EXPLANATION TEXTS

Text 1

2010 Haiti earthquake.

On 12 January 2004,at 4.53 p.m. local time, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck the Republic of
Haiti, with an epicenter located approximately 25 km south and west of the capital city of Port au Prince.
Near the epicenter of the earthquake, in the city of Leogane, it is estimated that 80% - 90% of the
buildings were critically damaged or destroyed. The metropolitan Port-au Prince region was also severely
affected. According to the government of Haiti, the earthquake left more than 316,000 people dead or
missing, 300,000 injured and over 1.3 million homeless. According to the Inter- American Development
Bank (IDB), the earthquake was the most destructive event any country has experienced in modern
times., when measured in terms of the number of people killed as a percentage of the country’s
population.

Text 2
A tsunami is one of the most powerful and destructive natural forces. It is a series of extremely
long ocean waves started by a sudden movement of ocean water, usually by an earthquake,
Although most tsunamis are generated by earthquake on adjoining tectonic plate boundaries,
they can also be caused by volcanic eruptions, landslides undersea slumps or even meteorites. Tsunamis
radiate outward in all directions from the point of origin and can move across entire ocean basins. When
they reach the coast, they can cause dangerous coastal flooding and powerful currents that can last for
several hours or days.
Tsunamis are also known as seismic se waves, when they are caused by earthquakes. An
earthquake must be big enough and close enough to the ocean floor to cause the vertical movement of the
ocean floor that typically sets a tsunami in motion. As the ocean floor rises and drops, so too does the
water above it. As the water moves up and down, seeking to regain its balance, the tsunami radiates out in
all directions.
Tsunamis can also occur when a landslide enters the water and moves it from above or when the
water is moved ahead of and behind an underwater landslide. The tsunami generated by a landslide
depends on the amount of landslide material that moves the water, the speed it is moving at and the depth
it reaches.
Volcanic eruption too, although rarely, can cause tsunamis. Several types of volcanic activity
can move enough water to generate destructive tsunamis. Like other non-seismic tsunamis, such as those
generated by landslides, volcanic tsunamis usually lose energy quickly and rarely affect distant coastlines.

Text 3

How Venus eclipse happens.

On May 16, 2010, people in most regions in the world have seen a very rare natural
phenomenon.
It was Venus eclipse. It was very rare amazing natural event. It was reported that the Venus
eclipse will be seen again in the future in 2050. Do you know how this rare Venus eclipse happens?
Well,actually Venus is like sun eclipse. Venus eclipse occurs when the position of the earth, moon and
Venus is parallel .Venus planet will slowly disappear for a moment because it is covered by the surface of
the moon. Venus planet moves to the back side of the moon. The moon and planets are sharing a similar
apparent path in the sky. That is why it is not unusual for the moon to appear to pass close to Venus. In
fact, the moon appears somewhere near it about once a month. However, most people don’t see these
events because they are visible in the evening sky only half the time, and then for a short period after
sunset. The apparent closeness varies from month to month as well.

Text 4
What is a tornado?
Tornadoes are known as one of the most damaging disasters. What is the description of
tornadoes? Tornado is a very powerful column of wind which spirals around a centre of low atmospheric
pressure. A tornado will look like a large black funnel which hangs down from a storm cloud.
The name “tornado “derives from the latin Tonare. It means to thunder. While the Spanish
developed the word into “Tornear” which means “to turn or twist”. This is why a tornado is sometimes
called twister or cyclone.
The winds inside the a twister can spin around at speeds up to 500 miles an hour, but it usually
travels at roughly 300 miles an hour. This speed twisting makes the tornado the most dangerous storm.
The average tornado has a diameter of about 200 to 300 yards. The smaller tornadoes are known
as satellite tornadoes. These small offspring, about 50 yards across can be very fierce and do lots of
damage. The forming of a tornado can be very quick. Sometimes it can form in a minute or less.
A tornado can travel across the ground at high speeds, then it can suddenly vanish. Most
tornadoes last less than twenty minutes and travel less than 15 miles, however, the super storm sometimes
travel over 100 miles before they are exhausted.

Text 5

Gravity and water play a role in causing mudslides. Hurricanes and other severe rainstorms
produce a lot of water in a short period of time. Soil on a steep slope becomes so wet that it is too heavy
to stick to the underlying rock or soil. Gravity pulls the mud down the hill. The saturated soil flows much
faster and farther than an ordinary landslide. The debris flow ranges from watery mud to thick rocky mud
that can carry large boulders and trees. Mudslides happen in places that are hilly or steep. Coastal areas
with cliffs weakened by erosion can have mudslides when there is intense rainfall. Drought, wildfire and
deforestation can destroy vegetation. There is a strong chance that these areas will also have mudslides
during and after heavy rainfall.
Mudslides can have devastating effects on people and landscape. They bury houses, vehicles,
crops, animals and people. On average, mudslides cause 25 to 50 deaths each year. The tides of mud,
trees and boulders can sweep through villages and towns, destroying the vegetation along the way. When
the flows reach flatter ground, the debris spreads over a wide area, sometimes collecting in thick deposits.
The mud will stifle any plant and animal life beneath it. Places hit by mudslides are often declared as
disaster areas. Nothing will live there for a long time. A mudslide can leave a deep scar on a mountainside
or hillside. This acts as a reminder of potential danger to those who live nearby.

Text 6.

How does a tsunami occur?

 A tsunami is often mistakenly referred as “tidal wave”. Tsunami and a tidal wave are actually
different. Tides are the normal rise and fall of saltwater levels against the coast. Tsunamis are not normal
tides, they are extreme events. And a tsunami is not just one wave but series of waves.
Tsunamis happen after an earthquake strikes, either near or under the ocean. The earthquake
displaces a large amount of water in the ocean. Waves then rush inland quickly and powerfully, causing
death and destruction.
Scientists say that strong earthquakes under the sea are responsible for eighty to ninety percent
of all tsunamis. Volcanic explosions can also cause a tsunami. So could a large piece of land sliding into
the water or when a rock from space strikes the ocean.
How is a tsunami wave caused? The land underneath the ocean is made up of tectonic plates.
These large areas are always moving. Usually the plates just rub up against each other on a crack, also
called a fault line. Sometimes, one plate slides under another plate. Over time, a huge amount of pressure
builds up on the plate that has slid under the other. It suddenly springs up, resulting in an earthquake.

Text 7
Flooding

Flooding is an overflowing of water onto land that is normally dry. Floods can happen during
heavy rains, when ocean waves come on shore, when snow melts too fast or when dams or levees break.
Flooding may happen with only a few inches of water, or it may cover a house on the rooftop. They can
occur quickly or over a long period and may last days, weeks, or longer. Floods are the most common and
wide spread of all weather- related natural disasters.
Flash floods are the most dangerous kind of floods, because they combine the destructive power
of a flood with incredible speed and unpredictability. Flash floods occur when excessive water fills
normally dry creeks or river beds along with currently flowing creeks and rivers, causing rapid rises of
water in a short amount of time. They can happen with little or no warning.
Densely populated areas are at high risk of flash flooding. The construction of buildings,
highways, driveways, and parking lots increases runoff by reducing the amount of rain absorbed by the
ground. This runoff increases the flash flood potential. Moreover, low spots, such as underpasses,
underground parking garages, and basements can become death traps. Similarly, areas near rivers are at
risk from flash floods. Embankments, known as levees, are often built along rivers and are used to
prevent high water from flooding bordering land. Dam failures can also send a sudden destructive wall of
water downstream. Mountains and steep hills produce rapid runoff, which causes streams to rise quickly.
Rocks and clay soils do not allow much water to infiltrate the ground. Saturated soil too can lead rapidly
to flash flooding.