Institute of Home Science

Name : Subeeka Akbar

Rollno :20050110002
Class :M.sc 2nd sem
Specialty : Food science and nutrition
Subject: Nutrition in disaster and management
Teacher incharge: Dr.Naila Irshaad
Assingment topic :
SHORT TERM EFFECTS OF MAJOR DISASTER
( EARTHQUAKE, HIGH WINDS, TIDAL WAVES, FLASH
FLOODS, SLOW -ONSE FLOODS, LANDSLIDE , FAMINE,
DROUGHT AND WAR)

..
 Introduction of disaster
“A disaster is a natural or man-made event that negatively affects life,
property, livelihood or industry often resulting in permanent changes to human
societies, ecosystems and environment.”
As the definition suggests, disasters are highly disruptive events that cause
suffering, deprivation, hardship, injury and even death, as a result of direct
injury, disease, the interruption of commerce and business, and the partial or
total destruction of critical infrastructure such as homes, hospitals, and other
buildings, roads, bridges, power lines, etc. Disasters can be caused by naturally
occurring events, such as earthquakes, hurricanes, flooding, or tornadoes, or
they can be due to man-made events, either accidental (such as an accidental
toxic spill or nuclear power plant event), or deliberately caused (such as various
terrorist bombings and poisonings)

Earthquake
An earthquake is the shaking and vibration of the Earth’s crust due to movement
of the Earth’s plates (plate tectonics). Earthquakes can happen along any type of
plate boundary.
Earthquakes occur when tension is released from inside the crust. Plates do not
always move smoothly alongside each other and sometimes get stuck. When this
happens pressure builds up. When this pressure is eventually released, an
earthquake tends to occur.
The point inside the crust where the
pressure is released is called the focus.
The point on the Earth’s surface above
the focus is called the epicentre.
Earthquake energy is released in
seismic waves. These waves spread out
from the focus. The waves are felt most
strongly at the epicentre, becoming less
strong as they travel further away. The most severe damage caused by an
earthquake will happen close to the epicentre.
Measuring the power and strength of an earthquake
The power of an earthquake is measured using a seismometer. A seismometer
detects the vibrations caused by an earthquake. It plots these vibrations on a
seismograph.
The strength, or magnitude, of an earthquake is measured using the Richter scale.
The Richter scale is numbered 0-10 with 10 being the greatest strength or
magnitude.
Earthquakes can destroy settlements and kill many people. Aftershocks can cause
even more damage to an area. It is possible to classify the impacts of an
earthquake, by taking the following factors into account:
 Short-term (immediate) impacts
 Long-term impacts
 Social impacts (the impact on people)
 Economic impacts (the impact on the wealth of an area)
 Environmental impacts (the impact on the landscape)
Short-term (immediate) impacts
Social impacts:
1. People may be killed or injured.
2. Homes may be destroyed.
3. Transport and communication links may be disrupted.
4. Water pipes may burst and water supplies may be contaminated.
Economic impact
1. Shops and business may be destroyed.
2. Looting may take place.
3. The damage to transport and communication links can make trade difficult.
Environmental impact
1. The built landscape may be destroyed.
 2. Fires can spread due to gas pipe explosions.
3. Fires can damage areas of woodland.
4. Landslides may occur.
5. Tsunamis may cause flooding in coastal areas.

. High winds
Winds are commonly classified by their spatial scale, their speed and direction,
the forces that cause them, the regions in which they occur, and their effect.
Winds have various aspects: velocity (wind speed); the density of the gas
involved; energy content or wind energy. The wind is also a critical means of
transportation for seeds, insects, and birds, which can travel on wind currents for
thousands of miles. In meteorology, winds are often referred to according to their
strength, and the direction from which the wind is blowing.
Short bursts of high speed wind are termed gusts.
Strong winds of intermediate duration (around one minute) are termed squalls.
Long-duration winds have various names associated with their average strength,
such as breeze, gale, storm, and hurricane.

1 Hurricane.
Hurricanes may have a diameter of 400 to 500 miles. The “eye” (center) of a
hurricane can be up to 20 miles across. When they move from sea to land, they
pack such a tremendous force, they surge with enormous waves and drop heavy
rain.
A hurricane can produce winds higher than 155 miles per hour. They can also
generate tornadoes.
Short term Effects of hurricane
1. Debris such as signs, roofing material, and small items left outside become
flying missiles.
2. Extensive damage to trees, towers, water and underground utility lines
(from uprooted trees), and fallen poles cause considerable disruption.
 3. High-rise buildings are also vulnerable to storm-force winds, particularly at
the higher levels since wind speed tends to increase with height. Recent
research suggests you should stay below the tenth floor, but still above any
floors at risk for flooding. It is not uncommon for high-rise buildings to
suffer a great deal of damage due to windows being blown out.
Consequently, the areas around these buildings can be very dangerous.
4. Homes, businesses, public buildings, and infrastructure may be damaged or
destroyed by many different storm hazards.
5. Debris can break windows and doors, allowing high winds and rain inside
the home. In extreme storms (such as Hugo, Andrew and Katrina), the force
of the wind alone can cause immense devastation, as trees and power lines
come crashing down and weak elements of homes and buildings fail.
6. Roads and bridges can be washed away and homes saturated by storm
surges and flooding.
7. Destructive tornadoes can also form well away from the storm’s center.
8. Yet, storm surge alone poses the highest threat to life and destruction in
many coastal areas – and the surges and extend inland for a long way.
Hurricanes and tropical storms generally can be tracked days ahead of any
impact, providing ample time to prepare. A hurricane disaster kit can easily be
and be readied for potential evacuation.thanheir storm force winds can easily
destroy poorly constructed buildings and mobile homes.

2.Tornado
Tornadoes are nature’s most violent storms, spawned from powerful
thunderstorms. They and can cause fatalities and devastate a neighbourhood in
seconds .Tornadoes come without warning
A tornado is a narrow, violently rotating column of air that extends from a
thunderstorm to the ground. Because wind is invisible, it is hard to see a tornado
unless it forms a condensation funnel made up of water droplets, dust and debris.
Tornadoes can be among the most violent phenomena of all atmospheric storms
we experience.
 Tornadoes occur in many parts of the
world, including Australia, Europe, Africa,
Asia, and South America. Even New Zealand
reports about 20 tornadoes each year. Two
of the highest concentrations of tornadoes
outside the U.S. are Argentina and
Bangladesh.
Types of tornado
 Supercell Tornadoes
 Non-Supercell Tornadoes

Short term effects of tornado

 Injuries and Loss of life
The violent nature of tornadoes can cause severe injuries and lead to loss of life.
Statistically, tornadoes cause 1,500 injuries each year. Averagely, 80 deaths as a
result of devastating tornadoes are recorded each year. These figures point to the
fact that tornadoes are life-threatening phenomenon that must be treated as a
national disaster..
 Economic loss
Tornadoes can cause serious damage to a country’s economy. In 2011, deadly
tornadoes in the U.S. cost the economy about $23 billion in damages. A tornado is
so strong that it can destroy the whole house in seconds rendering the family
homeless and in financial limbo. Other economic impacts of tornadoes include
skyrocketing of insurance premiums after payouts, which can send the already
devastated family into an economic meltdown.
 Environmental contamination
A strong tornado can destroy pipelines; break chemical containers, which can lead
to contamination of groundwater with oil, raw sewage, dioxides, asbestos and
other toxic pollutants. Other wastes like medical wastes, industrial wastes, and
household chemicals can be disbursed widely leading to environmental
contamination. Strong thunderstorms on numerous occasions generate flooding
rains and when added to tornadoes, can lead to long-term hazards to Mother
Nature, for instance, enhanced risk of transmission of diseases via contaminated
water and soils.
 Destruction of vegetation
Tornadoes are strong enough to uproot trees and other vegetation on their path.
In fact, one strong tornado that occurred on May 25, 2011, in CBS Sacramento,
uprooted about 25, 000 almond trees. Farmers in the area reported that it would
take more than 5 years to regrow the trees and become profitable again. In 1953,
one strong tornado caused damages to crops worth about $4.3 billion.
 Impacts on ecosystem
When a tornado uproots trees, sunlight penetrates the forest sections that were
once covered, hence, affecting animal habitats. Tornadoes can also destroy the
whole habitat, killing and displacing huge numbers of animals. A powerful
tornado is also capable of damaging healthy soil by carrying away the top soil,
which is essential for nourishing crops and other plants.
 Psychological impacts
According to research finding by American Psychological Association, tornadoes
can lead to long-term mental problems. Some people that have experienced
tornadoes firsthand, exhibit strong emotional responses, which can be abnormal
or normal. Natural disasters are capable of triggering traumatic recollections
where the victim relives the phenomenon, experiences grave anxiety, depression,
withdrawal, and enhanced fear of loss and death.

. Tsunamis/ tidal wave

A huge tidal wave is called tsunami.Tsunamis are large, potentially deadly and
destructive sea waves, most of which are formed as a result of submarine
earthquakes. They can also result from the eruption or collapse of island or
coastal volcanoes and from giant landslides on marine margins. Tsunamis can be
generated on impact as a rapidly moving landslide mass enters the water or as
water displaces behind and ahead of a rapidly moving underwater landslide.
When an earthquake, volcano or landslide happens on the ocean floor, water is
displaced. This water forms the start of the tsunami.
When the waves reach shallower water:
• Their height can increase by several metres
• The shallow water slows the waves
• The waves get closer together
It is hard to see that a tsunami is approaching. The most obvious sign is the
coastal water retreats just before the waves reach the shore. This is actually the
trough of the wave following behind.
The effects of a tsunami on a coastline can range from unnoticeable to
devastating. The effects of a tsunami depend on the characteristics of the seismic
event that generated the tsunami, the distance from its point of origin, its size
(magnitude) and, at last, the configuration of the bathymetry (that is the depth of
water in oceans) along the coast that the tsunami is approaching
Short term effects of tsunami /tidal wave
• Destruction
• The amount of energy and water contained in a huge tsunami can
cause extreme destruction when it strikes land
• The main impact a tsunami has is flooding.
• The waters are also able to erode the foundations of coastal
structures.
• The violent force of the tsunami results in instant death, most
commonly by drowning.
• Buildings collapsing, electrocution, and explosions from gas,
damaged tanks and floating debris are another cause of death
• Flooding and contamination of drinking water can cause disease to
spread in the tsunami hit areas. Illnesses such as malaria arise when
water is stagnant and contaminated
• Environmental impact
A tsunami changes the landscape. It uproots trees and plants and
destroys animal habitats such as nesting sites for birds. Land animals
are killed by drowning and sea animals are killed by pollution if
 dangerous chemicals are washed away into the sea, thus poisoning
the marine life.
Tsunami Impacts
The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami reached heights of 65 to 100 feet in Sumatra,
caused more than 200,000 deaths from Indonesia to East Africa, and registered
on tide gauges throughout the world.
The 1964 Alaska tsunami led to 110 deaths, some as far away as Crescent City,
Calif.
In 1918, an earthquake and tsunami killed 118 people in Puerto Rico. Several such
events have struck this region in historic times
A tsunami that originated along the Washington, Oregon, and California coasts in
1700 overran Native American fishing camps and caused damage in Japan.
.

. Floods
Floods are the most frequent type of natural disaster and occur when an overflow
of water submerges land that is usually dry. Floods are often caused by heavy
rainfall, rapid snowmelt or a storm surge from a tropical cyclone or tsunami in
coastal areas. Floods are an area of study in the discipline of hydrology.
Floods can cause widespread devastation, resulting in loss of life and damages to
personal property and critical public health infrastructure Between 1998-2017,
floods affected more than 2 billion people worldwide. People who live in
floodplains or non-resistant
buildings, or lack warning systems
and awareness of flooding hazard,
are most vulnerable to floods.
There are five types of floods. They
include:
1. River Flood
2. Coastal Flood
 3. Storm Surges
4. Inland Flooding
5. Flash floods
River Flooding: A river flood occurs when water levels rise over the top of river
banks.This flooding can happen in all river and stream channels. This includes
everything from small streams to the world’s largest rivers.
Coastal Flooding: A coastal flood is the inundation of normally dry land areas
along the coast with seawater.
Storm Surge: Storm surge is an abnormal rise in water level in coastal areas over
and above the regular astronomical tide.
Inland Flood: An inland flood is flooding that occurs inland or not in a coastal
area. Therefore, coastal flooding and storm surge are not inland floods.

Flash flood
A flash flood is a rapid flooding of low-lying areas: washes, rivers, dry lakes and
depressions. It may be caused by heavy rain associated with a severe
thunderstorm, hurricane, tropical storm, or meltwater from ice or snow flowing
over ice sheets or snowfields. Flash floods may also occur after the collapse of a
natural ice or debris dam, or a human structure such as a man-made dam, as
occurred before the Johnstown Flood of 1889.
Flash floods are distinguished from regular floods by having a timescale
of fewer than six hours between rainfall and the onset of flooding .
What Causes Flash Floods?
Flash floods can happen for several reasons.
Most flash floods happen after extremely intense rainfall from severe
thunderstorms over a short period of time (normally 6 hours or less). There are
two key elements to determine is flash flooding is likely:
Rainfall rate
Rainfall duration
Flash floods also happen when damns break, when levees fail, or when an ice jam
releases a large amount of water.
Dangers of Flash Floods
Flash flooding is the severe weather killer in the United States.
Flash floods are extremely powerful. They have enough force to roll boulders, tear
trees from the ground, destroy buildings and bridges, and scour out new
channels. This type of flood is characterized by raging torrents that rip through
river beds, urban streets, or canyons, wiping out everything in their paths. With
heights reaching 30 feet, flash floods can completely cover communities.
Another reason why flash flooding is so dangerous is that it can happen with little
to no warning. This is especially true when dams or levees break.

Short term Effects of flash floods

No matter what causes of a flood, it can have devastating effects on your
community. There are actually many dangerous flooding effects. Besides physical
danger, floods also cause economic and social problems.
The primary effects of flooding include loss of life and damage to buildings and
and other structures, including bridges, sewerage systems, roadways, and canals.
1.Loss Of Lives
The gravest effect of flooding is death. In fact, flooding is the number one severe
weather killer. Floods have claimed thousands of lives throughout history.
Lack of clean water combined with human sewage in the flood waters raises the
risk of waterborne diseases, which can include typhoid, giardia, cryptosporidium,
cholera and many other diseases depending upon the location of the flood.
2. Damage
Flooding also causes property damage to buildings by blowing out windows,
sweeping away doors, corroding walls and foundations, and sending debris into
infrastructure at a fast pace. And other structures, including bridges, sewerage
systems, roadways, and canals.
Floods also frequently damage power transmission and sometimes power
generation, which then has knock-on effects caused by the loss of power.
3.Economic Impacts
The economic impact of flooding can be devastating to a community. This comes
from damage and disruption to things like communication towers, power plants,
roads, and bridges. This brings business activities in an area to a standstill.
4.Psychosocial Flooding Effects
Flooding can also create lasting trauma for victims. The loss of loved ones or
homes can take a steep emotional toll, especially on children. Displacement from
one’s home and loss of livelihood can cause continuing stress and produce lasting
psychological impacts.

Slow onset floods

Flooding can occur slowly as rain continues to fall for many days. This type of
flooding, sometimes called a slow-onset flood, can take a week to develop and
can last for months before floodwaters recede.As heavy rain falls, the river is
unable to accommodate the extra water. This causes the river to overflow its
banks. Slow-onset floods can result in damage to crops, livestock, rail lines, roads
and property.
Slow onset floods Usually occur on inland rivers such as those found in central
and western New South Wales, central and western Queensland and parts of
Western Australia.
Short term effects are same as that in flash floods

Landslide
The movement of the rocks or debris etc. On a slope downwards is called a
landslide. It is a type of “mass wasting “ which refers to the movement of any
mass, soil, or rocks under the influence of gravity. It is one of the natural hazards
and can be a disaster if the damages occur in large amounts.
Types of Landslides
They can occur because of various reasons. We can classify them into four
categories which are mentioned below:
1. Falls Landslides : It means falling of
some material or debris or rocks etc.
From a slope or a cliff which leads to a
collection of this debris at the base of
the slope.
2. Topple Landslides: These can occur
because of some fractures between
the rocks and the tilt of the rocks
because of gravity without collapsing.
Here, we see the forward rotational
movement of the material.
3. Slides: It is a kind of landslide when a
piece of the rock slides downwards and gets separated from it.
4. Spread: It happens on flat terrain and gentle slopes and can occur because
of softer material.
Causes of Landslide
Landslides are caused by various factors which are mentioned below:
It can be caused because of heavy rain.
Deforestation is also one of the main reasons for landslides because trees, plants,
etc. Keep the soil particles compact and due to deforestation the mountain slopes
lose their protective layers because of which the water of the rain flows with
unimpeded speed on these slopes.
It can be caused by earthquakes as well.
For example, in the Himalayas, the tremor occurred because earthquakes
unstabilized the mountains which leads to landslides.
Volcanic eruptions in specific regions can also cause landslides.
Landslides often occur in mountain regions while making roads and construction,
a large number of rocks has to be removed which can cause landslides over there.
In the regions of North East India, landslides occur because of shifting agriculture.
Due to the increasing population, a large number of houses are being created
which leads to the creation of a large amount of debris which can cause
landslides.

Short Term Impact of landslide

 The impact of a landslide can be extensive, including loss of life,
destruction of infrastructure, damage to land and loss of natural resources.
 Landslide material can also block rivers and increase the risk of floods.
 Deep landslides, triggered by major earthquakes or volcanic activity can
destroy thousands of square kilometres of land and kill thousands of
people.
 Landslides have a devastating effect on farmers’ livelihoods as they can
prevent access to land for years, destroy seed and food stocks and will
commonly result in the loss of livestock and standing crop
 The natural beauty of the area is damaged.
 Loss of life and property
 Roadblocks
 Destruction of railway lines
 Channel blocking because of the falling of rocks.
 Long Term Impacts
 Landscape changes can be permanent.
 The loss of fertile land or cultivation land.
 Erosion and soil loss can lead to environmental problems.
 Population shifting and migration.
 Effects on the sources of water.
 Some roads can be damaged or closed permanently.

.
 Famine
A famine is a widespread scarcity of food, caused by several factors including war,
inflation, crop failure, population imbalance, or government policies. This
phenomenon is usually accompanied or followed by regional malnutrition,
starvation, epidemic, and increased mortality.
Every inhabited continent in the world has
experienced a period of famine throughout
history.
Many people believe that famines are food
shortages caused solely by underproduction.
However, in many cases, famine has multiple
causes.
A natural disaster, such as a long period of drought, flooding, extreme cold,
typhoons, insect infestations, or plant disease, combined with government
decisions on how to respond to the disaster, can result in a famine. The famine
might be initiated by a natural disaster, and a government’s inability or
unwillingness to deal with the consequences of that event may magnify the
effects. This happened in North Korea in the 1990s when government
mismanagement of food supplies and an inequitable rationing policy led to a
famine that killed over two million people by some estimates.

Short term effects of Famines

 Starvation is nothing but the biological consequences of a continuous
scarcity of food. During the famine, starvation occurs on a mass scale.
 Various diseases occur in the human body during famine-like cholera. It is
caused by bacteria, Vibrio cholerae, which leads to an increased amount of
water to be released from cells that line the intestines. Symptoms include
watery diarrhoea, abdominal cramps, dry, mucous membranes, mouth, and
skin, excessive thirst and lethargy.
 Dropsy, which is now referred to as oedema is caused due to excessive fluid
under the skin, the body swells. The affected area often retains a dimple
after being pressed for a few seconds.
  Dysentery is another bacterial disease which spreads through water, stool,
and food. Poor sanitation, contaminated food and water and crowded living
conditions lead to dysentery. Symptoms include blood in the stool,
abdominal pain, diarrhoea, and fever.
 Another notable condition is anaemia. There can be a lot more diseases
that are caused due to famines. Apart from diseases, famines also cause
lower fertility rates, poor living conditions, fewer income options, various
socio-political issues, etc.
Prevention of Famine
Since famine is majorly caused due to natural reasons, it is difficult to prevent it.
However, there are certain ways of controlling the effects of famine.
There should be surplus agricultural production beyond the requirements of the
rural population.
The transportation system should be well-developed between rural and urban
areas.
There should be proper health care, clean drinking water and sanitation facilities
to prevent any diseases.

Drought
Drought is a temporary reduction in water or moisture availability significantly
below the normal or expected amount for a specific period. This condition occurs
either due to inadequacy of rainfall, or lack or irrigation facilities, under-
exploitation or deficient availability for meeting the normal crop requirements in
the context of the agro-climatic conditions prevailing in any particular area.
Types of Drought
Meteorological Drought describes a situation where there is a reduction in
rainfall for a specific period (days, months, season or years) below a specific
amount (long term average for a specific time).
Hydrological Drought involves a reduction in
water resources (stream flow, lake level,
ground water, underground aquifers) below a
specified level for a given period of time
Agricultural Drought is the impact of
meteorological/hydrological drought on crop
yield..

Short term effects of drought

Drought affects all parts of our environment
and our communities. The many different
drought impacts are often grouped as
“economic,” “environmental,” and “social” impacts. All of these impacts must be
considered in planning for and responding to drought .
1.Economic impact
 Economic impacts are those impacts of drought that cost people (or
businesses) money. Here are just a few different examples of economic
impacts:
 Farmers may lose money if a drought destroys their crops.
 If a farmer’s water supply is too low, the farmer may have to spend more
money on irrigation or to drill new wells.
 Ranchers may have to spend more money on feed and water for their
animals.
 Businesses that depend on farming, like companies that make tractors and
food, may lose business when drought damages crops or livestock.
 People who work in the timber industry may be affected when wildfires
destroy stands of timber.
 Businesses that sell boats and fishing equipment may not be able to sell
some of their goods because drought has dried up lakes and other water
sources.
 Power companies that normally rely on hydroelectric power (electricity
that’s created from the energy of running water) may have to spend more
 money on other fuel sources if drought dries up too much of the water
supply. The power companies’ customers would also have to pay more.
 Water companies may have to spend money on new or additional water
supplies.
 Barges and ships may have difficulty navigating streams, rivers, and canals
because of low water levels, which would also affect businesses that
depend on water transportation for receiving or sending goods and
materials.
 People might have to pay more for food.
2.Environmental Impacts
Drought also affects the environment in many different ways. Plants and animals
depend on water, just like people. When a drought occurs, their food supply can
shrink and their habitat can be damaged. Sometimes the damage is only
temporary and their habitat and food supply return to normal when the drought
is over. But sometimes drought’s impact on the environment can last a long time,
maybe forever. Examples of environmental impacts include:
 Losses or destruction of fish and wildlife habitat
 Lack of food and drinking water for wild animals
 Increase in disease in wild animals, because of reduced food and water
supplies
 Migration of wildlife
 Increased stress on endangered species or even extinction
 Lower water levels in reservoirs, lakes, and ponds
 Loss of wetlands
 More wildfires
 Wind and water erosion of soils
 Poor soil quality
3.Social impact
Social impacts of drought are ways that drought affects people’s health and
safety. Social impacts include public safety, health, conflicts between people
when there isn’t enough water to go around, and changes in lifestyle. Examples of
social impacts include:
  Anxiety or depression about economic losses caused by drought
 Health problems related to low water flows and poor water quality
 Health problems related to dust
 Loss of human life
 Threat to public safety from an increased number of forest and range fires
 Reduced incomes
 People may have to move from farms into cities, or from one city to
another
 Fewer recreational activities
Monitoring Indices
Indices used to monitor short-term drought-related impacts (timescales ranging
from a few days to a few months) include wildfire danger, non-irrigated
agriculture, topsoil moisture, range and pasture conditions, and unregulated
streamflows. The Palmer indices—water balance indices that consider water
supply (precipitation), demand (evapotranspiration), and loss (runoff)—for short-
term drought include the following:
The Palmer Crop Moisture Index measures short-term drought on a weekly scale
and is used to quantify drought’s impacts on agriculture during the growing
season
The Palmer Z-Index measures short-term drought on a monthly scale
The Standardized Precipitation Index, a probability index that considers only
precipitation, is computed for several timescales ranging from 1 to 72 months to
capture the various scales of both short-term and long-term drought.
 War
DISASTERS ARE ALSO CAUSED BY SOCIOPOLITICAL CONFLICTS THAT ESCALATE
INTO VIOLENCE. War is defined as a conflict between to large groups of
population, which involves physical force, violence and the use of weapons
Sometimes war is identified by such terms as “armed conflict”, not only for
populist reasons, but to avoid national and international law concerning warfare.

Short term effects of war

1. Loss of Life – Death of civilians from diseases, famine, etc., as well as
deaths of soldiers in battle and possible massacres and genocide.
2. Mental Stress – Five years ago, the term “Posttraumatic Stress Disorder”
(PTSD) was perhaps familiar only to mental health experts and researchers.
Today, however, it has entered our nation’s lexicon as more and more
soldiers return home from Iraq and Afghanistan with mental distress. The
National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder describes PTSD as an
anxiety disorder that may occur following a traumatic experience, causing a
victim to feel “scared, confused, or angry.” This disorder, first diagnosed by
scientists in the 1970s, can be initiated by a variety of experiences besides
military combat. These include experiencing physical or sexual abuse and
life-threatening accidents or disasters.
 3. Infrastructure – The degradation any country’s basic services brought on by
military activities can wreak havoc on the local environment and population
as simple thing we often take for granted such as clean water and
sanitation become major concerns. Public health takes a back seat to
staying alive. In Afghanistan, bacterial contamination and general water
loss was a serious problem for many people. The consequence was an
overall decline in safe drinking water throughout the country.
4. Forests/Biodiversity – Military machinery and explosives have caused
unprecedented levels of deforestation and habitat destruction. This has
resulted in erosion control, poor water quality, and food production
problems. To make matters worse, ecological protection and restoration
become a low priority during and after military conflicts. So many other
problems take precedence, such as infrastructure.
5. Nuclear accidents and radiation – The mishandling of the radioactive
material has profound effects on the environment and on the people and
animals that depend on it.
6. Chemical and Biological Warfare – One of the most striking examples of
military disregard for environmental and human health is the use of
chemical and biological agents in warfare. Consider President Bashar al-
Assad’s government’s use of Sarin against his own people in Syria in 2013.

.
 Reference
https://www.mentalhelp.net/disasters/#:~:text=%22A%20disaster%20is%20a
%20natural,societies%2C%20ecosystems%20and%20environment.
%22&text=Certain%20types%20of%20natural%20disasters,particular%20parts
%20of%20the%20world.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/ztp2k7h/revision/3
https://www.skwirk.com.au/skwirk/uploadFiles/content/database/files/
chapter.3500.body.html
https://www.vedantu.com/biology/famine-causes-and-effects
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flood
https://www.iwapublishing.com/news/flood-control-and-disaster-management
https://www.disaster-survival-resources.com/war.html
https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/how-do-landslides-cause-tsunamis?qt-
news_science_products=0#qt-news_science_products
https://www.usgs.gov/special-topic/water-science-school/science/tsunamis-
and-tsunami-hazards?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects
https://www.usgs.gov/faq/natural-hazards
http://www.fao.org/emergencies/emergency-types/landslides/en/#:~:text=The
%20impact%20of%20a%20landslide,increase%20the%20risk%20of%20floods
https://drought.unl.edu/Education/DroughtforKids/DroughtEffects.aspx
https://www.design4disaster.org/disasters-2/man-made-disasters/war-
terrorism-and-riots/#:~:text=Disasters%20are%20also%20caused%20by,and
%20the%20use%20of%20weapons
https://www.nssl.noaa.gov/education/svrwx101/tornadoes/
https://sjready.org/disasters/flooding.html