want to read more articles similar to Natural disasters in the worldwe recommend that you enter our category of other environment.

Literature
  • The devastating floods in Europe show the urgency of acting against climate change. (July 16, 2021). UN news. Global Look Human stories. Available at: https://news.un.org/es/story/2021/07/1494492
  • Nina Typhoon. Ecured. Available at: https://www.ecured.cu/tif%C3%B3n_nina
  • Scott Duncan (last update: 11/19/2021). British columbia, beaten by the extremes caused by global warming. Euronews. Available at: https://es.euronews.com/green/2021/11/19/la-columbia-britanica-golpeada-por-los-extremos-que-provoca-el-calentamiento-Global
  • Devastating forest fires in Australia (January 29, 2020). WWF (World Wildlife Fund). Available at: https://www.worldwildlife.org/descubre-wwf/historias/devadores-incendios-forestales-en-ustralia
Kyle Muller
About the author
Dr. Kyle Muller
Dr. Kyle Mueller is a Research Analyst at the Harris County Juvenile Probation Department in Houston, Texas. He earned his Ph.D. in Criminal Justice from Texas State University in 2019, where his dissertation was supervised by Dr. Scott Bowman. Dr. Mueller's research focuses on juvenile justice policies and evidence-based interventions aimed at reducing recidivism among youth offenders. His work has been instrumental in shaping data-driven strategies within the juvenile justice system, emphasizing rehabilitation and community engagement.
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