Top 10 natural disasters
We all are afraid I'm natural disaster. It occurs due to some disturbance in nature. A disaster is terrible event. It leads to a lot of damage, pain and suffering. A natural disaster is caused by the forces of nature. Some of the natural disaster about which you have heard are: earthquake, volcano, blizzards, floods, droughts, tornado, avalanche, landslide, tsunami and hurricane.
A natural disaster occurs when there is some disturbance in nature.
• Earthquake :
An earthquake is the shaking and trembling of the earth. Let's understand why it occurs.
The earth is made up of 3 layers.
The outermost layer of our earth is called the crust. The layer below the crust consist of hot rocks. This is called mantle. The core is the deepest layer of earth. It's made up of hot, molten material. The core is not in stable state. There is lot of movement going on inside it. At times, there is a lot of pressure which reaches the crust too. This can cause some rocks to bend. When it bends too much, it can either get cracks or even break. This makes the pieces shake and move. These shakes and tremors start deep below the surface of the earth and gradually we can feel the earthquake.
Sometimes during the earthquake when the ground shakes, large cracks also be seen in the ground.
The point on the crust just below which the earthquake starts is called epicenter. The earthquake is most strong at the epicenter.
The strength of an earthquake is measured on a scale is called the Richter scale. When there is such violent movement in the ground, had pipes can break or electricity lines can get damaged causing fire to spread. Big buildings can fall.
Earthquake can also cause floods, landslides and avalanches.
It's not possible to predict an earthquake.
However scientists have identified various areas of the world which are prone to earthquakes.
People who live in this regions are actually trained how to react in case of earthquake.
The earth is made up of 3 layers.
The outermost layer of our earth is called the crust. The layer below the crust consist of hot rocks. This is called mantle. The core is the deepest layer of earth. It's made up of hot, molten material. The core is not in stable state. There is lot of movement going on inside it. At times, there is a lot of pressure which reaches the crust too. This can cause some rocks to bend. When it bends too much, it can either get cracks or even break. This makes the pieces shake and move. These shakes and tremors start deep below the surface of the earth and gradually we can feel the earthquake.
Sometimes during the earthquake when the ground shakes, large cracks also be seen in the ground.
The point on the crust just below which the earthquake starts is called epicenter. The earthquake is most strong at the epicenter.
The strength of an earthquake is measured on a scale is called the Richter scale. When there is such violent movement in the ground, had pipes can break or electricity lines can get damaged causing fire to spread. Big buildings can fall.
Earthquake can also cause floods, landslides and avalanches.
It's not possible to predict an earthquake.
However scientists have identified various areas of the world which are prone to earthquakes.
People who live in this regions are actually trained how to react in case of earthquake.
•Volcano:
Deep inside the earth we have hot molten rock called magma. This magma comes up and collects in a chamber. When the pressure in this chamber builds up, the magma finds a release through an opening or a crack in the crust of the earth. Such an opening is called a vent.
A volcano is formed when gas, pieces of rocks and lava erupt from the vent. Lava is very hot molten rock that is mixed with gases. When magma erupt through the earth surface it's called Lava. On cooling it becomes volcanic rock. The hollow Top of the volcano that's shaped like a bowl is called a crater.
The release can be quite and gentle in which the lava just flows out. However sometimes it is very violent and the lava comes out in an explosion.
The lava and ash that is thrown out collects and after repeated eruption it forms a mountain once it cools down.
A volcano is formed when gas, pieces of rocks and lava erupt from the vent. Lava is very hot molten rock that is mixed with gases. When magma erupt through the earth surface it's called Lava. On cooling it becomes volcanic rock. The hollow Top of the volcano that's shaped like a bowl is called a crater.
The release can be quite and gentle in which the lava just flows out. However sometimes it is very violent and the lava comes out in an explosion.
The lava and ash that is thrown out collects and after repeated eruption it forms a mountain once it cools down.
There are 3 types of volcanoes. Active volcanoes are those that have erupted in the last 10000 years and can erupt again. Mt Etna of Italy is an active volcano.
The dormant volcano is in a state of sleep. This means that it had erupted in past. It can erupted again but at the moment it's asleep. Mount Kea, found in the Hawaiian Islands, USA, is an example of dormant volcano.
The dormant volcano is in a state of sleep. This means that it had erupted in past. It can erupted again but at the moment it's asleep. Mount Kea, found in the Hawaiian Islands, USA, is an example of dormant volcano.
Extinct volcanoes are those that have been inactive for thousands of years and are not expected to erupt again. Mt Pope in Myanmar is an extinct volcano.
•Blizzard :
Snow with strong winds cause blizzards. It's very dangerous to drive during a blizzard because people can't see anything due to the bitterly cold winds and the blowing snow. Parts of Canada, USA and Russia experience blizzards.
•Flood :
Floods happen when the rivers spill over their banks or they overflow on to the surrounding areas. This can happen when there is a large amount of rainfall in a short period of time.
Floods lead to damage of lives, homes, livestock and crops.
Floods lead to damage of lives, homes, livestock and crops.
•Droughts :
Droughts are the other extreme. Due to lack of rain, the ground has no moisture, streams and rivers dry up and no crop can survive. People die of famine, after a long period of drought, since there is an acute shortage of food.
A spark of lightning or heat generated from rotting plants or animals, or the heat from the lava of a volcano can start a forest fire. These are some of the natural causes of a forest fire but it can also be caused by human carelessness. We lose many, many acres of forests as a result of forest fires.
• Tornado :
A tornado is also known as twister because it looks like a long funnel of wind that is twisting around. The wind speed inside a tornado is very high and it can cause a lot of damage.
•Avalanche :
When a large mass of snow slides down the mountainside at a great speed, we have an avalanche. It can also carry soil and rock. It builds up speed it comes down hill and it can destroy anything that comes in its way. An avalanche occurs when an explosion, an earthquake, a very loud noise or wind disturbs the snow on the mountain slopes.
• Landslide :
The sliding of mud and rocks down the mountain slope is called landslide. Too much rain, earthquakes, explosions that cause strong vibrations, erosion by rivers cause landslide. Landslides are very common in the United State and India. A landslides can damage a lot of things those come in its path. It can even cause Flood by blocking dams.
•Tsunami :
It's an enormous wall of water that comes on to the shore in the form of wave and causes havoc to the coastal area. The waves have a lot of force and they can cover a long distance without losing power or energy. It's caused by the earthquake in the ocean floor, or any other disturbance in the seabed.
Many people who are unaware often go close to the Sea and become the victim of the monster wave.
Many people who are unaware often go close to the Sea and become the victim of the monster wave.
On the 26th December,2004, there was a tsunami that happened after a powerful earthquake in the floor of Indian ocean, just off the coast of Indonesia. Most countries were affected.
•Hurricane :
Hurricane is also known as Cyclone. It's a strong tropical storm with fast spinning winds. The speed of the winds caused lots of damage. Today people can be warned about the storm by the use of satellite images.
Storms like these have different in different places. Example :Over the Bay of Bengal and Indian Ocean this storm is known as Cyclone. In Japan it's known as Typhoon.
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