A planet full of LIFE…

1. A planet full of LIFE… planet A planet blessed with AMAZING CREATURES… EARTH A planet with gorgeous NATURE…..

2. but oh! What is a natural disaster? Volcanic eruption Earthquake tsunami Flashfloods Landslide here's what we call... -It is the consequence of a natural hazard (e.g. volcanic eruption, earthquake, or landslide) which affects human lives or destroy property. NATURAL DISASTERS! What is a natural hazard ? -a threat of an event that will have a negative effect on people or the environment. Many natural hazards are related, e.g. earthquakes can result in tsunamis, drought can lead directly to famine and disease. Hazards are consequently relating to a future occurrence and disasters to past or current occurrences.

3. You Need Some Safety Measures… • In case of an earthquake: • Take cover under a sturdy desk, table or other furniture. Hold on to it and be prepared to move with it. Hold the position until the ground stops shaking and it is safe to move. • Keep away from buildings, especially old, tall or detached buildings, electricity wires, slopes and walls, which are liable to collapse. • If you are in a hilly area, or near unstable slopes or cliffs, be alert for falling rocks and other debris, which could be loosened by the earthquake. • Expect aftershocks. Turn off the water, gas and electricity in your homes and offices. Do not smoke and do not light matches or use a cigarette lighter. Do not turn on electric switches. There may be gas leaks or short-circuits. Use a torch. • In case of flash floods: • Do not build in a floodplain unless you elevate and reinforce your home.Construct barriers (levees, beams, floodwalls) to stop floodwater from entering the building. • Listen to the radio or television for information. If there is any possibility of a flash flood, move to higher ground right away. • Be aware of streams, dry riverbeds, drainage channels, canyons and other areas known to flood suddenly. • Stay away from power lines and electrical wires. The number two flood killer after drowning is electrocution. Electrical current can travel through water. • In case of volcanic eruption: • Listen to a local station for updated emergency information and instructions. • Follow any evacuation orders issued by authorities. The best way to stay safe is to take the advice of local authorities. • Avoid low-lying areas, areas downwind of the volcano, and river valleys downstream of the volcano. Debris and ash will be carried by wind and gravity. • Wear a dust mask designed to protect against lung irritation from small particles. Protect your eyes by wearing goggles. • In case of a landslide: • Have a family evacuation plan including phone numbers and a safe place to which to evacuate. • If there is time, turn off the house utilities (gas, water, electricity) at the main switches. • Establish escape routes from each room in the house. • If you are caught in a landslide, try to curl up in a ball and protect yourself from the debris as it hurtles by.

4. Trivia! Did you know that… The site of the two most deadly volcanic eruptions in history is Indonesia, a nation made up of a string of volcanic islands located between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. The first eruption took place at Mount Tambora on April 5, 1815, killing more than 92,000 people. In late August 1883, an eruption at Krakatau (also spelled Krakatoe) claimed 36,417 lives. Other devastating eruptions have occurred at Mount Pelee and Nevada de Ruiz. The worst tsunami disaster in history occurred in December 2004 when a magnitude 9.0 undersea earthquake, centered in the Indian Ocean, generated a tsunami that struck the coasts of 14 countries from Southeast Asia to northeastern Africa. More than 250,000 people were reported dead as a result of the tsunami and the earthquake, with nearly two-thirds of the deaths occurring in Indonesia. -Most tsunamis originate along the Ring of Fire, a zone of volcanoes and seismic activity, 32,500 km (24,000 mi) long, which encircles the Pacific Ocean. Since 1819, about 40 tsunamis have struck the Hawaiian Islands. The deadliest landslides in history were the Vargas Landslide in Venezuela (1999) having 30,000 to 50,000 dead and the 2006 Southern Leyte Landslide causing 1,800 dead people.

5. Breaking News !!! “Hurricane Katrina struck the New Orleans area early morning of August 29, 2005. The storm surge breached the city's levees at multiple points, leaving 80 percent of the city submerged, tens of thousands of victims clinging to rooftops, and hundreds of thousands scattered to shelters around the country.” (http://www.nola.com/katrina/index.ssf) “About 300 tourists on a visit to the famous Vivekananda Rock Memorial had a harrowing time after they were stranded as the water suddenly receded 10 to 15 feet from the shore, triggering fears of Tsunami. A similar low tide had occurred off Kanyakumari a brief while before the killer Tsunami hit many parts of the state and neighbouring Kerala and Puducherry in December 2004.” (http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/004200808041758.htm)

6. The Deadliest Volcanic Eruptions Based on surveys and statistics… Largest and Deadliest Earthquakes Deadliest Volcanic Eruptions NOTE: All eruptions with more than 500 known human fatalities. Based on data in Volcanic Hazards: A Sourcebook on the Effects of Eruptions by Russell J. Blong (Academic Press, 1984). Source: Volcano World. Web: volcano.und.edu/vw.html .

7. Ask yourself! And who do you think are the SUSPECTS ?? What are the major causes of this natural disaster?? The answers are SIMPLE… US! • Poisoning of the air through factories and smoke belching vehicles • Poisoning of the ocean • Poisoning of the land • Disruption of ecosystems

8. Reflect! Many properties have been lost… Many territories have been destroyed… Many lives have been sacrificed… Think again!... Is our man-made disruption of the planet now resulting a backlash of natural disasters??

9. Act now my friend! We must not lose sight of the much greater disasters that yet await our human civilization of we DO NOT ACT DECESIVELY to end our rampant destruction of our planet’s ecosystem… We need to make changes in the way we treat our planet if we wish to avoid even more so called “NATURAL DISASTERS” in the FUTURE ! !