Why cataclysms? Strange sounds coming from the frozen Black Sea, Ukraine

Natural disasters were also described in the distant past, for example, the “global flood” described in the Bible. Floods occur quite often and can become truly global. For example, a flood in 1931 on the Yangtze River in China flooded an area of ​​300 thousand km², and in some areas the water remained for four months.

The destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah described in the Bible, according to scientists, resembles a natural phenomenon - an earthquake. Researchers of Atlantis are inclined to believe that the island was also flooded as a result of an earthquake. During the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, the cities of Herculaneum and Pompeii were buried under a layer of ash. The resulting tsunami can be a consequence of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The eruption of the Krakatoa volcano in 1833 was accompanied by an earthquake. As a result, a tidal wave was formed that reached the shores of the islands of Java and Sumatra. The death toll was about 300 thousand people.
Natural disasters claim about 50 thousand human lives every year. Since 1970, statistics have been updated with new data. During the earthquake in America in 1988, according to various estimates, from 25 to 50 thousand people died. Nine out of ten natural disasters belong to four types. Floods account for 40%, tropical cyclones - 20%, earthquakes and droughts - 15%. Tropical cyclones take the leading place in the number of victims. Floods cause great material damage. According to R. Cates, the annual damage caused by natural disasters to the global economy is about 30 billion US dollars.

Natural disasters are natural processes, which have destructive power, causing injuries and death.
To study natural disasters, it is necessary to know the nature of each of them. Natural disasters in the form of a tropical cyclone carry the danger of extreme action of all its elements: rain, wind, waves, storm surges. Storm surges are the most destructive.
In 1970, a tropical cyclone in the northern Bay of Bengal caused sea levels to rise by six meters. This led to flooding. Due to destructive hurricane and the flood that began killed about 300 thousand people, Agriculture suffered $63 million in damage. 60% of the population, mostly fishermen, were killed, and 65% of fishing vessels were destroyed. The consequences of the disaster affected the supply of protein food to the entire region.

Tropical cyclones are a seasonal phenomenon. On average, up to 110 incipient hurricanes are tracked by satellites per year over the Atlantic. But only 10-11 of them will grow to gigantic size. It is necessary to predict the onset of a tropical cyclone in time to protect people. Hurricanes are first identified and then tracked by satellites. If a hurricane threat is detected, its path and speed are predicted. The speed and direction of a tropical cyclone can be determined at a distance of 300 kilometers by radar. It is important to identify the area of ​​coastline where storm surge may begin, as well as the signs of a tornado. Weather services keep the public informed of the location and characteristics of the cyclone.
Floods are natural disasters that result in inundation of coastal areas. initial stage flooding begins with the overflow of the riverbed and the overflow of water from its banks. Flooding is the most common natural phenomenon. Floods can occur on permanent and temporary watercourses, but even where there have never been rivers or lakes, for example in areas where heavy rainfall occurs.
Floods affect densely populated areas of the Earth: China, India, Bangladesh. Floods in China occur in the valleys of the Yellow and Yangtze rivers. Despite centuries of experience and hundreds of dams, the population of these areas are still victims of floods. Severe floods in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River in the 20th century led to 60 million people suffering from famine. During the flood in 1911, 100 thousand people died.

Floods still pose a big threat today. After heavy rainfall in 1952, the English resort town of Lynmouth was flooded. The flood destroyed buildings, flooded streets, and uprooted trees. A large number of people holidaying in Lynmouth were cut off from solid ground. The next day, the dam broke and 34 people died.

There is an inverse relationship between property damage due to flooding and the number of victims. Countries that have something to lose have all the means to prevent or mitigate the effects of flooding. Conversely, pre-industrial countries suffer more property damage, but do not have the necessary means to prevent a disaster and save people. Flooding may result in outbreaks of infectious diseases. To combat flooding, dams and dams are built, reservoirs are built to collect flood waters, and river beds are deepened.
Earthquakes are natural disasters caused by the sudden release of energy from the earth's interior in the form of shock waves and vibrations. An earthquake is dangerous due to direct and secondary effects. Direct manifestations, due to seismic waves and tectonic movements, cause soil displacement. Secondary effects cause subsidence and soil compaction. As a result of secondary effects, cracks form on the earth's surface, tsunamis, avalanches, and fires. A powerful earthquake is always accompanied by a large number human casualties and material losses. According to statistics, the largest number of victims of this disaster are in China, the USSR, Japan, and Italy. Approximately 14 thousand people die from earthquakes every year. Destruction zones from the epicenter of an earthquake can be several tens or hundreds of kilometers away. For example, the epicenter of the earthquake that occurred in Mexico in 1985 was in the Pacific Ocean, near the city of Acapulco. But despite this, it was so powerful that a significant part of the country was affected, especially the capital of Mexico, Mexico City. On the Richter scale, the force of the tremors reached 7.8. Located 300 kilometers from the epicenter, about 250 buildings were destroyed in Mexico City and 20 thousand people were injured. The devastation zone during the earthquake in Guatemala extended 60 kilometers from the epicenter. The ancient capital of Antigua was completely destroyed, 23 thousand people died, 95% destroyed settlements.

Predicting natural disasters is very difficult. At the moment, scientists can predict powerful seismic tremors, but cannot indicate exact time. But there have been cases when scientists were able to accurately predict an earthquake. In the Chinese province of Liaoning in 1974, local residents noticed signs of tectonic activity. The area was under constant monitoring by geologists, who, after the first tremors on February 1, 1975, were able to predict the possibility of a devastating earthquake. The authorities took measures to evacuate the population, and four days later an earthquake began, resulting in damage to 90% of the buildings. According to expert forecasts, the number of victims could reach 3 million people, but thanks to the measures taken, large casualties were avoided.

Up to 2 billion people continue to live in earthquake-prone areas. A radical measure to preserve the life and health of people is resettlement from seismically active zones.
Volcanic eruptions are natural disasters that have caused the death of 200 thousand people over 500 years. Until now, millions of people live in close proximity to volcanoes. On the island of Martinique in 1902, during a volcanic eruption, the city of Saint-Pierre, which was located 8 kilometers from the Mont Pelee volcano, was destroyed. The death toll was about 28 thousand people. This is almost the entire population of the city of Saint-Pierre. The activity of this volcano was already noted in 1851, but then there were no casualties or destruction. Experts predicted 12 days before the start of the eruption that this eruption would be similar to the previous one, so none of the residents attached great importance to the beginning of the approaching disaster.

In 1985, the Ruiz volcano in Colombia “awakened”. This volcanic eruption resulted in a huge number of casualties and property damage. The city of Amero, which was located 40 kilometers from Ruiz, suffered the most. Molten lava and gases melted the ice and snow on the top of the mountain, thereby causing a mudslide that completely destroyed the city. 15 thousand people, residents of the city of Amero, died. 20 thousand hectares of agricultural plantations, roads were destroyed, and other settlements were destroyed. The total number of deaths was 25 thousand people, about 200 thousand were injured.
Natural disasters in the form of volcanic activity cause as much damage as in previous centuries. However, scientists were able to establish the size of the zones of influence of volcanoes. The lava flow spreads over a distance of up to 30 kilometers during large eruptions. Acidic and hot gases pose a threat within a radius of several kilometers. Acid rain, which spreads over a distance of up to 400-500 kilometers, causes burns in people and poisons vegetation and soil.

Natural disasters must be studied in order to develop a system of measures to protect human health and prevent mass casualties. Great value has an engineering-geographical zoning of natural disaster zones.

Legends different nations world tell about some ancient disaster, which has befallen our planet. It was accompanied by terrible floods, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions; the lands were depopulated, and part of the land sank to the bottom of the sea...

An avalanche of environmental, social and man-made disasters fell upon us with the beginning of the 21st century. Daily messages from all corners of the planet inform about new natural disasters: eruptions, earthquakes, tsunamis, tornadoes and forest fires. But not harbingers is this global catastrophe of the Earth, because it seems that the next event will be even more destructive and will claim even more lives.

Nature of our planet, united in four elements, as if warning a person: stop! Come to your senses! Otherwise you with my own hands you will organize a terrible judgment for yourself...

Fire

Volcanic eruptions. Earth engulfed in volcanic fire belts. There are four belts in total. The largest is the Pacific Ring of Fire, which has 526 volcanoes. Of these, 328 erupted in historically foreseeable time.

Fires. So catastrophic in its consequences natural disaster, like a fire (forest, peat, grass and domestic), causes enormous damage to the economy Earth, claiming hundreds of human lives. According to the World Health Organization, every year hundreds of deaths are caused by the health effects of smoke from forest and peat fires. Smoke also causes road accidents.

Earth

Earthquakes. Tremors and vibrations of the planet's surface caused by tectonic processes occur annually throughout Earth, their number reaches a million, but most are so insignificant that they go unnoticed. occur on the planet approximately once every two weeks.

Sliding firmament. It just so happened that the man called himself the owner nature. But sometimes it seems that she only tolerates such self-appointment, at a certain moment making it clear who is boss. Her anger is sometimes terrible. Landslides, mudflows and avalanches - the sliding of soil, the descent of snow masses or streams of water carrying fragments of rocks and clay - these sweep away everything in their path.

Water

Tsunami. The nightmare of all residents of the ocean coast - a giant tsunami wave - arises as a result of an underwater earthquake. The shock causes a fault on the bottom of the sea, along which significant sections of the bottom rise or fall, which leads to the growth of a many-kilometer column of water. A tsunami appears, carrying billions of tons of water. Colossal energy drives it to a distance of up to 10-15 thousand km. The waves follow each other at intervals of about 10 minutes, spreading at the speed of a jet plane. In the deepest parts Pacific Ocean their speed reaches 1000 km/h.

Floods. The angry flow of water can destroy entire cities, leaving no one a chance to survive. The reason most often is a sharp rise in water to a critical level after prolonged rainfall.

Droughts. Well, who among us doesn’t love the sun? Its gentle rays lift the spirits and bring the world back to life after hibernation... But it happens that the abundant sun causes the death of crops, animals and people, and provokes fires. Drought is one of the most dangerous natural disasters.

Air

Typhoon or hurricane. Atmosphere Earth It is never calm; its air masses are in constant motion. Under the influence of solar radiation, terrain and daily rotation planets, inhomogeneities arise in the ocean of air. Areas of low pressure are called cyclones, and areas of high pressure are called anticyclones. It is in cyclones that they originate strong winds. The largest of them reach thousands of kilometers in diameter and are clearly visible from space thanks to the clouds that fill them. Essentially, these are vortices where air moves in a spiral from the edges to the center. Such vortices, constantly existing in the atmosphere, but born in the tropics - the Atlantic and the eastern part of the Pacific Ocean and reaching wind speeds of over 30 m/s, are called hurricanes. Most often, hurricanes originate over heated areas of tropical oceans, but they can also occur in high latitudes near the poles Earth. Similar phenomena in the western Pacific Ocean north of the equator are called typhoons (from the Chinese "taifeng", which means "big wind"). The fastest vortices that arise in thunderclouds are tornadoes.

Tornado, or tornado. An air funnel that stretches from a thundercloud to the ground is one of the most powerful and destructive phenomena - natural disasters. Tornadoes (also known as tornadoes) occur in the warm sector of a cyclone when, under the influence of a strong side wind, warm air currents. Quite unexpectedly, the beginning of this natural disaster can be ordinary rain. The temperature drops sharply, a whirlwind appears from behind the rain clouds and rushes at great speed. It rolls with a deafening roar, sucking in everything that gets in its way: people, cars, houses, trees. The power of a tornado is destructive and the consequences are terrible.

Climate change. Global Climate change is giving neither meteorologists nor ordinary mortals a break. Forecasters continue to record temperature records, while constantly making mistakes in their forecasts even for the coming days. The current warming is a natural outcome of the Little Ice Age of the 14th-19th centuries.

Who's to blame for natural disasters?

Much of the warming observed over the past 50-70 years is caused by human activities, primarily the release of gases that cause Greenhouse effect. Glaciers are melting, sea levels are rising. This leads to natural disasters: hotter summers, colder winters, floods, hurricanes, droughts, extinction of entire species of flora and fauna. But isn't it getting ready? nature take revenge on a person with global catastrophe of the Earth?

Based on materials from the magazine "World of Secrets and Mysteries", No. 4, 2012

Natural disasters– these are unexpected disruptions of natural processes that are characterized by dire consequences for humans. Data from the study of natural processes show that the geophysical process does not exclude a special type of deviation. The result of the unexpected occurrence of natural disasters is a lack of information and poor knowledge of natural phenomena.

Natural disasters are the reaction of nature to events occurring in a certain period of time. There is nothing unusual about them, as they have always happened. Erased from memory by time, the most ancient ones turned into myths and legends. Ruthless catastrophes have hit the Earth before, marking the transition from one period to another. There are stories telling about the destruction of the ancient continents of Lemuria and Atlantis by water and fire. What caused this disaster? Where did glaciation come from, leading to the death of animals and plants? Anthropologists have found ancient animals frozen over with traces of unchewed grass. What happened to the ancient civilizations that were wiped off the face of the earth? The history of these events has come to us from ancient writings. Maybe this is a kind of warning from our ancestors?

People perceive modern natural disasters as something unique. For a natural disaster to occur, the following conditions are necessary: ​​the presence of an extreme geophysical situation, damaging factors and an unfavorable socio-economic situation.
An extreme geophysical situation consists of patterns of geophysical processes, as a result of which deviations from the average state are formed with the participation of random factors. For example, heavy rainfall, rapid melting of ice.

The damaging factors are a consequence of the extreme geophysical situation. They are expressed by the rapid movement of particles of water, air, and soil.
When damaging factors begin to affect people and material assets, an unfavorable socio-economic disaster arises.
Natural disasters occur in different points world, their consequences are most noticeable and difficult to eliminate in countries with low socio-economic levels. The recovery process in these regions is very slow.
Despite their differences, natural disasters are subject to general patterns. Each type of disaster is characterized by a spatial location. Geophysical reasons determine their predominant appearance in certain points of the Earth. Earthquakes, landslides, avalanches, and volcanic eruptions occur in areas with active tectonics. Ocean coastlines exposed to waves are areas where tsunamis occur. Floods associated with melting ice, as well as catastrophic downpours leading to floods, occur in areas with poorly regulated lowland and mountain rivers.

Natural disasters are characterized by significant power and destructive ability. Natural disaster taking its toll destructive effect, wastes energy. In transitive and destructive catastrophes, a transition occurs from high level to low. The excess energy released is converted into heat and spent on creating damaging factors: earthquakes, fires.
The source of energy for structuring catastrophes is thermal energy. It is known from the laws of physics that without noticeable losses, heat cannot be converted back into electromagnetic or mechanical energy. This process requires a device called a heat engine. It is interesting that natural disasters themselves create such devices, due to the self-organization of the environment. For example, typhoons are capable of taking thermal energy ocean and convert it into mechanical energy. A tornado, as a thermoelectrostatic generator, stabilizes the process of vortex formation due to the resulting electric charges. The formation of a jet stream in the atmosphere or a tsunami wave occurs more in a simple way, but even here energy is needed, which is spent within a natural phenomenon to form a structure, and then released during the operation of this structure. According to statistics from the International Committee of the Red Cross, more than eleven million people died from natural disasters in the twentieth century.

In order to measure the energy of natural disasters, a quantity is used - magnitude. The higher the intensity of a natural phenomenon, the less often it will be repeated with the same destructive force. Initially, the concept of “magnitude” was used to assess the magnitude of an earthquake, but later this concept became applicable to assessing tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, landslides and avalanches.
Natural disasters can be predicted. I analyze the dependence of a natural disaster on the scope, duration and intensity of hydrometeorological and geological processes, it becomes possible to assume it possible manifestation. For example, excessive precipitation provokes landslides.
Natural disasters can arise through interaction with each other. When natural phenomena enter into paragenetic connections, they occur more often and with greater destructive force. An example of such disasters is the earthquake in Tajikistan that occurred on July 10, 1949. As a result of an earthquake with a magnitude of 9-10, landslide and landslide processes occurred on the slopes of the Takhti ridge. Earth avalanches and mudflows swept through the gorge at a speed of 30 m/s. The village of Khait was completely buried under a rock avalanche. The main destruction was caused not by an earthquake, but by mudflows and avalanches, landslides and landslides.

The human impact on natural disasters cannot be denied. Anthropogenic human activity can slow down or intensify those phenomena that were not typical for a given territory. Thus, it can influence the degree of activity of natural processes. Anthropogenic activities influence natural processes directly or indirectly, with different periods of time. For example, the result anthropogenic activities There may be destruction of forests, which regulate water flow. If forests are cut down without taking into account their water-regulating function, a situation may arise that will lead to a catastrophic flood.
Natural disasters cause serious harm to economies around the world. For example, in 1927, an earthquake occurred in Nicaragua, which caused damage exceeding the value of all products produced in the country by 209%.

Experts see the main increase in the number of natural disasters in the increasing human population. The number of people increases by ninety million every year. In this regard, the development of new territories begins, which are not always suitable for life. People are forced to settle in dangerous geological zones, for example, in floodplains or on mountain slopes. Modern man lost knowledge of “sacred geography”. Construction is being carried out anywhere and anyhow. Many homes do not meet safety standards. What then to say about shacks? Many people live below the poverty line and for them such buildings are the only roof over their heads.
Man barbarously invades the environment and the geological work he carries out is of a total nature. The results of such actions can be sinkholes and flooding. Every year the area of ​​tropical forests decreases by 1%. In Europe, 70% of swamps have already been drained and 50% of forests have been cut down. Since regulation Wastewater is broken - this leads to an increase in the number of floods in this area.

Natural disasters are directly related to global warming. The strength of tropical cyclones increases due to increased air temperatures, and this leads to the formation of hurricanes and heavy rains.
Man has the means to combat and eliminate the consequences of natural disasters. However, the most important thing is to learn how to prevent natural disasters natural phenomena. Scientists are developing “risk maps” all over the world because the costs of forecasting and recovery are not comparable. These maps show the degree of risk of a certain disaster in a specific area, thereby analyzing the possibility of natural disasters occurring over a wider area.

Not all natural phenomena are subject to human control. Perhaps in the near future, with the help of scientific knowledge, we will be able to prevent and control natural disasters. Humanity must learn to communicate with nature and not only take its gifts to satisfy its ambitions, but also penetrate into its innermost essence.

The problem of global warming increasingly reminds us of itself. This is already affecting the lives of earthlings, because at middle latitudes with a temperate climate in last years air temperatures in the summer months began to regularly exceed 40 degrees Celsius, while the African heat was replaced by hurricanes and heavy rainfall. Such natural disasters cause a lot of inconvenience and damage, however, climate scientists predict that in the coming years climate shocks will become commonplace.

In particular, as reported by the Svopi.ru portal, climatologists from all over the world are calling for attention to the global changes in the Earth’s climate that are already occurring today, because, in the opinion of , climate turbulence will fully make itself felt by 2020 with a series of natural disasters which could turn into a global catastrophe.

Experts predict that within four years the world's population will feel the serious consequences of these changes. It is expected that hurricanes and minor earthquakes will be the least of the troubles awaiting, however, researchers point out that climate change, which were predicted a long time ago, do not pass as evenly and gradually as experts previously predicted. According to climatologists, these processes will manifest themselves unexpectedly, and where they are least expected. At the moment, there is a strong opinion in the scientific community that for the first time climatic turbulence will manifest itself most acutely in the territory, since the British are in the zone of passage of cyclones from the subtropics and northern air currents at the same time.

Let us recall that one of the consequences of the currently observed global warming is also the catastrophic melting of the Arctic ice and continental ice caps. They play a big role in climate balance, reflecting a large number of sunlight, which prevents it from overheating. At the same time, the dynamics of growth in average monthly and average annual temperatures, which continue to break new records with each recording period, also contributes to the stability of glaciers that have been untouched for tens of thousands of years in various parts of the planet. Humanity has already forgotten about the snows of Kilimanjaro; complete melting is predicted arctic ice in the coming years. At the same time, a serious threat looms over the Greenland ice sheet, the melting of which could raise the level of the world's oceans by many meters.

As climatologists from the UK, Holland and the United Kingdom note, between 2011 and 2014, as a result of observations, a record loss of ice cover was recorded in Greenland. A study dedicated to this was published in Geophysical Research Letters. The researchers found that during this period, the largest planet lost a total of about a trillion tons of ice, which is equivalent to a contribution to global sea level rise of 0.75 millimeters per year. At the same time, it was found that the most intense ice melting occurred in 2012, when summer temperatures reached record highs.

This was established through observations using the CryoSat satellite, which has a radio altimeter. The vehicle's assessment of Greenland's ice loss was carried out, as ESA notes, from the very high accuracy from the available capabilities and is close to data from the GRACE (Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment) satellites owned by NASA.

According to the United Nations Information Center, by 2030, 250 thousand people will die annually from the effects of global changes, and these data are in addition to previously announced forecasts. The main reasons for the increase in mortality will be infectious diseases: malaria, diarrhea, malnutrition and heat stroke. The expected further warming and the associated increase in humidity will lead to the spread of various insects that carry diseases, and due to droughts, rainfall and extreme heat, crops will suffer - more and more people will go hungry.

As air pollution increases, the flowering period of plants will be prolonged, resulting in an increase in the number of people suffering from asthma and pollen allergies. As a result of pollution of water sources, flooding and warming will spread, caused by dirty water.

In just 60 years, more than 3,000 New Yorkers will die each year from extreme heat linked to climate change, US scientists warn. According to official data alone, more people die from extreme heat than from all other natural disasters combined. According to American climatologists, over the next 60 years the situation will only get worse. This is stated in a new study published in the specialized journal Environmental Health Perspectives. The New York City Panel on Climate Change projects that by 2080, the metropolitan area's average annual temperature will rise by 5.3 to 8.8 degrees Fahrenheit (2.9 to 4 .9 degrees Celsius). According to the National Climate Assessment 2014, the number of hot days before this time will triple.

Disaster statistics allows you to track the number of events occurring in the world, the severity of their consequences and the causes of their occurrence. Main motives for collecting statistical data: search effective ways disaster prevention, disaster prevention, forecasting and timely preparation for them.

Types of disasters

Cataclysms (natural disasters) are phenomena and processes occurring on earth (or in space) that cause destruction environment, destruction of material values, threaten lives and health. They can arise from various reasons. Many of them can be caused by humans. Natural disasters and disasters can be short-term (from a few seconds) or long-lasting (several days or even months).

Disasters are divided into local and global disasters. The first have a destructive effect on the area where they occurred. Global - have an impact on the biosphere, leading to the extinction of any plant species or. They can threaten the earth with climate change, large-scale resettlement, death, and humanity with complete or partial extinction.

On our planet, global cataclysms that led to climate change and the development of civilization have occurred more than once. The table below shows different kinds disasters.

The most destructive disasters in human history

According to statistics, cataclysms that changed the course of history have occurred many times during the existence of mankind. Some of them are still considered the most terrible. Top 5 destructive disasters:

• flood in China in 1931 (a disaster of the 20th century killed 4 million people);
• eruption Krakatoa in 1883 (40 thousand people died. And about three hundred cities were destroyed);
• earthquake in Shaanxi in 1556 at 11 points (about 1 thousand people died, the province was destroyed and long years empty);
• last day of Pompeii in 79 BC (the eruption of Mount Vesuvius lasted about a day and led to the death of several cities and thousands of people);
• And eruption of the Santorini volcano in 1645–1600. BC. (led to the death of an entire civilization).

World indicators

Statistics of cataclysms in the world over the past 20 years total more than 7 thousand cases. More than a million people died as a result of these disasters. The damage that was caused is estimated at hundreds of billions of dollars. The picture clearly shows which of the cataclysms that occurred during the period from 1996 to 2016. became the deadliest.

The planet's news regularly reports that the number of natural disasters around the world is steadily increasing. Over the past 50 years, the number of disasters has increased several times. Tsunamis alone occur about 30 times a year.

The graph shows which continents are most often the epicenter of natural disasters. Asia is most prone to disasters. The USA is in second place. According to geologists, the northern part of America may soon disappear from the face of the earth due to.

Natural disasters

Statistics on natural disasters over the past 5 years show a 3-fold increase. According to scientists, more than 2 billion people suffered from natural disasters during this time. This is every third inhabitant of our planet. Tsunamis, hurricanes, floods, droughts, epidemics, famines and other disasters are increasingly occurring on earth. Scientists call following reasons natural disasters:

• human impact;
• conflicts of a military, social and political nature;
• release of energy into geological layers.

Often the cause of disasters is the consequences of disasters that happened before. For example, after a large-scale flood, famine or an epidemic may occur. Types of natural disasters:

• geological (landslides, dust storms, mudflows);
• meteorological (cold, drought, heat, hail);
• lithospheric (volcanic eruptions, earthquakes);
• atmospheric (tornadoes, hurricanes, storms);
• hydrosphere (typhoons, cyclones, floods);

Statistics of natural disasters hydrosphere nature (namely floods) today shows the highest indicators in the world:

The chart below shows how many disasters occur and how many people were affected or killed by each of them. Lately.

On average, about 50 thousand people die per year due to natural disasters. In 2010, the figure exceeded the threshold of 300 thousand people.

The following natural disasters occurred in 2016:

The BBC constantly produces documentaries about natural disasters. They colorfully and clearly demonstrate what is happening in the world, what disasters threaten humanity and the planet.

If the government of each country takes measures to provide for the population and prevent some disasters that can be predicted in advance, then disasters will happen less often. At least a number negative consequences, human casualties and material losses will be much less.

Data for Russia and Ukraine

Cataclysms often occurred in Russia. As a rule, they marked the end of the previous era and the beginning of a new one.

For example, in the 17th century there were major disasters, after which the new era, more cruel. Then there were locust raids that destroyed crops, a great eclipse of the sun, the winter was very mild - the rivers were not covered with ice, which is why in the spring they overflowed their banks and floods occurred. Also, the summer was cold and the autumn was hot, as a result in mid-December the steppes and meadows were covered with greenery. All this led to prophecies about the upcoming end of the World.

As the statistics of disasters show, thousands of people die and suffer from them every year in Russia. Disasters bring losses to the country in the amount of up to 60 billion rubles. in year. The majority of all disasters are floods. Second place goes to tornadoes and hurricanes. During the period from 2010 to 2015, the number of natural disasters in Russia increased by 6%.

The majority of disasters in Ukraine are landslides, floods and mudflows. Since there are a huge number of rivers in the country. In second place in terms of destructiveness are forest and steppe fires and strong winds.

In April 2017, the last cataclysm in the country occurred. A snow cyclone passed from Kharkov to Odessa. Because of it, more than three hundred settlements were without power.