A natural disaster is an event caused by the weather or another normal geologic process like an earthquake or volcano eruption. Natural disasters can cause widespread damage and death. Sometimes, events that would be called natural disasters occur in areas that are equipped to handle the damage. This is not usually called a disaster. When an event causes economic and human damage, it is categorized as a natural disaster. Below you will find an explanation of some of the kinds of natural disaster.
Floods
A flood occurs when too much water enters a certain area of land. Flooding can be caused by an overflow of nearby bodies of water or heavy rain and storms. Typically, the overflow is also caused by rain or storms. Certain areas are prone to flash floods, which happen quickly and often without the warning that a storm gives. Floods often cause damage buildings and municipal structures. They may also damage power supplies and make transportation difficult. A flood may also damage farmland and cause water contamination as sewers overflow. Floods may cause long-term damage, especially to homes and small businesses.
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Hurricanes
A hurricane is a type of storm that combines strong winds, thunder, and a low-pressure center, often called the eye of the storm. There are different levels of hurricanes, such as a cyclone, typhoon, tropical storm and more. The categorization typically depends on the strength and location of the storm. Hurricanes primarily affect the coast since they are created in part due to the winds in the ocean. There is a hurricane season, which runs from about June through November in the Northern hemisphere. Hurricanes can be responsible for wide-scale flooding, wind damage, and power outages.
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Tornadoes
A tornado is a windstorm. In a tornado, wind moves so rapidly that it becomes a column or spout of air rotating between 100-300 miles per hour. Although tornadoes occur around the world, they occur most often in the Tornado Alley. Tornado Alley is a region of the United States that includes Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, and Nebraska. Tornadoes may occur with the addition of rain and dust. These types are considered the most dangerous types of tornadoes. Tornadoes may destroy buildings, pull down power lines and cause human injury and death. Many injuries happen after the tornado has moved on, caused by dangerous debris. About 60 people in the United States are killed yearly by tornadoes.
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Wildfires
A wildfire is a fire that occurs without warning in a forest or other wilderness area. Wildfires burn quickly and move at high speeds. They are also likely to unexpectedly change direction or move over barriers like water, roads, or fire breaks. Up to 80,000 wildfires occur in any given year in the United States. Wildfires can be caused by natural things like lightning, sparks from nearby rocks, volcanic eruption or natural spontaneous combustion, but they can also be caused by human error. In the United States, wildfires are common in California and other southwestern states. Often, local plants have evolved to withstand wildfires. However, buildings and other manmade objects cannot withstand wildfires. When wildfires cannot be contained within a reasonable amount of time, they can cause widespread damage. Wildfires are a necessary part of the ecological system, but they still pose a huge threat to people and their belongings and property.
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Earthquakes
An earthquake is an event that occurs when a large amount of energy in the Earth’s crust is released. This energy creates seismic waves, which can be felt as shaking or movement in the Earth itself. Earthquakes are most likely to happen along fault lines — where parts of the Earth’s crust overlap and move. Earthquakes may also be caused by nuclear tests, landslides, volcanoes or mine activity. Earthquakes can cause many different types of damage, like harming buildings and structures simply through movement, creating landslides, and causing fires, quicksand, floods or tsunamis. The most deadly earthquakes are typically those that cause tsunamis, although any earthquake can cause damage and fatalities.
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Winter Storms
Storms in winter can be particularly dangerous due to the presence of snow, hail or sleet. Snow can cause power outages, damage to houses and difficulty driving. Many people also suffer heart attacks while attempting to shovel or move snow in their property. Slick driving conditions also cause injury and fatalities. Snow may also cause carbon monoxide poisoning after power outages. Freezing rain is considered the most dangerous type of winter storm. Freezing rain can cause power losses, harm local plants, cause extremely dangerous driving and pull down trees and power lines. Winter storms may also cause hail, which can cause damage to buildings and injury to people and animals. Losing power may also cause people to go without heat and experience hypothermia or other cold-related conditions.
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