how natural disasters impact the environment 2013
TRANSCRIPT
How Natural Disasters Impact the Environment
2013
Can you name some natural disasters?
•Earthquakes•Hurricanes•Lightning•Fire•Tsunami •Tornados•Volcanoes•Blizzards•Floods•Heat•Drought
What You will Learn:
During this PowerPoint you are going to learn about 11 natural disasters. You will see some statistical information about how each disaster impacts man.
Afterwards, you will research to learn how natural disasters affect the environment.
Earthquake
A sudden movement of the earth's crust caused by the release of stress collected along faults or by volcanic activity
Earthquake Statistics http://neic.usgs.gov/neis/eqlists/eqstats.html
Earthquake Video http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/player/environment/environment-natural-disasters/earthquakes/earthquake-101.html
Richter Earthquake Magnitudes Effects Less than 3.5
Generally not felt, but recorded.
3.5-5.4 Often felt, but rarely causes damage.Under 6.0 At most slight damage to well-designed buildings.
Can cause major damage to poorly constructed buildings over small regions.
6.1-6.9 Can be destructive in areas up to about 100 kilometers across where people live.
7.0-7.9 Major earthquake. Can cause serious damage over larger areas.
8 or greater
Great earthquake. Can cause serious damage in areas several hundred kilometers across.
Frequency of Occurrence of Earthquakes
Magnitude Average Annually 8 and higher 1 7 - 7.9 17 6 - 6.9 134 5 - 5.9 1319 4 - 4.9 13,000 (estimated)
3 - 3.9 130,000 (estimated)
2 - 2.9 1,300,000 (estimated)
If winds reach 74 mph, then they are called: "hurricane" (the North Atlantic Ocean, the Northeast
Pacific Ocean east of the dateline, or the South Pacific Ocean east of 160E)
"typhoon" (the Northwest Pacific Ocean west of the dateline)
"severe tropical cyclone" (the Southwest Pacific Ocean west of 160E or Southeast Indian Ocean east of 90E)
"severe cyclonic storm" (the North Indian Ocean) "tropical cyclone" (the Southwest Indian Ocean)
Hurricane Statistics http://www.mthurricane.com/Information.htm
Hurricane
Top 10 Deadliest Hurricanes (Atlantic)
Rank Hurricane Name Year Category Deaths
1 Texas (Galveston) 1900 4 8000
2 FL (Lake Okeechobee) 1928 4 1836
3 Hurricane Katrina 2005 3 1500
4 Florida Keys 1919 4 600
5 New England 1938 3 600
6 Florida Keys (Labor Day) 1935 5 408
7 Audrey 1957 4 390
8 NE United States 1944 3 390
9 LA (Grand Isle) 1909 4 350
10 LA (New Orleans) 1915 4 275
Lightning
a brilliant electric spark discharge in the atmosphere, occurring within a thundercloud, between clouds, or between a cloud and the ground
Lightning Statistics http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/fatalities.htm
Fire
a burning mass of material
Fire Statistics http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/statistics/
The Overall Fire Picture - 2007 There were 3,430 civilians that lost their lives as the result of
fire. There were 17,675 civilian injuries that occurred as the result
of fire. There were 118 firefighters killed while on duty. Fire killed more Americans than all natural disasters
combined. 84 percent of all civilian fire deaths occurred in residences. There were an estimated 1.6 million fires in 2007. Direct property loss due to fires was estimated at $14.6
billion. An estimated 32,500 intentionally set structure fires resulted
in 295 civilian deaths. Intentionally set structure fires resulted in an estimated $733
million in property damage.
Tsunami
an unusually large sea wave produced by a seaquake or undersea volcanic eruption
Tsunami Statistics http://wcatwc.arh.noaa.gov/tsustats.pdf
Volcano
a vent in the earth's crust through which lava, steam, ashes, etc., are expelled, either continuously or at irregular intervals
Volcano Statistics http://www.epicdisasters.com/index.php/site/comments/the_worlds_worst_volcanic_eruptions/
Blizzard
A violent snowstorm with winds blowing at a minimum speed of 35 miles per hour and visibility of less than one-quarter mile for three hours
Top Blizzards in US http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/
A0886098.html http://nsidc.org/snow/blizzard/storms.html
Flood
A temporary rise of the water level, as in a river or lake or along a seacoast, resulting in its spilling over and out of its natural or artificial confines onto land that is normally dry. Floods are usually caused by excessive runoff from precipitation or snowmelt, or by coastal storm surges or other tidal phenomena.
Flood Statistics http://www.floodsafety.com/national/life/statistics.htm
Tornado
A violently rotating column of air extending from a cumulonimbus cloud to the Earth, ranging in width from a few meters to more than a kilometer and whirling at speeds between 40 and 316 mi per hour.
Tornado Statistics http://www.spc.noaa.gov/climo/online/monthly/newm.html
http://youtu.be/RgFqyj_4lj0
Drought
A long period of abnormally low rainfall, especially one that adversely affects growing or living conditions.
Statistical Information http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/paleo/drought/drght_alleve.html
Drought Facts
The cost of losses due to drought in the United States averages $6-8 billion every year, but range as high as $39 billion for the three year drought of 1987-1989, which was the most costly natural disaster documented in U.S. history.
The two major droughts of the 20th century, the 1930s Dust Bowl drought and the 1950s drought, lasted five to seven years and covered large areas of the continental U.S.
Heat Wave
an air mass of high temperature covering an extended area and moving relatively slowly
a period of abnormally hot and unusually humid weather
Statistical Information http://www.preventionweb.net/english/hazards/statistics/?hid=63
Which disasters are the worst?
In the next two sides you will see the 10 'Worst' Natural Disasters as decided by expert David Crossley, Professor of Geophysics.
10 'Worst' Natural Disasters
The October 8, 2005 magnitude 7.6 earthquake in Pakistan
Hurricane Katrina Volcanic Eruption - Nevado del Ruiz
(Columbia) in 1985 1976 earthquake magnitude 8 Tangshan
event in China Indonesia Volcanic Eruptions – Tambora
volcano of 1815 & Krakatoa explosion in 1883
10 'Worst' Natural Disasters
New Madrid earthquakes of 1811-12 in southern Missouri
1737 Calcutta, India typhoon Santorini volcanic explosion around 1500
B.C. major global paleoclimate event that
happened around 3000B.C. mass extinction during the Cretaceous-
Tertiary Stratigraphic Boundary, 65 million years ago
How Earthquakes Impact the Environment collapsing buildings property damage loss of power mud slides fires floods tsunamis
so….•Property loss •Loss of habitat
RoadsCollapse
How Hurricanes Impact the Environment erosion heavy flooding of inland areas tornadoes houses, buildings, and other structures
destroyed loss of power contaminated water supply
so….•Property loss •Loss of habitat
http://youtu.be/-Kou0HBpX4Ahttp://youtu.be/-Kou0HBpX4Ahttp://youtu.be/-Kou0HBpX4A
Galveston – after Hurricane Ike
How Lightning Impacts the Environment fire
• houses, buildings, and other structures destroyed
• loss of habitat loss of power
so….•Property loss •Loss of habitat
How Fire Impacts the Environment
houses, buildings, and other structures destroyed
loss of habitatso….•Property loss •Loss of habitat
How Tsunamis Impact the Environment
houses, buildings, and other structures destroyed
loss of powerfresh water contaminated erosion so….
•Property loss •Loss of habitat
How Volcanic Eruptions Impact the
Environment houses, buildings, and other structures
destroyed fires toxic gases released into the atmosphere Carbon dioxide emitted from volcanoes
adds to the natural greenhouse effect. loss of habitat
Before and After
How Blizzards Impact the Environmentflooding when snows melttrees fallpower outageshypothermialoss of crops/livestock
so….•Property loss •Loss of habitat
How Flooding Impacts the Environment loss of habitat houses, buildings, and other structures
destroyed power outages household wastes get into the water system fresh water contamination disease
Colorado floods of 2013
How Tornadoes Impact the Environment
Tornadoes could hit hazardous or toxic materials which could then be pollute the water and environment.
could transport certain types of small animals and plants across the land
destroy topsoil and crops destroy buildings and trees cause water contamination cause fires
Tornado damage in Joplin, MO
How Drought Impacts the Environment young trees die dries up lakes and other water sources loss of livestock and crops People use more fuel during droughts. losses or destruction of fish and wildlife habitat lack of food and drinking water for wild animals increase in disease in wild animals, because of reduced food and
water supplies migration of wild animals, leading to a loss of wildlife in some (drought-
stricken) areas and too many wildlife in areas not affected by drought increased stress on endangered species lower water levels in reservoirs, lakes, and ponds loss of wetlands more fires wind and water erosion of soils, reduced soil quality Information from http://drought.unl.edu/kids/impacts/affects.htm