An article published this weekend by CNN noted that Ellis Island, long a symbol of our nation's heritage of immigration, has been closed since Hurricane Sandy last November and will not reopen any time soon. And I'm sure most of you remember the terrible
effects of the earthquake and resulting tsunami in Japan which occurred two years ago this week. It takes years to
fully comprehend the extent of the damages from such natural disasters and to understand how they will affect us. Within hours of the tsunami in Japan we knew that thousands had died and many more lost everything they owned, but it will take generations to understand the damage from the multiple nuclear reactors that suffered melt-downs (which potentially could be worse than than the natural
disaster itself). Japanese cell phone manufacturers are including a Geiger counter app that allows users to test food, linens, and walls for radio-active material. Those tools weren't available twenty-five years ago when the Soviet reactor at Chernobyl melted down; the people living in that area continue to suffer from numerous related illnesses to this day.
Natural disasters remind us of just how small we humans
are in comparison to the earth we inhabit. Visit the
Live Science website to view a
list of some of the largest natural disasters in history. Choose one to research
and find accurate sources to give you more information.
After reporting
on the natural disaster, answer these questions: what should countries do to
prepare for such events? What natural disasters do you feel threaten our region
the most?
Remember to post the assignment on time and to fulfill all the
requirements for these assignments.
I believe each person in a country should have a thing called a “bug out bag” this bag will help you survive a natural disaster such as twister, tsunami, earthquake, etc. Many people do not realize how important it is to be prepared and know what to do in a scenario such as natural disasters, your B.O.B should consist of personal things such as medicine that u need for personally you. No one knows what should be in your B.O.B but you. I personally have multiple B.O.Bs all over in different locations in case of I lose my main one along the way.
ReplyDeleteMy personal theories on the natural disasters that would hit our area would more than likely haft to be cavins/ earthquakes because of the limestone and caves around here, but I’ve also noticed that around here in Kentucky is that we have a very large amount of tornados. One of the smaller but more popular things I’ve seen growing up is flooding I can’t tell you guys how many times I’ve personally have had to get buckets and scoop water out of my basement, flooding is definitely something that I would be concerned about here locally, but the biggest thing that we all must remember about natural disasters is that no matter how much u prepare for it it’ll be a surprise regardless of what you do to prepare
good essay logan! the "bug out bag" is a good idea!
DeleteFor this week`s assignement I am going to talk about of one of the worst natural disaster that happened in the United States, The hurricane Katrina.
ReplyDeleteThe Hurricane Katrina happened in August 29 in 2005.
Katrina roared into the Louisiana coast with 125 mph sustained winds, causing a storm surge that broke levees that shielded New Orleans from surrounding, higher coastal waters, and leaving 80 percent of the city under water. Katrina killed at least 1,836 people and damages estimated at around $ 125 billion dollars. It was considered one of the most costliest hurricane in U.S. history.
I really don`t think there are too many ways for countries to be prepared for such disasters, such as a hurricane, mainly because it is a natural disaster that is impossible to avoid, it is going to happen regardless of what we want, the only think that the countries could do is make a very good plan of evacuation, so people would know where to go before the hurricane approaches them.
I don`t really know any disasters that i feel that threaten this region the most since I haven`t lived here enough to see any of them happening. I would talk about the natural disasters that happen in Brazil, however, I can`t really say a lot because Brazil does`t have tornados, tsunami, earthquakes, hurricanes, the only thing that happen in Brazil is when it rains a lot and some cities flood and some people loses their house and thats all we have basically.
I decided to do this week’s assignment on a 7.6 earthquake in Pakistan on October 8, 2005. This horrible earthquake killed at least 86,000 people and injured about 69,000 and it caused very bad damage in Pakistan. The heaviest damage was in the Muzaffarabad area where complete villages were destroyed. Not only did this earthquake affect Pakistan, but it also affected areas in India and Afghanistan. At least 1,360 people were killed and 6,266 were injured in India. In Afghanistan one person was killed but it caused many buildings to collapse. Many days after the earthquake there were still landslides and rock falls that damaged and destroyed many highways.
ReplyDeleteSo what should countries do to prepare for natural disasters? Natural disasters are things that would be hard to prepare for, just because they happen unexpectedly and cannot be stopped. To prepare for an earthquake they could use stronger material so that the buildings were sturdier and less likely to fall. Not only should the buildings be able to withstand one, but they should also be able to function properly afterwards. Families could store food, water, and necessities so that if something happened there would be back up. When it comes to hurricanes and tsunamis the only thing that helps is the fact that they can be detected so people can usually evacuate the area before it hits. Other than that, there’s really no safe place to be if one were to hit.
Flooding can be an issue in our region, but I think that tornadoes probably threaten our region the most.
Good essay, Summer. your essay was very well written and you presented your information very well. I agree that we should build with stronger materials to prepare for earthquakes.
DeleteThis week, I chose to compose my assignment on the topic of the category 5 hurricane in 1992 called Hurricane Andrew. It was one of the most expensive hurricanes that the United States has ever experienced at that time. It began in a tropical wave located in the Atlantic Ocean on August 16. Over the next 4 days, the wind shear of this hurricane decreased, and then it became a minimal hurricane on August 21. It gradually made its way to the Bahamas, into the Gulf of Mexico, and then up on the east coast of the United States. It's highest winds reached 175 mph. As a result of this tragedy, 26 people died and 39 were severely injured. Andrew's most destroyed parts included the Bahamas, South Florida, and Louisiana. The damage came to a whopping total of $26.5 billion which ranked it fifth costliest hurricane in all of the history of the United States. This hurricane was so powerful that a 50 foot cargo ship was washed ashore upon the parking lot of the Mercy Hospital in Miami. After Andrew, hospitals and large business corporations on the coast started to rebuild stronger and better foundations to prepare for whatever was to come. What the business people in Miami did is exactly what the rest of our country should do. To save us from cost for repair (because as a country, we are already in way too much debt), the United States and all other countries should prepare by building stronger buildings. In my opinion, hurricanes and tornados are the worst natural disasters today.
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Andrew
http://www.npr.org/2012/08/23/159613339/hurricane-andrews-legacy-like-a-bomb-in-florida
Good job McKenzie! I hadn't really ever heard much about hurricane Andrew and you did a good job explaining it
DeleteNice job this week on your essay McKenzie! You did a great job of telling the facts about Hurricane Andrew. It is crazy to think that the winds in those areas affected by the hurricane got up to 175 miles per hour. I agree that America is already in an unthinkable amount of debt and that it was a good idea to not put the repair costs on the US for Hurricane Andrew in the Miami region. Nice work!
DeleteI chose to write my essay this week on the terrible natural disaster, Hurricane Katrina. I remember watching the footage of Katrina on TV as a kid and seeing the awful affects it had on New Orleans, Louisiana, and the entire Gulf Coast region in the fall of 2005. A hurricane is a violent, tropical, cyclonic storm of the western North Atlantic, having wind speeds of or in excess of 72 miles per hour. Hurricane Katrina was all of that and more being one of the strongest storms to impact the coast of the United States in the last 100 years. Katrina first started out as a tropical depression or Category 1 hurricane in the Bahamas on August 23, 2005. It quickly made its way toward southern Florida and the Gulf. Hurricane Katrina was not only the costliest natural disaster, but it was also the fifth deadliest hurricane in US history. While making its way through the Gulf of Mexico, it strengthened to a Category 5 hurricane. But once it reached Louisiana it came down to a Category 3. With winds up to 175 miles per hour, everything was either damaged or destroyed completely. The total damage of this catastrophe was estimated at $81 billion dollars and at least 1,833 people died. Many lost everything they had and had to stay in the Houston Astrodome for shelter and to get supplies. I think that countries should be better prepared for instances like this one and have well thought out plans for evacuating people and getting them to safety. Probable the most common natural disasters that threaten our region are tornadoes and excessive flooding.
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Katrina
Deletehttp://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/special-reports/katrina.html
Shortly after 2 o'clock on the morning of December 16, 1811, the Mississippi River valley was shaken by an earthquake so severe that it woke people in cities as far as Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Norfolk, Virginia. This shock began what must have been the most frightening sequence of earthquakes ever to occur in the United States. Repeated strong shaking continued through March 1812 and aftershocks strong enough to be felt occurred through the year 1817. The initial earthquake in December 16 was followed by two other principal shocks, one on January 23, 1812, and the other on February 7, 1812. Judging from newspaper accounts of damage to buildings, the February 7 earthquake was the biggest of the three. The scene was one of devastation in an area which is now the southeast part of Missouri, the northeast part of Arkansas, the southwest part of Kentucky, and the northwest part of Tennessee. Some of the most dramatic effects of the earthquakes occurred along rivers. Entire islands disappeared, banks caved into the rivers, and fissures opened and closed in the river beds. Water spouting from these fissures produced large waves in the river. New sections of river channel were formed and old channels cut off. Many boats were capsized and an unknown number of people were drowned. Earthquakes unfortunately are something that you can never really prepare for other than to have a safe place and know exactly where it is and keep it stocked with food, clothes, and blankets. Earthquakes are one of the biggest dangers in our area of Kentucky as you can tell from the New Madrid Earthquakes.
ReplyDeleteGood essay, Allisha. I thought that your essay was very well written and very informative. I didn't realize how much this earthquake affected the Mississippi region including the flow of the river. I agree that earthquake do pose a considerable threat to our region.
DeleteFor this week's assignment we had to choose from some of the largest natural disasters that have ever hit the earth. I chose to write my essay on the Bubonic Plague, otherwise known as the Black Death. The Black Death hit the earth in 1330 and lasted until 1351. The Bubonic Plague was most prominent in Europe. It is estimated that the Black Death took over seventy - five million lives. The Bubonic Plague was a brutal disease that could infect your body through two different mediums. One way was by receiving a bite from an insect. The other way you could get infected was through the air. After becoming infected your life spans would be condensed to less than a week. A victim would usually last from three to four days. During these days they would vomit uncontrollably and have intense fever. By the end of their days, the victims' lymph nodes would swell so large that they would burst and send them to their graves. The Black Death had laid dormant for years until it was incubated in the Gobi Desert of Asia and carried through the blood of fleas on their host - rats.
ReplyDeleteThe disease found its way across the world through the Chinese trade - routes. In 1347 the Bubonic Plague made its way to Europe through an Italian merchant ship. Europe was very populated and crowded, the two things that can make a disease spread like wild - fire. After three years of destroying Europe, the Black Death made its ways into Russia where it massacred one - third to one - half of the population. The cities were hit the worst, being in such tight living situations. Even the remote islands of Iceland and Greenland were effected by the Bubonic Plague. To prepare for a natural disaster such as this, countries might want to invest more money into their medical programs. Another way to prepare is to make a standard distance of living. This would make people live at a healthy distance from each other so that if a plague broke out it might not spread as quickly or as aggressively. I believe earthquakes, plagues, tornados, and floods would be the natural disasters that would effect our region.
For my assignment this week, I have chosen to write about the Sumatran Earthquake and Tsunami. The epicenter of the earthquake was off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The earthquake, which happened on December 26, 2004, measured with a magnitude of 9.1-9.3, the third largest ever measured on a seismograph. The resulting tsunami impacted the regions of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, Maldives, and the south eastern coast of Africa. The U.S. geological survey has said that the power of the earthquake was equal to about 23,000 atomic bombs. In one day, 150,000 people were reported dead or missing. Some of the waves of the tsunami were about 50 feet tall. Before the tsunami hit, the waters of the Indian Ocean started to recede, a tell-tale sign of a tsunami. Those who knew this gathered up their families and fled for higher ground. Those left behind were hit by surprise and attempted to flee quickly. Many died, some survived. Many families were separated with some family member surviving and some dying. Besides the resulting lives lost, the tsunami also caused significant environmental and economic damage.
ReplyDeleteI think that in order for countries to prepare for these events, they need to train people what to do if a certain disaster was to happen. I also think that countries could do a better job at warning their people when a natural disaster comes. There was plenty of warning about the coming tsunami but it still took most victims by surprise.
I think that the natural disaster that I think threatens our region the most is either tornadoes or earthquakes.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Indian_Ocean_earthquake_and_tsunami
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/12/1227_041226_tsunami.html
Excellent work on your assignment this week Bobby! It was very informative and well thought out. That is insane that the power of the earthquake measured up to about the strength of 23,000 atomic bombs! You also pointed out some very good things about how people could better prepare for events like these in the future. That was a huge amount of countries to be hit by this earthquake and tsunami. Good job!
DeleteGreat job on your essay, Eduardo! Your essay was written well and full of good information. Hurricane Katrina was one of the biggest natural disasters that I can remember. Again, great job on your essay!
ReplyDeleteGreat job on your essay, Bobby! Your essay was full of information and written very well. An earthquake is terrifying, but with a tsunami it would be unbelievable. Again, great job on your essay!
Great job on your essay, Sara! Your essay was full of information and written well. You also did your essay on Katrina and it was very well put together. Again, great job on your essay!
Great job on your essay, Allisha! It was full of good information and written well. I think going through an earthquake would be terrifying. Again, great job on your essay!
Great job on your essay, Summer! It was full of good information and written well. I think going through an earthquake would be terrifying, I can't believe it killed 86,000 people. Again, great job on your essay!
The New Madrid earthquakes in 1811-1812 were some of the strongest earthquakes in America’s history. These earthquakes were felt as far away as Boston, which is about eleven hundred miles away and caused the Mississippi River to flow backwards for a brief time. The magnitude was estimated to be as high as 7.8. This is a high magnitude. The scale for magnitude, or the Richter scale, starts at around 2.5 (not usually even felt) to 8.0 or greater. An 8.0 is capable of complete destruction at its center.
ReplyDeleteThe New Madrid earth quakes were at the top of the scale. The reason I am interested in them is because they happened very close to Somerset, where the states of Arkansas, Tennessee, Missouri and Kentucky meet. It happened near the far west of our state, about 270 miles from Somerset. During those years, there were very few people who lived in the area of the earthquake, so there was less damage to homes or businesses, than if it had happened in a city. But since the 8.0 earthquakes completely destroy everything or almost everything in its center, it is important to know about it.
Scientists have debated for years about whether other deadly earthquakes could happen in the same area as the ones in 1811-1812. They seem to think there is a five hundred year cycle and that it is likely that another big earthquake will happen again. This time, the results would be different because there are many people living there.
It seems like it would be difficult to prepare for the earth the go out from under your feet.
for this essay im going to write about hurricane Katrina because it has had a personal impact on my family. the year that hurricane Katrina hit my uncle was a manager at cracker barrel and they needed help in new Orleans so he was sent down their to help and he has said that the destruction that was done by that storm was horrific and the people and places impacted by that hurricane will never be the same. but although there are tons of bad consequences to natural disasters some good can come out of them. I know that my uncle said that he saw several people come to Christ from the storm when he was there which is wonderful. and he also met the woman he is married to now when he went down there to help she worked at the cracker barrel down there and they now have a 4 yr old child. even though a lot of bad came out of this storm God always brings some good from a bad situation another natural disaster that I have been interested in before is the earthquakes in japan its pretty amazing how people can go that and live let along have a even better life than before. I think its just gods way of showing us what he is capable of. the same reason he created the universe
ReplyDeleteHurricanes are very dangerous and probably one of the most prominent natural disasters we hear of. The Hurricane I am going to write about is Hurricane Katrina. Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005 and considered the most deadly in the Atlanta. Hurricane Katrina formed over the Bahamas and then suddenly striked in Florida, The New Orleans and Mississippi. The hurricane when it hit Mississippi, it destroyed 90% of the beach houses within an hour. One thousand eight hundred and thirty three people died from this hurricane and was estimated to do one hundred and eighty dollars worth of damage. There was so much water it pushed cars, houses, and other stuff and just started floating down the road because of all the water that was involved. The hurricane started on August 23 and ended August 30! The highest wind strength that it reached was 175 mph. All the water with the wind was of course a recipe for disaster. The Water rose so high that it moved cars and boats and other things, but it also exceeded the flood gates on the cities. Because of the hurricanes destruction people didn’t have homes or mostly food to eat. So that led to robbery and people in desperate need for regular personal items to stay alive. The Bush Administration had one hundred and five billion dollars for repairs but obviously had to make an exception.
ReplyDeleteBobby Hekel, Great Job on your essay! I enjoyed reading about the earthquake that you wrote about. It is amazing to me how people just go on with such a tragic happening like that! I thought your essay was very well written and that it was very informational. It was full of great useful information that was in a nice order.
ReplyDeleteAllisha Turpin, I enjoyed reading about you earthquake that you wrote about also! I think it was very informational and very well written. Your essay flowed very nicely and I though it was very interesting. Great Job on it!
Abby Sams, Great job on your essay! It is amazing how the earthquakes can be so far away but yet it can be so close to Somerset also. You had great information in your essay and I loved reading about the earthaquake! Great Job on it!
Homework 4- Make-up Work
ReplyDeleteThis week’s assignment was to choose and to write about a natural disaster that has affected history. The natural disaster that I chose to write on the 1992 Hurricane –Hurricane Andrew. Hurricane Andrew lasted from August 16, 1992 through August 28, 1992. At that time, Hurricane Andrew was one of the most expensive hurricanes to ever hit the United States. It affected The Bahamas, South Florida, Louisiana, and other parts of the Southern United States of America. Hurricane Andrew is the fourth most expensive hurricane in United States history only behind Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Hurricane Ike in 2008, and Sandy in 2012. Hurricane Andrew’s top speeds were up to 175 miles per hour. That’s crazy to even fathom winds that fast. In reality, we cannot prepare fully for natural disasters; they are usually random or go in paths that our technology cannot predict. With this being said there are certain precautions that we can take to ensure preparedness in our communities. We should strive to educate citizens on how to prepare for such random natural disasters in hope of losing less lives and obtaining less property damage. As nations, I believe that we should build stronger and more effective buildings that would “hold up” better in case of natural disasters such as earthquakes, tornadoes, etc. I believe that our region is more susceptible to such disasters as tornadoes, earthquakes, and floods. We must always be prepared to face natural disasters because they have happened in the past and can definitely happen again.
Homework 4- Make-up Work-comments
ReplyDeleteLydia Ramsey- I really enjoyed reading your essay for this week’s assignment. I thought it was really interesting to learn more about the horror of the Bubonic Plague or the Black Death. I couldn’t imagine having to go through such a devastating epidemic and watch my friends and loved ones suffer so much. Overall, I thought that your essay was informative, interesting, concise and very well written, as usual. Great job on this week’s assignment.
Sarah Flinchum- I also really enjoyed reading your essay for this week’s assignment. Hurricane Katrina was one of the worst natural disasters in American history and even nearly 8 years later, people are still greatly affected by what happened. I had friends who lived in Louisiana during 2005 and it was a nightmare to lose nearly everything. Overall, I thought your essay was informative, interesting, easy to read, and concise. Great job as usual!
I have chosen to report on Hurricane Katrina because I was living in the the south west part of Mississippi when it hit. Hurricane Katrina slammed into the U.S. Gulf Coast on Aug. 29, 2005, destroying beachfront towns in Mississippi and Louisiana, displacing a million people, and killing almost 1,800. When levees in New Orleans were breached, 80% of the city was submerged by the flooding. About 20% of its 500,000 citizens were trapped in the city without power, food, or drinking water. Rescue efforts were so delayed and haphazard that many were stranded for days on rooftops and in attics before help arrived. The city became a toxic pool of sewage, chemicals, and corpses, and in the ensuing chaos, mayhem and looting became rampant—about 15% of the city's police force had simply walked off the job. The 20,000 people who made their way to the Superdome, the city's emergency shelter, found themselves crammed into sweltering and fetid conditions. At a second shelter, the convention center, evacuees were terrorized by roaming gangs and random gunfire. Relief workers, medical help, security forces, and essential supplies remained profoundly inadequate during the first critical days of the disaster. In the area where I was located the flooding was not as severe. I do remember extensive damage around the community though. The power was out for nearly ten days and how could I forget the long lines at gas stations which sometimes stretch miles. My family after this was always prepared. We kept water and food stored for the disasters and when made an investment into a generator for our camper. When the next one hit we were prepared.I
ReplyDelete