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Theme 5: Natural and Man-made Disasters
5 Natural and
Man-made Disasters
disaster is a serious accident or island would not be counted as a disaster, but
A catastrophe which occurs in a relatively a fl ood in a populated area would be called a
short time. Th e root of the word disaster natural disaster.
comes from the ancient Greek prefi x All natural disasters cause loss in some way.
‘dus-’ (bad) and word ‘aster’ (star). Th e term Depending on the severity, lives can be lost
‘bad star’ was used to blame the position of in any kind of disasters—freezing to death,
the planets for any calamity. In the wake of being washed away or suff ering from a heat
a disaster, there is loss of life and property, stroke are just some of the deadly eff ects of
as well as economic and environmental disasters. Th en there is also a loss of property
loss. Oft en these losses are of such vast which aff ects people’s living conditions
magnitudes that it takes a very long time transportation and livelihood.
to bring life back to normal. Developing Scientists, geologists and meteorologists
countries are more vulnerable to disasters— work hard to predict major disasters so as to
more than 95 per cent of all deaths caused avoid as much damage as possible. With all
by disasters occur in developing countries the available technology, it has become easier
and the cost of recovery from natural to predict major storms, blizzards, cyclones,
disasters is 20 times greater (as a percentage and other extreme weather related natural
of GDP) in developing countries than in disasters. But there are still natural disasters
industrialised countries. Disasters can be that occur rather unexpectedly.
natural or man-made.
Types of Natural Disasters
Natural Disaster Floods
Any catastrophic event which is caused by When water gets accumulated in a particular
nature or the natural processes of the Earth area, a fl ood occurs. Soil which is not usually
is called a natural disaster. Th e severity of a under water becomes completely covered
disaster is measured in the lives lost, the by water during a fl ood. Floods can occur in
amount of economic loss, and the ability of practically any environment where water is
the population to rebuild. Events that occur found. Serious fl oods can even occur in deserts.
in unpopulated areas are not considered In India, various states experience fl ooding
disasters. So, a fl ood on an uninhabited every year during the monsoon season.
calamity: an event causing great and sudden damage or suff ering
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