NATURAL DISASTER

DECLARATION

I Mr. AKASH M TOKE the student of M.Com-I (Evening) 2ND Semester (2014-2015), hereby
declare that I have completed the project on “NATURAL DISASTER”. The information
submitted is true and original to the best of my knowledge.

Signature of student:

_________________

AKASH M TOKE

Roll No: 52

1
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would firstly like to thank the “UNIVERSITY OF MUMBAI “for giving us the liberty of
choosing such topic which will be benefited to us in future. I would like to thanks the Principal
of Sydenham College Dr. Annasaheb Khemnar for giving me the opportunity to study in this
esteemed college and doing the course of Accountancy. I would like to express my sincere
gratitude and thanks to
Dr. Tukaram P Gadhave who is my project guide, as he has been the guiding light for this project
and has also provided me with the best of my knowledge, advice and encouragement which
helped me in successful completion of my project.
My colleagues and specially my parents who have also supported and encouraged me, the
success of this project to the large extent is also dedicated to them.
I would also like to thank all those who have helped me and whom I have forgotten to mention in
this space

SIGNATURE OF STUDENT: ______________

2
NATURALDISASTERS

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.

Then 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 are still 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.

3
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 neighbors 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.

WILDFIRE

What Is A Wildfire?

Wildfires are some of the worst types of natural disasters to hit any part of the world.  However,
the wildfires are uncontrollable and controlled also and usually start up in areas which are in the
wilderness.  Some call these wildfires or refer to them as a forest fire, bush fire, brush fire and
many other names. However, whatever they are referred as, they are dangerous and
unpredictable also.

However, a wildfire does differ from other types of fire because of its sheer size.  Every fire is
deadly but a wildfire is extremely dangerous and is another step up from other types of fire.  The
size of a wildfire can be extraordinary and is very difficult to control also even with dozens of
fire fighters working on the fires.

The speed of a fire can be quite fast also; and it does even have the ability to jump gaps.   These
gaps such as rivers and even roads, the fire can actually jump to avoid this gap which is
extraordinary and something which most other fires cannot achieve.  On almost every continent,
with the exception of Antarctica, wildfires occur.  They are mostly found in Australia and in fact,
Australia does have regular occurrences of wildfires and it is due to the summers being
extremely hot and longer than most other countries.

The Four Risks

They are going to pose a huge risk on human life as well as property and landscape also.  These
wildfires can occur at any given time of the year but more often in the hotter months such as
spring and summer.  There are actually four main risks which can start a wildfire.
4
Lightning is a huge cause of fires starting but there are also spontaneous combustion, sparks
from rock falls and even a volcano erupting can all cause a wildfire starting.  These things might
not always occur every day of the week but when they do, they can be terrible and cause a lot of
damage including starting a wildfire.

For the most part, arsonists are to blame; this and accidents are some of the other risks
contributed with the breakouts of a wildfire. However, in some occasions, these fires can be
small and extinguished if the fire is caught quickly and dealt with quickly also. This is the case
for most wildfires and it is difficult to deal with the fire even if there are dozens of fire fighters
working to stop it.

Some wildfires occur in forest areas and in some cases, dry land.  It can be very easy to start a
fire up in these areas because they are many fuel sources to consume also.

The Properties of Creating a Wildfire

Wildfire can be a devastating and terrible natural disaster to occur.  These uncontrolled blazes
can be fuelled by almost everything including the wind, dry underbrush and even by property. 
The wildfires can destroy everything that is in path within minutes, seconds possibly because
these can get so out of control and so wild.

Across the world there have been thousand different wildfires that stretch vast and get out of
control. Millions of acres of land have been destroyed because of the wildfires. A wildfire
however can move at great speeds, it can in fact be almost fourteen miles an hour; and it can
burn home, brush, trees and even living people and animals alike. Anything in its path can be
destroyed.

The Conditions for a Wildfire Starting

 Oxygen
 Fuel
 Heat Source

These are the 3 ingredients for a wildfire starting and burning.  Of course, everything needs
oxygen and fires especially needs oxygen to burn continuously and they also need fuel. 
Anything which is flammable, any material which is flammable that is, can be used as fuel.  This
can be anything from homes, grass, brush, trees; almost anything that can be burned can be used
as fuel.

If there is a greater fuel load, then the fire will intensify.  However, there is also a need for a heat
source.  This helps to spark the fire and bring the temperatures up to a terrible heat and if it does
reach a certain point, it could ignite a fire.  A heat source could be things such as burning
5
campfires, hot winds, cigarettes being left in a dry area or even lightning.  Sometimes, the sun
can offer enough heat to start a wildfire.

Shockingly, most wildfires are going to be started by every day people and not often nature. 
However, that doesn’t mean to say nature doesn’t have a helping hand in the starting of a fire.  If
the weather is dry and if there has been a recent drought then it can all contribute to a wildfire
starting and it does happen more and more today.

If the ground does dry up then crops can actually become a fuel source and if there are strong
winds then it can make the fire out of control.  Winds can also spread the fire very quickly
indeed and with hot temperatures forming it can contribute to combustion.  All of these things
can create fires and it can be done by both human hand and by Mother Nature also.  It can be a
combination of both, because if there is a drought and an area has become quite dry, then it takes
one human act to ignite the flames.

It can be an arsonist, an accident with a cigarette or even a campfire.  A wildfire can even start
because of a downed power line; and it just takes a second for ignition and another minute for the
fire to become out of control.  Sometimes, these wildfires can last only a short period of time and
sometimes it can be weeks and destroy hundreds of land in the process.

TORNADO

 INTRODUCTION

Many people have seen the movie “Twister” and have gotten a relatively good idea about what a
tornado is, but what really is considered a tornado? What makes up a tornado? Why does a
tornado happen? How do I protect myself from a tornado in case there is one in my area? If these
are questions that you are interested in knowing the answer to, keep reading on, as this excerpt
will answer all the questions you have about tornadoes.

What is a Tornado?

Tornadoes are destructive columns of air that rotate and have contact between earth’s surface and
a cumulonimbus cloud. In unusual cases, tornadoes can make contact with earth’s surface and
cumulus clouds. Twisters, or cyclones are other names for what is formally known as a tornado.
Tornadoes tend to come in many different shapes and sizes, but most of the time they look like a
condensation funnel, with a narrow end that touches earth’s surface and gets wider as it goes
higher up. Containing mostly debris and dust, most tornadoes usually have a wind speed of 110
miles per hour or less and are about 250 feet in width, traveling usually a few miles before they
deplete. The worst tornadoes can exceed wind speeds of 300 miles per hour and move for more
than 100 kilometers before dissipating.

6
Types of Tornadoes

There are a few different types of tornadoes that are classified by specific characteristics. These
tornadoes include the landspout, the multiple vortex tornadoes, and the waterspout. Other less
common tornado-like phenomena that exist are the gustnado, the dust devil, and the fire whirl.
Each one of these tornadoes has its own certain characteristics that separate it from the others. It
is important to know what kind of tornado you are dealing with as they have their own amounts
of damage that they can cause.

Multiple Vortex Tornado

Multiple-vortex tornadoes are specific types of tornadoes that have two or more columns
spinning in the air that rotate around the same center. This can occur in almost any circulation,
but is usually seen in intense tornadoes. These separate vortices cause small areas of heavier
damage along the central tornado path. This an apparent phenomenon from a satellite tornado,
which is weaker and forms very near a large, durable tornado that is contained within the same
mesocyclone. Even though the satellite tornado appears to orbit the bigger tornado, it is a distinct
circulation, and is much more acute in size than the main funnel.

Waterspout Tornado

The National Weather Service defines a waterspout similarly to a landspout tornado, but over a
body of water. These types of tornadoes are not as severe as land tornadoes, but are much more
common. They can be compared to dust devils and landspouts due to similar characteristics.
Waterspouts form from the bases of certain types of clouds over tropical and subtropical bodies
of water and have rather weak winds with smooth walls that usually travel quite slowly. These
kinds of tornadoes usually occur in the Florida West and in the north region of the Adriatic Sea.
Tornado waterspouts are much more durable tornadoes of water and are formed over water close
in comparison to mesocyclonictornadoes that cross over bodies of water. They can be much
more intense and live longer than weather waterspouts that are fair since they are formed from
severe thunderstorms.

Landspout

Landspouts, also formally known as dust-tube tornadoes are not in association with
mesocyclones. The name derives from its similar features to a fair weather waterspout, but on
land. Landspouts and waterspouts are similar because they are both weak, are short lived, and
also have a small, unwrinkled condensation funnel which most of the time doesn’t make it to the
top. Landspouts make a cloud of dust when they make contact with the earth’s surface because
the different mechanics from true mesoform tornadoes. These types of tornadoes are typically

7
weaker than traditional tornadoes, but can still cause destruction because they can create strong
winds.

Similar Circulations to Tornadoes

Gustnado 

Also known as a gust front tornado, a gustnado is small, and has vertical swill from a gust front
or downburst. Gustnadoes are still being questioned as to if they are actually tornadoes
considering they don’t connect with a cloud base. Gustnadoes form when fast moving cold,
outflows of air create a thunderstorm and are blown through a mass of immobile, humid air close
to the outflow boundary. They are typically known for causing small areas of heavy rotational
wind damage in the middle of straight-line wind damage.

Dust Devil 

Dust devils are vertical swirling columns of air. They form under clear skies and are as strong as
the weakest tornadoes. Dust devils form when strong convective updrafts form close to earth’s
surface on hot days. Even though these forms of dust and wind are similar to tornadoes, they are
not considered tornadoes due to their forming during fair weather and they are not associated
with clouds. Dust Devils can still cause immense damage, hints the name.

Fire Whirls

Fire whirls are small, tornado-like circulations that occur near wildfires. The only time these
phenomena are considered tornadoes is when they connect to a pyrocumulus or other
cumuliform cloud. Fire whirls can inflict serious damage.

Steam Devil

Steam devils are rotating updrafts that consist of steam or smoke. These are very rare
phenomena. Smoke issued from a power plant’s smokestack is usually the cause of a steam
devil. If cold air passes over warm water then a steam devil can occur at that point as well.

Popular Misconceptions about Tornadoes

Some people believe that if you open the windows to your house, it will prevent a tornado from
doing maximum damage because there is a large drop in atmospheric pressure. Some believe
tests show that this will cause more damage to the house. Either way, a strong enough tornado
can destroy a house easily with or without the windows open.

8
Another common misconception is that people believe that they are protected from tornadoes or
that tornadoes won’t affect their area if it’s not a flat, farm or desert-like surface. Though some
areas are more susceptible to tornadoes than others, no area is completely exempt from having an
encounter with a tornado.

Precautions to Take if You’re Ever in a Tornado

Even though tornadoes can happen instantly, there are safety methods that you can use to protect
yourself from uncertain possible outcomes. Preparing for a tornado before it actually strikes,
such as having a safe room in the house that has no windows like a closet or a bathroom can help
in case you do come across a tornado. Many tornado-prone areas have buildings with storm
cellars that save thousands of lives. Weather radios can also help you find out if there is a
tornado alert in your area, which can help you better, prepare for the worst case scenario. These
are just a few safety tips that can help you survive through a tornado.

There are different types of tornados that can inflict different amounts of damage. Knowing the
basic information about these different kinds of tornadoes can help you better prepare for a
disaster in your hometown. Looking at the cloud connected to a tornado is a quick way to
identify what kind of tornado it is, and that will be a great benefit. Remember, always stay away
from windows!

TSUNAMI

 INTRODUCTION

A Tsunami is a series of gigantic water waves that causes a surge of water onto land. These
surges can reach heights up to 100 feet. The massive height of the surges can lead to devastating
effects when it crashes over land. It can occur in large lakes but mainly occurs in seas.

Here are some terms that are associated with tsunamis:

Tide: The term ‘tide’ refers to the alternate rising and falling of the sea level at shores.

Seismic waves: Seismic waves of energy that travel through the Earth’s crust layers or plates,
and are a result of an earthquake or a volcano eruption which can lead to causing tsunamis.

Surge: A surge of water is a strong swelling volume of water.

Earthquake: A sudden and violent movement of a portion of the earth’s crust, and the series of
vibrations that follow.

9
Earth’s crust: This is the solid thin layer that covers the outside of the earth. Is the solid layer
upon which we live. To put it in perspective, think of it as the skin on the outside of an apple.

Plate: A plate is a section of the earths crust. Plates slide along either beside, over or under each
other, causing friction and pressure between the plates.

Teletsunami: A tsunami which causes damage a long distance away from the source has been
given the name ‘teletsunami’. These types of tsunamis are not produced by horizontal motions,
but by vertical motions in the seabed.

Tsunami waves are caused by large underwater earthquakes where there are tectonic plate
boundaries. They can also be caused by volcano eruption under the ocean or lake. Even giant
landslides have been known to cause large tidal waves or tsunamis in the past.

Tectonic plates are sections of the earth’s crust that move against each other.

When the pressure of the tectonic plate at the ocean floor releases pressure, it causes the water
above to create a series of rolling waves which will build up to cause more turbulent and fast
moving waves. These waves will turn into one large wave and will eventually result in a tsunami.

Tsunamis do not appear as a breaking wave. Initially it may resemble a tide that is rising rapidly.
Tsunamis generally consist of a series of waves with periods ranging from minutes to hours,
arriving in what can be called a “wave train”.

The Pacific Ring of Fire

Almost 80 percent of tsunamis occur within the Pacific Ocean’s ‘Ring of Fire’. This is due to the
amount of earthquake and volcanic activity in the area, which occur due to the tectonic shifts in
the earth’s plates.

Tsunamis can reach speeds up to 500 miles per hour, racing across the sea. That is about as fast
as a jet plane! Tsunamis can travel the entire length of the Pacific Ocean in less than a day. There
is virtually no energy lost along the way due to their extremely long wavelengths.

The formation of a Tsunami

When tsunamis begin to form, they only appear a foot of so high in the deep ocean. This makes
them impossible to distinguish. The closer they get to the shoreline and enter shallower water,
their energy and height grow to drastic measures. The speed and momentum increases due to the
top of the waves moving faster that the bottom does.

10
The lowest point under the wave usually reaches the shore first. When it reaches the shore, it
produces what is described as the ‘vacuum effect’, which sucks the coastal water into the sea and
gives the opposite effect of a tsunami. When this occurs, the sea floor is left completely waterless
and the seafloor is totally exposed. This is the first sign a tsunami is about to hit.

The next stage causes the most serious and devastating effects. About five to ten minutes after
the water retreats, the tsunami will hit. This gives people little time to escape the wrath of the
tsunami; however the warning can save lives. When a tsunami hits it is important for people to
remember that the danger may not have passed with the first wave or two. The aftershock of
earthquakes can cause more waves to occur, sometimes even hours after the initial wave hits.
The best defense against any tsunami is early warning that allows people to seek higher ground.

Pacific coastal countries are some of the most Tsunami prone areas in the world. Here is a list of
some of the countries who have been affected or that could be affected by tsunamis:

 Japan
 United States
 Mexico
 Philippines
 Russia
 Ecuador
 China
 Chile
 Papua New Guinea
 Maldives
 Indonesia
 Italy

Problems caused by Tsunamis

Tsunamis can cause great loss of life and a serious decrease in population. Drowning is the most
popular cause of death when a tsunami hits. Here are some dangers it can cause to the
environment.

 Shipwrecks can be left ashore when tsunamis hit. This can cause major pollution and can
take time and money to remove.
 Animals can be washed up to shore and die.
 They can also flood the lands near the shore. This leaves crops damaged and the
community can suffer from a lack of food and work.

11
  Some people might left be trapped under buildings for long periods of time while search
and rescue teams attempt to get a hold on the situation. The damage can be so great that
people often die while trapped.
 Tsunamis can cause economic decline as they have to spend a lot of money rebuilding the
houses and restoring the original landscape. As the devastation can occur in very poor
countries, there is usually not be enough help or money to completely rebuild entire
livelihoods.

Strongest Tsunami in history

One of the most well known and recent incidence of a tsunami was in Indonesia, on the 26th of
December 2004. A 9.3 magnitude earthquake triggered a series of giant tsunamis along the
coasts of most landmasses that bordered the Indian Ocean. This was also one of the largest
earthquakes recorded. It killed over 230,000 people in fourteen different countries. It was
recorded as one was one of the worst natural disasters in history. Indonesia was hit the hardest
and Sri Lanka, Thailand and India also suffered greatly.

Due to the distances involved, the disastrous tsunami took between fifteen minutes and seven
hours to reach the all the different coastlines. The tsunami took seven hours to hit Somalia.
Sumatra, and Indonesian island was hit very quickly especially in the northern regions. The east
coast of India and Sri Lanka were hit somewhere between 90 minutes to two and a half hours
later. Thailand was hit around two hours later despite the fact that it was closer to the
epicentreThe reason for this is because the water was more shallow in the Andaman Sea, which
is off the western coast.

The earthquake which caused the tsunami affected many countries even beyond Southeast Asia.
These other countries included Sri Lanka, India, Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar, the Maldives,
Seychelles, Somalia, Tanzania and South Africa. Australia and Europe had a large number of
their citizens in the region at the time of the disaster, along with many other countries. There
were 543 Swedish people and 539 German people lost in the disaster.

 THUNDERSTORM

What Is A Thunderstorm? 

Thunderstorms are some of the most frightening and powerful storms to hit the world.  A
thunderstorm can be known as a lightning storm, a thundershower or even an electrical storm.  A
thunderstorm is one of the most powerful storms to hit and it forms when the weather is
turbulent.  This is when the wind picks up greatly and rain is present, though this doesn’t always
need to be present.  However, lightning and the noise of thunder creates the thunderstorms and if

12
there are certain types of clouds in the sky – cumulonimbus, then it could result in
thunderstorms.

On most occasions, thunderstorms will bring on heavy rain falls and strong winds.  However,
these are the most common types of weather associated with thunderstorms but there are other
types of weather that can accompany a thunderstorm.  Things such as hail, sleet and snow are all
common factors to present itself during a thunderstorm.  Some thunderstorms can rotate, if they
are quite severe, then they can create supercells which are some of the worst thunderstorms.

How Thunderstorms Are Are Created?

A thunderstorm can be created because of a sharp or rapid surge of moist and warm air. 
However, as the warm and moist air moves upwards into the air, it will cool down and
condenses.  When the air does this, the air will form new cumulonimbus clouds.  These
cumulonimbus clouds can in fact reach huge heights of almost 20 kilometres, sometimes much
more than that.

Once the air reaches a certain point, at the dew point, ice and water droplets are going to form
and start falling towards the earth and the earth’s surface.  It falls from a large distance; however,
once the droplets fall, they will be larger because they join up with other droplets.  Once the
droplets are falling, they will create a new downdraft of the air which will spread out vastly
across the surface.  This creates winds – strong winds which coincide with thunderstorms.

 Hail
 Rain
 Strong Winds
 Snow
 Sleet

Where Can Thunderstorm Form?

A thunderstorm can be formed or created in almost any location around the world.  Though, the
countries that are mid latitude – this is when the air is moist and warm but comes into contact
with cool air.  Thunderstorms can form anywhere if the air is warm and moist and comes into
cooler air.  Though, most thunderstorms can be very severe and can cause a lot of damage to
landscapes and populated areas also.

Though, most damage that comes from a thunderstorm is due to the larger hailstones which fall
with the storm and the down burst winds.  Though, on occasion, there have been flash floods to
cause a lot of damage.  Though, with some thunderstorm formations, they can be very strong or –
super cells as they can also be known as, and cause water sprouts and even tornadoes.  There are

13
some instances which are not going to be too severe and won’t be anything more than a small
rain shower.  Some thunderstorm cells which are stronger than average storms can be fifty times
the energy of an a bomb.

The Different Types of Thunderstorms

There are however four different types of thunderstorms including;

1. Supercells which are the most powerful thunderstorms available

2. A single cell which are smaller and not too severe
3. A multi cell cluster which is stronger than a single cell storm
4. Multi cell lines which are just below a super cell

The super cells are the strongest of thunderstorms that form; and if the thunderstorms are present
in the tropics, it could contribute to hurricanes.  However, there are also dry thunderstorms which
don’t cause any rain, hail or snow fall, but they can cause wildfire outbreaks.  This happens
because of the lightning that occurs; there might not be any hail or rain but lightning still occurs
and causes wildfires.

Many weather observers use things such as weather stations and weather radar to help keep a
close eye over pending weather storms including thunder.  Interesting though, it has been known
for some thunderstorms, can be created on both Venus and Jupiter and not just here on Earth.

The Cycle of a Thunderstorm

The cycle of a thunderstorm firstly starts off with warm air.  The warm air needs to have a lower
density than cooler air because the air will start to rise actually within the cool air.  When this
happens, clouds will start to form and they will become a little warmer because inside the clouds,
it will now carry moisture.

The moisture will condense and when it does, it will release energy out; however, what this does
is to cool the air of the condensed air but the surrounding air will stay the same.  If there is
instability in the atmosphere then it will create cumulonimbus clouds and that helps to create
thunder and lightning.  However, for thunderstorms to form, they need moisture, unstable air
mass and a lifting force such as heat to create a thunderstorm.

There are different stages to create a thunderstorm.  There is the developing stage, then the
mature stag and finally the dissipation stage.  Though, the thunderstorms can vary from size but
for the average storm, it is around 24 kilometres.  The period of time in which the thunderstorms
can develop is anything from thirty minutes.

14
When the thunderstorm hits the cumulus stage, or the developing stage; a mass of moisture will
be taken up towards the atmosphere.  When the moisture goes into the air, the wind will be
forced upwards into the atmosphere and will help to develop the thunderstorm.  However, the
moisture will start cooling and this will form water drops because of the cool temperatures at a
high altitude.

With the mature stage, the air which is now warm will rise further up and will continue to do so
until it cannot rise any further and the air becomes at its warmest point.  When it reaches this
point, the air will be forced out a vast area and will start to create an anvil shape creating the
cumulonimbus clouds.  The water drops will then start to grow larger because they will join up
with one another.  They will now be heavier and larger and will start to freeze into ice particles. 
Though, as the ice falls, it will become, or rather melt, into rain.

With the final or dissipating stage, the thunderstorm is created.  A downdraft will work up and
hit the ground quickly and spread out vastly also.  This can be known as a downburst and the
cool air will then cut the inflow and stop the thunderstorm also.  The thunderstorm will dissipate.

The super cell storms are the biggest and the most severe storms to hit.  This is when the super
cell storms have different up and down drafts causing the super cell.  It can stretch out to a vast
area and can cause a lot of devastation and damage.  When the super cells are created, it will
mean that the storms will be accompanied with severe weather.

SOLARFLARES

The definition of a solar flare is a very sudden, intense, and fast change in brightness. These
explosions or ejections happen at different intensities and frequencies, from several per day to
one every week. There are times when the sun gives of very few or low-intensity flares, during
its minimum stage of the cycle. The solar flares will gain in intensity until the height of the cycle.

What causes solar flares?

When magnetic energy builds up in the solar atmosphere and needs to be released, a solar flare
occurs. In a typical flare, there are three stages:

1. The release of magnetic energy is activated in the first stage—the precursor stage. In this
stage, soft x-ray emission will be detected.

15
 2. In the impulsive stage, electrons and protons are accelerated to energies well over 1 MeV
(1 million electron volts). Hard x-rays, radio waves, and gamma rays are emitted during
this stage.
3. The decay stage is the third and final stage. During this stage, the slow build up and
decay of soft x-rays are detected.

The stages of solar flares vary in length and there is no reliable way to predict their intensity or
duration. Any of these stages can take as little as a few seconds to as much as an hour in length.

Even though solar flares will typically happen on areas of the sun where the magnetic fields are
higher, it’s still not entirely clear what causes the flares to happen. Scientists are still unsure as to
how the magnetic energy is transformed, or what causes the acceleration of the particles.

How solar flares are detected

Solar flares cannot be seen by the naked eye and this shouldn’t be attempted. Specialized
instruments are used to detect the flares. Optical telescopes can be used to see flares. There are
also radio telescopes which capture the wavelengths of solar flares. Space telescopes are also
used to capture images of flares and transmit the data to earth. While most solar flares go
undetected by most people, the stronger flares have been known to knock out communications
and electrical systems.

Solar flares are what cause the aurora borealis and the aurora australis. These beautiful light
shows are the result of energetic particles in the magnetosphere.

Dangers of solar flares

Because there is no way to predict solar flares, the greatest danger is to astronauts in space. The
radiation from the flares can affect any astronauts outside of their ships much faster and stronger
than anyone on earth. The solar flare with the largest concentration of protons (directly measured
to date) happened on January 20, 2005. At the time, astronauts had only 15 minutes to get to
shelter.

Other problems caused by solar flares include the orbital decay of low-orbiting satellites,
interference with short-wave radio communication, and damage to spacecraft electronics. In
general, the solar winds caused by solar flares can affect the earth’s magnetosphere and create
radiation hazards for astronauts, cosmonauts, and spacecraft.

16
Famous solar flares

The first solar flare to be observed was also the most powerful flare ever detected. On September
1, 1859, a British astronomer, Richard Carrington and an observer, Richard Hodgson reported
the mega flare. In this event, the flare was visible to the naked eye and caused borealis to be seen
as far as Hawaii and Cuba. The flare set telegraph wires on fire and left a trace of nitrates and
beryllium-10, which can still be measured today in Greenland.

As recently as 2003, the largest modern-time flare was detected and measured. Because it
saturated the devices used to detect the intensity of solar flares, it’s possible that the
classification of the flare is much higher than recorded. This solar flare enabled astronomers to
set the bar higher, knowing that the flares can get that much stronger.

FLOOD

What is a Flood?

The definition of a flood is land covered by water that is not usually covered by water. This
means that any time a river, lake, or other body of water overflows its banks, it’s technically
flooding. However, most people think of the more catastrophic types of floods, as those are the
type that cause widespread damage and loss of life. Unless a flood causes some kind of financial
damage or loss of life to humans or livestock, it’s not considered a significant flood.

There are a number of causes for floods, and the most common warning is that floods can happen
anywhere it rains. Just because an area has no history of flooding doesn’t mean it can’t be
flooded at some point. Some floods have happened in areas where there has been no flooding for
hundreds of years, while some flooding happens on a yearly basis in some areas and countries. In
general, flooding is hard to prepare for, though flood maps are drawn up and in some cases,
measures are taken to prevent heavy flooding in the future.

Flooding causes

Floods cause so much damage because they’re unpredictable and many things can cause floods.
There are flash floods, which happen quickly and rush through. Then there are slow floods which
build up over a period of time. Either way, it’s very hard to predict exactly how much damage
will be done, how to best stop the flow, and most of all, how to prevent it from happening again.

17
Though there are more causes for floods, these are the most common

–Heavy rainfall: Flooding from rainfall generally happens when more rain falls than the soil,
rivers, and streams can absorb. Tilled fields become swamps, creating a muddy flood which
moves large amounts of sediment. When rivers and streams can no longer hold water, they start
to flood their banks as the water is carried further down to the next body of water. Soil that is
soaked can no longer absorb water and if the rivers are already full, the water continues to build
up. Often, flooding happens on frozen or concrete ground and the rain cannot be absorbed.
Often, the build up of water and debris can fill up gutters and drainage pipes making it hard for
the flood waters to flow freely into the body of water.

–Melting snow and ice: Because snow and ice covers large patches of ground, as it melts, it
saturates the ground as it flows into rivers and streams. The rivers are often thawing as well,
making for a higher level of water as it is. Combine the melting with the rains that usually come
in spring, and flooding is likely. Especially during long, harsh winters, snow and ice can build
up, making for a large amount of water needing to drain out in a relatively short amount of time.

–Destruction: There are several catastrophic causes for flash floods. These are often caused by a
dam or levee breaking and causing huge amounts of water to come rushing down onto the plains.
The destruction of a dam or levee is often brought on by another natural disaster, such as a
hurricane, cyclone, or earthquake. When a dam or levee can’t hold the water back anymore,
water that is meant to be stored or held back suddenly crashes down on whatever is in its way,
often causing incredible damage in its wake. Other natural disasters that can cause floods are
earthquakes or volcanic eruptions which bring tsunamis. Hurricanes and cyclones often cause
flooding as the large amounts of water can’t be absorbed or the fast winds cause waves to crash
and flood coastal areas.

–River obstructions: There are times when development means changing the natural course of
rivers. In order to clear land for crops or housing, rivers are “guided” through a different course,
often creating conditions for flooding. In many areas where this happens regularly, the rivers are
given back the land, so that extra water can flow easily. However, there are other times when a
river gets blocked by large sections of ice, debris, or landslides. The buildup of water around
these areas can cause flooding and then flash floods if the obstruction gives way. Very rarely
animal habitats, such as beaver dams can cause river flooding.

Flood damages

Because so much of the damage inflicted by floods has long-lasting consequences, floods are
among the more catastrophic of natural disasters. Water can cause permanent damage and

18
cleanup after a flood includes getting rid of huge amounts of mud, debris, and even livestock
carcasses.

There is often loss of life as a result of heavy flooding, causing emotional trauma for those who
have gone through it. Even if people have not been directly affected by the loss of life, losing
property, houses, or land can cause physiological damage. Especially if the people affected are
unable to rebuild due to the houses being too badly damage, farm land being inundated with salt
water, or lack of resources to rebuild, many find the recovery to be more than just physical.

Damage to property during flooding is often extensive. Vehicles should not be driven through
flooded areas, but often they are caught unaware, creating the need for replacement or extensive
repairs. Houses that have been flooded mildly might survive with just a good cleaning, but big
floods often render homes unlivable without massive repairs or restructuring. Many personal
items are lost forever, such as paper documents, photographs, clothing, and household items.
Furniture and woodwork are often damaged beyond repair and must be replaced entirely.

In severe floods, communication systems can fail due to lines being broken. Power is often
hindered if power generators and transmission is in some way destroyed or damaged. Getting
power restored after a flood is challenging as water transmits electricity and can hurt anyone
standing in water. If sewage or water systems are compromised during flooding, water supplies
can be contaminated. This can result in waterborne diseases such as typhoid or cholera among
others.

Land that has be saturated often cannot grow new crops for some time. If the water was saline,
such as in flooding near the sea, land will not be able to be cultivated for some years. Loss of
livestock can also result in farmers losing their livelihood and needing to start over with young
animals means losing the profit that would have come during that time. Any livelihood that
depends on farming or ranching can be seriously affected by floods as farms and ranches often
need to be near a body of water in order to live.

Preparation

Some precautions can be taken, such as creating flood maps and working with nature to prevent
excessive flooding. In some areas levees have been built, but these are not entirely flood proof.
Modern advancements in flood prediction enables people to be more prepared. These predictions
won’t be able to prevent the floods, but enable people and livestock to get to safety in time.
Flood warnings are taken very seriously as lives depend on it.

19
20
EARTHQUAKE

Earthquakes, temblors, quakes, tremors: These names are used to describe the sudden release of
energy in the earth’s crust causing movement.

Firstly, lets get to know some terms that are associated with earthquakes:

Earthquake: A sudden and violent movement of a portion of the earth’s crust, and the series of
vibrations that follow.

Earths crust: This is the solid thin layer that covers the outside of the earth. To put it in
perspective, think of it as the skin on the outside of an apple.

Plate: A plate is a section of the earths crust. Plates slide along either beside, over or under each
other, causing friction and pressure between the plates.

Magnitude: The amount of energy released during an earthquake, which is computed from the
measurement of seismic waves.

Fault:  The gaping hole which can occur as a result of an earthquake. This hole can be the size
of a small crack to the size of an olympic swimming pool or larger.

Fault zones: Where giant rock slabs that are made up of the earths crust collide and slide against
each other regularly, causing the land to be unstable.

Seismic waves: These waves are the vibrations and movement that travel from the earthquake
fault at very high speeds. The vibrations of these waves are what cause the most destruction
during the earthquakes.

This gigantic release of energy creates what are known as ‘seismic waves’. These waves cause
the one of the most terrifying and destructive acts of nature on the planet. These natural
phenomena are sudden, violent shakes of the earth that are caused by the breaking and moving of
the rock in the earths crust as it releases strained energy that has built up over a long period of
time. Earthquakes occur when the energy has built up so long that is snaps and cause smashing
and crashing under the earths surface and between the plates.

The ‘seismic activity’ of an area holds refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes that
are experienced over a period of time. Frequency means the strength of the earthquake.

Measurements of earthquakes

21
Measurement of earthquakes are measured using readings from instruments called seismometers.
Scientists use the ‘magnitude rating’ to measure earthquakes. This rating measures the strength
of the seismic waves and the period of time they lasted for. An earthquake measuring between 3
and 5 on the magnitude rating is considered normal. When they are between 3 and 5 there
usually is not too much damage done, but the tremors can be felt in the ground. When the
magnitude rating is between the numbers 5 and 7, this is regarded as moderate to strong.
Earthquakes of this magnitude do not cause a huge amount of damage or loss of lives, but can
leave some destruction in its trail, like cracks in the ground, landslides. Major earthquakes are
rated between 7 and 8, and 8 or more is a seriously large natural disaster.

The largest earthquake ever recorded was slightly over 9 on the magnitude rating. This
earthquake occurred in northern Japan in 2011, killing hundreds of people and destroys buildings
within the area. This earthquake also caused a 23 foot tsunami and was followed by more than
fifty aftershocks.

Earthquakes can cause many other natural disasters once they strike, here are their names and a
brief description of each:

 Tsunami – Are giant sea waves that are produced by the sudden violent movement of the
earths plates of volcanos under the water. The time periods of these waves can last up to
an hour, causing massive devastation as seen in Sri Lanka in 2004.
 Fires – Fires can be caused when earthquakes damage electrical power stations or gas
lines. These fires can be impossible to stop sometimes. In 1906 in San Francisco, fire
caused by an earthquake killed more people than the earthquake itself.
 Landslides and avalanches – Earthquakes can produce unstable slopes which can lead
to the moving of the ground, which is called a landslide. Landslides can cause sever
damage after an earthquake occurs, for example it can crash down homes, cars of even
people.
 Floods – A flood is an overflow of water that reaches land. This occurs when a lake, dam
or river overflows due to the movement of land due to an earthquake or landslide. Floods
can have devastating effects on terrain, animal life and human life.
 Human and animal death – Of course, earthquake can cause severe injury and loss of
life for both humans and animals. Properties can also suffer, and the collapse of buildings
are expected when highly measured earthquakes occur. The aftermath of an earthquake
can cause disease and lack of basic necessities for people.

22
Conclusion

Natural disasters, however powerful and sudden they may be, are not incapable of being guarded
against. The modern technology has given enough gadgets to people for forecasting, and
lessening if not totally preventing heavy damages inflicted upon by the natural disasters. Only
requirement is that people must take interest in getting as much awareness as possible about the
safeguard measures. It is also important to see that we do not contribute to natural disasters by
polluting the environment and by not living in resonance with nature.

Natural disasters were few and rare in the past, but has become more frequent and devastating
recently. This is mainly due to the 'Modern' man indulging in all sorts of practices which are
against natural laws. We human beings must learn how to respect Nature and should not meddle
with the forces of Nature. If we do, it will bring calamity sooner or later. This is one lesson that
we have not learnt so far. Even the modern scientist is sometimes blind to this idea . If you want
to cut down the forests and build houses, there will be famine. It rains too much in some other
part of the country or globe resulting in floods. Climate changes happen in the normal course, but
when we tinker with Nature we see that climate changes are unusual and monsoon advances
earlier than normal or later than normal months and this results in disaster again. Even the plants
start giving grains, pulses or fruits out of course and the quality of the products are greatly
affected. Man suffers again.

So the lesson is not to interfere with Nature any time and lead a peaceful life !

23
BIBLIOGRAPHY

http://en./Natural_disaster#External_links

http://www.naturaldisastersnews.net/

http://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/disasterriskmanagement

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Natural+disaster

http://www.disaster-report.com/

http://www.bing.com/search?q=Tsunami&FORM=QSRE7

http://www.bing.com/search?q=Natural+Disasters+Earthquake&FORM=QSRE1

http://www.ehow.com/info_8218252_natural-disasters-caused-earthquakes.html

24