The Nathan map is very informative; it clearly indicates the areas throughout the world that are at risk to experience a natural hazard if corrective environmental policies are not introduced. The three natural hazards that surround my hometown located in New Jersey are; change in tropical cyclone activity, which in the western hemisphere this type of storm is called a hurricane. The second hazard is an increase in heavy rain and the third is a threat of sea level rise. Additionally, there is a chance of the frequency of hailstorms and tornados. The next possible weather condition change relates to temperature, there is a chance of increasing tropical induced storms called El Nino; furthermore, more La Nina storms are likely to occur. Over the last couple of decades, I have seen the effects of a couple of the aforementioned natural hazards, which is a concern for what the future holds if something is not done.
I chose a level two biohazard the event happened on March 13, 2016, in Beijing, China. Yellow fever infected three people; this is the first case of yellow fever reported in Beijing. Yellow fever is a viral disease that is transmitted by mosquitoes and is found mostly in tropical areas. The general symptoms of this disease include fever and chills (RSOE EDIS Staff 2016). It is highly unlikely for yellow fever to occur in New Jersey because we do not have the climate to host the virus. The yellow fever outbreak in China is very small, but it could grow quickly if this type of outbreak occurred in my hometown it would be a big deal. If this outbreak did happen in New Jersey there probably would be considered a very dangerous for the people of the community mainly because we have not been exposed to this before and have not built up immunity to the virus. To reduce the possibility for yellow fever impacting my town there should be mosquito repellent spraying and any water that is not circulated should be removed.
The biggest natural hazard that continually affects the southern part of New Jersey is hurricanes. Most recently hurricane Sandy hit New Jersey in the fall of 2012. The storm started in the Caribbean as a tropical depression, turned into a tropical storm and by the time Sandy hit New Jersey it was 485 miles long. The aftermath was horrifying streets were flooded; trees and power lines were torn down leaving people thousands of people homeless or without power. During the storm New York City reported a seawater surge of 15 feet and the New York Harbor surf recorded a wave of 32 feet (Sharp 2011). Although Sandy devastated the east coast, we rebuilt; however, based on the information from this week’s lesson there will be more severe storms in the coming decades. The projected increase due to climate change, the increasing temperature of the ocean will lead to increased storms and natural hazards.
There are three steps to reduce our vulnerability to natural hazards; the first is to be aware and stay informed of the events happening around town. A part of preparedness is to have a plan for the different types of hazards that can take place in your community. The second step is to know what should be done immediately after the natural hazard occurs. Once you find a safe place evaluate your surrounds and then aid the victims. The final step is to rebuild. The best people to perform these actions are the professional, but if professional help is not available anybody except for the elderly and children should lead a hand. If I ever find myself in the mist of a natural hazard I would first make sure my family is safe and then help my neighbors and community (Pennsylvania State University 2016). I think if we are able to stay calm and use common sense all of us can survive a natural hazard.
Resources
Pennsylvania State University. Reducing Vulnerability to Natural Hazards. 2016.https://www.e-education.psu.edu/geog030/node/374
RSOE EDIS Staff. RSOE EDIS. 2016 http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/database/index.php?pageid=event_desc&edis_id=BH-20160313
Sharp, Tim. Live Science. November 27, 2011. http://www.livescience.com/24380-hurricane-sandy-status-data.html.
Hi Joseph! Here’s a link to my post, if you are interested! (https://wp.me/p3RCAy-dfk) Although I disagree with you about the Nathan map, I found your analysis of the threat of hurricanes very well written! Also, the paragraph about the Yellow Fever outbreak in China is also very interesting. It is always good to know both the risks of uneducated population as well as knowing the way to prevent such a thing in our area, as I live near Philly. Lastly, I agree with your idea about everyone lending a hand in the clean-up from a disaster or hazard such as a hurricane or tornado! Great ideas!