17. Impacts of tropical cyclones
Watch this video on how cyclone Nargis was formed.
Watch this video to see how Hurricane Katrina developed day by day. Can you pick up the impacts of the Hurricane on New Orleans?
Identify and list the likely natural hazards associated with Cyclone Nargis.
Extract relevant data and list the impact of Cyclone Nargis.
Group the impacts that are similar before identifying appropriate classifications (i.e., social, economic and physical environment) for the groupings.
Physical
Damage to infrastructure such as bridges and roads, houses and buildings
Disruption of communication - Roads and bridges were not able to be used to transport emergency supplies such as food, medicine, water to the areas that need these items
For example, in 2009, Typhoon Ketsuna caused serious damage to the road networks in the Philippines, Cambodia and Laos, which hindered rescue work
80% of the health centres in Manila were destroyed by the tropical cyclone and it became difficult to distribute food and medicine to those who needed them
Economic
Cost of repair to infrastructure - Fixing or renovating buildings
Loss of income - Income lost due to inability to work during period of tropical cyclone or damaged crops
US$4 billion needed to repair infrastructure and provide humanitarian aid (e.g. medicine, water filter, tents etc) after Typhoon Nargis in Myanmar in 2008.
Economic losses for countries affected by typhoons amount to US$26 billion annually, projected to increase to US$55 billion by 2100.
Social
Disrupt water supply - Burst sewage pipes will contaminate water.
Damage to infrastructure disrupts supply of fresh water to people.
Spreading of diseases -Stagnant water allows mosquitoes to breed, aiding the spread of malaria and dengue.
Dirty water also results in water-borne diseases such as cholera and typhoid fever.
Displacement of people from homes - People lose their homes due to rising flood waters and an example is the disaster caused by Hurricane Katrina which struck New Orleans, USA in 2005
Below are some background data for storms which hit New Orleans USA (MEDC) and Cyclone Nargis, Myanmar (LEDC).
See if you can identify how the storms differed in their damage and why.
Cyclone Nargis
May 2nd 2008
Wind speed: 215km per hour – category 4
Size of storm surge: At least 4 metres
Relief of the coastline affected: Low lying Irrawaddy delta, an area of islands and rivers
Number of deaths: At least 138,000 people
Number of homeless: 3.2 million people
Economic cost: $10billion
Responses:
Despite India tracking the cyclone it hammered the Burmese coast with little notice given to the Burmese people, who have low levels of technology and low literacy rates.
Aid received:
Burma refused initial aid attempts from foreign countries for 2 days, and only then allowed in people with Visas.
Eventually, India, Italy, Bangladesh,Malaysia, The UK and USAcommitted troops, food aid and cash to the country.
Hurricane Katrina
August 29th 2005
Wind speed: 285 km per hour – Category 5
Size of storm surge: 8.5 meters
Relief of the coastline affected: Low lying Mississippi delta
Number of deaths: 1836 deaths
Number of homeless: 60,000
Economic cost: Over $100 Billion
Responses:
The hurricane was spotted and tracked by the National Hurricane centre. Mass evacuation orders were made, 1,000 people were bussed out of New Orleans an hour. The response after the storm was criticised for being slow, numbers but the US army did arrive to help.
Aid received:
Internal aid from FEMA, a branch of the US government was $85
billion. The US corps. of engineers set about draining New Orleans immediately