prevention of natural disasters essay

School Guide
CBSE Notes for Class 8
CBSE Notes for Class 9
CBSE Notes for Class 10
CBSE Notes for Class 11
CBSE Notes for Class 12
NCERT Solutions
English Grammar
Basic Maths Formulas

500+ Words Essay on Natural Disasters For Students

From the towering walls of water that sweep across coastlines to the ground-shaking tremors that ripple through the earth’s surface, natural disasters are a stark reminder of the immense power of nature and the fragility of our existence. These catastrophic events strike without warning, leaving in their wake a trail of destruction, displacement, and heartbreak.

Table of Content

Types of Natural Disasters

Causes of natural disasters, effects of natural disasters, precautions and preparedness, 500 words essay on natural disasters.

Natural disasters can take many forms, each with its unique characteristics and consequences. Some of the most devastating types include:

1. Earthquakes: Triggered by the sudden release of energy within the Earth’s crust, earthquakes can cause massive structural damage, trigger tsunamis, and disrupt vital infrastructure.

2. Tsunamis: Towering waves generated by underwater earthquakes or volcanic eruptions, tsunamis can inundate coastal regions with incredible force, sweeping away everything in their path.

3. Hurricanes and Cyclones: These powerful rotating storm systems, fueled by warm ocean waters, bring destructive winds, torrential rain, and storm surges that can devastate entire communities.

4. Floods : Caused by excessive rainfall, melting snow, or dam failures, floods can submerge vast areas, disrupting lives and destroying property.

5. Wildfires: Driven by dry conditions, high winds, and human activities, wildfires can consume vast swaths of land, threatening lives, homes, and natural habitats.

6. Volcanic Eruptions: The explosive release of molten rock, ash, and gases from the Earth’s interior can bury entire regions in a blanket of destruction.

7 . Droughts : Prolonged periods of abnormally low rainfall can lead to water scarcity, crop failures, and even famine in some regions.

While some natural disasters are triggered by geological processes deep within the Earth, others are influenced by human activities and the changing climate. Factors such as deforestation, urbanization, and the burning of fossil fuels can increase the risk and intensity of certain disasters.

Climate change, in particular, is playing an increasingly significant role in the frequency and severity of many natural disasters. Rising global temperatures are contributing to more intense hurricanes, prolonged droughts, and the melting of glaciers and ice sheets, which can exacerbate coastal flooding.

The impact of natural disasters can be catastrophic, affecting every facet of human life and the environment. Some of the most significant effects include:

1. Loss of Life: Natural disasters can claim countless lives, leaving families and communities devastated by the loss of loved ones.

2. Destruction of Infrastructure: Roads, bridges, buildings, and critical infrastructure can be severely damaged or destroyed, hampering relief efforts and hindering recovery.

3. Economic Losses: The damage caused by natural disasters can result in staggering economic losses, affecting businesses, industries, and entire economies.

4. Displacement of Populations: Disasters often force people to abandon their homes and seek shelter elsewhere, leading to humanitarian crises and long-term displacement.

5. Environmental Degradation: Natural disasters can disrupt ecosystems, pollute water sources, and contribute to soil erosion and habitat loss, threatening biodiversity and natural resources.

6. Psychological Trauma: Survivors of natural disasters often grapple with the psychological toll, including post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety.

While it is impossible to prevent many natural disasters, proactive measures can be taken to mitigate their impact and enhance preparedness. Some of these measures include:

1. Effective Early Warning Systems: Developing and implementing robust early warning systems can provide valuable lead time for evacuation and emergency response efforts.

2. Disaster Risk Reduction: Identifying and addressing vulnerabilities through measures such as land-use planning, building codes, and infrastructure improvements can minimize potential damages.

3. Community Preparedness: Educating and empowering communities on disaster preparedness, including emergency plans, evacuation routes, and survival skills, can save lives and facilitate quicker recovery.

4. Resilient Infrastructure: Investing in resilient infrastructure, such as earthquake-resistant buildings and flood control systems, can reduce the impact of natural disasters.

5. Environmental Protection: Conserving and restoring natural ecosystems, such as wetlands and forests, can act as natural buffers against certain disasters and mitigate their effects.

6. International Cooperation: Fostering global partnerships and collaborations can facilitate knowledge-sharing, resource allocation, and coordinated response efforts during disasters.

Throughout human history, civilizations have grappled with the unpredictable and often merciless power of nature. Natural disasters, ranging from earthquakes and tsunamis to hurricanes and wildfires, have left indelible scars on communities worldwide, reminding us of our fragility in the face of nature’s might.

At their core, natural disasters are events triggered by the Earth’s natural processes, such as tectonic shifts, atmospheric disturbances, or geological phenomena. However, their consequences extend far beyond the physical realm, profoundly impacting lives, livelihoods, and the very fabric of societies.

The destructive force of these events is unparalleled. Earthquakes can reduce towering structures to rubble in mere seconds, while hurricanes and cyclones unleash winds of incredible ferocity, capable of obliterating entire coastlines. Wildfires, fueled by dry conditions and strong winds, consume everything in their path, leaving smoldering landscapes and displaced communities in their wake.

The human toll of natural disasters is staggering. Lives are tragically lost, families are torn apart, and survivors are left to grapple with the psychological trauma of witnessing such overwhelming devastation. Beyond the immediate loss of life, the aftermath often brings a cascade of challenges, including displacement, lack of access to essential resources, and the daunting task of rebuilding shattered communities.

The economic impact of natural disasters is equally profound. Infrastructure is crippled, businesses are disrupted, and entire industries can be brought to a standstill. The ripple effects of these events can reverberate throughout local and global economies, hampering recovery efforts and exacerbating existing vulnerabilities.

Moreover, the environmental consequences of natural disasters are far-reaching. Ecosystems are disrupted, delicate habitats are destroyed, and biodiversity is threatened as species struggle to adapt to the altered landscapes. The long-term effects on the natural world can be felt for generations, further compounding the challenges faced by impacted communities.

Addressing the threat posed by natural disasters requires a multifaceted approach that spans prevention, preparedness, and resilience-building efforts. Investing in robust early warning systems, fortifying infrastructure, and promoting disaster risk reduction strategies are crucial steps in minimizing the impact of these events.

Furthermore, addressing the underlying drivers of climate change is paramount, as many natural disasters are exacerbated by the effects of global warming. By transitioning towards more sustainable practices and reducing our carbon footprint, we can mitigate the intensity and frequency of certain disasters, safeguarding both human and environmental well-being.

Ultimately, natural disasters serve as a humbling reminder of the immense power of nature and the fragility of our existence. While we cannot control the forces that give rise to these events, we can cultivate resilience, foster global cooperation, and prioritize preparedness efforts to better withstand their fury.

As we navigate the unpredictable landscape of natural disasters, let us embrace our shared responsibility to protect lives, safeguard communities, and forge a more sustainable relationship with the natural world. By doing so, we can forge a path towards a future where the devastating impacts of these events are minimized, and humanity emerges stronger and more resilient in the face of nature’s challenges.

Also Read: My Aim in Life Essay For Students: 100, 200 & 500 Words Essay My Village Essay in English For Students 500+ Words Essay on Importance of Education in English

Natural disasters underscore our need for resilience and preparedness. By bolstering infrastructure, safeguarding the environment, and addressing climate change, we can lessen their impact. Emphasizing risk reduction and sustainable practices, we aim to protect lives, economies, and ecosystems. Together, through resilience and cooperation, we can build a future where communities coexist with nature’s forces.

Essay on Natural Disasters- FAQs

What is disaster 1 paragraph.

A disaster is a major disturbance in the operation of a community or society resulting in widespread human, material, economic, or environmental losses and impacts that surpass the afflicted community’s or society’s ability to manage using its own resources.

What are the 2 main types of disasters?

Disasters are typically divided into two categories: natural and man-made. Natural catastrophes are typically related with weather and geological occurrences such as severe temperatures, floods, storms, earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, landslides, and drought.

What are 5 man-made disasters?

A. Man-made disasters involve human intent, neglect, or error in the breakdown of a man-made system, as opposed to natural disasters caused by natural hazards. Such man-made calamities include crime, arson, civil unrest, terrorism, war, biological/chemical threats, cyber-attacks, and so on.

Please Login to comment...

Improve your Coding Skills with Practice

What kind of Experience do you want to share?

Natural Disasters Essay

Natural Disasters Essay – Introduction

Natural disasters are powerful and dangerous events that are caused by nature. Disasters happen suddenly with little or no warning and cause severe damage to people, property, and the entire environment. It can be earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions. This essay will further elaborate in detail on natural disasters.

Today, natural disasters are becoming increasingly common. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the number of disasters in the United States has tripled since the 1960s. It can be because of climate change, population growth, and urbanization. And as the Earth’s climate becomes warmer, such natural disasters will become more common.

Watch our Demo Courses and Videos

Valuation, Hadoop, Excel, Mobile Apps, Web Development & many more.

There are three levels of natural disasters: small, medium, and large-scale. The events that do not cause too much harm in the world are small-scale, like lightning, storms, etc. Medium Scale disasters are riskier and more harmful than small-scale disasters, like blizzards or landslides. Meanwhile, professionals who write papers for money often analyze the impact of large-scale disasters, which cause significant environmental damage, including tsunamis, wildfires, etc. The disasters that cause too much environmental damage, such as tsunamis, wildfires, etc., are large-scale disasters.

This natural disasters essay will talk about the types of natural disasters as well their causes and impacts.

List of Natural Disasters

Some common natural disasters, along with their nature of impact and consequences, are provided in the table below:


	Shakes the ground and can collapse buildings	Injuries, loss of life
	Big storms with strong winds and heavy rain	Flooding, destruction of homes
	Too much water causes damage to homes and roads	Property damage, displacement
	Spreads quickly and destroys everything in its path	Destruction of vegetation, property
	Giant waves that flood coastal areas	Flooding, destruction of infrastructure
	Releases lava, ash, and gasses damaging surrounding areas	Property damage, respiratory problems

Types of Natural Disasters

There are different ways that natural disasters can happen. Some of the types are as follows,

Internal: It includes all the disasters that happen when there are some changes under the earth’s surface. These include earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, etc. We cannot easily predict these events.

External: It is when there is a disturbance above the earth’s surface. It is generally because of us humans who change the environment. These are usually landslides, floods, etc.

Temperature: When the temperature of the air or ocean changes, it can cause disasters like tornadoes and hurricanes. Even drought and glacier melt occurs because of the change in temperature of the environment.

Biological: These disasters occur because of viruses and bacteria that cause harmful diseases that can kill people. For instance, COVID-19, Ebola virus, etc., are some examples.

Causes of Natural Disasters

There are different causes for each natural disaster.

Too much rain can overfill the dams and flood a large area near the dam. It can cause damage to nearby buildings and homes.
When a storm forms over the ocean due to warm water, it is known as a Hurricane. There are also strong winds that can push the ocean water to the seashore and cause floods.
Tornadoes form when two different air temperatures clash, i.e., damp air from the ground collides with dry air from above. It creates a spiral of air that can be very powerful.
When two pieces of the Earth’s crust move against each other, it creates vibrations that we can feel on the ground. As these vibrations are too strong, they can cause buildings to fall and cause damage.
Volcanoes are mountains that release hot gasses, ash, and lava from below the earth’s surface to the above ground.

Natural Disasters Effects

Natural disasters can have long-term impacts, including economic and social disruption, displacement, and health problems. The severity of the disaster depends on factors such as the event’s intensity, location, and effectiveness of the disaster management system.

Material and financial loss, social unrest, and political instability are common impacts of natural disasters. Homelessness and a lack of access to basic necessities can occur after a natural disaster, leading to social disruption and decreased economic activity.

Emotional and psychological damage, as well as long-term health problems, can result from natural disasters. Air pollution can cause respiratory problems, and trauma and stress can lead to mental health issues.

Natural disasters can also impact the environment, causing soil erosion, water pollution, and a decrease in biodiversity. These impacts can have long-term consequences and require efforts for recovery and rebuilding.

Natural Disaster Management

It’s really important to be ready for natural disasters and keep ourselves safe. Countries that are ready to face natural disasters have to suffer less damage. So, governments should have disaster management policies for prevention, response, and recovery. Here are a few precautions we can take for some common natural disasters:

Earthquake Preparedness

Building strong structures so they don’t break during earthquakes.
Creating early warning systems that can alert people before an earthquake happens.
Educating people about the dangers of earthquakes and what to do when they happen.

Hurricane Preparedness

Developing evacuation plans and identifying safe locations to stay during a hurricane.
Establishing systems to provide early warnings and updates on approaching hurricanes.
Ensuring proper drainage systems to mitigate flooding caused by heavy rain during hurricanes.

Flood Preparedness

Implementing measures to manage water flow and prevent flooding.
Educating individuals on flood risks and providing guidance on evacuation procedures.
Creating emergency response plans to provide immediate assistance during and after a flood.

Wildfire Preparedness

Promoting fire safety practices and educating individuals on the prevention of wildfires.
Clearing dry leaves and vegetation around homes to reduce fire risks.
Cooperating with firefighting agencies and having evacuation plans in place during wildfire emergencies.

Tsunami Preparedness

Raising awareness about tsunamis and educating coastal communities on evacuation routes.
Establishing warning systems near coastal areas to provide early alerts for tsunamis.
Conducting drills and exercises to ensure that individuals know how to respond to a tsunami.

Volcano Preparedness

Monitoring volcanic activities and studying eruption patterns to predict volcanic eruptions.
Establishing communication systems to disseminate timely warnings about volcanic eruptions.
Collaborating with scientists and experts to develop evacuation plans and safe zones during volcanic emergencies.

Overall Disaster Management

Individuals should develop personal emergency plans and be aware of the risks of different types of disasters. Governments and individuals can be better prepared to respond to natural disasters by having emergency plans. Thus, taking these precautions can lower the risk of disasters and protect ourselves and our communities.

Conclusion – Natural Disasters Essay

Natural disasters can cause immense destruction, pain, and loss of life. So, to lessen the impacts of these disasters, taking disaster management measures is necessary.

Essay on Natural Disaster

Students are often asked to write an essay on Natural Disaster in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Natural Disaster

Introduction.

Natural disasters are extreme, sudden events caused by environmental factors that injure people and damage property. They include earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, tsunamis, and other geologic processes.

Types of Natural Disasters

Earthquakes are sudden shaking of the ground. Floods occur when water overflows onto dry land. Hurricanes are intense wind storms. Tornadoes are violently rotating winds. Wildfires destroy forests and lands. Tsunamis are sea waves caused by underwater earthquakes.

Impact of Natural Disasters

Natural disasters can lead to loss of life, economic damage, and displacement of populations. They can also cause environmental damage, impacting biodiversity and ecosystems.

Understanding natural disasters and their effects can help us prepare and reduce their harmful impacts. It’s crucial to educate ourselves and take protective measures.

250 Words Essay on Natural Disaster

Natural disasters are catastrophic events triggered by environmental factors that kill people and cause damage to property and natural resources. They include earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, tsunamis, and other geologic processes.

The Cause and Effect of Natural Disasters

Natural disasters occur due to the movement of tectonic plates, weather changes, and geological processes. Earthquakes, for instance, are caused by the movement of tectonic plates. Floods and hurricanes are usually the result of extreme weather conditions. The effects are often devastating, leading to loss of life and property, displacement of people, and economic damage.

Human Interaction and Natural Disasters

Human activities can exacerbate the severity of natural disasters. Deforestation, urbanization, and climate change contribute to the frequency and intensity of these disasters. Climate change, driven by human activity, is causing more severe weather patterns, leading to increased instances of floods and hurricanes.

Prevention and Mitigation Measures

Prevention and mitigation of natural disasters involve predicting possible disasters and preparing for them. Technological advancements have made it possible to predict some disasters, enabling timely evacuations. Infrastructure can be designed to withstand natural disasters, and reforestation can help prevent landslides and floods.

Natural disasters are inevitable, but their impact can be reduced through innovative technology, proper planning, and sustainable practices. Understanding the causes and effects of these disasters is crucial for developing effective prevention and mitigation strategies.

500 Words Essay on Natural Disaster

The science behind natural disasters.

Understanding the science behind natural disasters involves studying the Earth’s interacting systems. For instance, earthquakes occur due to the movement of tectonic plates. When these plates move, they cause the Earth’s crust to break and shake, leading to an earthquake. Similarly, hurricanes form over warm ocean waters and are fueled by the heat and water vapor they provide.

Impacts of Natural Disasters

The impacts of natural disasters are multifaceted and far-reaching. They not only cause immediate loss of life and destruction of infrastructure but also have long-term effects on the socio-economic fabric of the affected regions. Natural disasters can lead to economic losses due to the destruction of infrastructure like buildings, bridges, and roads, disrupting trade, and causing a decline in tourism.

Climate Change and Natural Disasters

Disaster management and mitigation.

In conclusion, natural disasters are a significant global issue, causing immense loss and damage. Understanding the science behind these disasters, their impacts, and the influence of climate change can help us develop effective disaster management strategies. As we move forward, it is crucial that we continue to improve our resilience to these events, not only through scientific and technological advances but also by fostering global cooperation and community preparedness. After all, natural disasters are a shared global risk, and addressing them effectively requires collective action.

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

Happy studying!

Natural Disaster Essay: How to Write, Topics, & Examples

What would you do if someone told you that a tsunami would wipe out your house tomorrow afternoon? You won’t believe them. It always seems that natural disasters happen in someone else’s life. But every year, millions of people worldwide suffer from various natural calamities. This article attempts to systemize the chaos of nature for you to write an impressive natural disaster essay. You will get acquainted with the seven types of disasters, get a long list of topics and examples of natural disaster essay in 200 words and 300 words.

🌪️ Natural Disaster: The Basics
💡 114 Essay Topics
📑 Outlining Your Essay
🌊 Essay Sample (200 Words)
🏜️ Essay Sample (300 Words)

🌪️ Natural Disaster Essay: What Is It About?

A natural disaster is a large-scale meteorological or geological event that can to cause loss of life or massive damage to people’s property. Floods and severe storms are the most reported acts of nature in the US, but other incidents also happen from time to time. That is why you can dedicate your essay on natural disasters to earthquakes, droughts, wildfires, floods, tsunamis, hurricanes, or tornadoes.

The picture lists the 7 main types of natural disasters.

	It is a powerful funnel-shaped cloud that rotates and demolishes buildings, hurls cars, and uproots trees. Tornadoes appear from cumulonimbus clouds, pending with their smaller part to the ground. This column of air has a wind speed of up to 300 mph. In your disaster management essay, you can suggest reasonable precautions to save as many people and property as possible in a tornado area.
	It is a tropical cyclone that affects the coastal population of the southern Atlantic Ocean, eastern , Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico. These acts of nature may include heavy winds, floods, and tornadoes. For this reason, you can describe natural disasters’ impact on human life in the essay.
	Floods are the most common natural disaster in the US. They usually occur when the volume of water in a stream is larger than the channel’s capacity. Then, the land that is typically dry gets submerged. Streamflow depends on numerous factors making floods hard to predict.
	This Japanese word (‘tsu’ for harbor and ‘nami’ for wave) denominates powerful waves caused by an underwater earthquake, land slumping, landslides on the seafloor, meteorite impact, or volcanic eruption in the ocean. In a tsunami disaster essay, you could describe a historical tragedy and analyze its causes.
	This type of disaster starts when lightning hits a tree in the wood or due to man-made causes. It is an unplanned and uncontrolled spread of fire in natural areas with combustible vegetation.
	It is an extended lack of water in a given region. A drought can happen due to the below-normal precipitation. It causes crop damage and water shortage in the area. It can last for years or end in weeks.
	It is the result of seismic waves in the Earth’s crust. Tectonic plates shake or move, damaging everything that stands or lives on them. Some of them may be caused by anthropogenic factors.

💡 114 Natural Disasters Essay Topics

What could you write in a natural disaster essay? You can invent your own topic about various types of natural disasters, their causes, and aftermath, or their impact on human life and the economy. Depending on the discipline, you can also describe historic calamities that changed the direction of human civilization. Alternatively, choose one from our comprehensive list below.

Why are the Great Plains of the central US ideal for tornado formation?
Global Warming and Climate Change Legislation.
Research the atmospheric parameters inside a tornado.
Energy, Technology and Climate Change.
Why are the boundaries of Tornado Alley in the US so debatable?
The global climate change as a manmade disaster.
Which actions should you never do when a tornado is nearby?
Volunteers’ Role During Disasters.
Suggest your opinion on the best action strategy in a hurricane.
The Columbia Disaster and safety violations.
What were the causes and effects of a flood?
Analysis on Climate Change and Global Impact.
Describe the most devastating wildfires in the US and find their common features.
Earthquake Engineering Considerations and Methods.
Brainstorm ideas to prevent wildfires.
Global warming and the greenhouse effect.
How can building dams cause earthquakes?
Climate Change and Its Impact on Freshwater.
Analyze the impact of droughts on tourism.
Climate Change Effect on Coral Reef Communities.
Describe the most extended droughts in human history.
Marine and Coastal Climate Change in Australia.
Write an essay on natural disasters and earthquakes in particular.
Air pollution and mortality rates
What are the distinctive features of droughts in third-world countries?
Global Warming, Climate Change, and Society’s Impact on the Environment.
Study the relationship between global warming and droughts.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder After a Hurricane.
Evaluate the damage caused by Hurricane Maria in 2017.
Social Media’s Role in Disaster Response.
Classify the effects of natural disasters in an essay.
Sustainability and Climate Change.
Describe the 1815 volcanic eruption of Mt. Tambora, Indonesia.
Hurricane Katrina: Overview, Impact, Response.
Each new leap of civilization causes new responses of nature.
Animal Exploitation. Animal Agriculture and Climate Change.
Think of any positive effects a volcanic eruption may have.
In Arizona, Collaboration Averts Water Disaster.
Children are the poorest victims of any disaster.
A Solution to Remedy Climate Change.
Which ways of disaster risk reduction do you know?
An Emergency Operations Center During Hurricane Harvey.
Research the current problems in disaster management.
Disaster Recovery Plan for Information Technology Organizations.
Analyze ineffective disaster management in an essay about hurricane Katrina.
Nurse Competencies and Scope of Practice in Disaster.
What should a household have at home in the case of a disaster?
Hurricane Katrina: The Powerful Natural Disaster.
Describe the humanitarian disaster during the drought in Somalia.
Technology in Disaster Preparedness.
Can man-made disasters entail natural calamities?
Disaster Management in Philadelphia.
Review the criteria for disaster classification.
Jeddah Floods and Adaptation Strategies in the City of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Search for real examples of hybrid disasters.
Natural Disasters Prevention: A Tabletop Exercise.
Who is responsible for casualties after a natural disaster?
The Sand Storms: Remote Sensing and Meteorological Variables.
List the lessons we could learn from our past disaster experience.
Fire Development, Growth, and Spreads.
The ice storm and silver thaw: A gentle disaster.
Fire Crisis Management in the UAE.
Rockslides: A pressing issue for rural areas.
1d – 2d Flood Modeling Using PCSWMM.
What are the psychological benefits of disaster preparedness?
Structural Control and Origin of Volcanism in the Taupo Volcanic Zone.
When does a blizzard become a disaster?
Extreme Weather Events + Geographies of Globalization.
Research the causes of dust storms and name the affected areas.
Strategies for Sustainable Integrated Oil Disaster Management in West Africa.
Why did the San Francisco earthquake (1906) cause devastating fires?
Causes of Climate Change.
What could be done to help people who lost their homes in an earthquake?
Book Review: Energy and Global Climate Change.
Analyze the role of World Vision in humanitarian aid after disasters.
Tangshan earthquake of 1976 showed that high population density is disastrous.
The Role of Carbon Dioxide in Climate Change.
Rock avalanche: Why water is the most powerful geological agent.
Aspects of Climate Change.
When do extreme weather conditions turn into a disaster?
Climate Change: Reasons, Kyoto Protocol.
Write an article on shelter-providing organizations for disaster victims.
Establishing an IT Disaster Recovery Plan.
Describe earthquake cycles in Haiti.
Effects of Climate Change on Agriculture and Food.
How can nature damage ecology in natural disasters?
Climate Change. Problems. Effects.
Disaster management should include psychological help to the survivors.
Climate Change Causes: Position and Strategies.
Suggest ways to prevent damage caused by debris flow.
HAT 4: Disaster in Franklin Country.
How did the lack of evacuation after the Bhola cyclone (1970) result in the massive death toll?
The Effects of Climate Change.
The most significant Yellow River flood: 2 million deaths in 1887.
Resilience Building Against Natural Disasters in the Caribbean Islands.
Sinkholes: A natural disaster or attraction for cavers and water-divers?
Global Climate Change and Health.
Describe the dynamics of landslides in California.
Which early-warning systems to detect avalanches do you know?
Los Angeles Regional Collaborative for Climate Action.
Pyroclastic flow: The deadliest volcanic hazard.
Communication During Disaster Response.
Describe the volcano eruption of Vesuvius that destroyed the Herculaneum and Pompeii.
Disaster Planning for Families.
Disaster prevention measures: Investments that save millions of lives.
Natural Disaster Management and Historical Prospective Study in the UAE.
Research the PTSD in survivors of natural disasters.
Are the latest disasters the nature’s fightback to humanity?
Estimate the human impact on natural disasters.
List the countries with the largest number of disasters and find their standard features.
Everyday Communication on Climate Change.
Insurance coverage against disasters: Our inevitable future.
Emergency Planning Before and After Hurricane Katrina.
One natural disaster could bring the world to its end.

Haven’t found a suitable topic in the list above? Use our essay topic generator to get more ideas.

📑 Natural Disaster Essay Outline

Outlines differ, depending on the assigned length and essay type. It is a reference sample. Feel free to modify it, extending some points and narrowing the others. Still, the overall structure should remain the same. We have chosen the “Causes of Earthquakes” essay topic for demonstrative purposes.

Hook . There are millions of possible ways to start your essay, from a rhetorical question to any imaginable scenario. The point is to grab the reader’s attention, showing them that your writing is unique and creative. For example: We are always concerned with the consequences of a natural disaster. But what brought us into such a calamity in the first place?
Concepts. Natural disasters can be studied in the framework of various disciplines. But in all cases, they are linked with geology, biology, chemistry, geography, and some other subjects with broad and complicated terminology. Explain the terms that could be elusive for your readers here. For example: For the purposes of this essay, an earthquake is a sudden displacement of the land surface.
Background. How did you come to think of this problem? Why is it topical? The causes of earthquakes are numerous and often unrelated. To understand them as a system, we need a strict classification.
Thesis statement . Clearly state the aim of your essay. This essay attempts to group the causes of earthquakes to determine which factors can be tackled by human forces.
Transition sentence. It comes in the previous sentence (for paragraphs 2 and 3) and ensures smooth reading. E.g.: Tectonic movements are the most powerful causes of earthquakes, and we cannot influence them. But still, there is something we could do.
Topic sentence . What will you explain in this paragraph? Human interference with nature can also cause earthquakes.
Evidence. How can you confirm the topic sentence? Heavy clubbing of dam water can disturbance the crustal balance. Nuclear bombing causes shockwaves that penetrate the surface, changing the tectonic plates and their natural alignment. Mining can also cause earthquakes by removing extensive volumes of stone from under the ground.
Warrant. Why does the reader need this information, and how does it relate to the thesis statement? Knowing these facts can help us change the old-fashioned approaches and lessen the ecological damage to our planet.
Summary. Collect and summarize all your arguments here. Tectonic movements, volcano eruptions, and geological faults cause a significant part of earthquakes worldwide. But various man-made causes bring us to the same result.
Rephrased thesis. We cannot stop the tectonic movements or hinder volcanic eruptions, but we can use natural resources with more care.

🌊 Natural Disaster Essay 200 Words

Below you will find a short natural disaster essay for 200 words. It explores the causes and effects of the tsunami in Japan in 2011.

Tsunami in Japan: Causes and Effects The proximity of the deadliest disasters is often unpredictable. As a result, the consequences of a tsunami can exceed any possible expectations. This essay looks for the decisive factors that caused the tsunami in Japan in 2011 and its results for the local population and other countries. The causes were out of human control and could not be predicted. The Pacific plate moved in the horizontal and vertical plane, advancing beneath the Eurasian Plate. It displaced the seawater above and entailed several destructive waves. The disaster had enormous consequences for the Japanese people and their economy. It killed almost 16,000 people, although the country had a sophisticated alarming system. Besides, the earthquake caused fires and explosions at oil factories. The cooling system of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant went out of service. Two people were lost, and many were injured. Nissan, like many other large corporations, had to suspend the operation of its four factories. The economic losses due to the catastrophe amounted to 300 billion dollars. But the disaster moved to other places. On 24 March 2011, the earthquake in the east of Myanmar claimed the lives of 60 people and destroyed 300 buildings. As we can see, everything is linked on our planet. Movements of the earth’ crust in any part of the world bring about earthquakes and tsunami in other countries. The series of waves in Japan was caused by the underwater earthquake and had horrible consequences.

🏜️ Natural Disaster Essay 300 Words

If your assignment is longer, you will have to provide your opinion in the essay. Or, you can make your argumentation more detailed. Below you can check our 300-word sample of a disaster essay.

The Economic Effects of the Dust Bowl Drought When someone says “a natural disaster,” we usually imagine an earthquake or a tsunami. Buildings are destroyed, and property is lost. But imagine a scenario of a devastating drought, which happened in the US in the 1930s. Its effect is less visible because it lies in the domain of the national economy. This essay reveals the economic consequences of the Dust Bowl drought. During the third decade of the XX century, strong winds raised choking dust in the southern states, from Texas to Nebraska. People and animals died as the crops failed in the area for several years in a row. The Dust Bowl lasted for almost a decade and was also called “the Dirty Thirties.” This drought intensified the impact of the Great Depression. Local farmers had to migrate to urban areas in search of better conditions and other sources of living. About 2.5 million people moved West from the worst-hit states, namely New Mexico, Texas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Kansas. But they found only discrimination, meager salaries, and inhuman working conditions. Many had to live in tents near irrigation ditches. They were called “Okies,” a disdainful name for migrants of any state. Regular rains returned to the southern states by the end of 1939, closing the drought. However, the economic aftermath persisted. The counties that suffered the most failed to recover the agricultural value of their land till the 1950s. Thus, the local population kept decreasing for twenty years. Although a drought does not ruin property, it can tangibly lower human life levels. The Dust Bowl threw people into a lose-lose situation. Their farms were unfit for gaining any profit, and the new places of living gave them no better opportunities. It took two decades to restore public wellbeing in the Southern States.

Researching the worst acts of nature can teach you to value what you have. We hope that this article has made your creative writing more manageable and pleasurable. You can write an essay of any length by simply following our outline. All you will need to do after that is make a cover page for it.

Please share your natural disaster essay ideas in the comments below.

❓ Natural Disaster Essay FAQ

How to write an essay about natural disaster.

Your approach should depend on the discipline. But in any case, you can discuss the types of disasters, their consequences, characteristics, and preconditions. The excellent idea is to select a past disastrous event and analyze it from the economic, social, or individual point of view.

What Is a Disaster Essay?

A disaster essay explores the stages of a natural or man-made calamity and seeks the possible ways to prevent similar emergencies in the future. An article on disaster management studies the correct and efficient activities to lower the casualties and property loss after a disaster.

What Is Disaster Preparedness Essay?

This type of writing analyzes the level of readiness of a region or municipality to an unexpected natural disaster. You can highlight the vulnerable groups of the population that will suffer the most. Or, you may invent measures that could reduce the disaster response and coping time. Such assignments teach you strategic thinking and a systematic approach to problem-solving.

How to Describe a Natural Disaster for an Essay?

You should specify that the event was unexpected and led to many deaths and property loss. The most critical things include the causes of the disaster, its progress and duration, and the negative consequences for the locals. You can also specify the negative effect on the economy and humanitarian condition of the area.

🔗 References

Natural Disasters and Severe Weather | CDC
Types of Disasters | SAMHSA
Natural Disaster – an overview | ScienceDirect Topics
Natural Disasters – National Geographic
What Is Disaster Management: Prevention and Mitigation

INTERACTIVE

Humans induce and reduce environmental disasters.

Environmental disasters from 1970 to 2019 led to new developments in science, engineering, and policy. Explore disasters that have occurred over the last fifty years on land, in water, and in the atmosphere, as well as envision solutions to prevent or minimize further disasters.

Biology, Ecology, Conservation, Earth Science, Climatology, Oceanography, Geography, Human Geography

View full screen here .

Base map may not reflect National Geographic's current map policy.

Media Credits

The audio, illustrations, photos, and videos are credited beneath the media asset, except for promotional images, which generally link to another page that contains the media credit. The Rights Holder for media is the person or group credited.

Production Managers

Program specialists, last updated.

October 19, 2023

User Permissions

For information on user permissions, please read our Terms of Service. If you have questions about how to cite anything on our website in your project or classroom presentation, please contact your teacher. They will best know the preferred format. When you reach out to them, you will need the page title, URL, and the date you accessed the resource.

If a media asset is downloadable, a download button appears in the corner of the media viewer. If no button appears, you cannot download or save the media.

Text on this page is printable and can be used according to our Terms of Service .

Interactives

Any interactives on this page can only be played while you are visiting our website. You cannot download interactives.

Related Resources

Essay Samples
College Essay
Writing Tools
Writing guide

Creative samples from the experts

↑ Return to Essay Samples

Cause & Effect Essay: Natural Disasters and Their Causes

Natural disasters happen all over the world, and they can be utterly devastating for people’s lives and the environments in which they live. Although natural disasters are caused by nature and there is nothing that we can do to prevent them happening, there are many different natural causes that lead to natural disasters, and being aware of these causes enables us to be better prepared when such disasters do arrive.

One common natural disaster is flooding, which occurs when a river bursts its banks and the water spills out onto the floodplain. This is far more likely to happen when there is a great deal of heavy rain, so during very wet periods, flood warnings are often put in place. There are other risk factors for flooding too: steep-sided channels cause fast surface run-off, while a lack of vegetation or woodland to both break the flow of water and drink the water means that there is little to slow the floodwater down. Drainage basins of impermeable rock also cause the water to run faster over the surface.

Earthquakes are another common natural disaster that can cause many fatalities. The movements of the plates in the earth’s crust cause them. These plates do not always move smoothly and can get stuck, causing a build-up of pressure. It is when this pressure is released that an earthquake occurs. In turn, an earthquake under the water can also cause a tsunami, as the quake causes great waves by pushing large volumes of water to the surface.

Tsunamis can also be caused by underwater volcanic eruptions. Volcanic eruptions are another natural disaster, and they are caused by magma escaping from inside the earth. An explosion takes place, releasing the magma from a confined space, which is why there are often also huge quantities of gas and dust released during a volcanic eruption. The magma travels up the inside of the volcano, and pours out over the surrounding area as lava.

One of the most common natural disasters, but also one of the most commonly forgotten, is wildfires. These take place in many different countries all over the world, particularly during the summer months, and can be caused by a range of different things. Some of the things that can start the wildfires can be totally natural, while others can be manmade, but the speed at which they spread is entirely down to nature. The two natural causes of wildfires are the sun’s heat and lightning strikes, while they can also be caused by campfires, smoking, fireworks and many other things. The reasons that they spread so quickly are prolonged hot, dry weather, where the vegetation dries out, which is why they often take place in woodland.

Follow Us on Social Media

Get more free essays

Send via email

Most useful resources for students:.

Free Essays Download
Writing Tools List
Proofreading Services
Universities Rating

Contributors Bio

Find more useful services for students

Free plagiarism check, professional editing, online tutoring, free grammar check.

Home — Essay Samples — Environment — Disasters — Natural Disasters

Essays on Natural Disasters

Hook examples for natural disasters essays, "nature's wrath unleashed" hook.

"Natural disasters remind us of the raw power of the Earth. Explore the awe-inspiring, yet devastating, forces that shape our world and challenge our resilience."

"Surviving the Unthinkable" Hook

"Survivors of natural disasters carry stories of strength and survival. Share firsthand accounts of individuals who faced nature's fury and emerged as heroes."

"Disaster Preparedness: Are We Ready?" Hook

"In an era of climate change, disaster preparedness is paramount. Analyze the state of our preparedness efforts, the role of technology, and the importance of community resilience."

"The Environmental Toll of Natural Disasters" Hook

"Beyond human impact, natural disasters take a toll on our environment. Investigate the ecological consequences of disasters and the long-term effects on ecosystems."

"Mitigating Disaster: A Race Against Time" Hook

"Scientists and policymakers are working tirelessly to mitigate the impact of natural disasters. Explore innovative strategies, early warning systems, and the quest to save lives."

"Humanitarian Response and Resilience" Hook

"Natural disasters bring out the best in humanity as communities and organizations rally to provide aid. Celebrate stories of humanitarian response and the strength of human resilience."

"The Future of Disaster Management" Hook

"As natural disasters become more frequent and severe, we must adapt. Discuss the future of disaster management, sustainable solutions, and global cooperation in the face of adversity."

The Sinking of The Lusitania: Catalyst for Change

Report on natural disaster: hurricane katrina, made-to-order essay as fast as you need it.

Each essay is customized to cater to your unique preferences

+ experts online

The Effects of Natural Disasters on Economics

The natural disaster: earthquake, the catastrophic cyclone of april 1991 in bangladesh, ancient disasters in the world, let us write you an essay from scratch.

450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

What Natural Disasters Occur in Indonesia?

The ethics behind publishing graphic images of natural disasters in face to face with tragedy, why people loot during disasters and what can be done to resolve the issue, hurricane maria – a name puerto rico will never forget, get a personalized essay in under 3 hours.

Expert-written essays crafted with your exact needs in mind

Public Attitudes Towards Risk and How It Contributes to Vulnerability

Tsunamis in the pacific ocean and indonesia, report on oklahoma tornado disaster in 1999, tornadoes and the importance to be prepared, earthquake and its devastating effects, hurricanes – the frightening challenges for new orleans, the portrayal of climate change in political discourse and its connection to natural disasters, the effects of earthquakes on the economy, hurricane katrina and crisis counseling, hurricane dorian – the worst natural disaster in bahamian history, past, present, and future integration of spatial technologies and techniques in disaster management, tsunami modeling of caribbean sources affecting the north coast of puerto rico, embracing technology in tornado recovery, the lessons we learnt from xenia tornado, nuclear waste: an american disaster, earthquake is essential for the earth, the economics during and after kerala’s flood disaster, probabilistic analysis of optimal management of storage areas , a wildfire or wildland fire, a comparative analysis of the sumatra tsunami to that of japan.

A natural disaster is a major adverse event resulting from natural processes of the Earth.

Geological disasters: earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, sinkholes, etc. Hydrological disasters: floods, tsunami, limnic eruptions. Meteorological disasters: droughts, tropical cyclone, blizzards, hailstorms, etc. Wildfires. Space disasters.

Damage paths of tornadoes can be in excess of one mile wide and 50 miles long. Between 2000 and 2012, natural disasters caused $1.7 trillion in damage and affected 2.9 billion people. Floods are the most widespread natural disaster aside from wildfires. 90% of all US natural disasters declared by the president involve some sort of flooding.

Relevant topics

Air Pollution
Global Warming
Water Pollution
Deforestation
Climate Change
Fast Fashion
Ocean Pollution

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

Instructions Followed To The Letter
Deadlines Met At Every Stage
Unique And Plagiarism Free

Presentations made painless

Get Premium

103 Natural Disaster Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

Natural disasters are events that occur in nature and can cause significant destruction and loss of life. They can take many forms, including hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, wildfires, and tsunamis. Writing an essay on natural disasters can be a daunting task, but with the right topic and approach, you can create a compelling and informative piece of writing. Here are 103 natural disaster essay topic ideas and examples to help you get started:

The impact of climate change on natural disasters
How do natural disasters affect the environment?
The role of technology in predicting and mitigating natural disasters
The psychological effects of natural disasters on survivors
The economic impact of natural disasters on communities
The social impact of natural disasters on vulnerable populations
How do natural disasters affect wildlife and ecosystems?
The role of government in responding to natural disasters
The importance of disaster preparedness and planning
The relationship between poverty and vulnerability to natural disasters
The connection between deforestation and increased risk of natural disasters
The impact of natural disasters on global food security
The role of international aid in responding to natural disasters
The long-term effects of natural disasters on communities
The ethics of disaster response and recovery efforts
The role of media in reporting on natural disasters
The impact of natural disasters on mental health
The connection between natural disasters and climate refugees
The role of education in preparing communities for natural disasters
The impact of natural disasters on infrastructure and development
The relationship between natural disasters and disease outbreaks
The connection between natural disasters and conflict
The role of insurance in mitigating the financial impact of natural disasters
The impact of natural disasters on agriculture and food production
The connection between natural disasters and water scarcity
The role of NGOs in responding to natural disasters
The impact of natural disasters on tourism and the economy
The relationship between natural disasters and climate justice
The role of community resilience in recovering from natural disasters
The impact of natural disasters on coastal communities
The connection between natural disasters and mental health stigma
The role of technology in tracking and monitoring natural disasters
The impact of natural disasters on indigenous communities
The relationship between natural disasters and climate change adaptation
The role of gender in disaster response and recovery efforts
The impact of natural disasters on human rights
The connection between natural disasters and urbanization
The role of social media in disaster response and recovery efforts
The impact of natural disasters on education and schools
The relationship between natural disasters and biodiversity loss
The role of community-based organizations in responding to natural disasters
The impact of natural disasters on clean water access
The connection between natural disasters and food insecurity
The role of preparedness drills in communities at risk of natural disasters
The impact of natural disasters on children and families
The relationship between natural disasters and displacement
The role of volunteer groups in disaster response and recovery efforts
The impact of natural disasters on cultural heritage sites
The connection between natural disasters and environmental racism
The role of early warning systems in predicting natural disasters
The impact of natural disasters on small businesses and local economies
The relationship between natural disasters and social inequality
The role of faith-based organizations in disaster response and recovery efforts
The impact of natural disasters on mental health access and services
The connection between natural disasters and climate migration
The role of community gardens in disaster recovery efforts
The impact of natural disasters on access to healthcare
The relationship between natural disasters and food deserts
The role of cultural competency in disaster response and recovery efforts
The impact of natural disasters on LGBTQ communities
The connection between natural disasters and environmental justice
The role of indigenous knowledge in disaster preparedness and response
The impact of natural disasters on marginalized communities
The relationship between natural disasters and gentrification
The role of intersectionality in disaster response and recovery efforts
The impact of natural disasters on mental health disparities
The connection between natural disasters and climate denial
The role of community centers in disaster response and recovery efforts
The impact of natural disasters on immigrant communities
The relationship between natural disasters and housing insecurity
The role of community art projects in disaster recovery efforts
The impact of natural disasters on access to public transportation
The connection between natural disasters and environmental activism
The role of community health clinics in disaster response and recovery efforts
The impact of natural disasters on access to clean energy
The relationship between natural disasters and environmental policy
The role of community shelters in disaster response and recovery efforts
The impact of natural disasters on access to affordable housing
The connection between natural disasters and community organizing
The role of community colleges in disaster response and recovery efforts
The impact of natural disasters on access to mental health services
The relationship between natural disasters and community gardens
The impact of natural disasters on access to public libraries
The connection between natural disasters and community resilience
The role of community-based organizations in disaster response and recovery efforts
The impact of natural disasters on access to affordable healthcare
The relationship between natural disasters and community art projects
The connection between natural disasters and environmental policy
The relationship between natural disasters and community organizing
The connection between natural disasters and community gardens
The relationship between natural disasters and community resilience
The connection between natural disasters and community art projects

These natural disaster essay topics cover a wide range of issues and perspectives, allowing you to explore different aspects of this important and timely subject. Whether you choose to focus on the environmental impact of natural disasters, the social and economic consequences, or the role of communities in responding and recovering, there are plenty of opportunities to explore and analyze in your essay. By selecting a topic that interests you and conducting thorough research, you can create a compelling and informative essay that sheds light on the complexities of natural disasters and their effects on our world.

Want to research companies faster?

Instantly access industry insights

Let PitchGrade do this for me

Leverage powerful AI research capabilities

We will create your text and designs for you. Sit back and relax while we do the work.

Explore More Content

Geography Notes

Essay on natural disasters: top 12 essays | geography.

ADVERTISEMENTS:

Here is a compilation of essays on ‘Natural Disasters’ for class 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12. Find paragraphs, long and short essays on ‘Natural Disasters’ especially written for school and college students.

Essay on Natural Disasters

Essay Contents:

Essay on the Initiatives Taken by the Government

Essay on Natural Disaster # 1. Introduction:

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.

When an area or country is badly affected by a natural disaster, the reaction is always one of solidarity and aid is quick to come. There are organizations set up with the primary goal of being prepared for natural disasters. These groups work on global and local scale rescue work. Aside from those who have chosen to make disaster relief their life-work, when disasters hit, it’s the individuals who step in who help to make a difference.

Many people talk about when a disaster has hit and their neighbours and countrymen have come to aid, often to their own loss. People will step in and donate items, time, and skills in order to help those affected by a natural disaster. Celebrities will often do what they can to raise money through concerts, phone marathons, and visiting affected areas with aid.

People have also shown that they can rebuild, lives can be remade or start over. Trauma is a big after effect of natural disasters and getting counseling has been the focus of aid-to heal emotionally as well as physically. It’s clear that natural disasters are a part of life as we know it. However, science is making it more possible to predict, aid is faster at coming, and people are learning how to rebuild in safer areas.

Essay on Natural Disaster # 2. Earthquake :

India is having a high risk towards earthquakes. More than 58 per cent of India’s land area is under threat of moderate to severe seismic hazard. During the last 20 years, India has experienced 10 major earthquakes that have resulted in more than 35,000 deaths. The most vulnerable areas, according to the present seismic zone map of India include the Himalayan and Sub-Himalayan regions, Kutch and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Depending on varying degrees of seismicity, the entire country can be divided into the following seismic regions: Of the earthquake-prone areas, 12% is proneto very severe earthquakes, 18% to severe earthquakes and 25% to damageable earthquakes.

Though the regions of the country away from the Himalayas and other inter-plate boundaries were considered to be relatively safe from damaging earthquakes, the presence of a large number of non-engineering structures and buildings with poor foundations in these areas make these regions also susceptible to earthquakes.

In the recent past, even these areas also have experienced earthquake, of lower magnitude than the Himalayan earthquakes. The North-eastern part of the country continues to experience moderate to strong earthquakes. On an average, this region experiences an earthquake with magnitude greater than 5.0 every year.

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are situated on an inter-plate boundary and therefore are likely to experience damaging earthquakes frequently. The increase in earthquake risk in India in recent times is caused due to a spurt in developmental activities driven by urbanization, economic development and the globalization of India’s economy. The increase in the use of high-technology equipment and tools in manufacturing and service industries have also made them susceptible to disruption due to relatively moderate ground shaking.

Essay on Natural Disaster # 3. Flood and Drought :

The country receives an annual precipitation of 400 million hectare meters. Of the annual rainfall, 75% is received during four months of monsoon (June — September) and, as a result, almost all the rivers carry heavy discharge during this period. The flood hazard is compounded by the problems of sediment deposition, drainage congestion and synchronization of river floods with sea tides in the coastal plains.

The area vulnerable to floods is 40 million hectares and the average area affected by floods annually is about 8 million hectares. About 30 million people are affected by flood every year. Floods in the Indo-Gangetic-Brahmaputra plains are an annual feature. On an average, a few hundred lives are lost, millions are rendered homeless and several hectares of crops are damaged every year around 68% arable land of the country is prone to drought in varying degrees.

Drought prone areas comprise 108.11 million hectares out of a total land area of 329 million hectares. About 50 million people are affected annually by drought. Of approximately 90 million hectares of rain-fed areas, about 40 million hectares are prone to scanty or no rain.

Essay on Natural Disaster # 4. Cyclone :

India’s long coastline of 7,516 kilometer is exposed to nearly 10 per cent of the world’s tropical cyclones. Of these, the majority has their initial genesis over the Bay of Bengal and strike the east coast of India. On an average, five to six tropical cyclones form every year, of which two or three could be severe.

Cyclones occur frequently on both the Coasts (the West Coast —Arabian Sea; and the East Coast —Bay of Bengal). More Cyclones occur in the Bay of Bengal than in the Arabian Sea and the ratio is approximately 4:1.

An analysis of the frequency of cyclones on the East and West Coasts of India between 1891 and 1990 shows that nearly 262 cyclones occurred (92 severe) in a 50 km wide strip on the East Coast. Less severe cyclonic activity has been noticed on the West Coast, with 33 cyclones occurring in the same period, out of which 19 of these were severe.

In India, Tropical cyclones occur in the months of May-June and October-November. The cyclones of severe intensity and frequency in the north Indian Ocean are bi-modal in character, with their primary peak in November and secondary peak in May. The disaster potential is particularly high at the time of landfall in the north Indian Ocean (Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea) due to the accompanying destructive wind, storm surges and torrential rainfall.

Of these, storm surges are the greatest killers of a cyclone, by which sea water inundates low lying areas of coastal regions and causes heavy floods, erodes beaches and embankments, destroys vegetation and reduces soil fertility.

Essay on Natural Disaster # 5. Landslide :

In the hilly terrain of India including the Himalayas, landslides have been a major and widely spread natural disasters that often strike life and property and occupy a position of major concern. One of the worst tragedies took place at Malpa (Uttrakhand) on 11th and 17th August, 1998. When nearly 380 people were killed when massive landslides washed away the entire village. This included 60 pilgrims going to Lake.

Mansarovar in Tibet. In 2010 Cloud burst led flash mudslides and flash floods killed 196 people, including 6 foreigners and injured more than 400 and swept away number of houses, sweeping away buildings, bus stand and military installations in trans-Himalaya Leh town of Jammu and Kashmir.

Giving due consideration to the severity of the problem various land reform measures have been initiated as mitigation measures. Landslides occur in the hilly regions such as the Himalayas, North-East India, the Nilgiris, and Eastern and Western Ghats.

Essay on Natural Disaster # 6. Avalanche :

Avalanches are river like speedy flow of snow or ice descending from the mountain tops. Avalanches are very damaging and cause huge loss to life and property. In Himalayas, avalanches are common in Drass, Pir Panijat, Lahaul-Spiti and Badrinath areas.

As per Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment (SASE), of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), on an average around 30 people are killed every year due to this disaster in various zones of the Himalayas. Beside killing people, avalanches also damage the roads and others properties and settlements falling in its way.

Area Prone to Avalanches:

I. Avalanches are common in Himalayan region above 3500 m elevation.

II. Very frequent on slopes of 30-45°.

III. Convex slopes more prone to this disaster.

IV. North facing slope have avalanches in winter and south facing slopes during spring.

V. Slopes covered with grass more prone to this hazard.

Essay on Natural Disaster # 7. Tsunami:

Tsunami, or seismic sea waves, are large ocean waves generated by impulses from geophysical events occurring on the ocean floor or along the coastline, such as earthquakes, landslides and volcanic eruptions.

Mostly occurring in the Pacific Ocean, tsunamis, although hardly noticeable at sea, can reach gigantic proportions as they reach shallow, coastal waters. In Hawaii and Japan, for example, tsunamis have been known to reach 30 m in height. At least 22 countries along the rim of the Pacific are estimated to beat risk from potential tsunami.

The fact that tsunamis can travel 10,000 km at velocities exceeding 900 km per hour with little loss of energy and are, therefore, capable of hitting areas not directly affected by the inducing event, has led to the establishment of a tsunami early warning service for the whole circum-Pacific area.

However, only a few of the 22 countries most at risk are considered to have standard operating procedures for immediate evacuation or reliable, rapid communication systems capable of receiving real-time warnings from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre.

About 6,000-people have been killed by tsunami during 1977-1986 alone. Probably the best documented of these events is the occurrence at Noshiro, Japan, in 1983 which caused approximately 100 deaths and extensive property damage and flooding. The tsunami (Dec. 2004) in South East Asia lead to a death tool of over 2.5 lakhs peoples of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Sumatra and India.

Tsunamis have multiple origin—16.5 per cent resulted from tectonic earthquakes associated with the eruption, 20 per cent from pyroclastic (ash) flows or surges hitting the ocean, 14 per cent from submarine eruptions, 7 per cent resulted from the collapse of the volcano and subsequent caldera formation, 5 per cent from landslides or avalanches, 3 per cent from atmospheric shock waves and 25 per cent had no discernible origin, but probably were produced by submerged volcanic eruptions.

A partial geographical distribution of tsunamis is given in Table 30.2:

Over past two thousand years there have been 10, 00,000 deaths attributed to tsunami in the Pacific region alone. Earlier Pacific Tsunami warning system was established for forecasting the event. Now global network was established in all Oceans & Seas.

Essay on Natural Disaster # 8. Windstorms:

Judged by the frequency with which they cause damage and by the surface area of the regions they strike, windstorms can be said to be the most significant of all natural hazards. Windstorms influence precipitation systems floods and, most importantly, cause severe destruction to crops and properties.

Severe tropical cyclones (called “ hurricanes ” in the Atlantic, Caribbean and north-eastern Pacific; “ typhoons ” in the western Pacific; and “ cyclones ” in the Indian Ocean and in the sea around Australia), tornadoes, monsoons and thunderstorms between them affect every country in the world.

Today increasing attention is being paid to windstorms, particularly tropical cyclones as some scientists see their incidence as being a possible indicator of global climatic change and predict an increase in their frequency.

Have tropical cyclone frequencies or their intensities increased with global changes throughout the last century? At present, available evidence does not support this idea, perhaps because the warming is not yet large enough to make its impact felt (WMO/UNEP, 1990).

Global information on Kanor windstorms and their impact is collated by organisations such as UNDRO UNEP and AID/OFDA. However, global listings of disasters rarely include those which occur in small states such as island states, which in areas such as the Caribbean, Indian Ocean and South Pacific are particularly prone to tropical cyclones.

This is because listings often set a criteria based on magnitude of impact with which small states cannot compete against larger countries. However, the proportional impact upon small states is often far greater in terms of population, housing and economics.

The impact of cyclones goes far beyond just deaths and building damage. In developing countries destruction of infrastructure and primary agriculture can lead to a decrease in exports and gross national product, while increasing the likelihood of forfeiture of international loan repayments. Contamination of water supplies and destruction of crops can also lead to disease and starvation.

Many mid-latitude cyclonic depressions can give rise to exceptionally heavy rain and widespread flooding and snow fall too. Dust storms are windstorms accompanied by suspended clay, silt materials, usually but not always without precipitation. Average 130-800 million tonnes of dust are entrained by winds each year.

Severe windstorms with high level of flush rain often called thunderstorms associated with lightning, hail and tornadoes cause massive destruction of properties and also human lives through out the world. Early warning and emergency relief operation are the major management activity.

Essay on Natural Disaster # 9. Forest Fire :

Forest or bush fire, though not causing much loss to human life, is a major hazard for forest cover in the country. As per Forest Survey of India report, 50 per cent of the forest cover of the country is fire prone, out of which 6.17 per cent is prone to severe fire damage causing extensive loss to forest vegetation and environment. Average annual physical loss due to forest fire in the country is estimated to worth Rs.440 crores.

The major loss due to forest fire is caused to the environment which gets adversely affected by this calamity. The degradation of climate, soil and water quality, loss of wildlife and its habitat, deterioration of human health, depletion of ozone layer, etc., along with direct loss to timber are the major adverse impact of forest fires.

The coniferous forests in the Himalayan region are very susceptible to fire and every year there are one or more major fire incidences in these areas. The other parts of the country dominated by deciduous forest are also damaged by fire up to an extent. It is worth mentioning that in India 90 per cent of the forest fires are man-made (intentionally or unintentionally).

Essay on Natural Disaster # 10. Volcanoes:

Volcanoes are conduits in the earth’s crust through which gas enriched molten silicate rock magma reaches to the surface of earth crust.

An active volcano occurs where magma (molten rock) reaches the earth’s surface through a central vent or a long crack (fissure) Volcanic activity can release ejecta (debris), liquid lava and gases (H 2 O vapour C 2 , SO 2 , NO x , etc.) to the environment.

There are two types of magma ejected out of volcanoes —silica poor materials, and silica rich materials. The silica poor volcanoes called basaltic volcanoes, while the silica rich volcanoes are andesitic volcanoes.

There are many hazardous phenomena produced directly or as secondary effects, by volcanic eruptions.

The direct hazards of volcanic eruptions are:

a. Lava flow;

b. Ballistics and tephra clouds;

c. Pyroclastic flows and base surges;

d. Gases and acid rains;

e. Lahars (mud flows); and

f. Glacier bursts (Jokulhlamps).

In addition indirectly they are associated with earthquake and tsunami events. Volcanoes are visually one of the most spectacular natural hazardous to occur and probably most devastating in terms of loss of human life.

The volcano likes Mt. Vesurivs, Mt. St Helena, Krakatoa, and Mt, Pelee are significant because of either the enormity of the eruption or the resulting death tool. As per Gaius Pinius Caecilius secundus on 24 August, 79 AD the Nt. Vesuvius eruption causes 2,000 death and burying of the Pompeii city.

There is no doubt that the earth is experiencing on of the most intense periods of volcanism in the last 10,000 years. This period began at the beginning of the seventh century, concomitant with global cooling that peaked in the little ice age.

In contrast the volcanic events of the last century may be viewed as freak eruption of supposedly dormant volcanoes. In the present era, volcanic eruption are pervasive, unpredictable and deadly.

Land use planning better prediction of volcanic eruptions and development of effective evacuation plans reduce the loss of human life from volcanic eruption. The prediction systems related to volcanic activity has improved considerably during past few decades. The environmental consequence of volcanic eruption without or with anthropogenic emission is shown in Fig. 30.3.

Essay on Natural Disaster # 11. Planning For a Safer Tomorrow :

Natural disasters have a severe impact on the society, therefore it is important to plan and develop a safety programme and devise means to efficiently deal with natural disaster. Development programme that go into promoting development at the local level have been left to the general exercise of planning.

Measures need also to be taken to integrate disaster mitigation efforts at the local level with the general exercise of planning, and a more supportive environment created for initiatives towards managing of disasters at all levels: national, state, district and local.

The future blue-print for disaster management in India rests on the premise that in today’s society while hazards, both natural or otherwise, are inevitable, the disasters that follow need not be so and the society can be prepared to cope with them effectively whenever they occur.

The need of the hour is to chalk out a multi-pronged strategy for total risk management, comprising prevention, preparedness, response and recovery on the one hand, and initiate development efforts aimed towards risk reduction and mitigation, on the other. Only then can we look forward to “sustainable development”.

Prevention and Preparedness :

Disaster prevention is intrinsically linked to preventive planning.

Some of the important steps in this regard are:

1. Introduction of a comprehensive process of vulnerability analysis and objective risk assessment.

2. Building a Robust and Sound Information Database:

A comprehensive database of the landuse, demography, infrastructure developed at the national, state and local levels alongwith current information on climate, weather and man-made structures is crucial in planning, warning and assessment of disasters. In addition, resource inventories of governmental and non-governmental systems including personnel and equipment help inefficient mobilization and optimization of response measures.

3. Creating State-of-the-Art Infrastructure:

The entire disaster mitigation game plan must necessarily be anchored to front line research and development in a holistic mode. State-of-the art technologies available worldwide need to be made available in India for upgrading of the disaster management system; at the same time, dedicated research activities should be encouraged, in all frontier areas related to disasters like biological, space applications, information technology, nuclear radiation etc., for a continuous flow of high quality basic information for sound disaster management planning.

4. Establishing Linkages between all knowledge-based Institutions:

A National Disaster Knowledge Network, tuned to the felt needs of a multitude of users like disaster managers, decision-makers, community etc., must be developed as the network of networks to cover natural, man-made and biological disasters in all their varied dimensions.

Capacity Building :

Reconstruction and rebuilding is a long drawn process and those involved in this exercise have to draw upon knowledge of best practices and resources available to them. Information and training on ways to better respond to and mitigate disasters to the responders go a long way in building the capacity and resilience of the country to reduce and prevent disasters.

Training is an integral part of capacity building as trained personnel respond much better to different disaster sand appreciate the need for preventive measures. The multi-sectoral and multi-hazard prevention based approach to disaster management. Professional training in disaster management is essential and should be built into the existing pedagogic research and education.

Specialised courses should be treated as a distinct academic and professional discipline, the subject needs to be discussed and taught as a specific component in professional and specialised courses like medicine, nursing, engineering, environmental sciences, architecture, and town and country planning.

Secondly, there has to be a focus towards preventive disaster management and development of a national ethos of prevention calls for an awareness generation at all levels. An appropriate level of awareness at the school level will help increase awareness among children and, in many cases, parents and other family members through these children.

Curriculum development with a focus towards dissemination of disaster related information on a sustained basis, covering all school levels may be worked out by the different school boards in the country.

Training facilities for government personnel involved in disaster management are conducted at the national level by the National Centre for Disaster Management at the Indian Institute of Public Administration, in New Delhi which functions as the nodal institution in the country for training, research and documentation of disasters.

At the State level, disaster management cells operating within the State Administrative Training Institutes (ATIs) provide the necessary training. Presently, 24 ATIs have dedicated faculties. There is a need for strengthening specialized training, including training of personnel in disaster response.

Finally, capacity building should not be limited to professionals and personnel involved in disaster management but should also focus on building the knowledge, attitude and skills of a community to cope with the effects of disasters. Identification and training of volunteers from the community towards first response measures as well as mitigation measures is an urgent imperative.

A programme of periodic drills should be introduced in vulnerable areas to enable prompt and appropriate community response in the event of a disaster which can help save valuable lives.

Communi ty Level:

Disaster management programme must strive to build a disaster resilient community equipped with safer living and sustainable livelihoods to serve its own development purposes. The community is also the first responder in any critical situation there by emphasizing the need for community level initiatives in managing disasters.

There is a need to create awareness through education training and information dissemination, community based approach followed by most NGOs and Community Based Organizations (CBOs) should be incorporated in the disaster management sector as an effective means of community participation.

Finally, within a vulnerable community, there exist groups that are more vulnerable like women and children, aged and in firm and physically challenged people who need special care and attention especially during crisis. Efforts are required for identifying such vulnerable groups and providing special assistance in terms of evacuation, relief, aid and medical attention.

Management of disasters should therefore be an interface between a community effort to mitigate and prevent disasters as also an effort from the government machinery to buttress and support popular initiatives.

Developing a St ronger Plan:

Given the damage caused by disaster, planned expenditure on disaster management and prevention measures in addition to the CRF is required. The Central Sector Scheme of Natural Disaster Management Programme has been implemented since 1993-94 by the Department of Agriculture and Co-operation with the objective to focus on disaster preparedness with emphasis on mitigation and preparedness measures for enhanced capability to reduce the adverse impact of disasters.

The major activities undertaken within this scheme include the setting up of the National Centre for Disaster Management (NCDM) at the Indian Institute of Public Administration, creation of 24 disaster management faculties in 23 states, research and consultancy services, documentation of major disaster events and forging regional cooperation.

The Eighth Plan allocation of Rs.6.30 crore for this scheme was increased to Rs.16.32 crore in the Ninth Plan. Within this scheme, NCDM has conducted over 50 training programme, training more than 1000 people, while 24 disaster management centers with dedicated faculty have been established in the states.

Over 4000 people have been trained at the State level. In addition, some important publications and audio-visual training modules have been prepared and documentation of disaster events has been done.

Though limited in scope and outlays, the Scheme has made an impact on the training and research activities in the country. Creation of faculties in disaster management in all 28 states is proposed to be taken up in the Tenth Plan in addition to community mobilisation, human resource development, establishment of Control Rooms and forging international cooperation in disaster management.

There is also an urgent need for strengthening the disaster management pedagogy by creating disaster management faculties in universities, rural development institutes and other organisations of premier research. Sustainability is the key word in the development process.

Development activities that do not consider the disaster loss perspective fail to be sustainable. The compounded costs of disasters relating to loss of life, loss of assets, economic activities, and cost of reconstruction of not only assets but of lives can scarcely be borne by any community or nation.

Therefore, all development schemes in vulnerable areas should include a disaster mitigation analysis, where by the feasibility of a project is assessed with respect to vulnerability of the area and the mitigation measures required for sustainability. Environmental protection, afforestation programme, pollution control, construction of earthquake resistant structures etc., should therefore have high priority within the plans Mitigation measures on individual structures can be achieved by design standards building codes and performance specifications.

Building codes, critical front-line defence for achieving stronger engineered structures, need to be drawn up in accordance with the vulnerability of the area and implemented through appropriate techno-legal measures. Mitigation measures need to be considered in land use and site planning activities.

Constructions in hazardous areas like flood plains or steep soft slopes are more vulnerable to disasters. Necessary mitigation measures need to be built into the design and costing of development projects. Insurance is a potentially important mitigation measure in disaster-prone areas as it brings quality in the infrastructure consciousness and a culture of safety by its insistence on following building codes, norms, guidelines, quality materials in construction etc.

Disaster insurance mostly works under the premise of ‘higher the risk higher the premium, lesser the risk lesser the premium’, thus creating awareness towards vulnerable areas and motivating people to settle in relatively safer areas?

Essay on Natural Disaster # 12. Major Initiatives taken by Government of India:

Natural disasters have become a recurring phenomenon in the recent past. In the last twenty years or so three million people have been killed as a result of such events. There is a need to focus and develop a plan that would focus on disaster management planning for prevention, reduction, mitigation, preparedness and response to reduce life and property due to natural disaster.

If we take it in the Indian context, the five year plans have never really taken into consideration the issues relating to the management and mitigation of natural disasters. The traditional perception has been limited to the idea of “calamity relief”, which is seen essentially as a non-plan item of expenditure. Disasters can have devastating impact on the economy and is a significant setback to the development in a given region.

Two recent disasters, the Orissa Cyclone and the Gujarat Earthquake, are cases in point. The development process needs to be sensitive towards disaster prevention and mitigation aspects. There is thus a need to look at disasters from a development perspective as well.

Disaster management may not be directly associated with planned financing, but number of schemes are in operation, such as for drought proofing, afforestation, drinking water, etc., which deal with the prevention and mitigation of the impact of natural disasters. Extra assistance for post-disaster reconstruction and streamlining of management structures also is a major consideration of the plan.

A specific, centrally sponsored scheme on disaster management also exists. The plan thus already has a defined role in dealing with the subject. There have been an increasing number of natural disaster over the past years, and with it, increasing losses on account of urbanisation and population growth, as a result of which the impact of natural disasters is now felt to a larger extent.

According to the United Nations, in 2001 alone, natural disasters of medium to high range caused at least 25,000 deaths around the world, more than double the previous year, and economic losses of around US $ 36 billion. Devastations in the aftermath of powerful earthquakes that struck Gujarat, El Salvador and Peru; floods that ravaged many countries in Africa, Asia and elsewhere; droughts that plagued Central Asia including Afghanistan, Africa and Central America; the cyclone in Madagascar and Orissa; and floods in Bolivia are global events in recent memory.

However, what is disturbing is the knowledge that these trends of destruction and devastation are on the rise instead of being kept in check.

Natural disasters know no political boundaries and have no social or economic considerations. They are borderless as they affect both developing and developed countries. They are also merciless, and as such the vulnerable tend to suffer more at the impact of natural disasters.

For example, the developing countries are much more seriously affected in terms of the loss of lives, hardship borne by population and the percentage of their GNP lost. Since number of the most vulnerable regions is in India, natural disaster management has emerged as a high priority for the country.

Going beyond the historical focus on relief and rehabilitation after the event, we now have to look ahead and plan for disaster preparedness and mitigation, in order that the periodic shocks to our development efforts are minimized.

Physical vulnerabilities have a direct impact on the population their proximity to the hazard zone and standards of safety maintained to counter the effects. For instance, some people are vulnerable to flood only because they live in a flood prone area. Physical vulnerability also relates to the technical capacity of buildings and structures to resist the forces acting upon them during a hazard event.

However, physical calamities is not the only criteria, there are prevailing social and economic conditions and its consequential effect on human activities within a given society. Parts of the Indian sub-continent are susceptible to different types of disasters owing to the unique topographic and climatic characteristics.

About 54 per cent of the sub-continent’s land mass is vulnerable to earthquakes while about 4 crore hectares is vulnerable to periodic floods. The decade 1990-2000, has been one of very high disaster losses within the country, losses in the Orissa Cyclone in 1999, and later, the Gujarat Earthquake in 2001 alone amount to several thousand crore of Rupees, while the total expenditure incurred on relief and reconstruction in Gujarat alone has been to the tune of Rs.11,500 crore. Disasters often result in enormous economic losses that are both immediate as well as long term in nature and demand additional revenues.

Also, as an immediate fall-out, disasters reduce revenues from the affected region due to lower levels of economic activity leading to loss of direct and indirect taxes. In addition, unplanned budgetary allocation to disaster recovery can hamper development interventions and lead to unmet developmental targets.

Disasters may also reduce availability of new investment, further constricting the growth of the region. Besides, additional pressures may be imposed on finances of the government through investments in relief and rehabilitation work.

Essay on Natural Hazards in India | Geography
Essay on Tsunami: Top 8 Essays | Natural Disasters | Geography
Cyclones: Compilation of Essays on Cyclones | Natural Disasters | Geography
Tsunami: Compilation of Essays on Tsunami | Natural Disasters | Geography

Essay , Geography , Disasters , Natural Disasters , Essay on Natural Disasters

Privacy Overview

Cookie	Duration	Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional	11 months	The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy	11 months	The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.

Talk to our experts

1800-120-456-456

Natural Disasters Essay for Students in English

Read Natural Disaster Essay on Vedantu

The planet earth has gone through many changes over these centuries. These changes are majorly due to natural disasters happening throughout time. When we talk about natural disasters, pollution, ozone depletion and global warming are the most common scenarios we witnessed.

Growing industrialisation and exploitation of natural resources have changed the echo system bringing on the verge of imbalance. However, over these decades, humans have also introduced many disaster warning systems helping to predict natural occurrence in advance. You can read more about Natural Disasters on Vedantu.

Different Faces of Natural Disasters

Nature possesses the character of a special balance in which all living beings live together in harmony with their environment. But whenever this balance is disturbed, we see the disastrous form of nature which wreaks havoc upon this world. Natural disasters come in various forms like earthquakes, Tsunami, Storms, Cyclones, droughts etc. These disasters have always occurred throughout history but the current threat of climate change has severely increased its risks. Man has to learn that he cannot control nature and his life should revolve around the conditions present in the environment and not the other way around.

We have tried to change the basic character of the Human-Nature relationship with every metric of development being centred on financial interest and the rise of global consumerism. This way of life promotes greed and has fundamentally made human beings disoriented towards nature. Our festivals celebrate the intrinsic relationship between humans and the environment where we celebrate Mountains, Rivers, and Animals etc. Natural disasters are a reminder that humans must never take the gift of nature for granted and always reciprocate for the resources that we have received from the environment. Clean Air, Clean Water and harmony in the ecosystem is a prerequisite for Human well being.

How to Deal with Natural Disasters?

India, due to its unique geographical character, faces natural disasters every year which cause massive harm to lives and property. Whether it be the floods of Uttarakhand in 2013 or the landslides in Western Ghats of Kerala. The cost of our blind exploitation of natural resources without showing reverence for the delicate balance of Nature has severely harmed us and we must learn lessons from these incidents.

One of the greatest stories of the Indian government in dealing with disaster readiness has been the story of the Indian state of Odisha. Odisha is a coastal state in eastern India that regularly faces cyclones that have caused great harm to the state. To deal with the menace of these cyclones the Odisha Government made an elaborate plan by taking the local communities in confidence and have successfully reduced the number of deaths in Odisha to a very small number which used to be in thousands earlier. Other Indian states should also learn from the experience of Odisha on how to improve disaster preparedness.

Keeping our environment safe and following the right process will help in bringing down the natural disasters. It is vital to learn about them.

FAQs on Natural Disasters Essay for Students in English

1. What are natural disasters increasing?

Over the years, natural disasters have increased. Regular earthquakes, massive flooding, cyclones, etc. have increased. According to the office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) which maintains an emergency disaster database, if a natural disaster kills 10 people, then it leaves 100 people injured. Increase in hydro-meteorological disasters, the combination of natural and man-made factors is leading to an increase in natural disasters.

2. What are the natural disasters that happened in 2020?

From wildfires in the US to locusts attack in India and back-to-back cyclones in India, there are many natural disasters in 2020. According to the Global Catastrophe Recap’s First Half of 2020 report, there were more than 207 natural disasters in just the first six months of 2020, causing \[＄\]75 billion loss globally.

3. What natural disaster is the worst?

Every natural disaster causing the loss of both property and human lives is the worst. Be it the earthquake, wildfire or cyclone; each disaster can be the worst in its sense.

4. What are the causes of natural disasters?

Natural disasters are caused by a number of reasons which may or may not be linked to Human interference. Floods, for example, occur generally because of a sudden increase in water level which cannot be supported by the natural geography of the river, however, it has been observed that floods have also occurred due to human interference like encroachment of river banks, illegal sand mining and obstructions in the natural flow of the river.

5. What are the agencies that deal with natural disasters?

On the National level, Natural disasters are dealt with by the National Disaster Relief Force or the NDRF. The NDRF has its own commissioned force which is highly experienced and trained to deal with situations when a disaster has occurred. Apart from the NDRF, there is also the SDRF which is present in every state. The central and state governments work in coordination during Natural disasters and saving lives along with restoration of normalcy is the primary concern of the relief operations.

6. What are the ways to deal with floods and droughts?

It may sound surprising to some people but India is a unique country where due to its vast geography, we have seen conditions where some parts of the country are facing floods while other parts suffer from drought in the same year. These are especially tough to deal with as the volume of water in floods just cannot be stored and once a region is facing drought, access to water becomes a question of survival. Linking rivers is a very grand scheme which can solve some of our problems but this also needs to be dealt with caution.

7. What can I do to contribute to disaster relief programmes?

The central and state governments carry out various programmes which are directly related to disaster relief work, coordinating with the agencies and donating to these relief operations are some things that we can do as citizens. There are various NGOs that provide relief material to people who are suffering from natural disasters. Creating awareness about such an important issue is also an essential activity. You can learn more about it on Vedantu website and download it in PDF format.

8. Which regions are the most affected by natural disasters in India?

Every part of the country has a unique geographical character and in some way or the other, they face the threat of natural disasters. Bihar and Assam are two such states which face floods on an annual basis, The Himalayan states have a very delicate ecology and save the menace of flash floods and landslides. Maharashtra has a problem of flooding in the Western Ghats while Vidarbha faces drought. Innovative ways must be discovered by states to deal with natural disasters.

Essay Editor

Natural Disasters Essay Examples & Topics

Air Pollution
Animal Rights
Animal Welfare
Climate Change
Deforestation
Endangered Species
Environmental Issues
Global Warming
Greenhouse Effect
Nuclear Energy
Nuclear Weapon
Ocean Pollution
Overpopulation
Plastic Pollution
Solar Energy
Waste Management
Water Pollution
Wildlife Conservation

The Impact of Climate Change on New Hampshire's Natural Scenery and Conservation Efforts

1. Introduction When one speaks of the natural scenery of New Hampshire, one should remember that New Hampshire has been inhabited and its natural beauty enjoyed by no small number of societies long before Henry David Thoreau, the great apostle of nature study, was born. The soil erosion which had already begun even in Thoreau's day has been greatly accelerated by the heedless destruction of forests and other indigenous vegetation by reckless landowners interested only in short-term profits, an ...

El impacto de los desastres naturales en el desarrollo económico y social de una región

1. Introducción Se discute la importancia del tema sobre los desastres y la necesidad del análisis resultante del impacto económico y social de estos fenómenos, tanto para la planificación como para el proceso de toma de decisiones. En el año 2000, el Departamento de Desarrollo Sostenible del Banco Mundial produce el informe SOS 2000 "Reducing Vulnerability to Natural Disasters", que marca un hito en el análisis del impacto económico de estos fenómenos. El documento arroja luz sobre los efectos ...

El papel de la tecnología en la gestión de desastres naturales

1. Introducción a la gestión de desastres naturales Los desastres naturales son una constante en la historia. Según Emilio Lamo de Espinosa, presidente del Real Instituto Elcano, en los años 90 murieron más de dos millones de personas a causa de desastres naturales, 30 millones les fueron atribuidos y tuvieron un efecto directo sobre 700 millones. La frecuencia y gravedad de los desastres se multiplican por dos cada decenio. Según el Fondo Mundial para la Paz, tres cuartas partes del territorio ...

The Impact of El Niño on Global Climate Patterns and Weather Systems

1. Introduction El Niño events disrupt global climate patterns and weather systems. It is caused by the disruption of normal sea-surface temperatures and wind circulations in the Pacific Ocean. Although it is known that these events impact global patterns, the importance and roles of other ocean regions in controlling these patterns and whether El Niño impacts could change as a result of climate change are less well known. By using simulations from both simple and high-resolution climate models ...

The Impact of El Niño on the Environment and Local Communities

1. Introduction El Niño, Spanish for "the Christ Child," was originally recognized by the inhabitants of northwestern South America as the appearance of warm water in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Ecuador and Peru in the month of December. This happens every two to five years, disrupting the normal flow of the cold Humboldt current that flows along the western coast of South America. While traditionally associated with the Christmas season, climatologists now refer to this event as El Niño ...

Análisis de la gestión de riesgo del cambio climático en áreas costeras vulnerables

1. Introducción El cambio climático (CC), como resultado de la acción antrópica que incrementa la concentración de gases de efecto invernadero en la atmósfera, ha representado un aumento brusco de la temperatura y cambios en los patrones de precipitación que afectan directamente a la superficie terrestre y el océano generando impactos a bienes y servicios ecosistémicos. Las áreas costeras constituyen un hábitat muy complejo; están influenciadas por una combinación de factores tales como patrone ...

The Impact of Climate Change on Natural Disasters and Ecological Conservation

1. Introduction The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) have explicitly recognized that climate change has a wide variety of impacts on ecological systems, which, in turn, feed back to influence climate. Global warming has intensified significantly since the mid-twentieth century and resulted in a series of highly impactful climate disasters. According to United Nations data, weather and climate-related disaster ...

Los efectos de los planes de emergencia y la preparación en la gestión de desastres naturales

1. Introducción Los desastres naturales a lo largo de la historia han causado innumerables pérdidas, las cuales muchas veces pudieron haberse evitado o mitigado. En el día a día, la humanidad enfrenta diferentes desastres naturales, tales como terremotos, tsunamis, huracanes, inundaciones, incendios, entre otros, que causan la pérdida del bienestar del ser humano, del patrimonio personal, así como de la destrucción o daño del patrimonio cultural y ambiental del territorio en que estos ocurren. ...

The Impact of Climate Change on Coastal Erosion

1. Introduction Over the last few years, few environmental problems have raised as much concern as those resulting from global change, particularly those associated with climate change. Humanity's growing concern has led several government and scientific organizations to study and analyze the nature and consequences of these global aspects of change. Without a doubt, one of the problems affected is the field of coastal zones. For some years now, the concept of "sustainable development" has been ...

Análisis de las estrategias de manejo de riesgo de desastres naturales en áreas urbanas

1. Introducción A comienzos del siglo XXI, las ciudades enfrentan un conjunto complejo de problemas y desafíos, fruto de la urbanización, los desequilibrios regionales, el incremento de la pobreza y la exclusión social, el deterioro del ambiente, el debilitamiento del tejido social, la desinstitucionalización y las tensiones continentales originadas en la inequidad entre regiones y países, los cuales están siendo acentuados por los problemas de adaptación y prevención a los riesgos naturales y ...

The Importance of Early Warning Systems in Natural Disaster Preparedness and Response

1. Introduction In the last decade, losses from natural catastrophes have continuously increased. There is a widespread consensus among risk experts that natural disasters will increase both in frequency and severity, making sufficient precautionary mitigation measures indispensable. Sound disaster mitigation includes pragmatic response and recovery programs and involves transatlantic cooperation between policymakers, the private and public sectors, and non-profits. Early warning systems delive ...

The Impact of Climate Change on Natural Disasters and the Environment

1. Introduction The changes that we are experiencing in natural disasters - such as the increase in intensity, at least in some regions of the world, of hurricanes and typhoons; an increase in the intensity, frequency, and location of flooding and prolonged droughts; more fluctuating temperatures varying over large areas in the polar, Andean, and mountainous regions - show that these phenomena are the result of climate change. But this change is not uniform over the surface of the earth, and th ...

The Environmental Impact of Increased Gas Production on Climate Change

1. Introduction This paper intends to examine and quantify what, if any, are the implications for climate policy of the natural gas boom. One straightforward hypothesis that can be advanced is that if less carbon-heavy coal is replaced by natural gas in the electricity market, this could lead to a reduced rate of atmospheric carbon build-up. In fact, as explained below, once the global methane emissions from natural gas production - especially the hydraulic fracturing or fracking process widely ...

The Impact of Natural Disasters on Regional Economies

1. Introduction Natural disasters, like large earthquakes, hurricanes, and windstorms, have increasingly reported widening damage and destruction in various parts of the world. Many models come from a societal perspective. There are studies in sociology that suggest an increase in crime, suicide, and mortality after a natural disaster, and there are the engineers, usually the most scientific ones, who calculate mainly the economic damage on the number of casualties. With an economic perspective ...

The Impact of Climate Change on Natural Phenomena

1. Introduction The impact of climate change on natural phenomena is perhaps the most often described environmental issue. Researchers and environmentalists are convinced that climate change will affect human life and the environment. The term "global climate change" is already a self-evident fact to everyone, and the argument about whether it occurs or not is out of the question. The profound assessment of the state of the environment shows that this change takes place and occurs with signific ...

What types of essay examples can I find on Aithor? At Aithor, you can find a wide range of essay examples including but not limited to narrative, descriptive, expository, persuasive, argumentative, analytical, and compare and contrast essays.
Are the essay examples free to access? Yes, all the essay examples on Aithor are free to access and read. Our goal is to provide valuable resources to help students improve their writing skills.
Can I use the essay examples for my own work? The essay examples are provided for educational and inspirational purposes. While you can use them to guide your own writing, we strongly discourage plagiarism. Always ensure that your work is original and properly cited.
How can these essay examples help me improve my writing? By studying these examples, you can learn about essay structure, proper formatting, argument development, and effective writing techniques. This can help you understand how to construct your own essays more effectively.
Are there essay examples for all academic levels? Yes, we offer essay examples suitable for high school, college, and university students. You can find essays appropriate for various academic levels and subjects.
How are the essay examples selected? Our team of educators and writing professionals carefully selects and reviews each essay to ensure it meets our quality standards. We choose examples that demonstrate strong writing, clear organization, and insightful analysis.
Do you update the essay examples regularly? Yes, we regularly update our collection with new essay examples to ensure that we provide the most relevant and up-to-date resources for our users.
Can I use these essay examples to prepare for standardized tests? Absolutely! Our essay examples can be a valuable resource for understanding the types of essays often required in standardized tests and can help you practice writing in a structured and effective manner.

Nursing/Health

Prevention of Natural Disaster

Natural disasters are an integral part of life of our planet. There are various types of disasters, such as floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, etc. Unfortunately, these are created by the nature, by weather conditions, conditions of the atmosphere and of the grounds, movements of the grounds and humanity can do nothing to prevent any of them except floods, though, these are not always possible to be omitted through building of dams and other buildings which are supposed to stop water and protect people.

The fact that disasters cannot be prevented does not mean that nothing at all can be done. As experience of many countries show, in time assessment of the hazards, making people aware about them and helping them to become prepared to the disasters helps to reduce the amount of victims significantly.

The same opinion is confirmed by the Chennai Regional Metrological Centre, which states that integration of risk assessments and warning of the population are very helpful. Every county has a national plan of action for the cases of disasters of different types and these plan involve mitigation phase, which is identification of the country’s vulnerability and which part of the country is the most likely to suffer because of the coming disaster; the phase also involves identification of the type of the hazard coming. The next phase is called the preparedness phase and it involves education of citizens about the nature of the future hazard and ways to respond them. the phase of response is the next one and it is followed by the recovery phase which involves providing people with support; during this phase actions of the authorities are aimed at reconstruction of communities and bringing the negative consequences of the disaster to the possible minimum (Raj, Asokan, 2006).

Trying to solve such an urgent problem as prevention of natural disasters, it is vitally important to pay attention to the fact that impact of people on the environment and on the planet is the key factor which promotes extreme weather conditions which turn into greater natural disasters.

Of course, natural disasters occurred long before the process of globalization, mining, oil production, etc. But since the making has started its active industrial activity, the natural disasters became more frequent and more severe. Many scientists explain this by the fact that such processes as mining, deforestation, and of course, the greenhouse effect, break the balance of various forces in the planet and around it, causing greater and greater disasters. Such opinion is supported by Liza Higgins, Zogib of the WWF’s Protected Areas Initiative. She commented that “It is deforestation and floodplain development that most often links high rainfall to devastating floods and mudslides… extreme coastal events cause much more loss of life and damage when reefs are damaged, mangroves are removed, dune systems are developed and coastal forests are cleared.”

Download will start in 20 seconds

Choose an option to complete your free download

Note that all papers are meant for inspiration and reference purposes only! Do not copy papers in full or in part. Papers are provided by other students, who hold the copyright for the content of those papers. All papers were submitted to TurnItIn and will show up as plagiarism if you try to submit any part of them as your own work. Assignment Lab can not guarantee the quality of the user generated content such as sample papers above.

Login with Facebook
Keep me logged in Forgot password?

Restore Password

Back to login form

New password was sent

Create new account

Please enter a valid email address. We will send you a verification code to this email address. Email verification is required to download essays

Please register to download

Please enter a valid email address to download a sample you requested. We will send you a verification code to this email address

Effects of Natural Disasters Essay

To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
As a template for you assignment

Introduction

Effects of natural disasters on natural resources, effects of natural disasters on physical infrastructure, impacts of natural disasters on population, economic effects of natural disasters, effects of natural disasters on human labor and technology, effects of hurricane katrina to the u.s economy, reference list.

Natural disasters range from climatic cataclysms such as droughts, floods, hurricanes and tornadoes to geological catastrophes like earthquakes, volcanoes and tsunamis. Their consequences are both short-term and long-term and lead to either negative or positive consequences on the economy of a country. This effects of natural disasters essay will examine each outcome of such tragedies.

Generally, natural disasters affect the physical infrastructural facilities and lead to a lack of agricultural productivity. They tend to cause the loss of life and damage to property. Various factors influence the effects of natural disasters on a country. Among them are the magnitude of the disaster, the geography of the area affected and recovery efforts directed towards reducing the immediate consequences. Failure to mitigate the short-term economic issues impacts the long-term economic growth of a country.

It can be crucial to understand both causes and effects of natural disasters. This essay, however, will focus on the negative consequences that follow such tragedies.

The effects of natural disasters on natural resources can be both negative and positive. Natural disasters such as hurricanes and tornadoes dislodge trees causing a reduction in forest cover. Hurricanes and floods also wash away the fertile top soil reducing soil fertility that negatively affects agricultural productivity (Popp 2003, 63). Disasters also lead to the destruction of agricultural resources notably crops and livestock.

Natural disasters such as droughts and floods affect crop and livestock farming thus reducing agricultural production (Bradford & Carmichael, 2006: 56). This phenomenon results to “high food prices products, which in turn affect the economic stability of a region or country” (Maharatna, 1999: 54). Natural disasters also lead to the destruction of wildlife and natural phenomena thus affecting tourism; for instance, storms such as the Tenerife storm in 2005 destroyed ‘El Dedo de Dios’ an important tourist attraction thus affecting tourism

Natural disasters can also cause beneficial effects to a country’s economy. Rich fertile alluvial soils deposited on flood plains are ideal for faming of crops. Additionally, Abbott posits that “Disasters such as volcanic eruptions emit volcanic ash that forms fertile volcanic soils ideal for agriculture” (2004: 342). Volcanic eruptions also lead to the formation of craters that are important tourist attraction.

Natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods destroy infrastructural facilities such as roads and airports affecting transportation and economic growth. As Temple says, physical infrastructural facilities are important in stimulation of economic growth of any country (1999: 139).

However, natural disasters destroy these structures and thus negatively affect economic growth of a country. Critical infrastructure such as transportation and communication, health systems and energy supply are affected by natural infrastructure (Parfomak, 2005:14). However, efforts geared towards reconstruction and rebuilding of physical infrastructural facilities can help promote return to normalcy.

Natural disasters have negative effects on population growth of a country. Many lives are lost during natural catastrophes such as tsunamis and floods which reduces the population of a region or a country; a good example is the Japan tragedy which saw thousands of lives lost.

Additionally, Cain laments that the prospects of “a natural disaster occurring causes fear which leads to a decline in birth rate of f the population” (1983: 698). Destruction of natural resources affects the economy leading to low per capita income among the citizens, which in turn influences the fertility rate of a population (Lee, 1985: 635). Low fertility rate contributes to a decline in population growth.

Natural disasters negatively affect important sectors of a country’s economy. Natural disasters affect a country’s energy production stations including oil refineries and nuclear plants leads energy crisis, which results to high oil prices (Noy, 2009: 13).

According to the Congressional Research Service report, “Hurricane Katrina affected oil refineries and pipelines in the U.S. Gulf coast leading to higher oil prices nationally and internationally” (Cashell & Labonte, 2005: 16 ). This led to slower economic growth of the regions hit by the hurricane. Japan is still battling to prevent a nuclear disaster following the recent earthquake and tsunami that rocked the country recently.

Natural disasters also lead to reduced domestic and international trade, which negatively affect the economy. Moreover, natural disasters affect ports and transportation, which lead to reduction of the amount of imports and exports thus affecting trade. Additionally, natural disasters can bring beneficial effects to the economy of a region.

Skidmore and Toya highlight that, natural disasters precede “intensive construction and building activities to bring about recovery” (2002, 148). The locals and the businesses operating in a region affected by the natural disaster are employed in these recovery activities. However, the destruction of property and infrastructure by natural disasters often result to massive unemployment rates.

Skilled human labor is an important element in achieving economic development in any country. Natural disasters like floods and volcanoes cause death and loss of life thereby reducing the human capital of a region and as Skoufas notes, natural disasters also affect training of human capital through the disruption of schools and damage to training facilities (2003: 99).

Damage to property and unemployment lead to reduced family income, which affect education of especially the young people leading to majority of students to drop out of school. Natural disasters adversely affect technological developments of a country. However, natural disasters can stimulate technological innovations to withstand future disasters such as earthquakes. Technological innovations promote economic growth of a country.

Hurricane Katrina caused damage to many residential property and affected “physical infrastructure like roads and bridges in many states especially Louisiana and Mississippi” (Black & Veatch, 2006: 4). Wastewater disposal systems were affected especially in New Orleans due to damage caused on pipes.

It also affected water supply, electricity and essential healthcare delivery to the affected regions. Transportation of oil products and gas back and forth these regions were affected (Rahman, 2005: 114). The hurricane Katrina affected economy of the states hit by the disaster and the national economy. The U.S. national economic growth declined up to 1.0% because of the effects of the hurricane in these states. However, rebuilding activities will enhance economic growth.

The hurricane disaster affected the energy production centers including the oil refineries in Louisiana. The daily output of these refineries reduced because of the effects of the hurricane leading to a rise in oil and gas prices in the country.

The effects to the ports and oil pipes also contributed to energy crisis experienced during the same period. Due to the destruction of property and industrial facilities by the hurricane, high unemployment rates occurred in these states (Liu, Matt, & Mabanta, 2006: 123). Recovery efforts involve rebuilding the industrial and physical infrastructure and facilities such as schools.

The effects of natural disasters are both short-term including loss of life and damage to property and long-term affecting the economic stability of a region or a country. Damage to infrastructure and energy production centers lead to adverse effects on a country’s economic development. Recovery efforts involving construction and rebuilding of facilities help reverse the effects of disasters and provide employment to the affected people. Other natural disasters such as floods bring beneficial products as sectors such as agriculture improve.

Abbott, P, Natural Disasters . McGraw, New York, 2004.

Black, R & S Veatch, ‘Assessment of Reconstruction Costs and Debt Management for Wastewater Utilities Affected by Hurricane Katrina’, Water Environment Federation , 2006.

Bradford, M & R Carmichael, Natural disasters. Salem Press, Pasadena, 2001.

Cain, M, ‘Fertility as an adjustment to risk’, Population and Development Review , vol. 9, No. 4, 1983, pp. 680- 689.

Cashell, B & M Labonte, ‘The Macroeconomic Effects of Hurricane Katrina’, CRS Report for Congress , 2005.

Lee, R, ‘Population homeostasis and English demographic history’, Journal of Interdisciplinary History , vol.15, no. 4, 1985, pp. 635-660.

Liu, A, et al, ‘Special Edition of the Katrina Index: A One Year Review of Key Indicators Of Recovery in Post Storm New Orleans’, The Brookings Institution , 2006.

Maharatna, A, The demography of famines . Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1999.

Noy, I, ‘The macroeconomic consequences of disasters’, Journal of Development Economics , vol. 88, no. 2, 2009, pp. 10-21.

Parfomak, W, ‘Vulnerability of Concentrated Critical Infrastructure: Background And Policy Options’, CRS Report for Congress , 2005.

Popp, A, The effects of natural disasters on long run growth , 2003. Web.

Rahman, S, ‘Impact of Natural Disasters on Critical Infrastructures’ The 1st Bangladesh Earthquake Symposium , 2005

Skidmore, M & H Toya, ‘Do Disasters Promote Long-Run Growth?’ Economic Inquiry , vol. 40, no. 16, 2002, pp.142.

Skoufas, E, ‘Economic Crises and Natural Disasters: Coping Strategies and Policy Implications’, World Development , vol.31, no. 4, 2003, pp. 78-103.

Temple, J, ‘The New Growth Evidence’, Journal of Economic Literature , vol. 37, no. 9, 1999, pp. 112-156.

The Unemployment Reasons in the UAE
America’s Economy for 2009 and 2010
Hurricane Katrina: Genesis and Impact
Natural Disasters: Earthquakes, Floods and Volcanic Eruption
Hurricane Katrina Crisis Response and Criticism
“Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything“ by S.levitt and S.dubner
The Recession of 2007-2009
The Causes of Poverty Concentration in the Modern World
Economic Issues Simulation Paper
Trade Unions Network History and Structure
Chicago (A-D)
Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2018, December 27). Effects of Natural Disasters Essay. https://ivypanda.com/essays/effects-of-a-natural-disaster-on-a-country/

"Effects of Natural Disasters Essay." IvyPanda , 27 Dec. 2018, ivypanda.com/essays/effects-of-a-natural-disaster-on-a-country/.

IvyPanda . (2018) 'Effects of Natural Disasters Essay'. 27 December.

IvyPanda . 2018. "Effects of Natural Disasters Essay." December 27, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/effects-of-a-natural-disaster-on-a-country/.

1. IvyPanda . "Effects of Natural Disasters Essay." December 27, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/effects-of-a-natural-disaster-on-a-country/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Effects of Natural Disasters Essay." December 27, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/effects-of-a-natural-disaster-on-a-country/.

The Impacts of Natural Disasters: A Framework for Loss Estimation (1999)

Chapter: 4 conclusions and recommendations, 4 conclusions and recommendations.

This report has explained the gaps in our knowledge of natural disaster losses and why these gaps should be filled. Poor knowledge of the resulting economic losses hinders implementation of effective disaster mitigation policies and emergency response programs. Better loss estimates would benefit federal, state, and local governments, insurers, scientists and researchers, and private citizens (both as taxpayers and insurance purchasers).

It is clear that data on economic losses of natural disasters to the nation are incomplete and spread widely across the public and private sectors. Information on both direct and indirect costs is lacking. If data on uninsured direct losses are limited, our understanding of indirect losses is even more incomplete. These indirect losses are clearly difficult to identify and measure. However, in large disasters they may be significant and, within the immediately affected regions, potentially greater than the direct losses due to physical destruction, especially in large disasters.

Losses Versus Costs

In generating a national indicator of disaster damage, the focus should be upon the losses resulting from disasters, rather than costs. Losses encompass a broader set of damages than costs. Losses include direct physical destruction to property, infrastructure, and crops, plus indirect losses that are the consequence of disasters, such as temporary unemployment and lost business. Costs typically refer only to cash payouts from insurers and governments. The term "losses," as defined above, better portrays the true economic impacts of disasters.

Direct Losses: Data Collection, Reporting, and Agency and Organizational Roles

One step toward producing more complete loss estimates would be to assign one agency of the federal government to compile a comprehensive data base identifying the direct costs of natural disasters, as well as the individuals and groups who bear these costs. These data should be collected according to the framework described in Chapter 2 , for each natural disaster exceeding a given dollar loss threshold. The U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Economic Analysis appears to have the capabilities to compile such a data base, with considerable input and assistance from FEMA and other relevant federal agencies. Whatever agency is selected should be given sufficient resources to accomplish this assignment.

The recommended loss estimate data base would be compiled from many sources, including organizations such as Property Claims Services and the Institute for Business and Home Safety (which compile data on paid insurance claims) and other federal, state, and local agencies. The assistance of relevant professional associations, such as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, should be enlisted to obtain other relevant data. A synthesis report containing data on disaster losses should be published periodically, preferably annually. One way the federal government might make sure it receives at least the state and local data is by amending the Stafford Act, requiring the data to be submitted as a condition for future federal disaster aid.

A related recommendation is for the federal Office of Management and Budget, with advice from FEMA, to develop annual, comprehensive estimates of the payouts for the direct losses (due directly physical damage) made by federal agencies. These data should be divided into at least four categories:

compensation payments to individuals and businesses (including subsidies on loans to help cover disaster-related expenses);
response costs;
losses to government-owned infrastructure (including state and local costs that are reimbursed by the federal government); and,
payouts from federal disaster insurance programs (with annual premiums shown separately).

These data should be assembled for some historic period in order to provide information of trends of disaster losses and payouts. Such an effort is critical if the federal government and policymakers are to better plan for future disaster-related expenditures, including mitigation programs and activities.

The largest current gap in direct loss data involves uninsured losses borne by businesses and individuals. These data might be obtained through post-event sampling (in large disasters) and extrapolating these losses from other data

bases. Data from loan applicants to the SBA's disaster relief program or data from insurers like PCS would indicate the deductibles paid by insured businesses and individuals.

Indirect Losses: Modeling the Losses and Constructing a Loss Data Base

Indirect losses in natural disasters stem from the consequences of physical damage (direct losses). Physical damages in disasters typically initiate events that alter economic flows. Businesses may be disrupted after a disaster due to damaged infrastructure (power, water, transportation, communications), and many workers may be temporarily unemployed. These indirect losses have not been studied or measured as closely as direct losses, largely because they are notoriously difficult to identify and accurately measure.

Due to the limited sources of indirect loss data, statistical models are often used to compile indirect loss estimates. Though these models may help address problems due to a lack of available data, they must become more reliable if they are to be used as guides in setting mitigation and other hazard-related policies.

If this is to occur, however, accurate, firsthand (primary) data on indirect losses must be available for model calibration and validation. The recommended data collection and coordination program should thus also include surveys for the collection of detailed primary data on indirect economic losses from recent disasters (again, sufficient resources for this effort must be budgeted). Once a sufficiently reliable data base of these indirect losses has been generated, the agency should continue to collect indirect loss data on large disasters—those with model estimates of greater than $10 billion in losses. While the indirect loss data base is being constructed, efforts toward more effective uses of secondary data (data generated for purposes other than indirect loss estimation, such as unemployment insurance payouts) should be continued. We thus recommend that an assessment of methods for estimating indirect losses with secondary data be conducted.

It is important to understand the timing of economic disruptions that trigger indirect losses in order to plan for efficient emergency responses and to assess the cost-effectiveness of alternate mitigation strategies. The committee recommends that a microsimulation model be developed to create a timeline of regional commercial and industrial closures. Other models that should be devised include a formal restoration model and a comprehensive indirect loss model.

Moving Toward Better Knowledge of Disaster Losses

The lack of accurate information on these losses is a barrier to more effective hazard mitigation. As a step toward improving mitigation programs, efforts at centralizing these data and compiling better loss estimates must be strengthened. The federal government and private sector should combine their knowledge and data in providing better estimates of direct losses. The federal government must mount and back a significant data collection and research effort if better estimates of losses due to disasters are to be compiled, especially indirect losses. With a strong commitment, this could be accomplished within the next ten years. Until relatively accurate estimates are available, the true economic losses in natural disasters will remain poorly understood and the benefits of disaster mitigation activities only imprecisely evaluated.

We in the United States have almost come to accept natural disasters as part of our nation's social fabric. News of property damage, economic and social disruption, and injuries follow earthquakes, fires, floods and hurricanes. Surprisingly, however, the total losses that follow these natural disasters are not consistently calculated. We have no formal system in either the public or private sector for compiling this information. The National Academies recommends what types of data should be assembled and tracked.

READ FREE ONLINE

Welcome to OpenBook!

You're looking at OpenBook, NAP.edu's online reading room since 1999. Based on feedback from you, our users, we've made some improvements that make it easier than ever to read thousands of publications on our website.

Do you want to take a quick tour of the OpenBook's features?

Show this book's table of contents , where you can jump to any chapter by name.

...or use these buttons to go back to the previous chapter or skip to the next one.

Jump up to the previous page or down to the next one. Also, you can type in a page number and press Enter to go directly to that page in the book.

Switch between the Original Pages , where you can read the report as it appeared in print, and Text Pages for the web version, where you can highlight and search the text.

To search the entire text of this book, type in your search term here and press Enter .

Share a link to this book page on your preferred social network or via email.

View our suggested citation for this chapter.

Ready to take your reading offline? Click here to buy this book in print or download it as a free PDF, if available.

Get Email Updates

Do you enjoy reading reports from the Academies online for free ? Sign up for email notifications and we'll let you know about new publications in your areas of interest when they're released.

IMAGES

Natural Disasters Essay (900 words)
How To Prevent Natural Disasters Essays: A Comprehensive Guide
How To Prevent Natural Disasters Essays: A Comprehensive Guide
🌱 How to prepare for a natural disaster essay. How do humans react to
How to prevent Natural Disasters essay 2022
How to prevent Natural Disasters essay 2023

VIDEO

Essay Writing on Natural Disasters in English & Urdu
mini essay on natural disasters 🌪️🌊
NATURAL DISASTERS ESSAY WRITING #shorts
Natural Disasters Essay #naturaldisaster #mintossmood
Natural disasters/short notes on natural disasters in English
B.Sc Zoology|S4|Disaster Management|Biological Disasters, Natural Disasters|KU

COMMENTS

Essay on How to Prevent Natural Disasters
Land use planning can significantly reduce the risk of natural disasters. Urban planning should consider the natural hazards of the area. For instance, construction should be avoided in floodplains and landslide-prone areas. Forest management practices can also help prevent wildfires by reducing the amount of combustible material.
Natural Disasters Essay for Students & Children
500+ Words Essay on Natural Disasters. A Natural disaster is an unforeseen occurrence of an event that causes harm to society. There are many Natural disasters that damage the environment and the people living in it. Some of them are earthquakes, cyclones, floods, Tsunami, landslides, volcanic eruption, and avalanches.Spatial extent measures the degree or severity of the disaster.
500+ Words Essay on Natural Disasters For Students
1. Loss of Life: Natural disasters can claim countless lives, leaving families and communities devastated by the loss of loved ones. 2. Destruction of Infrastructure: Roads, bridges, buildings, and critical infrastructure can be severely damaged or destroyed, hampering relief efforts and hindering recovery. 3.
Natural Disasters Essay (900 words)
This natural disasters essay will talk about the types of natural disasters as well their causes and impacts. List of Natural Disasters. ... So, governments should have disaster management policies for prevention, response, and recovery. Here are a few precautions we can take for some common natural disasters:
Essay on Natural Disaster
250 Words Essay on Natural Disaster Introduction. Natural disasters are catastrophic events triggered by environmental factors that kill people and cause damage to property and natural resources. They include earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, tsunamis, and other geologic processes. The Cause and Effect of Natural Disasters
Natural Disasters: Causes and Impacts: [Essay Example], 682 words
Definition of Natural Disasters. Natural disasters are events caused by environmental factors and are outside of human control. They can include various types of disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, wildfires, and droughts. These events have drastic and often severe effects on human life, infrastructure, and economic systems.
Natural Disaster Essay: How to Write, Topics, & Examples
That is why you can dedicate your essay on natural disasters to earthquakes, droughts, wildfires, floods, tsunamis, hurricanes, or tornadoes. In only 3 hours, we'll deliver a custom essay written 100% from scratch. Read more. Tornado: ... Disaster prevention measures: Investments that save millions of lives.
88 Natural Disaster Essay Topics & Samples
Searching for essay questions about natural disasters? 🌋 We have some ideas for you! Check our natural disaster essay topics 💡 and examples in the article. ... Natural Disaster Prevention Planning. The disaster brought considerable financial losses to the states, and the Sonora government had to provide funding and support in the form of ...
Humans Induce and Reduce Environmental Disasters
Humans Induce and Reduce Environmental Disasters. Environmental disasters from 1970 to 2019 led to new developments in science, engineering, and policy. Explore disasters that have occurred over the last fifty years on land, in water, and in the atmosphere, as well as envision solutions to prevent or minimize further disasters.
Cause & Effect Essay: Natural Disasters and Their Causes
The two natural causes of wildfires are the sun's heat and lightning strikes, while they can also be caused by campfires, smoking, fireworks and many other things. The reasons that they spread so quickly are prolonged hot, dry weather, where the vegetation dries out, which is why they often take place in woodland. Order creative essay.
3. Awareness and Education
The key to reducing loss of life, personal injuries, and damage from natural disasters is widespread public awareness and education.People must be made aware of what natural hazards they are likely to face in their own communities. They should know in advance what specific preparations to make before an event, what to do during a hurricane, earthquake, flood, fire, or other likely event, and ...
Free Natural Disasters Essay Examples & Topic Ideas
The Natural Disaster: Earthquake. 1 page / 477 words. Earthquake is a natural disaster, always threatening the lives of people. On May 12th, 2008, a terrible earthquake took place in Sichuan. Most houses fell down. Thousands of people were killed or injured and the whole cities were destroyed.
Natural Disasters Essay
Natural disasters like floods, drought, landslides, earthquakes, and cyclones frequently occur all throughout the world. Often, natural disasters leave mass effects and it can take years to control the damage. However, the negative effects and damages caused by these natural disasters can be reduced significantly if proper warning systems or ...
103 Natural Disaster Essay Topic Ideas & Examples
They can take many forms, including hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, wildfires, and tsunamis. Writing an essay on natural disasters can be a daunting task, but with the right topic and approach, you can create a compelling and informative piece of writing. Here are 103 natural disaster essay topic ideas and examples to help you get started:
Essay on Natural Disasters: Top 12 Essays
V. Slopes covered with grass more prone to this hazard. Essay on Natural Disaster # 7. Tsunami: Tsunami, or seismic sea waves, are large ocean waves generated by impulses from geophysical events occurring on the ocean floor or along the coastline, such as earthquakes, landslides and volcanic eruptions.
Natural Disasters Essay for Students in English
From wildfires in the US to locusts attack in India and back-to-back cyclones in India, there are many natural disasters in 2020. According to the Global Catastrophe Recap's First Half of 2020 report, there were more than 207 natural disasters in just the first six months of 2020, causing. 75 billion loss globally.
Disaster Management Essay for Students and Children
500+ Words Essay on Disaster Management. Nature has various manifestations both gentle as well as aggressive. We see how sometimes it is so calm while the other times it becomes fierce. The calm side is loved by everyone, of course, however, when the ferocious side is shown, devastation happens. As humans cannot control everything, certain ...
What Is Disaster Management: Prevention and Mitigation
Mitigation and prevention efforts aim to reduce the potential damage and suffering that disasters can cause. While disaster management cannot prevent disasters, it can prevent them from becoming compounded as a result of neglecting causal factors and manageable risks. Mitigation specifically refers to actions taken that can lessen the severity ...
Natural Disasters Essays & Research Papers for Students
There is a widespread consensus among risk experts that natural disasters will increase both in frequency and severity, making sufficient precautionary mitigation measures indispensable. Sound disaster mitigation includes pragmatic response and recovery programs and involves transatlantic cooperation between policymakers, the private and public ...
Prevention of Natural Disaster
Download free Prevention of Natural Disaster Coursework sample and 10,000 example essays online! Natural disasters are an integral part of life of our planet. There are various types of disasters, such as floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, earth...
Effects of Natural Disasters Essay
The effects of natural disasters are both short-term including loss of life and damage to property and long-term affecting the economic stability of a region or a country. Damage to infrastructure and energy production centers lead to adverse effects on a country's economic development. Recovery efforts involving construction and rebuilding ...
Flood Essay for Students and Children
500+ words Essay on Flood. Flood is one of the most dangerous natural disasters. It happens when excessive water is collected in any area. It usually happens due to heavy rainfall. India is highly prone to flood. There are many regions in the country that face this natural disaster because of the overflowing of rivers.
4 Conclusions and Recommendations
In generating a national indicator of disaster damage, the focus should be upon the losses resulting from disasters, rather than costs. Losses encompass a broader set of damages than costs. Losses include direct physical destruction to property, infrastructure, and crops, plus indirect losses that are the consequence of disasters, such as temporary unemployment and lost business.

500+ Words Essay on Natural Disasters For Students

Types of Natural Disasters

Essay on Natural Disasters- FAQs

What are the 2 main types of disasters?

What are 5 man-made disasters?

Please Login to comment...

Improve your Coding Skills with Practice

What kind of Experience do you want to share?

Natural Disasters Essay

Natural Disasters Essay – Introduction

List of Natural Disasters

Types of Natural Disasters

Causes of Natural Disasters

Natural Disasters Effects

Natural Disaster Management

Earthquake Preparedness

Hurricane Preparedness

Flood Preparedness

Wildfire Preparedness

Tsunami Preparedness

Volcano Preparedness

Overall Disaster Management

Conclusion – Natural Disasters Essay

Recommended Articles

Essay on Natural Disaster

100 Words Essay on Natural Disaster

Types of Natural Disasters

Impact of Natural Disasters

250 Words Essay on Natural Disaster

The Cause and Effect of Natural Disasters

Human Interaction and Natural Disasters

Prevention and Mitigation Measures

500 Words Essay on Natural Disaster

Impacts of Natural Disasters

Climate Change and Natural Disasters

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Natural Disaster Essay: How to Write, Topics, & Examples

🌪️ Natural Disaster Essay: What Is It About?

💡 114 Natural Disasters Essay Topics

📑 Natural Disaster Essay Outline

🌊 Natural Disaster Essay 200 Words

🏜️ Natural Disaster Essay 300 Words

❓ Natural Disaster Essay FAQ

What Is a Disaster Essay?

What Is Disaster Preparedness Essay?

How to Describe a Natural Disaster for an Essay?

🔗 References

INTERACTIVE

Media Credits

Production Managers

User Permissions

Interactives

Related Resources

Creative samples from the experts

Cause & Effect Essay: Natural Disasters and Their Causes

Follow Us on Social Media

Get more free essays

Send via email

Contributors Bio

Find more useful services for students

Essays on Natural Disasters

"Surviving the Unthinkable" Hook

"Disaster Preparedness: Are We Ready?" Hook

"The Environmental Toll of Natural Disasters" Hook

"Mitigating Disaster: A Race Against Time" Hook

"Humanitarian Response and Resilience" Hook

"The Future of Disaster Management" Hook

The Sinking of The Lusitania: Catalyst for Change

The Effects of Natural Disasters on Economics

What Natural Disasters Occur in Indonesia?

Public Attitudes Towards Risk and How It Contributes to Vulnerability

Relevant topics

103 Natural Disaster Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Geography Notes

Essay on Natural Disasters

Essay on Natural Disaster # 1. Introduction:

Essay on Natural Disaster # 2. Earthquake :

Essay on Natural Disaster # 3. Flood and Drought :

Essay on Natural Disaster # 4. Cyclone :

Essay on Natural Disaster # 5. Landslide :