Storms

Question 1

What are the impacts of the great storm in 1987?

Answer 1

social
- 18 died
- 15,000 homes without power
economic
- 1 million buildings damaged
- transport disrupted
- Gatwick closed
environmental 
- 15 million trees blown down
- loss of animal habitats

Question 2

What were the responses to the great storm?

Answer 2

roads and railways cleared / forests cleared / increasing the quality and quantity of observations from ships & aircraft / homeowners started claims on their home insurance / military assistance was suggested

Question 3

State the characteristics of a tropical revolving storm.

Answer 3

> > slow moving systems &raquo_space; extremely low pressure
spun by coriolis effect &raquo_space; sea temp above 27c
up to 650km across &raquo_space; tall cumulous clouds
bursts of heavy rain &raquo_space; warm moist conditions

Question 4

how is a tropical revolving storm formed?

Answer 4

• seas 27°C (summer temp) and over encourages evaporation and the rising of air and water vapour up through the atmosphere in thermals
• an area of low pressure near the seas surface creates a vacuum that lifts water up into a storm surge.
• convergence of air in the lower atmosphere
• latitudes where the coriolis effect is enough to make them spin
• convergence of trade winds
• may lose energy when it hits land due to a loss of heat source from the sea.

Question 5

What are the associated hazards that come with tropical storms?

Answer 5

~ waves of up to 15m high = hard to ship
~ storm surge = extensive damage
~ heavy rainfall = flooding
~ tornadoes = extreme wind damage

Question 6

How to measure tropical storms?

Answer 6

The saffir simpson scale measures potential damage, accounting for the height of the storm surge created.
CATEGORY 5 = over 155mph winds
CATEGORY 3 = 130mph winds
CATEGORY 1 = 95mph winds

Question 7

State the impacts of a tropical revolving storm.

Answer 7

social
> contaminated water supplies after sewage overflows
> unemployment increase as businesses are destroyed
> blocked roads hinder rescue efforts & communication
> people drown and are injured by flying debris.
economic
* money spent to rebuild roads, airports etc.
* damage to crops and trade business
environmental
- beaches eroded so coastal habitats are destroyed
- salt water & oil pollute environments and water supplies

Question 8

Why are impacts of a storm greater in poorer countries?

Answer 8

1. they don’t have the money to respond
2. no flood defences or trained emergency teams
3. building are of poor quality so are easily damaged
4. evacuation harder to organise because of limited access to communications and good infrastructure.
5. poor healthcare system overloaded with influx of injured
   * economic costs less in LEDC’S whilst human loss is more due to poorly built buildings etc.
   e.g. economic impact of Katrina was $300bn
   economic impact of Nargis was $4bn

Question 9

Responses to tropical revolving storms.

Answer 9

EVACUATION
:- accurate predication can map out paths of the storm
:- people in the areas most likely to be hit can evacuate
:- sandbags & boarded windows can lessen impacts
PLANNING
:- most a risk areas e.g. the coast needs to be planned
:- emergency agencies need to prepare for next time
:- Gov can plan evacuation routes
EDUCATION
:- educate the masses on how to best prepare
BUILDINGS
:- stilts, reinforced concrete, secured roofs
:- levees & sea walls act as protection
AID
:- help the poorest get back on their feet