Define the natural disaster and attach an
online article of the event
A flood can be defined as an overflow of
water that submerges vast areas and causes destruction. Sometimes the inflow of
tides is also regarded as a flood. Floods are of great concern in civil
engineering, public health, and agriculture. Flooding occurs because of the
overflow of water from certain water bodies like rivers, lakes, and oceans. In
these water bodies, the water crosses a certain level and overflowing starts.
In other words, we can say that when the water escapes its boundaries, then a
flood may take place. It is also caused because of the accumulation of
rainwater on saturated grounds. The sizes and depths of water bodies differ
from one another, but when the snow melts or seasonal changes take place, then
a considerable amount of water gets collected in them, followed by leaving its
boundaries and causing floods.
For
quite a long time, floods have been causing damages to homes, businesses and
entire cities. Some of them develop slowly and other others like flash floods
develop within minutes and show no prominent signs of rain. In addition, we
should notice that the local floods can impact neighborhoods or local
communities, and when they are extreme in nature, then the entire river basins
are likely to be affected.
The Midwestern United States has had
experienced major floods, mainly along its tributaries in Missouri, Iowa, South
Dakota, Kansas, and Nebraska as well as the Missouri River. From the first week
of January till March, the average temperature in the Midwest was 20 to 30
degree Fahrenheit, and snow fell in different areas. In Nebraska, from March 11
to March 13, the temperature rose up to 59 degrees Fahrenheit, and 1.5 inches
of rain had fallen. This led the snow to melt, and the frozen ground could not
absorb most of the water, causing unprecedented runoff in local rivers and
streams. A large number of rivers were frozen over with thick layers of ice,
which was broken up by the powerful flow of water. This created massive chunks
of ice that were able to travel downstream and acted as roiling plows. Several
people died in Nebraska and Iowa due to this flood.
Identify the location map of the natural
disaster and include the map
This location map indicates that the 2019
Midwestern U.S. floods caused destructions in areas like Iowa, Missouri, and
Nebraska. In Iowa, destruction was caused due to flooding and heavy rains.
Almost all people were directly or indirectly impacted, and the governor had to
sign an emergency disaster proclamation March 14th. In this part of the United
States, flooding was regarded as catastrophic, specifically in the Missouri
River Valley. Governor Kim Reynolds then estimated the damages at $1.5 billion,
which has been a state record until now. The president was then requested to
declare a disaster in over 65 counties (Smith et al. 2019).
Similarly, the whole community of Craig and
several parts of St. Joseph were evacuated. Governor Mike Parson issue a state
of emergency, claiming that the flood could affect all farms and communities of
Missouri in a few minutes or hours. Most of the roads and streets were closed,
water treatment plants, residential areas, and commercial centers got
destructed, and the entire infrastructure of Missouri got impacted. In order to
deal with this natural disaster, local partners began working together. First
of all, they assessed the situation, planned how to provide resources, and then
helped Missourians as they were fighting with the flood.
The map also shows that Spencer Dam had
collapsed on the Niobrara River. The situation got worst when the unregulated
flooding destructed three bridges downstream, especially the Highway 281
bridge. Just like the residents of Platte, Elkhorn, and Missouri, people living
in east-central Nebraska evacuated, and some of them had to experience all-time
record flooding. The situation was uncertain, and the water overflowed the
entire area. It is said that the water in the Platte River had reached an
alarming level and this became the reason for the flood. Some of its sites were
broken, and the level of water rose up to five feet. On March 18, 2019,
governor Pete Ricketts had declared a state of emergency and barriers were
placed all over the area to stop people from wandering here and there
unnecessarily.
Explain the causes of the natural disaster
Flooding is experienced in all parts of the
world and because of a number of reasons. Some of the human causes of flooding
are poorly designed infrastructures. On the other hand, natural causes include
heavy rains and tsunamis. One of the simplest and best explanations for flowing
is heavy rains. It does not matter where you live, you will always be
surrounded by systems and infrastructures designed to move water into relevant
reservoirs and basins. In some situations, these reservoirs or basins are
broken down, or the water crosses its boundaries, causing floods. When it rains
regularly and heavily, most of these systems are overwhelmed, and the water
begins spreading in nearby areas or towns. Thus, there is a strong need to
strengthen the drainage system.
Another cause is the rivers that overflow
once a while. In such a situation, you do not need to experience heavy rains as
flooding in your area will be caused because of a nearby river being
overflowed. Most of the rivers have a series of dams that help manage large
quantities of water. When a problem is caused in these dams or they are broken
down, then the water gets out of the boundaries and reaches nearby areas,
causing floods. All over the United States, the infrastructure is getting old.
When heavy rains fall and the level of water rises, aging dams fail to hold
most of the water.
Urban drainage basins are another cause of
floods. Most of our cities and towns are made from concrete and other similar
materials. When we have an urban drainage basin made of concrete, there remains
no ground for the water to sink into. It means the water will keep flowing over
the surface of the Earth and when its quantity increases or the drainage basins
are filled up, then this may cause floods. This condition is more common in
urban areas than in rural areas, such as Los Angles and Houston.
Tsunamis and storm surges are another possible
cause of floods, meaning rains are not always the culprit. In some parts of the
United States, tsunamis, hurricanes, and other storms take place in a large
number, leading to flooding. Tsunamis are the result of underwater earthquakes.
In 2004, an earthquake took place in Indonesia, leading to a tsunami and then
flooding.
Last but not least, a lack of vegetation is a
significant cause of flooding. It should be noticed that vegetation slows
runoff and prevents flooding to an extent. In different parts of the country,
forests are cut and vegetation is disturbed; people build commercial and
residential areas, and there is a little vegetation to stop water from flowing
here and there.
Describe the social, economic and
environmental impacts of the disaster
Flooding has a large number of social,
economic and environmental impacts. A plus point is that the water that spreads
here and there contains loads of nutrients and minerals, and this can improve
the fertility of the land. The negative effects include the loss of habitat for
both animals and plans, leading to a reduction of biodiversity. Rivers that
flood carry huge amounts of debris and other pollutants that are then sent to
the sea. This may benefit the living things on the surface of the Earth but are
devastating for marine life. Some of the social impacts include the loss of
properties and lives. People may die in a large number, crops may destruct, the
infrastructure may get impacted, and different health conditions are likely to
be caused.
In addition, people lose their communication
links, and power plants, bridges and roads get destructed partially or
completely. Damages to infrastructures can cause long-term and short-term
impacts, such as the disruption to electricity and pure drinking water, communication
as well as transport. Frequent flooding leads to mass migration, and this can
have prolonged economic effects. Those who have witnessed floods may develop
psychological problems such as depression, stress, and anxiety, and this
condition is primarily applicable to those who have lost their families. The
loss of loved ones generates deep impacts on children.
Describe the possible solutions to cope with
the disaster in the future
The first possible solution to the problem of
flooding is being aware of its dangers. Six to seven inches of fast-flowing
water is capable of knocking over adults, and two feet of water can lift cars
off the ground. If you are living an area where the level of water is more than
the average, then this can be a sign of a flood, so the best way to ensure your
protection is to shift to safe areas immediately. In addition, you should not
drive through the flood, as there can be hidden debris and open manholes under
the water. Another solution to the problem is to have reserves of bottled water
and dry fruits. At a large scale, the focus should always be on developing
flood-resistance buildings and factories.
References
Smith, M., Schwartz, J., &
Gruber, T. (2019, March 31). 'Breaches Everywhere': Flooding Bursts Midwest
Levees, and Tough Questions Follow. Retrieved from
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/31/us/midwest-floods-levees.html
