Natural Disasters

Natural Disasters

By LaToya Washington

What do you notice?

​

What do you wonder?​

What do you notice?

​

What do you wonder?​

Open Ended

In your own words:

What is a natural disaster? [A natural disaster is...]

Poll

If a volcano erupts in Antarctica, where no human is affected, is it a natural disaster?

• Yes, it is a natural disaster.

• No, it is not a natural disaster.

Poll

What about an earthquake that no one feels? Is this a natural disaster?

• Yes, it is a natural disaster.

• No, it is not a natural disaster.

Natural events/hazards vs Natural disasters

The two may be used interchangeably but natural hazards are threats or events themselves. When we use the term natural disaster, we are referring to the effect on humans.

​

There would be no natural disasters without humans. Once humans are harmed, we're referring to a natural disaster.

Exploring ​Natural Hazards

​

Hurricanes 101

Open Ended

What makes a hurricane a natural hazard? [Hurricanes are a natural hazard because...]

Natural hazards are defined as environmental phenomena that have the potential to impact societies and the human environment. These should not be confused with other types of hazards, such as manmade hazards.

​

For example, a flood resulting from changes in river flows is a natural hazard, whereas flooding due to a dam failure is considered a manmade hazard.

​

Open Ended

Where do hurricanes occur? [Hurricanes occur...]

Hurricanes originate in the Atlantic basin, which includes the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico, the eastern North Pacific Ocean, and, less frequently, the central North Pacific Ocean.

Open Ended

What manmade changes to the environment potentially increase the impact of this hazard? [...can increase the impact of hurricanes.]

Open Ended

What other hazards coexist with hurricanes? [You can just list them.]

storm surge + storm tide

​

The major hazards associated with hurricanes are:

​

​​high winds

​

​​rip currents

​

heavy rainfall + inland flooding​

tornadoes

​

Open Ended

What are communities doing to prepare for hurricanes? [Communities are...]

Open Ended

What are some of the common natural hazards in your community?

Open Ended

What are the similarities and differences between natural hazards and natural disasters? [The differences between hazards and disasters are...]

Open Ended

What is a natural hazard? [A natural hazard is...]

What is a natural disaster? [A natural disaster is...]

[Answer both]

Open Ended

Do you think natural hazards necessarily become natural disasters?

Why or why not? [Yes/No hazards don't necessarily become disasters because...]

Open Ended

What are some things that people do that might influence whether or not a natural hazard becomes a natural disaster? [Things that people do are...]

The Great Flood of 1993  

​

During a typical year, levees built along the banks of the Mississippi River keep the river in its channel and out of people's homes and fields. However, 1993 was anything but a typical summer. This video segment adapted from NOVA describes the meteorological conditions that created what was then the costliest flood in United States history.​

​Answer the questions on paper.