Storm Hazards Case Studies Flashcards
Describe the locations of Hurrican Katrina and Cyclone Nargis
Katrina - SE USA - Louisiana and Mississippi
Nargis - SE Asia - Myanmar
What was the date of each of the storm events?
Katrina - 29th August 2005
Nargis - 2nd May 2008
What was the category of each storm?
Katrina - 5
Nargis - 4
What proportion of New Orleans was flooded and why?
80% - the storm surge overwhelmed the levees around the city
How many people died in Hurricane Katrina compared to Cyclone Nargis?
Katrina - 1836
Nargis - 140,000
Over 75 times less
How many people were left homeless after Katrine struck compared to Nargis?
Katrina - 60,000
Nargis - 3.2million
Over fifty times less
How many people were left without electricity after Katrina struck?
Three million
How many thousand school were destroyedd in Myanmar compared to New Orleans?
Katrina - 18
Nargis - 4000
What percentage of health facilities were destoyed by cyclone Nargis?
75%
What were some long term health problems associated with Cyclone Nagris
Diseases such as dysentery and diarrhoea spread due to contaminated water and poor sanitary conditions
How many people lost their jobs as a result of hurricane Katrina?
230,000
How many people lost their livelihoods as a result of cyclone Nargis?
Millions - fishing and farming indisturies - boats were destroyed and rice paddy fields were damaged
What was the total cost of Katrina compareed to Nargis?
Katrina - $100billion
Nargis - $10billion
Which industries were most affected by Katrina?
Oil idustry - 30 platforms destroyed amd damaged in the Gulf of Mexico
Shipping industry- ports in Mississippi damaged
Logging industry- 5000km2 of forest destroyed
What was the long term affect ob farmin in Myanmar?
Soil was washed away and eroded
Soil affected by Salinization (increased salt concentration)
Outline the impact of Katrina on coastal habitats
Sea turtle breeding ground destroyed
Salt marshes flooded
Why will the extensive damage to mangrove forest have significant long term impacts on Myanmar?
Because they usually act as a flooding and soil erosion barrier from coastal processes
Why did people in the USA have prior warning of where and when a storm was likely to hit?
The USA have top technology to track the storm
Satellite and radar
Why were many people in Myanmar unaware of the seriousness of the storm?
The country has no monitoring centre for the storm or technology
Many people did not know how to prepare or respond despite Indian weather warnings
How did Myanmar’s evacuation plans compare to the USA’s?
Myanmar had no plans whereas mass evacuation orders were made in New Orleans resulting in the evacuation on 80% of the population
How many people were rescued by emergency services in the USA?
50,000
Which country benefited the most from short term aid?
The USA.
$4billion was collected by charities from the public and the Federal Emergency Management Agency paid out $85billion.
Myanmar initially refused to accept foreign aid
Which country suffered the worst social impacts of the storm and which suffered the worst economic impact?
Social - Myanmar - most amount of deaths, loss of schools, homeless stats
Economic - USA - $100billion costs - 1/4million people unemployed as a result of the hurricane
How high were each of the storm surges?
Katrina - 8.5m in Mississippi
Nargis - 5m
