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Since the dawn of history and the birth of civilizations, the earth has
been exposed to versatile types of natural disasters, which had fatal consequences,
risking the future of mankind. So, various countries looked for different ways
to conquer and lessen the effects of these hazards, in order to secure the
safety of their people. The advanced sciences and great inventions and
discoveries of humans contributed effectively, making the countries capable of
achieving such a tough task. Nevertheless, they were able to find methods that
can predict natural disasters, and help to plan and prepare for them, reducing
its massive and severe consequences and helping to cope up with them.
First of all, natural disasters are of multiple and various types, and
they totally differ in characteristics between each other. These disasters vary
from earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, floods and others. For example,
an earthquake is the shaking of the ground. While a volcano is the perforation
in the earth’s crust, where all the rocks and gases escape through the surface.
For these reasons, countries had to search for special ways for each hazard to
predict and prepare itself for, in order to be capable of coping up with each
one.
Earthquakes are some of the most catastrophic types of natural
disasters, for they leave thousands of casualties and cause enormous destruction in buildings and structures. For such reasons, countries had to
find several ways to predict the presence of an earthquake. Scientists were
able to derive that the major earthquakes take place in cycles between 50 and
275 years. Besides, fore shocks that are of minimum magnitudes can be considered
as an early warning to a giant earthquake to take place. Also, the strange animal
behavior in an area should be an alert for countries, for a major earthquake is
in the horizon, and that’s since it is scientifically proven that animals, such
as dogs and cats, have the ability to hear certain signals in the movement of
the earth’s crust, ones the human’s ear can’t hear. In addition, countries were
able to develop precise satellites that can detect low frequencies emitted by
the earth’s crust proving a presence in any seismic activity. Furthermore,
certain countries that experience a high seismic activity had to hire geologists
who examine the rocks in an area to determine if they appear to be “strained”.
They study the faults and figure out how much stress they can hold, and with
the help of accurate seismometers, they can predict when an earthquake is to
strike. This method was only used in California San Andreas fault.
From 1968 to 1988 scientists in California noticed
a seismic activity on the fault lines, and thus identifying a seismic gap in
the Loma Prieta area. Smaller quakes several months beforehand were treated as
possible foreshocks,
and eventually, predicting the Loma Prieta earthquake of magnitude 6.9 quake,
on 17 October 1989.
In order to lessen the damages of an earthquake, countries must prepare themselves
for the hazard and take some serious measures into consideration. First,
countries that experience a high seismic activity must have earthquake proof structures
that are made of sturdy building materials, where they ensure a less damage in
property during the shakes. Moreover, countries must have enforcement that can
protect and help the citizens, save the injured and remove the dead during an
earthquake. To add, countries must alert and warn residents, in case of
predicting an earthquake, through the media, advising them of the best ways to
react against the disaster. They should also be able to evacuate the areas
along the fault lines.
With respect to volcanoes, they have been totally feared, but accepted
as unavoidable or unpredictable natural phenomena. But now, with the great
technological improvement, scientists are able to predict when a volcano is to
erupt. To begin, volcanologists can notice and examine if there is an increase
in the seismic activity around and near the volcano, these tremors are caused
by the magma pushing upward through the rocks. Another sign for scientists to
predict the eruption of a volcano is the emission of gases and plumes of smoke,
where they escape from the volcano, expand and finally explode upon reaching
the surface, throwing the volcanic rocks high in the air. That’s in addition to
another effective way of prediction which is the use of tilt meters which are sensitive
instruments that can detect the ground swell to an accurate degree.
A volcano can cause a lot of destruction so a country that contains
active volcanoes has methods to plan and prepare for it. A volcano cannot be
prevented from erupting, thus, the authorities must order an immediate evacuation
to all the residents near the volcano due to the massive harm it can cause to
people from the toxic gases and the burning lava. Another method of preparation
is building awareness campaigns that teach people how to react in case of a volcano.
After predicting a volcano, the governments have to warn people of it, and the
emergency forces should be capable of reaching the area, protecting and
supplying them with the essential needs of masks and eye goggles, during the
evacuation.
For instance, on March 15, and after the successive earthquakes recorded
of increasing intensities in the northwestern side of the active volcano Mount
Pinatubo, geologist predicted with the help of science that this volcano was to
erupt. Consequently, the authorities ordered an immediate evacuation of the
area, before the actual eruption on June 16 1991.
Another type of natural disasters is a Tsunami, which is created by
sudden drastic change of seafloor due to an earthquake or a volcanic eruption.
Predicting a Tsunami is quite easy, in fact, this task can be accomplished
through the detection of any seismic activity using seismometers far in the
sea. So, a country has to prepare for it to cope up and deal with the natural
hazard. First, the country has to apply an instantaneous evacuation of all the
coastal areas. Besides, the country must be aware that all the structures are
made of sturdy materials so that they aren’t taken away during the Tsunami.
For example, the Japan Tsunami of 2011 was predicted previously when an
earthquake of magnitude 7.9, struck in the ocean 60 km off shore. So, the
authorities had to warn people and leave the coastal areas.
As for floods, they take place due to the rise in the water level of
rivers or oceans, due to the increase in the rain fall, and they are considered
some of the most costly disasters. They are predicted by some certain
calculations and statistics to determine the probability of the discharge of
the river and eventually causing the flood. In order to limit the consequences,
countries now build dams connected to reservoirs that can limit that amount of
discharged water from the rivers. Also, countries, such as American’s and Europe’s
build river and coastal defenses as sea walls and bunds to prevent their over
flooding.
In a nut shell, a country works hard to limit the dangers of a natural
disaster .in order to assure the people’s safety. But still, these hazards lead
to lots of casualties and destruction. However, are countries with the help of
scientists and geologists going to be able someday of preventing the occurrence
of natural disasters?
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