Definition of a Natural Disaster
Natural disasters are cataclysmic events that can have a direct or indirect impact on the public's health and well-being, according to the United States Department of Health and Human Services. Natural disasters can include weather phenomena as well as landslides and avalanches, which occur as a result of erosion or severe weather patterns.
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Significance
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Natural disasters can kill tens and even hundreds of thousands of people in just a few minutes. Natural disasters are particularly devastating if a city or country is unprepared for such an event.
Types
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Natural disasters can include tornados, earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, severe thunderstorms, tsunamis or seaquakes, wildfires and even extreme heat or cold. Lightening can also be considered a natural disaster.
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Effects
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Natural disasters can destroy entire cities and countries and cause billions of dollars worth of damage. Power outages and fires can occur. The aftermath of an event like a seismism or twister can result in death, destruction and decay. Dead bodies can cause outbreaks of disease, sickness, starvation and prolonged misery.
Identification
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Some of the worst natural disasters in the United States include the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, 1938 New England Hurricane, 1974 tornados in Ohio and the eastern part of the United States and Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Considerations
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People can have severe psychological problems for many years and even a lifetime after a natural disaster, according to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit extreme weather image by Calin Tatu from Fotolia.com
