If a hurricane hits

If a hurricane hits

Be prepared

A natural disaster is any catastrophic event that is caused by nature or the natural processes of the earth. The severity of a disaster is measured in lives lost, economic loss, and the ability of the population to rebuild.

PanARMENIAN.Net - Hurricane is a severe, rotating tropical storm with heavy rains and cyclonic winds exceeding 119 kilometers per hour. Hurricanes originate in thetropical parts of the Atlantic Ocean or the Caribbean Sea and movegenerally northward. They lose force when they move over land or colderocean waters.

Hurricane season 2015 had 12 named storms, 2 hurricanes, and 2 major hurricanes. Tropical Storm Erika that hit Dominica (a sovereign island country in the Caribbean Sea) in August was the most costly, with $17.4 million in damage, while Major Hurricane Joaquin that devastated several districts of the Bahamas and caused damage in the Turks and Caicos Islands, parts of the Greater Antilles, and Bermuda, was the most deadly, killing 34.

The major forecasters are calling for Atlantic hurricane activity for 2016 to be a near-normal year. While the long-term averages for the past 65 years are 11 named storms, 6 hurricanes, 3 intense hurricanes, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted 10–16 named storms, 4–8 hurricanes, and 1–4 major hurricanes.

Despite the typical seasonal peak in tropical activity occurring across the Atlantic on September 10, 2016, the basin remains quiet with no organized features at this time. However, a couple of tropical systems may develop as the pattern changes early next week, according to AccuWeather.

"We are currently monitoring a few tropical waves in the Atlantic Basin," meteorologist Ed Vallee said.

Galveston Hurricane of 1900

In case you live or are going to build a house in a hurricane-prone area, you should prepare your home for possible disaster.

When hurricanes strike the greatest danger to people and property are flying debris, a piece of wood becomes a deadly missile that can slice through walls. Concrete walls are strong enough to withstand flying debris from hurricane force winds, buildings constructed of concrete is much more storm-resistant than of timber or steel, according to researchers for the wind engineering research center at Texas Tech University. Monolithic domes, which are made of concrete and rebar have proved especially strong, the sturdy concrete construction combined with the dome shape make these innovative structures nearly impervious to tornadoes, hurricanes and earthquakes.

If you receive a hurricane warning and you’re not in an area that is recommended for evacuation, plan to stay at home or where you are and let friends and family know where you are, experts recommend. Then lose storm shutters, and stay away from windows. Flying glass from broken windows could injure you. Turn your refrigerator or freezer to the coldest setting and open only when necessary. If you lose power, food will last longer. Keep a thermometer in the refrigerator to be able to check the food temperature when the power is restored. Turn on your TV/radio, or check your city/county website every 30 minutes in order to get the latest weather updates and emergency instructions.

Hurricane Katrina

When the hurricane is over, listen to local officials for updates and instructions. If you are going outside, watch out for debris and downed power lines. Avoid flood water as it may be electrically charged from underground or downed power lines and may hide dangerous debris or places where the ground is washed away.

Here are some of the deadliest and most hurricanes of the world:

1970 Bhola cyclone. The deadliest tropical cyclone ever recorded, the 1970 Bhola Cyclone, hit East Pakistan (Bangladesh today) and India's West Bengal on November 12, 1970. While the exact death toll is unknown it is estimated that 300,000-500,000 people perished in the aftermath of this storm, making it one of the deadliest natural disasters in recent history. This cyclone was not extremely large, reaching strengths equivalent of a Category 3 Hurricane. The killing power of this storm was almost completely attributed to the cyclone's surge, which flooded most of the low lying islands in the Ganges Delta, literally wiping villages and crops off the face of the Earth.

1975 Typhoon Nina. Super Typhoon Nina hit China hard and quickly destroyed the Banqiao Dam. The collapse of the Banqiao Dam led to such great flooding that it set off a series of dam collapses throughout China, greatly magnifying the damage caused by Typhoon Nina. With a 100,000+ death toll, Super Typhoon Nina is the 2nd deadliest Typhoon in recorded history.

1900 Galveston Hurricane. The Great Galveston Hurricane was the deadliest hurricane to ever hit the United States and caused between 8000 and 12000 deaths. The storm reached the Texas coast south of Galveston on September 8 as a Category 4 hurricane with a storm surge of 8 to 15 feet. The surge was so powerful that it washed over the entire island, knocking buildings off their foundations, and then pounding them into scraps of wood. In total, over 3600 houses were destroyed.

1780 Great Hurricane. Holding the record as the deadliest Atlantic hurricane, this storm devastated Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Lesser Antilles, Bermuda, and possibly Florida and other States. While the total damages are unknown, the death toll was well over 22,000 people, more than any other decade of Atlantic hurricanes.

Hurricane Katrina. Hurricane Katrina was one of the top five deadliest and most expensive hurricanes in the history of the United States. At least 1,833 people died from the hurricane and the aftermath, and the estimated cost was at $81 billion (2005 USD). The hurricane began as a Category 1 hurricane in August 2005 when it hit the Bahamas and Florida, but strengthened to a Category 5 in the Gulf of Mexico before landing in Louisiana as a Category 3. 80% of New Orleans was completely flooded, and stayed that way for weeks.

Lusine Mkrtumova / PanARMENIAN.Net
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