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NATURAL DISASTER

NATURAL DISASTER

The definition of natural disasters is any catastrophic event that is caused by nature or the natural processes of the earth. The severity of a disaster is measured in lives lost, economic loss, and the ability of the population to rebuild. Events that occur in unpopulated areas are not considered disasters. So a flood on an uninhabited island would not count as a disaster, but a flood in a populated area is called a natural disaster. All natural disasters cause loss in some way. Depending on the severity, lives can be lost in any number of disasters. Falling buildings or trees, freezing to death, being washed away, or heat stroke are just some of the deadly effects. Some disasters cause more loss of life than others, and population density affects the death count as well.

Hence, there is loss of property, which affects people’s living quarters, transportation, livelihood, and means to live. Fields saturated in salt water after tsunamis take years to grow crops again. Homes destroyed by floods, hurricanes, cyclones, landslides and avalanches, a volcanic eruption, or an earthquake are often beyond repair or take a lot of time to become livable again. Personal effects, memorabilia, vehicles, and documents also take a hit after many natural disasters. The natural disasters that really affect people worldwide tend to become more intense as the years go on. Frequency of earthquakes, mega storms, and heat waves has gone up considerably in the last few decades. Heavy population in areas that get hit by floods, cyclones, and hurricanes has meant that more lives are lost.

In some areas, the population has gotten somewhat prepared for the eventuality of disasters and shelters are built for hurricanes and tornadoes. However, loss of property is still a problem, and predicting many natural disasters isn’t easy. Scientists, geologists, and storm watchers work hard to predict major disasters and avert as much damage as possible. With all the technology available, it’s become easier to predict major storms, blizzards, cyclones, and other weather related natural disasters. But there arestill natural disasters that come up rather unexpectedly, such as earthquakes, wildfires, landslides, or even volcanic eruptions. Sometimes, a time of warning is there, but it’s often very short with catastrophic results. Areas that are not used to disasters affected by flash floods or sudden hail storms can be affected in an extreme way. However, despite the many natural disasters the world over, mankind has shown amazing resilience.

Types of Natural Disasters

Geological Disasters - Geological hazards, or dangers caused by geological (i.e., Earth) processes, such as plate tectonics, are a type of risk. Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are examples of this. In general, geological extreme events are beyond human control, however, humans have a significant impact on the events’ consequences.

Meteorological Disasters - Hazards caused by meteorological (i.e., weather) phenomena, particularly those related to temperature and wind, are known as meteorological hazards. Heat waves, cold waves, cyclones, hurricanes, and freezing rain are all examples of this. In the Atlantic, cyclones are known as hurricanes, while in the Pacific, they are known as typhoons.

Hydrological Disasters - Hazards caused by hydrological (water) processes are known as hydrological hazards. Floods, droughts, mudslides, and tsunamis are examples of natural disasters. Floods and droughts may cause havoc on agriculture and are one of the leading causes of famine. The 1931 Central China floods killed three or four million people, making it the greatest natural disaster in history.

Biological Disasters - Biological dangers are those that arise as a result of biological processes. This comprises a wide range of diseases, including infectious diseases that move from person to person and pose a significant threat to vast populations of people. Biological hazards are often left out of discussions about natural hazards, instead of falling under the purview of medicine and public health.

Disasters have substantial social and psychological impacts, which reflect not only the impact characteristics (e.g., magnitude and severity), but the pre-existing social and economic vulnerabilities, which intensify the loss and disruption. Effective disaster management, therefore, needs to ensure that the diverse interests and priorities of communal life are integrated into planning and response, especially those of vulnerable persons and groups. At the same time, it is important to take into consideration the psychological effects of disasters, particularly in relation to response mechanisms and processes. The level of psychological distress generated by a disaster may be either diminished or intensified by planning and management decisions, which in turn can enhance or impede recovery and reconstruction. The development of mental health care faces special challenges in developing countries. There is a need for mental health professionals to shift from a clinical to a public health focus; the development of training materials, case records, information systems, and the availability of adequate numbers of mental health professionals to implement the plan. There is a need for training all those involved in disaster relief work. The importance of trained Community Level Workers (CLWs) to implement an organized effort aimed at providing psychosocial relief has been well exemplified. There is a need in the Indian scenario to have community mental health teams trained for such events.