We, humans may call it a NATURAL DISASTER.
But it really is an event of a very natural
process of our planet Earth.
Since it comes with tremendous loss in many
forms - life, wealth and property, it always
turns out to be disastrous to the inhabitants
of this Earth, which is us.
Welcome to Indianistic, presented by me - Geetha.
In this video, let us look at 15 of the deadliest
types of natural disasters along with some
tips on how to survive them.
I will refrain from ranking these disasters.
But to give a structure to our Top 15 list,
I have considered the geographical impact
that one disaster could make.
Now lets dive right into our Top 15 types
of natural disasters list.
15.
Solar Flares
A solar flare is a sudden burst of flashing
brightness on the Sun.
When this happens along with coronal ejection
and electromagnetic radiation, it results
in a solar storm.
While solar flares happen often, some are
stronger and more severe.
And these affect our radio communications
and satellites.
This radiation is also harmful to the skin
of those on Earth - especially our astronauts
who are out there.
Though not usually life threatening, let us
see what to do when Sun flares?
- Once a solar flare ejects, usually it takes
days to reach Earth.
So you will have ample time to know
- While there is not much to be done, it is
a must to apply a sun screen while stepping
out and be mindful of the excess heat.
Avoid stepping out when it is too hot once
a solar flare warning is issued
- Usually, unless your life depends on continuous
radio communication, you should be alright
14.
Landslides
As the name self explains, landslide is when
a massive piece of rock or earth collapses
from a mountain or a cliff.
This often happens so sudden without any warning,
that the destruction it leaves is often very
high.
Landslides also often occur due to being triggered
by any of the other natural calamities, or
rains or even human intervention.
Things to do when a land slides:
- Get out of the affected area as fast as
you can.
Because more could be coming.
Landslides usually are recurrences and don't
stop with just one.
- Listen carefully for any creaks or other
unusual sounds.
Moving debris reaches you faster than you
think.
So when in doubt, run to a safer location
than wait and see
- Lookout for flooding and help yourself and
others to a safer area should the area flood
because of some connected damage.
- If the landslide occurred near a water stream,
avoid driving over the bridge or adjacent
to the mountain
13.
Avalanches
Similar to landslides, avalanches occur when
slabs of snow slides down a steep slope.
At Mount Alps, during World War 1, a deadly
avalanche killed nearly 80,000 soldiers!
Understandably, these commonly occur on snowy
mountains.
Things to do:
- While most of the rescue steps for Landslides
do apply here, it is important to remember
to escape to the side of avalanche - just
keep rolling like a log towards the other
side
- Grab whatever you can hold on to - a tree,
a rock or a bush.
You won't get buried that way
- Worst case, if you are being buried in snow,
try to get one of your hands in front of the
face to be able to breathe and the other one
as high as possible so that you can try and
dig yourself out once the avalanche stops
- Very few people would die in avalanche if
it is easy to get out and survive.
But it is not.
So the best thing to do is take all the necessary
precautions and be alert.
12.
Tornadoes
Tornado is what makes a cloud and the ground
connected, but not for good reasons.
This funnel shaped calamity wipes out everything
that comes its way irrespective of how heavy
or strong that object is.
With speedy winds, tornadoes are capable of
travelling for miles!
If a tornado forms over a water body and not
ground, it is called a waterspout.
So what to do?
- Reach a sturdy building and stay in.
Do not try to outrun the tornado in your vehicle
- Importantly, cover your head and neck with
pillows and blankets.
Keep a stash of them next to you
- Stay clear of the windows and doors; especially
if you are in a glass building, keep distance
from the glass
11.
Volcanic Eruptions
A volcano is the opening of Earth's crust!
So it is THE hub of all the molten rock, gases
and chemicals.
Volcanoes are usually seen wherever Earth's
tectonic plates converge or diverge.
So majority of the volcanoes are sitting on
our ocean beds right now.
Whenever the pressure and density gets too
high, Earth cools down by popping up a bottle
of lava which in turn becomes our natural
disaster
So if you are travelling to a city with volcanoes
around, how to save yourself?
- First, understand the community warning
systems.
An alarm could be going off in the area indicating
that a volcano is about to burst and so youFloo
should be informed about every such signage
- Always place all your important documents
and survival kit in one place.
You should be able to vacate and leave immediately
with all you need
- Avoid downstreams or downward areas
- Remember to buy a safety mask to protect
yourself from the chronic ash being released
by the volcano
10.
Droughts
While droughts can last for weeks, months
or even years, sometimes droughts are declared
as soon as 15 days of shortage in water supply
- both ground water or surface water.
The most prolonged drought lasted for over
400 years in Chile!
Higher the temperatures go, warmer the Earth
gets, more chances of this calamity.
One thing to note is that due to soil erosion
after floods, usually a drought follows!
So how to deal with it?
- There is not much to do while in drought
except for conserving and using whatever water
we have extremely cautiously
- But before a drought hits, there is a lot
one can do.
For starters, make sure that there are no
leakages anywhere; use water conservatively;
water plants with the used water during cooking
instead of draining it all and be more efficient
with water usage
9.
Thunderstorms
If you think thunderstorms are not worthy
of being on this list, think again.
The lightening that thunders bring along can
instantly kill people.
Thunderstorms are also one of the primary
reasons for flash flooding.
Cumulonimbus clouds bring thunderstorms accompanied
with snow, hail, heavy rains, strong winds
and some times even tornadoes and water spouting!
When the ground heats up due to high temperatures,
warm air moves upward and condenses into a
cumulonimbus cloud.
These deadly thunders sometimes also start
off wildfires!
So, what to do?
- Stay indoors and avoid plugging into electrical
outlets
- During severe thunderstorms, avoid turning
on taps to prevent electrocution
- Stay as far as you can from trees, electricity
poles or flag poles
8.
Cold Waves
A drastic fall of temperatures within 24 hours
forcing the need to protect agriculture, lives
and a lot more.
Particularly known to be hazardous to livestock
and wild life, human lives are at stake too
when a cold wave hits hard.
The past 15 years have seen severe life loss
due to cold waves, preceded by intensely hot
summers
So how to take care?
- Needless to say, stay warm and stay indoors.
This is not the time to be experimenting outside
or going viral
- Once the cold wave starts, immediately stock
up your water storage because soon the water
pipes and other plumbing would freeze or even
break
- Do not ignore any severe physical concerns
like excessive bleeding or aches and seek
medical help
7.
Heat Waves
Heat waves have killed more than cold waves
did.
Any sudden rise in local temperatures than
their limit can be referred to as heat waves.
For instance, a 40 degrees in New Zealand
could be considered as heat wave period though
40 is regular and common in India.
It is basically the area not being accustomed
to the kind of hotter temperature that is
being clocked.
So how to deal with it?
- First, it is important to note that heat
waves not only result in physical stress,
but also cause psychological and sociological
stress.
So it is important to take care of both body
and mind!
- Try and stay indoors as much as possible
and increase the intake of liquids.
Especially water
- When you are troubled with body heat, cool
your body by letting it sweat rather than
indulging in air conditioned life
- Increase immunity and do not ignore any
uncommon symptoms in the elderly or kids or
people who are overweight - Consult a doctor
immediately
6.
Wildfires
Wildfire is an unplanned fire that has a potential
to burn down an entire forest or a grassland.
One of the few natural disasters that could
last days or even weeks, wildfires are often
caused by lightening, human intervention or
just the extreme hot temperatures.
Due to global warming and death of significant
number of trees, dead trees act and fuel and
spread the fires rapidly.
So how to deal with this life threatening
calamity?
- If the authorities want you to evacuate,
EVACUATE!
Do not second guess the seriousness
- Wear the N95 Masks without fail get to an
area which has lesser smoke
- Listen to the weather reports and do not
underestimate the severity.
Do as you are told to
5.
Floods
One of the most common natural disasters,
floods occur when there is a temporary overflow
of water onto a dry land.
Flash floods, the worst kind - come with no
warning.
Flooding water is so powerful that only 6
inches of it can knock you out and 1 foot
can sweep away vehicles.
So what to do?
- As a precaution, if you are visiting or
are living in a flood-prone area, always store
your important documents in waterproof bags
- If it is flooding, immediately move to the
highest level of your building.
Make sure that you don't hide in confined
space.
- Do not try to swim, walk or drive through
the flood water.
Because flood water is extremely powerful.
Avoid driving on bridges and always listen
in to a radio and monitor the situation
- After flooding stops, be very cautious of
snakes or other creatures that water may have
brought inside your house.
Be mindful of electrocution risk.
4.
Earthquakes
This disaster needs no introduction.
One of the deadliest forms of natural calamities
- massive earthquakes can result in tsunamis,
landslides and even volcanic eruptions!
It is interesting to note that the shaking
or splitting ground rarely causes life loss.
It is the effects that follow - like man made
structure collapses or tsunamis or volcanic
eruptions that follow result in severe life
loss.
So, what to do when the ground shakes?
Basically there is nothing you can do.
But before it does, there is plenty that you
can do which may end up saving lives
- Do not place weights over your sofas or
beds
- Build your home such that it is reduces
the damage and prevents life loss
- At any given point, stock yourself with
food and water that could last for at least
a week
- After shocks could be right around the corner.
So take cover under a strong table until the
ground stops shaking.
Immediately look out for any gas leakages
and take the safer exit.
Never stand next to a building or any structure
that could just fall on you
- If you are inside, stay inside.
Do not run out.
If you are on bed, cover your neck and head
with pillows and stay right there.
If you are driving, reach a clear area and
stop.
Never use elevators and be extremely alert
for any other natural disasters to follow
which is very common
3.
Cyclones and Hurricanes
Cyclones, Typhoons and Hurricanes refer to
the exact same thing.
If it develops in Atlantic or North East pacific
ocean, a tropical cyclone is referred to as
a hurricane; in Indian and south Pacific oceans,
it is a Cyclone and in North West pacific
it is a Typhoon.
When ocean water warms up (thanks to global
warming, this is only on the rise), massive
storms are formed and move towards the land.
When the storm reaches land, that is what
we call it making a landfall.
So how to survive a hurricane?
- Thanks to technology, we can now know as
soon as a storm forms in the ocean.
And that gives us at least 24-36 hours of
notice before the storm makes a landfall.
During that window, it is important to make
all necessary arrangements
- Evacuate if the authorities tell you to
do so.
Constant updates are always provided across
the media - TV, radio, social media etc
- Stock up all food and water supplies for
at least a week and fuel your car with a tank
full
- Make plans on where and how to keep your
family safe when the eye of the storm passes
you.
Come up with communication plans
2.
Tsunamis
Underwater earthquakes, landslides or volcanic
eruptions cause massive waves in an ocean
called Tsunamis.
The infamous 2004 Tsunami that caused deaths
of over 2,30,000 across 14 nations actually
was caused by a severe earthquake in the Indian
Ocean.
It is interesting to note that, our science
still hasn't developed enough to understand
what kind of disturbances cause Tsunamis.
Because some of the largest underwater earthquakes
never cause Tsunamis while smaller earthquakes
sometimes do!
So, what to do when waves of 10-100 feet height
are chasing you?
- To prepare for such travesty, prepare a
family emergency communication plan - a safe
point to see each other if in case you get
separated
- When earth quakes, always look out for any
warnings of Tsunami.
Do not wait.
Just evacuate immediately
- Go to the higher grounds and wait if you
cannot evacuate.
If you are swept off by waters, do not try
to swim against the current.
Try to find something afloat and hold on to
it
- Never assume that the disaster has past.
There could be more aftershocks coming in.
Be alert and aware
Lets look at some special mentions before
we look at our #1
Sinkholes - Holes that form on the ground
due to collapsing of the surface layer.
Could be as deep as 2000 feet!
Blizzards - A severe snowstorm accompanied
by strong winds that last for 3 hours or more
Hail Storms - A thunderstorm that brings along
hails is a hail storm.
Hails are those icy frozen rain pellets
Ice Storms - Winter storm that is accompanied
by freezing rain!
Now..
1.
Impact Events
Let me put it this way.
You do know the impact that nuclear bombs
left on Hiroshima, Nagasaki right?
Imagine millions of such bombs bombarding
the Earth at once!
That's what a major impact even feels like.
And a simple asteroid of just a few kilometres
of radius can unearth this scale of massive
destruction.
Something similar is often sighted as the
reason for why the most powerful species that
ruled the Earth for billions of years just
disappeared overnight - Dinosaurs.
While meteor showers are usually popcorn time
for families, it is also a relief time for
Earth since that means all of them missed
colliding the Earth.
As much as I wish i could tell you what to
do when an asteroid hits Earth, there is in
fact nothing we could do.
Except for pray, hold on to our loved ones
and relive some of our fondest memories as
the asteroid approaches the Earth.
Because in the end, it is all about love.
The love that we spread and receive.
Every day on this Earth, is far more precious
than we really give credit for.
Because as you saw on this list, we never
know what kind of a calamity knocks us out
or when.
If you found this video useful, please do
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What would you do if an asteroid heads to
Earth?
Let me know in the Comments below.
Hoping for a tomorrow, Indianistic Signing
Off!!
