Natural Disasters and Prevention
We are at a time where our society is able to bring the full force of scientific and technological advances to reduce the number of human tragedy and economic losses due to natural disasters. Although, we must take an integrated and diverse approach to disaster reduction, bringing new emphasis to research on disasters, on pre-disaster planning, and on preparedness. It is up to us to include disaster education and preparedness of the public as well as early warning systems, in which people at risk receive, understand, and act upon the warning information conveyed. Natural Disasters are the consequences or effects of natural hazards. They represent human, property and economic losses and they signify a serious breakdown in sustainability and disruption of economic and social progress. The overwhelming number of dead or seriously injured and homeless people after the occurrence of a natural disaster and the massive amount of money to be spent for reconstruction and rehabilitation equates to a natural disaster. They are nothing else but extreme environmental events that impact human activities. Hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions are the most frequents threats, as well as
------------------------------------------------------------------------ -American Development Bank). In the United States related insurance steps have already taken place. A national-insurance plan provides real estate owners with adequate, affordable protection against a variety of natural disasters such as hurricanes and earthquakes, according to a representative for the National Association of Realtors. Federal legislation has recently created this nationwide natural disaster insurance. Implemented by Arthur Sterbcow, a Realtor from Louisiana and a member of NAR's board of directors, "The Homeowners' Insurance Availability Act," authorizes the establishment of a federal reinsurance program for state disaster programs (Riggs, Trisha). Although insurance is just one of the ways that aid after a natural disaster, being prepared before or during a natural disaster is preferred. ion and of effective early warning systems. The development of early warning systems with an adequate array of monitoring instruments for the purpose of collecting necessary data and information for disaster evaluation is necessary for establishing relative potential risks. Public educational efforts and rapid communication networks are needed for transmitting information on potential disaster risks and for warning purposes in order to save lives and minimize damage to property. ed days advance, usually through monitoring precursor events. Tsunamis are one of the few natural disasters that can be tracked from start to finish. In 1965, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) accepted an offer made by the United States to expand its existing Tsunami Warning Center in Honolulu to become the headquarters of an International Pacific Tsunami Warning System. At the same time accepted the offer of other IOC member countries to integrate their existing facilities and communications into this System. Twenty-eight nations are now members of this international tsunami-warning network, which utilizes numerous seismic and tidal stations throughout the Pacific Ocean and provides tsunami watches and warnings for all of the Pacific. In recent years, the System has been very reliable. Finally, the most effective warning systems lies with the hurricanes, since we can watc! at home, and at the places of work. Further concluding that disaster preparedness and education at the grass-root level is the best means of reducing the effects of disasters (Pararas, George). Proper coordination of national efforts in developed and developing countries can result in substantial results in disaster mitigation by the end of the century. International efforts should lay equal emphasis on scientific programs, engineering capabilities, and in the national and international response to humanitarian and economic needs, particularly those of the developing countries. Such activities are presently being carried out by participating countries through the creation of national committees, and by the organizations of the UN system, organizations such as UNESCO, UNDRO, UNEP, IOC, UNDP, only to mention a few. channels and transmission intervals vary from region to region. Usually the broadcasts intervals are every six hours, but more frequent time intervals may be provided for regions in the path of a storm or a tropical cyclone. Satellite photographs of the storm or the tropical cyclone are also available on fax machines. For most other disaster there may be a brief cushion of time in having some kind of warning. Thus for tsunamis, hurricane
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 2439
Approximate Pages = 10 (250 words per page double spaced)
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