The United States of America has a varied terrain. This includes tundra, prairie, forests, mountains and deserts. This causes a lot of natural hazards in the country. Most of the natural hazards are caused by fire, air, water, and earthquakes. The United States has the greatest number of active volcanoes in the world.
However, different states in the United States experience different natural hazards. In this paper, we will find out which part of the United States is the most dangerous when it comes to natural hazards. The geology of the United States gives room for many natural disasters and perils ranging from wildfires, floods, drought, volcanoes, heat waves, landslides, and storms. These disasters occur in some counties that are considered hot spots for these hazards. For example, most volcanic eruptions happen in western states, earthquakes are said to happen on the west coast, and wildfires are also said to happen in the west, while other snowstorms occur in the mid-west.
Florida is considered one of the disaster-prone areas in the United States. This is because it is one of the states that are usually worst hit by natural hazards. A lot of these disasters come from fires, whereas else others come from hurricanes, which usually occur almost every summer. Lighting strikes Florida more than any other part of the country. The situation is worse because even relaxing at the beach is not that safe, and one gets invaded by needlefish or brain-eating amoeba. The following are various types of natural hazards that get to be experienced in Florida, mostly during the summer period, which is usually the season for having fun.
Sun Damage
It is very common to experience high temperatures and humidity in Miami, and this is mostly during the summer season. This leads to increased dehydration and some heat-related diseases. Based on the weather channel, the average temperature during the summer months is in the upper 80s, where August seems to be the hottest month. People are advised during this period to carry out outdoor activities during cool times of the day.
Hurricane
Florida is one of the worst hit counties by hurricanes. The first hurricane to ever hit Florida was the Labour Day hurricane of 1935. This hurricane killed a lot of people and destroyed a lot of property. This hurricane leveled all the buildings and destroyed all the roads. It was later to be followed by Hurricane Donna, which happened in 1960. This hurricane was very destructive, and it lasted for a long period, unlike the Labour Day hurricane of 1935. It passed through the Florida peninsula and also destroyed some properties in North Carolina and New York City. It was later to be followed by Hurricane Andrew in 1992. This was marked to be one of the worst hurricanes in the history of America. It destroyed tens of thousands of homes and a lot of property. It moved across the south of Florida and also touched the Gulf of Mexico, and finally, it struck Louisiana. In 2004, Florida experienced four storms: Hurricane Charley and Hurricane Frances. At the end of 2004, two hurricane Ivan occurred. One was strong, while the other was weak. Lastly, Hurricane Dennis and Hurricane Wilma occurred in 2005. Floridians can only mitigate the hurricane by insuring their properties. Insurers also should offer Floridians discounts for insuring their properties to encourage those who have not been insured by an insurer. All insurance companies are required to notify policyholders of the ways they have set out to help the Floridians mitigate the hurricanes.
Florida Tornadoes
Tornadoes occur at any time of the year. Tornadoes form on their own, but at times, they usually accompany tropical storms or hurricanes. However, the weather in Florida produces the strongest tornadoes during the months of May and February. Some of the tornadoes include the Kissimmee tornadoes, which occurred in 1998. This tornado had winds of between 159mph and 205 mph. They were not very strong, but they killed around 42 people, and 250 more were injured. We also had the Central Florida tornadoes of 2007. This one struck very early in the morning when people were asleep, leading to more deaths and destruction. One of the ways Floridians can mitigate tornadoes is through building houses with resistant materials. They can also come up with evacuation plans and procedures, or else they can insure their product.
Florida Flooding
Flooding is a common problem in Florida since much of Florida County lies beside the sea. Rising water at sea level causes a lot of damage to families, businesses, and lives. It has also cost the county a huge loss of millions of dollars trying to mitigate the hazard. Most of the floods are caused by hurricanes and tropical storms. A mere category two hurricane can make the sea level rise six feet above the normal level, while a major hurricane makes the sea level rise double the rise caused by a category two hurricane. Heavy rains can also be the cause of flooding in Florida since storms produce a lot of rain very quickly. When the water flows into rivers, the water level in rivers rises, causing floods in Florida. To mitigate flooding, FEMA has come up with various financial programs for the community. They have come up with flood mitigation assistance programs and a hazard mitigation program.
Florida Tropical Storms
Every year, Florida is affected by tropical storms and tropical depressions. These storms are less intense than hurricanes. But they usually affect the state’s economy. They are something to worry about because they can develop and become hurricanes. Florida needs to come up with good weather-predicting gadgets to help curb tropical storms. At times, some are unpredictable; therefore, the best way to mitigate them is to come up with an evacuation plan, or people should be encouraged to insure their properties.
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