What is a natural disaster and what can you do to prepare?
Natural disasters occur when natural events occur and interact with humans. Generally, these natural events turn into disasters when people have not adequately prepared and/or have not properly managed the emergency and the result of the natural event is disastrous for those involved. The following are facts about various potential natural disasters and what you can do if you are threatened by one:
Tremors. Believe it or not, there are a lot of earthquakes every day, it’s just that many of them aren’t big enough to cause damage or even be noticed. Earthquakes that occur on the ocean floor can cause tsunamis.
In case you find yourself in an earthquake, instead of crawling under something (which could collapse on top of you), snuggle up next to a large object like a couch. It probably won’t collapse completely and will leave a gap next to it. If you can, get as close to outside walls as possible.
floods. Floods are often caused by large amounts of rain or rapidly melting snow, especially if the ground is still frozen. According to USA Today, the floods are the second largest natural disaster in North America. In fact, between 1994 and 2003 there was an average of 84 people killed each year due to flooding.
There are two types of floods. Flash floods are those that are the result of a broken dam or heavy rain causing a rapid rise of a smaller, usually harmless stream or river. If you hear a flash flood warning for an area near you, the best thing to do is to get away as soon as possible. You want to get to higher ground immediately.
If you are at home and hear a flood warning, you should stay alert and you can also start moving valuables and furniture to higher parts of the house.
If you are in your car and it stops due to rising water, you should leave the car and walk away from the water.
Blizzards. Winter storms characterized by cold temperatures and strong winds and blizzards are blizzards. Blizzards can last for days, and the damage can last even longer. If you find yourself in the middle of a blizzard, you have some time to prepare. Better yet, make preparations before a snowstorm hits.
First, make sure you have a supply of food and drinking water on hand. If the blizzard is really strong, it may be several days before you can make it to a store. If you can, at the onset of a blizzard, fill as many containers as you can with water in case you lose your water supply. You may also want to have an alternate heat source in case electricity or natural gas supplies are interrupted. Finally, if you lose power, you can store perishables in coolers filled with snow so you don’t have to throw away spoiled food.
Hurricanes. These are cyclonic storms that form over the oceans and move toward land. When a hurricane approaches your area, you must decide whether to evacuate or stay home. You must first consider your home. If you live in a mobile home or other home that cannot withstand high winds, you should evacuate.
If you decide to stay, make sure you have emergency supplies such as fresh water and food in case you can’t get food or clean water for a few days. You’ll also want to prepare your home by boarding up the windows, but only if you have the time. Also, you should have the tables prepared in advance and set up a system to quickly join them to the windows. If you are in an evacuation area, you will want to get out as soon as possible.
So before you are on a hurricane watch, you should have your window pane system installed, you should have a food and water supply, and you should have an emergency plan with your family, including where you will evacuate and how. . will communicate with each other in the event of a hurricane evacuation.
Electric storms. Thunderstorms are nice to watch most of the time, but they can turn dangerous at any time. Lightning, wind, hail, and tornadoes can develop as a result of a thunderstorm and can be extremely dangerous.
Usually storms, even the most severe ones, last less than half an hour, but it is possible to have a long series of storms together that can last for hours. If you find yourself in the middle of a storm, remember these tips to stay safe. If you are at home, stay away from the phone and away from the windows. You should also stay out of the bathroom or shower in case your home is struck by lightning.
If you are in your car when a thunderstorm occurs, slow down and park if visibility is poor. You should also avoid roads covered in water and avoid stopping near things that could fall on your car.
If you’re outside during a thunderstorm and can’t get in, stay away from tall objects, metal objects, and water. Crouch down and cover your head with your hands.
tornadoes. While some of these natural disasters are not common to all parts of the United States, tornadoes are common to all states. There are different codes that meteorologists use to warn people of the risk of tornadoes. When features that could lead to a tornado are present, they issue a tornado watch. When a tornado has been sighted, either in person or on radar, they issue a tornado warning.
Since some tornadoes strike at night and appear quickly without warning, it is good to have a weather radio, which will send a warning tone and message when there are severe weather warnings and alerts.
If you are in a tornado warning area, the best thing to do is get into a storm shelter or basement to wait out the storm. If you don’t have any of these, you should take shelter in an interior room or closet on the ground floor. If you can, get under mattresses and take extra care to protect children’s heads and necks.
Top five tips for putting together an emergency supply kit (according to the American Red Cross):
o To maintain a three-day supply of water in your home, you need four quarts of water per day per person (two quarts for drinking and two quarts for food preparation and sanitation).
o Store foods that are ready to eat and do not need refrigeration or cooking. Look for canned fruits and vegetables, high-protein and high-energy foods, and baby food if needed. Also include some comfort foods in your stores.
o Have a first aid kit in your home and in every car that includes pain relievers, antacids, laxatives, and anti-diarrhea medications.
o Tools such as tape, matches, containers, whistles, maps, flashlights, eating utensils and plates, pliers, wrenches, and flares are also important.
o A complete change of clothing and shoes for each person, including diapers and extra blankets for infants and toddlers.
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