In this article we will look at some changes in the physical and geographical state of nature that occur on earth under the influence of cataclysms. Any locality has its own individual situation, and unique one. And any physical-geographical change in it usually leads to corresponding consequences in the areas adjacent to it.
Some disasters and cataclysms will be briefly described here.
Definition of cataclysm
According to Ushakov's explanatory dictionary, a cataclysm (Greek kataklysmos - flood) is a sharp change in the nature and conditions of organic life over a large area of the earth's surface under the influence of destructive processes (atmospheric, volcanic). And a cataclysm is a sharp revolution, and a destructive one, in social life.
A sudden change in the physical-geographical state of the surface of a territory can only be provoked by natural phenomena or human activity. And this is a cataclysm.
Hazardous natural phenomena are those that change the state of the natural environment from the optimal range for human life. And catastrophic disasters even change the appearance of the Earth. This is also of endogenous origin.
Below we will consider some significant changes in nature that occur under the influence of disasters.
Types of natural disasters
All disasters in the world have their own characteristics. And recently they have begun to occur (and of the most diverse origins) more and more often. These are earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, floods, meteorite falls, mudflows, avalanches and landslides, sudden influx of water from the sea, ground subsidence, severe and many others. etc.
Let us give a brief description of the three most terrible natural phenomena.
Earthquakes
The most important source of physical-geographical processes is an earthquake.
What is such a cataclysm? These are shaking of the earth's crust, underground impacts and small vibrations of the earth's surface, which are caused mainly by various tectonic processes. They are often accompanied by a terrifying underground roar, the formation of cracks, wave-like vibrations of the earth's surface, the destruction of buildings and other structures and, unfortunately, human casualties.
Every year more than 1 million tremors are recorded on planet Earth. This represents approximately 120 shocks per hour or 2 shocks per minute. It turns out that the Earth is constantly in a state of tremors.
According to statistics, on average there is 1 catastrophic earthquake and approximately 100 destructive earthquakes per year. Such processes are the consequences of the development of the lithosphere, namely its compression in some regions and expansion in others. Earthquakes are the most terrible cataclysm. This phenomenon leads to tectonic ruptures, uplifts and displacements.
Today, zones of different earthquake activity have been identified on earth. The Pacific and Mediterranean zones are among the most active in this regard. A total of 20% of Russia's territory is subject to earthquakes of varying degrees.
The most terrifying cataclysms of this kind (9 points or more) occur in the regions of Kamchatka, Pamir, Kuril Islands, Transcaucasia, Transbaikalia, etc.
7-9 magnitude earthquakes are observed over vast areas, from Kamchatka to the Carpathians. This includes Sakhalin, Sayan Mountains, the Baikal region, Crimea, Moldova, etc.
Tsunami
When located on islands and under water, sometimes an equally catastrophic cataclysm occurs. It's a tsunami.
Translated from Japanese, this word means an unusually huge wave of destructive force that occurs in zones of volcanic activity and earthquakes on the ocean floor. The movement of such a mass of water occurs at a speed of 50-1000 km per hour.
When a tsunami approaches the coast, it reaches a height of 10-50 meters or more. As a result, terrible destruction occurs on the shore. The causes of such a catastrophe can be underwater landslides or powerful avalanches breaking into the sea.
The most dangerous places in terms of such disasters are the shores of Japan, the Aleutian and Hawaiian Islands, Alaska, Kamchatka, the Philippines, Canada, Indonesia, Peru, New Zealand, Chile, the Aegean, Ionian and Adriatic seas.
Volcanoes
It is known about the cataclysm that it is a complex of processes associated with the movement of magma.
There are especially many of them in the Pacific zone. Again, Indonesia, Central America and Japan have a huge number of volcanoes. In total, there are up to 600 active and approximately 1,000 dormant on land.
Approximately 7% of the world's population lives near active volcanoes. There are also underwater volcanoes. They are known on mid-ocean ridges.
Russian dangerous areas - Kuril Islands, Kamchatka, Sakhalin. And there are extinct volcanoes in the Caucasus.
It is known that today active volcanoes erupt approximately once every 10-15 years.
Such a cataclysm is also a dangerous and terrifying catastrophe.
Conclusion
Recently, anomalous natural phenomena and sudden temperature changes are constant companions of life on Earth. And all these phenomena greatly destabilize the planet. Therefore, future geophysical and natural-climatic changes, which pose a serious threat to the existence of all humanity, require all peoples to be constantly prepared to act in such crisis conditions. According to certain scientists, people are still able to cope with the future consequences of such events.
You can often hear in the news that a natural disaster has occurred somewhere. This means that a strong storm or hurricane swept through, an earthquake occurred, or a stormy mud flow descended from the mountains. Tsunamis, floods, tornadoes, volcanic eruptions, landslides, drought - all these natural phenomena are destructive, claim lives, raze houses, neighborhoods, and sometimes entire cities, and cause serious economic damage.
Definition of cataclysm
What does the word "cataclysm" mean? This, according to the definition of Ushakov’s explanatory dictionary, is a sharp change in the conditions of organic life, which is observed on a large surface of the Earth (planet) and is caused by the influence of atmospheric, volcanic and geological processes.
The explanatory dictionary edited by Efremov and Shvedov defines a cataclysm as a destructive change in nature, a catastrophe.
Also, every dictionary indicates that in a figurative meaning, a cataclysm is a global and destructive change in the life of society, a disastrous social revolution.
Of course, you can see common features in all definitions. As we see, the main meaning that the concept of “cataclysm” carries is destruction, disaster.
Types of natural and social disasters
Depending on the source of occurrence, the following types of disasters are distinguished:
- geological - earthquake or volcanic eruption, mudflow, landslide, avalanche or collapse;
- hydrological - tsunami, flood, gas (CO 2) breakthrough to the surface from the depths of a reservoir;
- thermal - forest or peat fire;
- meteorological - hurricane, storm, tornado, cyclone, blizzard, drought, hail, prolonged downpour.
These natural disasters differ in nature and duration (from several minutes to several months), but they all pose a threat to human life and health.
A separate category includes man-made disasters - accidents at nuclear installations, chemical facilities, wastewater treatment plants, dam breaks and other disasters. Their occurrence is provoked by a symbiosis of natural forces and the anthropogenic factor.
The most famous social cataclysm is war, revolution. Also, social emergencies can be associated with overpopulation, migration, epidemic, global unemployment, terrorism, genocide, separatism.
The most terrible cataclysms in the history of the Earth
In 1138, a powerful earthquake occurred in the city of Aleppo (modern Syria), which completely wiped out the city and claimed 230 thousand human lives.
In December 2004, an undersea earthquake with a magnitude of 9.3 occurred in the Indian Ocean. It triggered a tsunami. Huge 15-meter waves reached the shores of Thailand, India and Indonesia. The number of victims reached 300 thousand people.
In August 1931, a severe flood occurred in China due to monsoon rains, which claimed the lives of 4 million (!) people. And in August 1975, due to a powerful typhoon in China, the Banqiao Dam was destroyed. This provoked the largest flood in the last 2000 years, the water went 50 kilometers deep into the continent, creating artificial reservoirs with a total area of 12 thousand km 2. As a result, the death toll reached 200 thousand people.
What may await the blue planet in the future?
Scientists predict that in the future our planet will face severe disasters and cataclysms.
Global warming, which has been worrying progressive minds for more than 50 years, may in the future provoke unprecedented floods, droughts, and heavy torrential rains, which will lead not only to millions of victims, but also to a global economic and social crisis.
Also, do not forget that asteroid 99942, weighing 46 million tons and with a diameter of 500 meters, is inexorably approaching our planet. Astronomers predict a likely collision in 2029 that will destroy the Earth. NASA has created a special working group to solve this very serious
Natural disasters were also described in the distant past, for example, the “global flood” described in the Bible. Floods occur quite often and can become truly global. For example, a flood in 1931 on the Yangtze River in China flooded an area of 300 thousand km², and in some areas the water remained for four months.
The destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah described in the Bible, according to scientists, resembles a natural phenomenon - an earthquake. Researchers of Atlantis are inclined to believe that the island was also flooded as a result of an earthquake. During the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, the cities of Herculaneum and Pompeii were buried under a layer of ash. The resulting tsunami can be a consequence of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The eruption of the Krakatoa volcano in 1833 was accompanied by an earthquake. As a result, a tidal wave was formed that reached the shores of the islands of Java and Sumatra. The death toll was about 300 thousand people.
Natural disasters claim about 50 thousand human lives every year. Since 1970, statistics have been updated with new data. During the earthquake in America in 1988, according to various estimates, from 25 to 50 thousand people died. Nine out of ten natural disasters belong to four types. Floods account for 40%, tropical cyclones - 20%, earthquakes and droughts - 15%. Tropical cyclones take the leading place in the number of victims. Floods cause great material damage. According to R. Cates, the annual damage caused by natural disasters to the global economy is about 30 billion US dollars.
Natural disasters are natural processes that have destructive power, causing injuries and death.
To study natural disasters, it is necessary to know the nature of each of them. Natural disasters in the form of a tropical cyclone carry the danger of extreme effects of all its elements: rain, wind, waves, storm surges. Storm surges are the most destructive.
In 1970, a tropical cyclone in the northern Bay of Bengal caused sea levels to rise by six meters. This led to flooding. As a result of the devastating hurricane and the resulting flooding, about 300 thousand people died, and agriculture suffered $63 million in damage. 60% of the population, mostly fishermen, were killed, and 65% of fishing vessels were destroyed. The consequences of the disaster affected the supply of protein food to the entire region.
Tropical cyclones are a seasonal phenomenon. On average, up to 110 incipient hurricanes are tracked by satellites per year over the Atlantic. But only 10-11 of them will grow to gigantic sizes. It is necessary to predict the onset of a tropical cyclone in time to protect people. Hurricanes are first identified and then tracked by satellites. If a hurricane threat is detected, its path and speed are predicted. The speed and direction of a tropical cyclone can be determined at a distance of 300 kilometers by radar. It is important to identify the area of coastline where storm surge may begin, as well as the signs of a tornado. Weather services keep the public informed of the location and characteristics of the cyclone.
Floods are natural disasters that cause coastal areas to become inundated. The initial stage of flooding begins with the overflow of the riverbed and water overflowing its banks. Flooding is the most common natural phenomenon. Floods can occur on permanent and temporary watercourses, but even where there have never been rivers or lakes, such as in areas where heavy rainfall occurs.
Floods affect densely populated areas of the Earth: China, India, Bangladesh. Floods in China occur in the valleys of the Yellow and Yangtze rivers. Despite centuries of experience and hundreds of dams, the population of these areas are still victims of floods. Severe floods in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River in the 20th century led to 60 million people suffering from famine. During the flood in 1911, 100 thousand people died.
Floods still pose a big threat today. After heavy rainfall in 1952, the English resort town of Lynmouth was flooded. The flood destroyed buildings, flooded streets, and uprooted trees. A large number of people holidaying in Lynmouth were cut off from solid ground. The next day, the dam broke and 34 people died.
There is an inverse relationship between property damage due to flooding and the number of victims. Countries that have something to lose have all the means to prevent or mitigate the effects of flooding. Conversely, pre-industrial countries suffer more property damage, but do not have the necessary means to prevent a disaster and save people. Flooding may result in outbreaks of infectious diseases. To combat flooding, dams and dams are built, reservoirs are built to collect flood waters, and river beds are deepened.
Earthquakes are natural disasters caused by the sudden release of energy from the earth's interior in the form of shock waves and vibrations. An earthquake is dangerous due to direct and secondary effects. Direct manifestations, due to seismic waves and tectonic movements, cause soil displacement. Secondary effects cause subsidence and soil compaction. As a result of secondary effects, cracks form on the earth's surface, tsunamis, avalanches, and fires. A powerful earthquake is always accompanied by a large number of casualties and material losses. According to statistics, the largest number of victims of this disaster are in China, the USSR, Japan, and Italy. Approximately 14 thousand people die from earthquakes every year. Destruction zones from the epicenter of an earthquake can be several tens or hundreds of kilometers away. For example, the epicenter of the earthquake that occurred in Mexico in 1985 was in the Pacific Ocean, near the city of Acapulco. But despite this, it was so powerful that a significant part of the country was affected, especially the capital of Mexico, Mexico City. On the Richter scale, the force of the tremors reached 7.8. Located 300 kilometers from the epicenter, about 250 buildings were destroyed in Mexico City and 20 thousand people were injured. The devastation zone during the earthquake in Guatemala extended 60 kilometers from the epicenter. The ancient capital of Antigua was completely destroyed, 23 thousand people died, 95% of populated areas were destroyed.
Predicting natural disasters is very difficult. At the moment, scientists can predict powerful seismic tremors, but cannot indicate the exact time. But there have been cases when scientists were able to accurately predict an earthquake. In the Chinese province of Liaoning in 1974, local residents noticed signs of tectonic activity. The area was under constant monitoring by geologists, who, after the first tremors on February 1, 1975, were able to predict the possibility of a devastating earthquake. The authorities took measures to evacuate the population, and four days later an earthquake began, resulting in damage to 90% of the buildings. According to expert forecasts, the number of victims could reach 3 million people, but thanks to the measures taken, large casualties were avoided.
Up to 2 billion people continue to live in earthquake-prone areas. A radical measure to preserve the life and health of people is resettlement from seismically active zones.
Volcanic eruptions are natural disasters that have caused the death of 200 thousand people over 500 years. Until now, millions of people live in close proximity to volcanoes. On the island of Martinique in 1902, during a volcanic eruption, the city of Saint-Pierre, which was located 8 kilometers from the Mont Pelee volcano, was destroyed. The death toll was about 28 thousand people. This is almost the entire population of the city of Saint-Pierre. The activity of this volcano was already noted in 1851, but then there were no casualties or destruction. Experts predicted 12 days before the start of the eruption that this eruption would be similar to the previous one, so none of the residents attached great importance to the beginning of the approaching disaster.
In 1985, the Ruiz volcano in Colombia “awakened”. This volcanic eruption resulted in a huge number of casualties and property damage. The city of Amero, which was located 40 kilometers from Ruiz, suffered the most. Molten lava and gases melted the ice and snow on the top of the mountain, thereby causing a mudslide that completely destroyed the city. 15 thousand people, residents of the city of Amero, died. 20 thousand hectares of agricultural plantations, roads were destroyed, and other settlements were destroyed. The total number of deaths was 25 thousand people, about 200 thousand were injured.
Natural disasters in the form of volcanic activity cause as much damage as in previous centuries. However, scientists were able to establish the size of the zones of influence of volcanoes. Lava flows spread over a distance of up to 30 kilometers during large eruptions. Acidic and hot gases pose a threat within a radius of several kilometers. Acid rain, which spreads over a distance of up to 400-500 kilometers, causes burns in people and poisons vegetation and soil.
Natural disasters must be studied in order to develop a system of measures to protect human health and prevent mass casualties. Engineering-geographical zoning of natural disaster zones is of great importance.
An avalanche is a huge mass of snow that periodically falls, in the form of landslides and landslides, from steep ridges and slopes of high snowy mountains. Avalanches usually move along weathering potholes existing on mountain slopes and, at the point where their movement stops, in river valleys and at the foot of mountains, they deposit piles of snow, known as avalanche cones.
In addition to occasional glaciers and hail avalanches, periodic winter and spring avalanches are distinguished. Winter avalanches occur due to the fact that freshly fallen loose snow, resting on the icy surface of old snow, slides along it and rolls down on steep slopes in masses for insignificant reasons, often from a shot, a scream, a gust of wind, etc.
The gusts of wind caused by the rapid movement of the snow mass are so strong that they break trees, tear off roofs and even destroy buildings. Spring avalanches are caused by melting water disrupting the connection between the soil and the snow cover. The snow mass on steeper slopes breaks off and rolls down, capturing in its movement stones, trees and buildings encountered along the way, which is accompanied by a strong roar and crackling sound.
The place from which such an avalanche rolled down appears in the form of a bare black clearing, and where the avalanche stops moving, an avalanche cone is formed, which initially has a loose surface. Avalanches are a common occurrence in Switzerland and have been the subject of numerous observations. The mass of snow delivered by individual avalanches sometimes reaches 1 million or even more m³.
Avalanches, in addition to the Alps, were observed in the Himalayan mountains, Tien Shan, the Caucasus, Scandinavia, where avalanches falling from mountain peaks sometimes reach fiords, in the Cordillera and other mountains.
Mudflow (from the Arabic “sayl” - “stormy stream”) is a water, stone or mud flow that occurs in the mountains when rivers flood, snow melts or after a large amount of precipitation falls. Similar conditions are typical for most mountainous regions.
According to the composition of the mudflow mass, mudflows can be mud-stone, mud, water-stone and water-and-wood, and according to physical types - non-cohesive and cohesive. In non-cohesive mudflows, the transport medium for solid inclusions is water, and in cohesive mudflows it is a water-soil mixture. Mudflows move along slopes at speeds of up to 10 m/s or more, and the volume of masses reaches hundreds of thousands and sometimes millions of cubic meters, and the mass is 100-200 tons.
Mudflows sweep away everything in their path: they destroy roads, buildings, etc. To combat mudflows, special structures are installed on the most dangerous slopes and a vegetation cover is created that holds the soil layer on the mountain slopes.
In ancient times, the inhabitants of the Earth could not find the true cause of this event, so they associated the volcanic eruption with the disfavor of the gods. Eruptions often caused the death of entire cities. Thus, at the very beginning of our era, during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, one of the greatest cities of the Roman Empire, Pompeii, was wiped off the face of the earth. The ancient Romans called the god of fire Vulcan.
A volcanic eruption is often preceded by an earthquake. During this time, in addition to lava, hot stones, gases, water vapor, and ash fly out of the crater, the height of which can reach 5 km. But the greatest danger to people is the eruption of lava, which melts even stones and destroys all living things in its path. During one eruption, up to several km³ of lava is ejected from the volcano. But a volcanic eruption is not always accompanied by a flow of lava. Volcanoes can remain dormant for many years, and the eruption lasts from several days to several months.
Volcanoes are divided into active and extinct. Active volcanoes are those whose last eruption remains known. Some volcanoes last erupted so long ago that no one remembers about it. Such volcanoes are called extinct. Volcanoes that erupt once every few thousand years are called potentially active. If in total there are about 4 thousand volcanoes on Earth, of which 1340 are potentially active.
In the earth's crust, which is under the cover of the sea or ocean, the same processes occur as on the continent. Lithospheric plates collide, causing shaking of the earth's crust. There are active volcanoes at the bottom of the seas and oceans. It is as a result of underwater earthquakes and volcanic eruptions that huge waves are formed, which are called tsunamis. This word translated from Japanese means “giant wave in the harbor.”
As a result of the shaking of the ocean floor, a huge column of water begins to move. The further the wave travels from the epicenter of the earthquake, the higher it becomes. As the wave approaches land, the lower layers of water push against the bottom, further increasing the power of the tsunami.
The height of a tsunami is usually 10-30 meters. When such a huge mass of water, moving at speeds of up to 800 km/h, hits the shore, no living thing is able to survive. The wave sweeps away everything in its path, after which it picks up fragments of destroyed objects and throws them deep into the island or mainland. Usually the first won is followed by several more (from 3 to 10). Waves 3 and 4 are usually the strongest.
One of the most destructive tsunamis hit the Commander Islands in 1737. According to experts, the wave height was more than 50 meters. Only a tsunami of such power could have thrown ocean inhabitants so far onto the island, the remains of which were found by scientists.
Another major tsunami occurred in 1883 after the eruption of the Krakatoa volcano. Because of this, the small uninhabited island on which Krakatoa was located fell into the water to a depth of 200 meters. The wave that reached the islands of Java and Sumatra reached 40 meters in height. As a result of this tsunami, about 35 thousand people died.
A tsunami does not always have such dire consequences. Sometimes giant waves do not reach the shores of continents or islands inhabited by people and remain practically unnoticed. In the open ocean, before colliding with the shore, the height of the tsunami does not exceed one meter, so for ships located far from the shore it is not
An earthquake is a strong vibration of the earth's surface caused by processes occurring in the lithosphere. Most earthquakes occur in the vicinity of high mountains, since these areas continue to form and the earth's crust is especially mobile here.
There are several types of earthquakes: tectonic, volcanic and landslide. Tectonic earthquakes occur when mountain plates shift or as a result of collisions between oceanic and continental platforms. During such collisions, mountains or depressions are formed and surface vibrations occur.
Volcanic earthquakes occur when flows of hot lava and gases press down on the Earth's surface. Volcanic earthquakes are usually not very strong, but can last up to several weeks. In addition, volcanic earthquakes are usually precursors to a volcanic eruption, which can have more serious consequences.
Landslide earthquakes are associated with the formation of underground voids that arise under the influence of groundwater or underground rivers. In this case, the top layer of the earth's surface collapses, causing small tremors.
The place where an earthquake directly occurs (plate collision) is called its focus or hypocenter. The area of the earth's surface where an earthquake occurs is called the epicenter. This is where the worst destruction occurs.
The strength of earthquakes is determined on a ten-point Richter scale, depending on the amplitude of the wave that occurs during surface vibration. The greater the amplitude, the stronger the earthquake. The weakest earthquakes (1-4 points on the Richter scale) are recorded only by special sensitive instruments and do not cause destruction. Sometimes they appear in the form of glass shaking or objects moving, and sometimes they are completely invisible. Earthquakes measuring 5-7 on the Richter scale cause minor damage, while larger ones can cause complete destruction of buildings.
Seismologists study earthquakes. According to them, approximately 500 thousand earthquakes of varying strength occur on our planet every year. About 100 thousand of them are felt by people, and 1000 cause damage.
Floods are one of the most common natural disasters. They make up 19% of the total number of natural disasters. A flood is the inundation of land that occurs as a result of a strong rise in the water level in a river, lake or sea (spill), due to melting snow or ice, as well as heavy and prolonged rains.
Depending on the cause of the occurrence, floods are divided into 5 types:
High water - a flood that occurs as a result of melting snow and the release of a reservoir from its natural banks
Flood – flooding associated with heavy rainfall
Floods caused by large accumulations of ice that block a riverbed and prevent water from flowing downstream
Floods that occur due to strong winds that push water in one direction, most often against the current
Floods resulting from the failure of a dam or reservoir.
Floods and floods occur every year wherever there are deep rivers and lakes. They are usually expected, flood a relatively small area and do not lead to the death of a large number of people, although they cause destruction. If these types of floods are accompanied by heavy rains, then a much larger area is flooded. Typically, as a result of such floods, only small buildings without a reinforced foundation are destroyed, communications and power supply are disrupted. The main inconvenience is caused by flooding of the lower floors of buildings and roads, as a result of which residents of flooded areas remain cut off from land.
In some areas where flooding is most common, houses are even raised on special piles. Floods resulting from the destruction of dams have great destructive power, especially since they occur unexpectedly.
One of the worst floods occurred in 2000 in Australia. Heavy rain there did not stop for two weeks, as a result of which 12 rivers immediately overflowed their banks and flooded an area whose area was 200 thousand km².
To prevent floods and their consequences during high water, the ice on the rivers is blown up, breaking it into small ice floes that do not prevent the flow of water. If a large amount of snow has fallen during the winter, which threatens severe river flooding, residents from dangerous areas are evacuated in advance.
Hurricane and tornado are atmospheric vortices. However, these two natural phenomena are formed and manifest themselves in different ways. A hurricane is accompanied by strong winds, and a tornado appears in thunderclouds and is an air funnel that sweeps away everything in its path.
The speed of hurricane winds on Earth is 200 km/h near the ground. This is one of the most destructive phenomena of nature: passing along the surface of the earth, it uproots trees, tears off the roofs of houses, and brings down power and communication line supports. A hurricane can last for several days, weakening and then gaining strength again. The danger of a hurricane is assessed on a special five-point scale, which was adopted in the last century. The degree of danger depends on the speed of the wind and the destruction caused by the hurricane. But terrestrial hurricanes are far from the most powerful. On the giant planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune), hurricane wind speeds reach 2000 km/h.
A tornado is formed when unevenly heated layers of air move. It spreads in the form of a dark arm towards land (funnel). The height of the funnel can reach 1500 meters. The tornado funnel spins from bottom to top counterclockwise, sucking in everything that happens to be near it. It is because of the dust and water captured from the ground that the tornado acquires a dark color and becomes visible from afar.
The speed of a tornado can reach 20 m/s, and its diameter can reach several hundred meters. Its strength allows it to lift uprooted trees, cars and even small buildings into the air. A tornado can occur not only over land, but also over water.
The height of the rotating air column can reach a kilometer or even a kilometer and a half, and it moves at a speed of 10-20 m/s. Its diameter can be from 10 meters (if the tornado passes over the ocean) to several hundred meters (if it passes over the ground). Often a tornado is accompanied by thunderstorms, rain or even hail. It lasts much less than a hurricane (only 1.5-2 hours) and is capable of traveling only 40-60 km.
The most frequent and powerful tornadoes occur on the west coast of America. Americans even assign human names to the largest natural disasters (Katrina, Denis). In America, a tornado is called a tornado.
Almost all ancient peoples believed that terrible cataclysms hit our planet, which destroyed all life on the planet. Nowadays, with the advent of the twenty-first century, natural disasters claim millions of lives every day. Could these be harbingers of a global catastrophe that is coming upon us with all its might and force?
Be that as it may, our nature has four elements, which rage more and more every year.
There are more than five hundred volcanoes throughout the earth. The largest belt of fire covers the Pacific coast. It is worth noting that 328 of them have already erupted with terrible force in those days that our ancestors can remember.
Everyone knows from an early age that it is fires that can cause the economy of our country and the earth as a whole the greatest destruction and sad consequences. At the same time, it doesn’t matter at all in what area a fire breaks out, because it can take lives. According to the World Health Organization, every year thousands of people die, if not in the fires themselves, then from the acrid smoke that is released from fires in peat bogs. The acrid smoke that wafts along roads can also cause fatal car accidents.
Earth
Every year across the planet, tectonic plates shift. These vibrations and tremors can, in turn, turn out to be very strong earthquakes that can completely destroy any city in a matter of seconds. Every two weeks on the planet, one very strong earthquake occurs. And it’s good if it doesn’t affect people’s lives.
Despite man's intelligence, he simply cannot compete with the power and enormous force of nature. Every year all over the Earth, various landslides and avalanches occur. This terrible phenomenon can completely destroy everything that comes in its way. Even a concrete structure will not become an obstacle to it. But the worst thing is that all this force with the debris will be eliminated on people.
This is the worst nightmare of all people who live on the ocean coast. Earthquakes can provoke the formation of huge waves that will quickly destroy everything in their path. Their speed can reach fifteen thousand kilometers, and their destructive force is capable of destroying any structure.
Flood
The rapid flow of rising water can leave even the largest city under its thickness. This most often occurs after prolonged rains.
Every person loves the warm rays of the sun, which awaken the world from winter hibernation. But its excessive interaction with nature can completely destroy the crop, or cause severe drought, which will subsequently provoke fires.
Typhoon or hurricane
Air currents of the earth constantly meet each other. And in those frequent moments when a warm and a cold cyclone meet, a strong wind flow can form. Its speed can reach several thousand kilometers. He is capable of uprooting trees and carrying away houses. The air moves along a certain trajectory, which starts at the corners of the spiral and rapidly moves towards its center. It is at this point that the most terrible destruction and irreparable consequences occur.
Tornado or tornado
This is a kind of air funnel that literally pulls into itself everything that can be torn off the ground. His strength is so great that he is able to spin the largest objects around within himself. Cars and houses can get caught in it and literally break into pieces.
Due to constant changes in climate, the entire cycle may change. Thus, in countries where winter has never occurred, it may snow.
