Securing lives amidst impact of hurricane and natural disaster

History, proposition and implementing strategies to reduce the effect of hurricanes and other disaster-prone situations in the global world…

The effect of climate variation has significantly increased the loss of lives and properties globally. Lately, Florida was hit sternly by hurricane and this has caused unprovoked loss of many lives and properties. According to National Hurricane Center, “Hurricane Milton made landfall Wednesday night as a ‘dangerous Category 3’ storm near Siester Key, on Florida’s central west coast.” Hurricane is a powerful tropical storm characterised by strong winds, heavy rain, and thunderstorms. These storms form over warm ocean waters and are classified as hurricanes when their wind speeds influence at least 74 miles per hour (119 kilometers per hour). Hurricanes can cause significant damage due to high winds, storm surges, and heavy rainfall, leading to flooding and other dangerous effects to human lives. They are also referred to as typhoons in the western Pacific and cyclones in the Indian Ocean.

The history of hurricanes dates back thousands of years, with notable instances appearing in historical texts. The earliest known descriptions of hurricanes come from ancient cultures, such as the Babylonians and the Greeks. The term “hurricane” itself is derived from the Taino word “hurucane,” meaning “storm.” Over time, scientific study in the 19th century marked the beginning of systematic study of hurricanes. Hurricane is considered a natural disaster, as it can cause significant damage through strong winds, heavy rainfall, storm surges, and flooding, affecting communities, infrastructures, and ecosystem.During the 1980s, more than 700,000 people lost their lives as a direct result of severe weather, including floods and droughts. Natural disasters have been considered as “acute” or “slow” in their onset.

The acute onsets include events such as earthquake, flood, hurricane, cyclone or typhoon, tornado, fire, tsunami or storm surge, avalanche, volcanic outbreak, extreme cold or snowstorm, and heat wave. Natural hazards with slow or gradual onset include drought, famine, desertification, deforestation, and pest infestation. The 1990s and beyond proved to be even more catastrophic, as global natural disaster trends rose with increasing rapidity.

Among the different types of natural disasters, floods, tropical storms, droughts and earth-quakes are the most destructive, followed by landslides and storms. In 1992 alone, natural disasters costed the world’s economy more money than it spent on development relief. The November 2004 typhoons in the Philippines also claimed over 1,000 lives and devastated the livelihoods of many more.

Indian Ocean Tsunami was more destructive that more than 150,000 lives were lost. As reported by the secretariat of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR), the last ten years have seen 478,100 people killed, more than 2.5 billion people affected and about US$ 690 billion in economic losses. During the period 1994-2003, Asia was excessively affected by natural disasters.

Approximately half of the 650 natural catastrophes recorded in 2004 were windstorms and severe weather events, while 80 were due to geological hazards (70 damaging earthquakes and 10 volcanic eruptions).

Meteorologists started classifying storms and understanding their formation. The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale was developed in the 1970s to categorize storms by intensity. Sequence to the 20th Century, notable storms include the 1938 New England Hurricane, which caused significant damage and loss of lives, and Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which devastated New Orleans.

Advent of Satellite Technology in the 1960s allowed for improved tracking and forecasting, leading to better preparedness and ensuring measure.

Recent research suggests that climate change may be affecting the frequency and intensity of hurricanes, leading to more destructive storms, such as Hurricane Harvey in 2017 and Hurricane Dorian in 2019. Current drifts suggest preparedness and response and early advances in weather forecasting have improved the ability to predict hurricanes, allowing for better evacuation plans and emergency responses. Hurricanes remain a critical area of study, especially with changing climate patterns influencing their behaviour and impact.

Having looked at a comprehensive history of hurricane, and consequences on recent times, employing strategic steps for current trends and finding lasting solution in order to prevent further loss of lives and properties are necessary. Suggesting lasting solutions to the question of human disaster, the UN Millennium summit gathered in New Yoke in September 2000, a total of 189 world leaders met and adopted the UN Millenium Declaration. “Under Protecting our Common Environment” The declaration adopt in all our environment, action a new ethic of conservation and stewardship and, as first steps, resolves to intensify cooperation to reduce the number and effects of natural and man-made disasters.”

Among Strategies suggested were, developing early warning systems, vulnerability mapping, technological transfer, training, supporting interdisciplinary and intersectoral partnerships, improving scientific research on the causes of natural disasters and improved international cooperation to reduce the impact of climate variables, such as El Niño and La Niña, encouraging governments to address the problems created by megacities, the location of settlements in high-risk areas and other man-made determinants of disasters,reassuring governments to incorporate disaster risk reduction into national planning processes, including building codes. In addition, finding solutionto security of human lives and properties, The Hygo Framework for Action 2005-2015 “Building the resilience of nations and communities to disaster’ in the World Conference on Disaster Reduction, which took place in Kobe, Hygo, Japan in 2005, was a milestone in the advancement the international community strives, in the broad areas of disaster risk reduction.

However, Hurricane preparedness and response classically focus on few key areas amongst which are mitigation, preparation, and recovery.

Enforcing strict building to ensure structures can withstand high winds and flooding and locations away from coastal areas prone to flooding and winds. Circumventing building in high-risk areas and promoting natural barriers like wetlands, using aerodynamic shapes to reduce wind resistance, rounded sloped roofs can as well prevent wind uplift. Infrastructure enhancementcan strengthen levees, drainage systems, and roads to manage storm surges, flooding, and piling elevated structures can moderate flooding risks. Using impact-resistant windows, reinforced concrete, steel framing, and securing roofs with strong fasteners can reduce the impact of wind.

Developing emergency Plans and regularly updating community and household including evacuation routes. Preparing kits with essentials like food, water, medications, and communication devices are quite crucial to keep communities abreast. Conducting outreach programs to inform communities about hurricane risks and preparedness measures, while establishing afund effective recovery program to support affected individuals and communities to reduce imminent trauma.

Prioritising the rapid repair of critical infrastructure like hospitals, schools, and utilities andproviding psychological support and resources for those affected by the trauma of hurricanes and other disaster as the case may be.

Addressing climate change through sustainable practices and reducing carbon emissions to lessen the intensity of future storms andinvestment in technology for better forecasting, early warning systems, and resilient infrastructure design, are relatively significant averting unprecedented disruptions of human lives and properties.