Natural disaster

The term natural disaster is used to describe a violent natural event having destructive effects on the earth’s surface, on humans and on other living things. In contrast, an environmental disaster refers to a disaster caused by man himself. A natural event is not in itself a disaster, especially if it occurs far from inhabited areas. For example, a glacial eruption or an avalanche in uninhabited areas does not pose a direct threat to the population. These events are difficult to control and can quickly become a danger due to their great energy and must all the same be taken seriously, this is why the Company AD-HOC HD Bvba is accompanying you in this moment.

Natural disasters are devastating because they happen unpredictably and their consequences, too, are unpredictable. However, some natural events can be recognized earlier than others. As a rule, it is very difficult to take precautions in such situations, the character of which is exceptional. There are early warning systems that detect certain natural events such as earthquakes. In most cases, however, the alert is not issued until immediately before the disaster occurs. In this short time, only warnings can be issued and some protective measures can be put in place.

The frequency of natural disasters has increased considerably in recent years. The number of annual natural disasters has more than doubled over the past 40 years. Since 2012, there have been more than 700 natural disasters around the world, almost every year. The main causes of natural disasters are gradual climate change and natural processes beyond human control. The way humans affect the environment can also increase the risk of natural disasters.

There are several types of natural disasters that affect people and the environment in different ways. The most common natural disasters are floods, storms, earthquakes and droughts. The number of floods has increased dramatically in recent years due to rapidly rising water levels due to climate change, human intervention in natural rivers and heavy rainfall. Forest fires, volcanic eruptions, landslides and extreme temperatures are also natural disasters, although these phenomena are much less common.

According to CRED (Center for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters), these natural disasters are the most frequent:

• Flood (the most frequent natural disaster)
• Storm
• Earthquake
• Extreme temperature
• Landslide
• Drought
• Forest fire
• Volcanic eruption

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