Catastrophe

Catastrophe is a word that comes from the Greek and means destruction . The Greeks used this term to refer to the final outcome of a tragedy.

Catastrophe are dramatic events responsible for countless human losses, the urgent need for assistance to the population, directly or indirectly affected, and for the reconstruction of the built heritage and relaunch of the economy, implying enormous costs for which countries do not always have the economic capacity to avoid resorting to international support. From the tsunami in Southeast Asia that claimed thousands of lives in 2004, through Hurricane Katrina in 2005 that devastated New Orleans (USA) to the earthquake that destroyed Haiti in 2010, each and every event is reported in real time by the media , giving a sense of temporal and spatial proximity, particularly to catastrophic phenomena.

Main characteristics of Catastrophe

Below are some characteristics of Catastrophe

temperature extremes

The understanding of positive temperature extremes is not universal; in some locations, they are defined as temperatures equal to or greater than 10 °C above the local average for a sequence of days. In others, this threshold is defined as a sequence of at least three days in which nighttime temperatures are above 20 °C and daytime temperatures above 33 °C.

Such conditions are, in general, accompanied by a decrease in air humidity and lead to very dangerous weather situations, as they can cause fires and various diseases in the population.

The definition of negative temperature extremes is more subjective, since, while in some places they are understood as temperatures below the freezing point for a period of a few days, usually accompanied by snowfall, this criterion does not apply to the more tropical sectors that, however, they can experience periods of very cold days in relation to the local pattern. Very low temperatures are also associated with the proliferation of diseases such as the flu.

storms

Among the most violent manifestations of nature, storms occur in any climate and period of the year, and can be caused by different phenomena, such as hurricanes, tornadoes, the encounter of different atmospheric systems, etc.

Its records result, as a rule, in serious consequences, being often associated with strong winds, snow, electrical discharges, mass movements and floods.

earthquakes

They occur when the energy contained in the rocks is broken by a force capable of releasing it along fractures, usually from the movement of tectonic plates: smaller movements are called tremors or earthquakes, which are larger tectonic movements. , can happen in the contact between the plates or inside them.

volcanism

Although the number of victims caused by volcanic eruptions is much lower than that produced by earthquakes, in this case too, errors in judgment and strategies mean that there are victims that could be avoided.

In addition, the economic losses caused by volcanic eruptions can be totally irrecoverable, unlike those caused by floods, for example. Volcanic eruptions are on the list of catastrophic events that can cause isolation of the victims and that are recurrent, that is, they will happen again in the same place.

Natural disasters

Natural disasters are events that occur without human intervention, which have a negative impact on life and human beings. In many cases, humans are responsible for the effects of technical errors, negligence, or the consequences of bad plans.

According to the types of natural phenomena that cause related disasters, there are many reasons for natural disasters. In general, a natural disaster is caused by weather phenomena, geomorphological processes, biological factors or spatial phenomena. These phenomena are considered disasters when they reach extremes. Weather-related natural disasters include tropical cyclones, floods, droughts, wildfires, tornadoes, heat waves, and cold snaps. On the other hand, we have space disasters that are much less frequent than meteorite and asteroid impacts.

main features

A disaster is an event that occurs in a relatively short period of time, is usually unpredictable and has a negative impact on life. Disasters can occur naturally, caused by human factors, or caused by both natural and human factors.

When an event, directly or indirectly, has a negative impact on humanity, it becomes a disaster . When an event occurs without human intervention, it is considered of natural origin. This is an anthropic concept in which humans are located as entities outside of nature. In this way, the human being distinguishes between his actions and the consequences derived from other events in the universe.

Causes

Among the causes that originate these disasters, we have the following:

• Climatic causes: they happen with variations in the atmospheric climate in terms of temperature, precipitation, winds, atmospheric pressure, etc. It is usually this abrupt change in atmospheric variables that causes phenomena such as hurricanes, electrical storms, tornadoes, cold or heat waves.
• Geomorphological causes: usually occur when the movements of tectonic plates and the dynamics of the Earth’s crust and mantle cause earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions.
• Biological causes: imbalances in ecosystems can lead to the growth of pathogenic organisms and their vectors. In this way, the growth of bacteria and viruses can create epidemics or pandemics.
• Outer Space: Meteorites and asteroids that enter Earth’s atmosphere can cause serious damage.

Types of natural disasters

Any phenomenon that affects extreme levels is considered a natural disaster. Let’s see what they are:

• Avalanche : it is the fall of a large mass of snow with a steep terrain due to the effect of gravity. If it occurs in areas occupied or traversed by humans, it can cause a serious disaster.
• Tropical cyclone : ​​These are revolving storms of great magnitude. These cyclones are accompanied by heavy rain and high-velocity winds. Winds can cause discomfort at sea, floods, destroy infrastructure and can even cause people to die.
• Ground slides: It’s a move similar to an avalanche, but with expanses of land downhill it’s quite steep. It usually occurs due to heavy and prolonged rainfall that saturates the soil with water and causes the soil to slip. They can also occur due to the existence of earthquakes.
• Epidemics and pandemics: contagious diseases can cause serious problems. Epidemics are spreading by contagion and can cause a pandemic.
• Volcanic eruptions: are massive expulsions of magma, ash and gases that come from the Earth’s mantle. The magma turns into a stream that creeps across the Earth’s surface and burns everything in its path.
• Hail: Heavy hailstorms with 5 to 50 mm ice pebbles can impact and cause considerable damage.
• Meteorite and Comet Impacts : These are less frequent but can cause serious damage. The meteorite is a smaller celestial body, 50 meters in diameter.
• Wildfires: Most wildfires are man-made, although many occur naturally. Extreme drought conditions can spontaneously ignite drier vegetation and start fire.
• Floods: They are produced by the overflow of large rivers and lakes when there is abundant rainfall. Long coverage can destroy infrastructure, drag animals and people, uproot trees, etc.
• Droughts: It is the absence of rain for a long time and the consequent high temperature. Crops are lost, animals die, and humans are forced to leave the area by hunger and thirst.
• earthquakes: they are greatly feared because they are unpredictable and can have serious consequences. It can collapse a structure, cause explosions, break water pipes, dams and other accidents.
• Sand and dust storms: they occur in arid and semi-arid zones. Mostly deserts are caused by strong winds that displace sand and form clouds that can cause the death of living beings by suffocation and abrasion.
• Airborne Particles – These are caused by storm sand and dust and can be very bothersome pollutants that cause serious breathing problems.
• Thunderstorms: They occur from the accumulation of currents of hot and humid air that enter a very unstable atmosphere. As a result, lightning and lightning are generated accompanied by heavy rain, wind and even hail.
• tornadoes: is an extension of cloud that forms a cone of air in revolution. They can destroy infrastructure, damage communication routes and threaten the lives of animals and people.
• Tsunamis: they are also called giant waves. They are caused by the existence of underwater earthquakes that cause large waves that move at high speed. With impact on the coast, they can produce major disasters due to impact and flooding.
• Heat wave: Consists of the regular increase in temperature in a region above the normal average for that same location and period of the year. Generally well accompanied by droughts.
• Cold wave: the opposite is the heat wave and are usually accompanied by bad weather.