Cause and Effect of Earthquake, Typhoon and Tsunami

Hurricanes are mainly found in the Atlantic and Caribbean. Hurricanes in the Pacific are called typhoons. A more general term for these storms is a tropical cyclone. Hurricanes are named, and the naming process resets at the beginning

To begin with, “Hurricanes that originated in the northwest Pacific Ocean are called typhoons” (133). Typhoons are

The San Francisco earthquake on April 18, 1906 was one of the most devastating earthquakes felt by a lot of states. At 5:15 am, this earthquake which registered at 8.25 on the Richter Scale shook San Francisco, California. The earthquake lasted less than a minute and it did a lot of destruction in that period of time. The most destructive part during the San Francisco earthquake was the fires which began after, as a result of the earthquake. The fires killed about 3,000 people and left 400,000 homeless (San Francisco Earthquake). The San Francisco earthquake epicenter was located near San Andreas fault and as a result, the damages caused by the earthquake was felt many miles along the San Andreas fault line. The city of San Francisco was known for its culture and economy, and because of the impact of the earthquake and fire, the city was in total disaster. Because of the magnitude of the earthquake and the amount of damage it did to the city of San Francisco, a lot of data and digital images have been collected so that it can be used for references and be displayed at its anniversary.

Why was the typhoon so devastating, especially to a country that is prepared for (and has sustained) annual typhoons?

Natural disasters occurring from the climate change could be on the rise. Global warming has been rumored to be causing more hurricanes, typhoons, cyclones, heavier monsoonal rains that cause major flooding, mud slides, and other disasters worldwide. A tropical cyclone, also referred to as hurricanes, typhoons, or cyclones, depending on where in the world the cyclone is occurring, are one of the world’s grandest shows of energy provided by nature. Hurricanes are large, swirling, low pressure storms that have sustained winds of over 74 miles an hour and are formed over warm ocean waters (NASA, n.d.). The purpose of this paper is to discuss hurricanes

The scientific definition of a hurricane is “an intense storm of tropical origin, with sustained winds exceeding 64 knots, which forms over the warm northern Atlantic and eastern North Pacific oceans” (Ahrens 316). Each year, from approximately June 1st to November 30th, the world is forced to suffer through hurricane season. Through the duration of this time period hundreds of storm systems emerge from the tropical regions which surround the equator. From these countless storms over 50 will intensify to hurricane levels.

A hurricane is unlike the normal cyclones but is a severe tropical storm or cyclone that typically forms in the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, the Eastern Pacific Ocean or the Caribbean Sea. It is usually accompanied by heavy thunderstorms and if in the northern hemisphere, counterclockwise wind circulations near the earth's surface (FEMA, 2013).

Since they formed past the frost line, they are cool enough that volatile gases froze and created comets. They are made up of ice, different types of gases, and dust. Most comets are in the Kuiper Belt and Oort cloud. Some comets are on paths that are closer to the sun due to them knocking each other out of orbit. “One of the most famous comets is Halley's Comet” (Kortenkamp) and “gets near the sun every 76 years”

Tsunamis occur when there is sudden movement in an extensive body of water such as earthquakes, landslides on the sea floor, major volcanic eruptions or meteorite impacts. The most common source of a tsunami is earthquakes, which are another type of geomorphic hazard that is caused by the friction and stress that tectonic plates put on each other. Tsunamis primarily occur in coastal or island regions where there is a tectonic border or what is known as the ring of fire. As shown in the diagram below the ring of fire is located along the coastal and island regions of the world.As a result of the Pacific Plate diving beneath the Eurasian plate, on March 11, 2011, there were 2 geomorphic hazards, a magnitude-9 earthquake struck north Japan, which caused a deadly tsunami that reached heights of 39 meters. The destructive dilemma was dubbed ‘The Great Sendai Disaster’. The earthquake was caused by multiple centuries of stress on the tectonic plates surrounding the island. The earthquake caused a tsunami that reached the height of 39 meters (128 feet). Japanese scientists had previously discovered that there was another tsunami just like the one in 2011 that took place in 869 AD. But their warning was unhindered. The tsunami, which occurred in 869 AD, was caused by the same tectonic fault as the 2011 tsunami. The epicenter of the earthquake was off the northeast cost of Japan leading to a devastating tsunami that killed many and left many wishing they were. The massive earthquake caused an upward wave that headed towards the city of Sendai. Researches have recently uncovered a thin layer of clay that lubricated the fault zone causing the deadly tectonic slip, thus creating a tsunami that could wipe out an entire city as it did in 2011.The aftermath of the 2011 tsunami and earthquake was not pretty; it caused many deaths, injuries, traumas, financial difficulties, destruction of property, health bills and the destruction of the landscape as a whole. The natural disaster caused nearly 16,000 casualties and there are an estimated 2,500 people still reported missing. Although drowning caused most deaths others include, crushed by debris, suicide and diseases caused by nuclear radiation (cancer) spilled from nuclear

Hurricanes start over tropical and subtropical sea water. It begins when warm water, damp air, and solid winds impact and make a turning heap of storms and mists. A typhoon may last a couple of hours or a few days.

The scientific name for this type of storm is a ‘tropical cyclone’; however, when formed over the Atlantic Ocean or the Eastern Pacific Ocean, they are called hurricanes. Hurricanes are formed in intense low pressure areas in these oceans. The fuel of a hurricane is water vapour from the surface of the ocean. This water vapour condenses to form clouds and rain which, in turn, warms the surrounding air. When there is little wind shear over the ocean (this is what usually takes the heat away), the heat will build up and cause pressure to form. This causes wind to spiral in on

Tsunamis and hurricanes are often confused because they are both storms that can cause mass

Discuss the view that the impact of earthquake hazards depends primarily on human factors (40)

In March of 2011, a magnitude 9 earthquake hit Japan, releasing a dangerous tsunami. Japan was not expecting the magnitude of the earthquake and tsunami, and endured much hardship after the disaster. The effects of the tsunami can still be seen in Japan today through its residents, economy, and through actions that have been taken to further protect residents from future disasters. Though the Japan 2011 tsunami is one of the most destructive tsunamis ever recorded, dangerous tsunamis continue to take place across the globe. The Japan 2011 tsunami not only affected the inhabitants of Japan, but also affected people around the world. After disasters such as this, each area must endure the aftermath of the disaster and recover from the effects.

In the U.S. alone, the average annual cost to repair damage caused by earthquakes is $4.4 billion USD. The worldwide figure is much larger than this but unquantifiable due to poorer countries unable to accurately determine the amount of damage that occurred. Year after year the cost of damages barely fluctuates from these ridiculously high figures and money must be pumped into repairing the damage done. Although a lot is being learnt about earthquakes and the fact that humans are now normally able to be alerted in time to evacuate the area the earthquake will affect, there have been no breakthroughs into reducing the amount of damage earthquakes cause to buildings and infrastructures.