Preview

Searching for a Natural Hazard Free Zone

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1766 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Searching for a Natural Hazard Free Zone
Searching for a Natural Hazard Free Zone The environment of the earth is very delicate. While the strenuous acts of human life impose harmful conditions to the earth’s environment, there are natural hazards that can impose harmful conditions for human life. At any moment there are natural hazards that can occur on the earth. While some hazards are more predictable than others, all have the potential to have disastrous outcomes. Like the catastrophic tsunami of the Indian Ocean in December of 2004 or the more recent, Hurricane Sandy in New York. There is no comparison between nature and ma- made systems to stop the cycle of earth’s climate, there is nothing we can do to prevent or reduce natural hazards*. Hazards are a part of the natural make-up of every region's climate of the world, which imposes the question where is the safest place to live. Specifically, is there a safe place from natural hazards in the United States? Recent disasters reject certain areas of the United States automatically from being the safest place to live. One is New Orleans, Louisiana for its infamous history of hurricanes. On August 29, 2005 the world witness the damage a category 5 hurricane could do to a major city in the United States. Hurricane Katrina tore through the city with a vengeance leaving thousands destitute and stranded for days. Areas such as California have high risk of earthquakes at any given moment. For years the western coast of the United States has had its fair share of experiences with earthquakes. But, what region or pocket of this country is safer than any other. Deciding the safest place to live in the United States can be a matter of opinion based upon what a person may feel they can control or handle. But, facts show there is a place in the United States which is safest to live when natural hazards are the defining factor. The western southern border of the United States is at high risk because of the Gulf of Mexico's large quantity of

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    However, America’s growing dependence on the fossil fuels and some direct effects of the carbon emission caused by large amount of crude oil import can involve negative consequences on its people’s health, the environment and wild life, etc. inside the national border.…

    • 1174 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The threat of earthquake is definitely present in the area. Schirber (2005) outlines the probability of this threat “Researchers have calculated a 20 to 70 percent probability that southern California will be hit by a large earthquake in the next 30years. The forecast is based on the frequency of past events.” We have assessed this threat and find its level to be a twenty five in terms of probability and severity which is the highest possible score, which makes this a high priority threat. The organization is located in a very hot, dry desert region which makes is susceptible to fire. The risk of fire got a rating of fifteen on our assessment making this a high priority threat. The risk of flood would not usually be considered a major threat in a dry area but we gave this threat a rating of fifteen making it a high priority threat. The risk of earthquakes in the area makes the organization susceptible to flood because earthquakes can break dams or levees along a river. The water from the river or the reservoir would then flood the area; damaging buildings. The threat of tornados received a twelve in our assessment making it a medium priority threat. We based this rating on the fact that the region averages about 20 tornadoes or water spouts per year according to the National Weather Service. The other environmental threats we analyzed were landslides, and hurricanes. Each of…

    • 2036 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    World War 1 Dbq Analysis

    • 595 Words
    • 3 Pages

    World war one was a war that created new ways to fight and new countries to develop, but what really needs to be addressed is what caused all this happen. With militarism, imperialism, and alliances came the two other indirect factors, which were threats and tension. Mobilization in countries increased tension and threats throughout the world. Tension had been developing over the years between different countries and this war had come to settle it. Major European nations were the start of this all. The increased tension in these nations was a big indication that there was going to be a war.…

    • 595 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    A hazard is a physical or man-made event which adversely affects human life, business, and events. Volcanic hazards may include lava, pyroclastic flows and volcanic bombs whereas seismic hazards may include earthquakes, tsunamis and liquefaction. Humans attempt to mitigate the effects of volcanic and seismic events via predictive methods but the extent to this may be reliant on the country’s financial status.…

    • 1487 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    A hazard is defined as something which has the potential to kill or cause harm. However a hazard is only a risk to people if they are exposed to it. This is when a hazard can cause disasters. For example, a volcano is only a hazard if the population comes in contact with the consequences of its activity. Hazards and their likeliness to become disasters can depend on many different factors, for example how developed a country exposed to the hazard is, the size of the population exposed or the size and scale of the disaster. Volcanoes are a particularly abundant risk to humans as they have many associated hazards, but the risk they pose differs around the world.…

    • 627 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The “Progressive Era” of the early twentieth century was a period that experienced a widespread of social and political activism and reform. During this time, Progressives sought to terminate industrial and political corruption in order to make the government more efficient, safe, and honest. They tackled child labor, took on the banking system and at the same time, the women’s suffrage movement was on the rise. A distinct similarity between Progressives of the early 1900’s and Progressives of today can be found in their political leaders. Theodore Roosevelt emerged as a national political leader who advocated the breaking of monopolies, fair trade, and pro-labor laws.…

    • 253 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    For me the most influential factor is where the tectonic process occurs in relation to the levels of development of that area. MEDC's tend to cope better with the hazard of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions than LEDC's because they have all the necessary resources to survive the effects of these hazards at their disposal. Such as earthquake proof buildings that are designed to withstand earthquakes by using strong materials such as reinforced concrete or building special foundations that absorb an earthquakes energy e.g. the Bank Tower in Los Angeles, California. Construction laws in some earthquake-prone counties (e.g. Japan and the US) have become stricter in recent years – this means that newer buildings are more likely to be able to withstand earthquakes. Another technique in order to protect people from the effects of volcanoes is diverting lava away from settlements using barriers. For example when Mt. Etna erupted in 1983 a rubble barrier 10m high and 400m long was built on its slopes, which successfully diverted the lava flow. However, this is only possible where the lava is slow moving and there is sufficient warning, this often requires high tech equipment to monitor where the lava will be and at…

    • 922 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    A hazard is a perceived natural event which has the potential to threaten life and property. Most hazards are dormant or potential, with only a theoretical risk of harm; however, once a hazard becomes "active", it can create an emergency situation. A hazardous situation that has come to pass is called an incident. Hazard and vulnerability interact together to create risk. A cause of a hazard can be both natural and man-made. A natural hazard is caused by a natural process e.g. two plates rubbing together and causing an earthquake, a man-made is caused by human activity e.g. adding to global warming. A disaster is a hazard becoming reality in an event that causes deaths and damage to goods and property is a natural or man-made or technological hazard resulting in an event of substantial extent causing significant physical damage or destruction, loss of life, or drastic…

    • 2290 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The day

    • 317 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The Gulf of Mexico is highly polluted, due to run-off from the coasts. It comes mostly from the fertilizers and pesticides from agriculture that are collected in rivers that flow into the Gulf. Other reasons might be because of all the oil spills we happen to cause in the Gulf…

    • 317 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    For many years, Southern California was America’s “Promised Land”, an ideal fuelled by the warm sunshine, golden beaches, and the mystery, glamour and romance of the film industry. Now it seems that the state is cursed by natural disasters, and Los Angeles, with its 13 million inhabitants, has become known as ‘hazard city’. The summary diagram has explained the interrelationships between the hazards which threaten Los Angeles, but it is necessary to give some more detail about how they affect the daily life of the residents of LA.…

    • 372 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Hurricane Sandy was a rare hybrid storm that spread over 1,000 miles in circumference and affected 24 states along the East Coast of the United States and inland across the Appalachian Mountains into Wisconsin and Michigan. Hurricane Sandy brought high winds and record storm surges that led to major flooding, property damage and deaths in states along the East Coast. Advanced technology allowed for the early detection of this storm far in advance of it making landfall on the Eastern Seaboard of the United States giving plenty of time for emergency preparation plans to take place. However, poor land use management and the lack of former mitigation practices, that cannot soon be undone, have placed many people and significant amounts of property and other structures in harm 's way increasing not only human vulnerability, but that of the environment as well.…

    • 4655 Words
    • 19 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    Hurricane Sandy's Impact

    • 1380 Words
    • 4 Pages

    When thinking of urban cities, most people do not consider them ecological systems, often overlooking the climate and nature of the land that has been built on. The location of a city can dramatically affect the social, political, and economic characteristics of that city, for better or for worse. Different locations offer various risks and advantages, such as cities built near or on shorelines will receive more tourism but are more prone to flooding. New York City leads North America in population, economics, corporate headquarters, culture, and international politics, resides on three islands where the Hudson River meets the Atlantic Ocean (Hawkinson, 2014). Access to this major shipping port offers New York City many economic opportunities, but expansion is putting the city at risk for disaster.…

    • 1380 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Have you ever noticed how many deaths have occurred due to natural disasters? Well if you don’t know what a natural disaster is, it is a natural hazard to the environment (floods, tornados, hurricanes, volcanoes, earthquakes, tsunamis). All of these natural disasters can cause severe damage to the environment and many deaths. In this essay I am only going to talk about earthquakes and hurricanes.…

    • 405 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Colorado River

    • 997 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Threats to river and delta: Water flow is decreasing. This water serves 30 million people in seven U.S. states and Mexico, with 70 percent of its water siphoned off to irrigate 3.5 million acres of cropland. Possible actions between the United States and Mexico could significantly reduce the flow of water into the delta, increase its salinity, and alter the natural vegetation. Drought has lowered water levels in upstream reservoirs, eliminating the occasional floods the delta needs to maintain and extend the partial recovery of the 1980s and 1990s. The drought has left the Southwest grasping for water. South of Yuma, where the river forms a 23-mile boundary between the United States and Mexico, the International Boundary and Water Commission is considering proposals to straighten the channel and plan for a flood flow of 140,000 cub feet per second. Digging a channel capable of containing that flood level would require removing cottonwoods, willows, and other vegetation from both sides of the river. If this happens, as much as 500 acres of vegetation might be lost. Digging the channels would destroy the richest natural area along the river. The Mesa de Andrade Marshes is home to 75 species of birds, while also providing a lot of greenery amongst the Sonoran Desert. These marshes are not fed by Mexican water though. The water comes from leaking, unlined portions of the All- American Canal in the U.S. It carries Colorado River water from the Imperial Dam west to California’s Imperial and Coachella valleys. The lost water supports the marshes and Mexiali Valley farms. This will change to help California use water more efficiently. The effect would be as significant as drying up the Mesa de Andrade marshes. Water is available, we just have to find a way to get it to the delta.…

    • 997 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Contrary to belief, almost all Americans use or have used some type of drug(s). When the topic of drug use and/or abuse brought up, naturally, alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs are brought into the discussion while disregarding medically accepted drugs. Prescription drugs are usually not included although they make up a high percentage of misuse, abuse, and death. Properly prescribed medication causes approximately 106,000 deaths and over 2 million serious side effects. Illicit drugs cause between 10,000 and 20,000 deaths per year, only 10% to 20% of that caused by legally distributed prescription drugs. This number does not include illegally distributed prescription drugs. We often, as a society, blame addicts for their compulsion when corrupt doctors and friends and family. Of course, with maximum testing on prescription drugs before distribution to the public and a proper overview of past medical history of the patient can substantially decrease the number of side effects and…

    • 322 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays