natural disasters terrorist events and technological disasters

Natural Disasters Natural disasters are incidents caused by the forces of nature and occur independently of human intervention, including geophysical events like earthquakes and weather events like storms. The main types of natural disasters include those caused by geophysical activity like earthquakes and volcanoes, hydrological events like floods and avalanches, climatological or meteorological events like hurricanes, and biological disasters such as diseases spread by animals (IRFC, 2018).

Some natural disasters can also have multiple causes, such as landslides or mudslides, which can be caused by hydrological, climatological, and/or geophysical activity (CDC, 2018). Wildfires are another type of natural disaster that can be linked to a combination of causes that involve both human and non-human causes such as lightening, extremely dry air, and wind currents. Due to their intimate link with surrounding ecosystem, climate, and other geographical features, different areas face different risks for different disasters.

For example, an inland area is less prone to hurricane damage than low-lying coastal areas and places that are not located near tectonic plate friction would not be prone to earthquakes. While natural disasters can sometimes be predicted, they often happen suddenly and without warning, making them difficult to plan for and respond to. Moreover, natural disasters can have unpredictable effects in terms of the extent and type of damage incurred. Earthquakes Earthquakes are geophysical natural disasters caused by the movement of tectonic plates.

When earthquakes are caused by human activity such as using explosives underground, they would be classified more as a technological disaster rather than a natural disaster. An earthquake will not always cause damage; some smaller earthquakes occur regularly and cause no damage but larger and more intense earthquakes can cause severe damage. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS, 2018), an earthquake generally does not cause much damage until it reaches at least a 4 or 5 on the Richter scale.

However, the extent of damage depends on multiple factors including the population density, the quality of the public infrastructure including whether structures were engineered to withstand shaking, the soil composition in area, the distance of an area from the earthquake’s epicenter, and whether the earthquake also caused additional problems like tsunamis or landslides (“Earthquake Effects,” n.d.). The damage caused by earthquakes can be extraordinary and diverse, ranging from liquefaction and ground displacement, to flooding and fire.

Liquefaction occurs when the earthquake causes the local groundwater to mix with the surrounding soil or sand, leading to such a softening of the foundations that buildings can start to sink, lean, or collapse altogether (“What are Earthquake Hazards?” n.d.). Tornados Tornados are weather-related natural disasters caused by the collision of different air currents and the comingling of hot and cold, as well as dry and humid, air masses (Redd, 2016).

The unstable, aggravated air creates the wind vortex that results in the conically shaped, rapidly rotating tornado column. Each year, hundreds of tornados occur on every inhabited continent, resulting in death and injury (Redd, 2016). Meteorologists can generally predict the possibility of a tornado forming, offering the ability to prepare for the event, and to mitigate and minimize damage. Biological Hazards Biological disasters are considered natural disasters when their cause is unrelated to human activity.

A biological disaster can impact only the plant or animal kingdoms, such as a blight that kills trees throughout a large area. Given the interconnectedness of local and regional ecosystems, natural disasters that impact only plants and animals can still cause human casualties or humanitarian crises. Many biological disasters are almost linked to other variables, both geographic and anthropological.

For example, some regions of the globe are prone to disease infestation due to climate and weather, the presence of specific animal or plant species, and to the lack of preparedness that could mitigate the spread of an infestation. Dengue fever and malaria are among the most common biological hazards and these proliferate in areas that have specific types of disease-spreading mosquito (IRFC, 2018). Technological Disasters Technological disasters are caused by human activity, generally in relation to large-scale industry or infrastructure.

For example, a collapsed bridge, a train derailing, or an explosion at a chemical plant would all be considered technological disasters. Famine can also be triggered by human activity such as land use mismanagement, and would therefore also be considered a technological disaster (IRFC, 2018). Similarly, a range of what are known as “complex emergencies” with multiple causes leading to death, disease, malnutrition, war, and the displacement of people also fall under the rubric of technological disasters (IRFC, 2018).

Terrorist activity can be considered a technological disaster, but it may be helpful to distinguish between the technological disasters caused by accidents and those caused by deliberate human intention. Because risk assessments related to transportation systems, heavy industry, and public infrastructure can be made and continually updated, technological disasters can be easier to prepare and plan for, with contingency plans for mitigating damage. At the same time, a technological disaster can occur without warning, and can lead to unforeseen repercussions.

For instance, the debris caused by a collapsed bridge could lead to widespread water contamination or blockages to the natural flow of a river. These effects would then cause humanitarian crises such as lack of access to clean drinking water, as well as potential damage to regions that were unaffected by the precipitating event. Technological disasters like the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico can leave lingering repercussions on the local ecosystem, impacting local and regional economies too.

A technological disaster is caused by human error or accident, including neglect and negligence like faulty maintenance, cutting corners, or the use of unsafe building materials. Even when technological disasters can be traced to gross negligence, they are still differentiated from terrorist events. Yet technological disasters—like Chernobyl or the Fukushima nuclear disasters—can cause damage as widespread and long lasting as that caused by terrorist acts.

In some cases, the ramifications of a technological disaster can last generations, due to genetic mutations and diseases linked to the release of harmful chemicals or radiation. Terrorist Events Terrorist events can happen as unpredictably as natural disasters, making them also difficult to prepare for and respond to. As with other types of disasters, building resilience is.