Natural Disasters

Earthquakes Tornadoes Volcanoes Thunderstorms

Others we will not cover: Avalanches, floods, blizzards, tsunamis, and droughts.

Smiteme, “Hurricane Katrina-August 28, 2005” August 28, 2005 via Flickr, Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-NoDerivs License.

Types of Natural Disasters

Earthquakes- The shaking, rolling or sudden shock of the Earths surface.

- Usually last for less than one minute.

- Effects very large areas.

- Earthquakes are very unpredictable.

Mike-Campbell, “Badly Damaged building in the CBD” September 6, 2010 via Flickr. Creative Commons Attribution and No Derivative Works License.

EarthquakesSigns of an earthquake:

- The ground shakes. - Shelves begin to shake.

- Objects begin to sway. -There is a slight rumble sound.

The Richter Scale (0-9)

Under 4= little to no damage, Above 6=major damage

EarthquakesWhat to do in an earthquake:

1. Drop to the floor.

2. Find cover under table or in a doorway.

3. Hold on through the shaking.

4. Remain where you are until told all is safe.

- Funnel-shaped clouds that develop mostly during thunderstorms.

- Speeds can reach 300 mph.

- Damage can be up to 1 mile wide and 50 miles long.

Tornadoes

Ryan-o “Parker Tornado” August 24, 2008 via Flickr, Creative Commons Attribution and No Derivative Works License.

Tornado Alley:

IowaSouth DakotaNebraska ColoradoKansasOklahomaTexas

Tornadoes

Dan Craigs. “Tornado Alley Diagram” September 18, 2009 via Wikipedia, Creative Commons Share-Alike License.

On the News:

Tornado Watch: Tornadoes are possible, continue on as normal, but stay tuned in for updates.

Tornado Warning: A tornado has been spotted, take appropriate cover.

Tornadoes

Volcanoes

Erin! “Arenal Volcano” March 11, 2006 via Flickr. Creative Commons Attribution and No Derivative Works License.

- Mountains that hold molten lava under its surface.

- When pressure builds inside a volcano, an eruption occurs.

- Dangerous molten lava can cover miles of surface, wrecking houses, yards, trees and anything in its way.

Volcanoes- Mainly found in: California,

Hawaii, Alaska, Oregon, and Washington.

- Triggers other natural disasters such as: Flash floods, earthquakes, rock falls, land slides, ect.

VolcanoesInteresting Facts:

- There are more than 500 active volcanoes in the world.

- Most mountains and sea floors were created by volcanoes.

-Thunderstorms are a combination of thunder and lightning.

-They usually last an average of 30 minutes.

Thunderstorms

Aquinoktium, “Thunderstorm” October 28, 2009 via Flickr, Creative Commons Attribution.

To estimate the distance of how far a storm is away, count the seconds between one flash of lightning and the first thunder boom after.

Take the number of seconds and divide by 5.

Example: 10 seconds/5 = 2 miles away.

Thunderstorms

During thunderstorms:

-Stay inside.-If outside take shelter in a ditch.-Unplug computers and other electronics.-Avoid the use of all electronic items, such as phones.

Thunderstorms

Summary1.Earthquakes(rumble of the Earth)

2. Tornadoes(funnel shaped cloud)

3. Volcanoes(erupting mountains)

4. Thunderstorms(flashing, loud, rain storms)

During any storm remember to stay calm!

Prayitno. “Snow Storm #3” January 19, 2010 via Flickr, Creative Commons Attribution.

Credits"FEMA For Kids: The Disaster Area." FEMA | Federal Emergency Management Agency. Web. 21 Feb. 2011. <http://www.fema.gov/kids/dizarea.htm>.