Thursday, February 19, 2015

Classification of disasters

Classification of disasters
Disasters are generally classified into natural and technological which is again classified as listed below.
Natural Disasters are classified into:
    -Geophysical disaster
    -Meteorological disaster
    -Hydrological disaster
    -Climatological disaster
    -Biological disaster and
    -Extraterrestrial disaster
Technological disasters are classified into:
    -Industrial accident
    -Transport accident and
    -Miscellaneous accident

A geophysical disaster originates from solid earth. It is used interchangeably with the term  geological hazard. Earthquakes, mass movements and volcanic activity fall under this category.

Meteorological disasters are short lived and caused by micro to meso-scale extreme weather and atmospheric conditions that last from minutes to days. Extreme temperature, fog and storm are examples of this type of disaster.

Hydrological disasters are caused by the occurrence, movement, and distribution of surface and subsurface freshwater and saltwater. Flood, landslide, wave action are examples of this type of disaster.

Climatological disasters are caused by long-lived, meso to macro-scale atmospheric processes ranging from intra-seasonal to multi-decadal climate variability. Drought, glacial-lake outburst and wildfires are examples of this type of disaster.

Biological hazards are caused by  the exposure to living organisms and their toxic substances (e.g. venom, mold) or vector-borne diseases that they may carry. Examples are venomous wildlife and insects, poisonous plants, and mosquitoes carrying disease-causing agents such as parasites, bacteria, or viruses (e.g. malaria). Epidemic, insect infestation and animal accident are examples of this type of disaster.

An Extraterrestrial hazard is caused by asteroids, meteoroids, and comets as they pass near-earth, enter the Earth’s atmosphere, and/or strike the Earth, and by changes in interplanetary conditions that effect the Earth’s magnetosphere, ionosphere, and thermosphere. Impact of celestial bodies and space weather are examples of this type of disaster.

Examples of industrial accidents are chemical spill, collapse, explosion, fire, gas leak, poisoning, radiation, etc.

Examples of transport accidents include disasters involving transport of hazardous material via air, water, rail or road.

Miscellaneous disasters under technological disasters include collapse, explosion, fire and other related accidents

Sub-types under:
    -    Earthquakes are ground shaking and tsunami
    -    Volcanic activity are ash fall, lahar, pyroglastic flow, lava flow and liquefaction
    -    Storms are Extra-tropical, Tropical and convective. Convective storms are
        further     classified into:   
                    -Derecho
                    -Hail
                    -Lightening/Thunderstorm
                    -Rain
                    -Tornado
                    -Sand/Dust storm
                     -Winter storm/Blizzard
                    -Storm/Surge
                    -Wind
Extreme temperature is classified into:
    -    Cold wave
    -    Heat wave and
    -    severe winter conditions (this is again classified into snow/ice and          
         frost/freeze)
    -    Fog
Under hydrological disaster
    floods are classified into:
    -    Coastal flood
    -    Riverine flood
    -    Flash flood and
    -    Ice jam flood
    Example of a landslide is debris, mud flow, rock fall or avalanche (snow)
Examples of wave action are rogue waves or seiche

Examples of extraterrestrial disasters are Airburst, Energetic particles, Geomagnetic storm and shockwaves

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