Weather Related Disasters Due to Climate Change

Just recently the Philippines were hit with the deadliest Philippine typhoon on record. With climate change causing increasingly chaotic weather patterns, natural disasters are becoming more common across the world. A natural disaster is anything ranging from an earthquake to a tropical storm. Regardless of whether the natural disaster was indirectly caused by mankind, like those caused as a result of global warming, it has a huge impact on society. The impact on society, devastation, and economic damage paint a picture on how these natural disasters changed the lives of many.

For example, in 2010, with one of the worst quake recorded in its country’s history, Haiti experienced a catastrophic earthquake. With a magnitude of 7.0 with 52 aftershocks, measuring 4.5 or greater, about three million people were affected by the quake. With ruins and a death toll hitting over 200,000, the Haitian people faced an array of threats. In Simon Romero’s “Quake Accentuated Chasm that has Defined Haiti”, the revelation of the aftermath is detailed by observation. With the addition to government corruption, the occurrence of disease, unemployment, homelessness, and gang violence had risen in a few months since the quake.

As such, the super typhoon, Haiyang, destroyed about 70 to 80 percent of structures in its path. Hitting the Philippines, this tropical cyclone became one of its deadliest leaving a trail of destruction that made many citizens desperate. With delays in supplying food, water and medical

supplies, fear caused many to take drastic actions. Since the storm, people have broken into homes, malls and garages, stripping the shelves of food, water and other goods.

So much so, Romero noted in his piece the living conditions of t...

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...cognizing that there is much that can be done to reduce the effects can decrease the impact it has on the area.

In Spike Lee’s film it was suggested that the catastrophe in New Orleans was preventable. Being poorly designed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers, there were many failures with the levees. The failures of the government to provide instant aid during the early weeks after the storm were also frowned upon.

Natural disasters constantly affect the world, causing destruction, death, violence and poverty. The response to these events causes many to become desperate inducing crime and hostility. Without preparation, resources would be scarce and aid will be limited. With a huge impact on society the devastation and economic damage; working to find ways of limiting devastation from certain disasters, such as hurricanes, can benefit those affected.