Understanding global security - Peter Hough

NATURAL THREATS TO SECURITY
Table 8.2 Average annual death toll by types of natural disaster
1 Windstorms 20 564
2 Floods 9 775
3 Earthquakes 5 925
4 Avalanches/landslides 955
5 Extreme temperatures 912
6 Tsunamis 426
7 Volcanic eruptions 94
8 Forest fires 63
Note: Figures derived from years 1991–2000,
Sources: World Disasters Report (IFRC, 2001: 179). Tsunami figures from NGDC (2002).
Historically, floods have presented the greatest natural hazards to human life
but, as Table 8.2 illustrates, windstorms have emerged in recent years as the biggest
threat.
Windstorms
Known variously as hurricanes (in North America) or typhoons (in East Asia) cyclones
are storm systems based on an area of low atmospheric pressure in tropical climes.
Gale force winds circulate around the calm ‘eye’ of the storm (anti-clockwise in the
northern hemisphere, clockwise in the South) accompanied usually by torrential
rains. The most devastating consequence of a cyclone is coastal flooding caused by a
storm surge, when winds create huge sea waves. It was in this way that upwards of
300,000 people were killed around the Ganges delta in Bangladesh in 1970. Wind
damage and riverine flooding can also result from cyclones and claim lives.
Cyclones
Similarly to cyclones, tornadoes are storms which rotate around an eye of low
atmospheric pressure. However, in contrast, they tend to be narrower and faster and
generally originate inland rather than at sea. The world’s most deadly tornado
occurred again in Bangladesh when 1300 people were killed around the town of
Shaturia (Castello-Cortes and Feldman 1996: 27). Owing to their narrow, funnel-like
shape the destruction caused by tornadoes tends to be quite localized, although they
move across the surface in an unpredictable manner. Damage by tornadoes tends to
be of three forms:
1 High winds: Extremely strong winds associated with tornadoes can cause
significant damage to buildings, either directly or through the propelling of
debris.
Tornadoes
181