PREVENTION OF NATURAL DISASTERS 1

Natural disasters are an integral part of life of our planet. There are various types of

disasters, such as floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, etc. Unfortunately, these are

created by the nature, by weather conditions, conditions of the atmosphere and of the

grounds, movements of the grounds and humanity can do nothing to prevent any of them

except floods, though, these are not always possible to be omitted through building of dams

and other buildings which are supposed to stop water and protect people.

The fact that disasters cannot be prevented does not mean that nothing at all can be

done. As experience of many countries show, in time assessment of the hazards, making

people aware about them and helping them to become prepared to the disasters helps to

reduce the amount of victims significantly.

The same opinion is confirmed by the Chennai Regional Metrological Centre, which

states that integration of risk assessments and warning of the population are very helpful.

Every county has a national plan of action for the cases of disasters of different types and

these plan involve mitigation phase, which is identification of the country’s vulnerability and

which part of the country is the most likely to suffer because of the coming disaster; the

phase also involves identification of the type of the hazard coming. The next phase is called

the preparedness phase and it involves education of citizens about the nature of the future

hazard and ways to respond them. the phase of response is the next one and it is followed by

the recovery phase which involves providing people with support; during this phase actions

of the authorities are aimed at reconstruction of communities and bringing the negative

consequences of the disaster to the possible minimum (Raj, Asokan, 2006).

Trying to solve such an urgent problem as prevention of natural disasters, it is vitally

important to pay attention to the fact that impact of people on the environment and on the

planet is the key factor which promotes extreme weather conditions which turn into greater

natural disasters.

PREVENTION OF NATURAL DISASTERS 2

Of course, natural disasters occurred long before the process of globalization, mining,

oil production, etc. But since the making has started its active industrial activity, the natural

disasters became more frequent and more severe. Many scientists explain this by the fact that

such processes as mining, deforestation, and of course, the greenhouse effect, break the

balance of various forces in the planet and around it, causing greater and greater disasters.

Such opinion is supported by Liza Higgins, Zogib of the WWF’s Protected Areas Initiative.

She commented that “It is deforestation and floodplain development that most often links

high rainfall to devastating floods and mudslides… extreme coastal events cause much more

loss of life and damage when reefs are damaged, mangroves are removed, dune systems are

developed and coastal forests are cleared.”

Thus, in order to prevent many natural disasters or at least create conditions to avoid

increase of their sereneness, it is necessary to take care about the planed and try to save the

nature. Of course, it is not likely that intrusion into life of the planet will be stopped, but it is

possible to start from creation of protected areas which would support maintenance of the

natural ecosystems. The zones might be widened in the future, making the planet to be a safer

place for people (Natural disasters made worse by human activity, 2008).

Thus, it is possible to conclude that natural disasters are not likely to be prevented.

However, being aware of them and being prepared might save many lives, while creation of

especial zones which would maintain ecosystem of the planet would reduce the number of the

disasters and their severity.

PREVENTION OF NATURAL DISASTERS 3

References

Natural disasters made worse by human activity. (2008). Retrieved from

http://www.expatica.com/fr/news/local_newso/Natural-disasters-made-worse-by-

human-activity-_43194.html

Raj, Y., Asokan, R. (2006). How to prevent natural disasters. Retrieved from

http://www.hindu.com/2006/03/23/stories/2006032305370500.htm