Discover Your Natural Disaster IQ

Natural Disasters: Key Facts and Impacts

• A natural disaster is defined as a negative impact following an actual occurrence of natural hazard that significantly harms a community.

• Examples of natural hazards include avalanche, coastal flooding, cold wave, drought, earthquake, hail, heat wave, hurricane, ice storm, landslide, lightning, riverine flooding, strong wind, tornado, typhoon, tsunami, volcanic activity, wildfire, and winter weather.

• Human choices and activities potentially play a role in causing natural disasters.

• The rapid growth of the world's population and its increased concentration in hazardous environments has escalated both the frequency and severity of disasters.

• Developing countries which suffer from chronic natural disasters often have ineffective communication systems combined with insufficient support for disaster prevention and management.

• Natural disasters can cause loss of life, injury, property damage, loss of livelihoods and services, social and economic disruption, or environmental damage.

• The greatest number of natural disasters occurred in America, China, and India between 1995 and 2015.

• In 2012, there were 905 natural disasters worldwide, 93% of which were weather-related disasters. Overall costs were US$170 billion and insured losses $70 billion.

• Natural disasters can lead to increased waste production, littering, and environmental damage.

• Women are often disproportionately affected by natural disasters and are at increased risk of being affected by gender-based violence and sexual assault.

• Disasters stress government capacity, and citizens may update information about government effectiveness based on their response to disasters, which affects their vote choice in the next election.

• Disaster risk reduction is an international campaign to reduce human, economic, and environmental losses due to hazards of all kinds.Types of Natural Disasters and Their Impacts

• Natural disasters can cause widespread destruction and loss of life.

• Secondary events triggered by natural disasters can cause additional harm and death, such as building collapse, fires, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions.

• Sinkholes can occur when natural erosion, human mining, or underground excavation makes the ground too weak to support structures built on it.

• Volcanic eruptions can release lava, ash, and pyroclastic flows that destroy buildings, plants, and animals due to extreme heat and abrasion damage.

• Supervolcanoes can create an immense cloud of ash that has disastrous global effects on climate and temperature for many years.

• Hydrological disasters are sudden, destructive changes in Earth's water quality, distribution, or movement, such as floods, tsunamis, and limnic eruptions.

• Droughts can cause crop failure and water shortages, leading to economic losses and water supply crises.

• Wildfires, dust storms, and storms such as hurricanes, thunderstorms, and tornadoes can cause property damage, loss of life, and economic losses.

• Blizzards, hailstorms, ice storms, and cold waves can cause damage to crops, infrastructure, and economic activities and require increased protection for agriculture, industry, commerce, and social activities.

• Climate change is expected to increase the frequency and intensity of many natural disasters.

• Better construction, safety systems, early warning, and planning can help mitigate the impacts of natural disasters.

• More research and development are needed to improve our understanding of natural disasters and to develop more effective strategies for mitigating their impacts.