2010 - the number of people killed by unusually high natural disasters

The number of deaths due to natural disasters worldwide changes every year and often tends to increase. Disaster experts say that increase is due in part to an increase in the urban population.

A bad year with consecutive natural disasters and unusually high number of deaths.

Only in the first few months of 2010, Nature has caused many natural disasters, huge losses of people and property. From the earthquakes in Haiti and Chile to Indonesia and China, from US snowstorms to unusually cold winters in many places, these are common irregularities. Large and hot droughts are ahead .

The number of deaths due to natural disasters in the past 4 months has reached over 300,000 people, far exceeding the average number of other normal years. In the first decade (2001-2010), the average annual death toll from natural disasters was 78,000, according to ISDR data (International Strategy for Disaster Reduction). In the 1990s, the number of people killed by natural disasters was 43,000 people / year, and the 1980s was 75,000 people / year. Disaster experts say such an increase is partly due to an increasing concentration of population on urban areas.

Last year (2009), the number of deaths due to natural disasters was more than the average for the entire decade, only 10,416 people, mainly due to earthquake 7.8 Richter earthquake in Sumatra, Indonesia on the day. 30-9.

The Haiti earthquake did not have to account for a record of the death toll of 2010, with at least 220,000 people in the country's small population of 9 million people, equivalent to the number of tsunami battles in the year. 2004 in Indian Ocean. Kathleen Tierney, a sociology professor and director of the Center for Natural Risks Research at the University of Colorado (USA), called the Haiti earthquake "the worst natural disaster in modern times". . He said:

"The Haiti earthquake is a real disaster, of the kind we've never seen in History of its tremendous impact on the fate of a nation ." Damage to the earthquake in Haiti It is estimated that between 8 billion and 14 billion dollars (according to Inter-American Bank) is an enormous amount for the poorest country in the world.

The Haiti earthquake is 'the worst natural disaster in modern times'.

The most remarkable disasters in 2010:

- Chile earthquake: With the seismic level of 8.8 on the Richter scale, the fifth largest earthquake was recorded, making the city of Concepción move 3 meters to the west. It killed 500 to 700 people. Total losses amounted to $ 15 billion.

- Turkey earthquake: 6.0 Richter scale shook eastern Turkey and killed more than 40 people.

- Blizzard in China: The types of snow and icy storms have occurred with a serious degree rarely seen in western China such as Xinjiang from December last year. Typhoons affect millions of people, causing the deaths of hundreds of people and tens of thousands of cattle.

- Blizzard in Washington: occurred in February 2010 to make the northeastern United States with unprecedented thick snow, causing many areas to lose power with thousands of traffic accidents and personal losses in Washington amounting to $ 45 million .

- An earthquake 7.1 Richter occurred Ngoc Thu district on a height of 4,000 m in the northwest of Thanh Hai city, in the Autonomous Region of the Tibetans on April 14, 2010. According to statistics, the number of deaths has reached over 1,339 people, not to mention the number of people missing, the number of injured people is 11,744 people (of which over 1200 people are extremely serious), almost all houses are damaged .

- On April 15, volcanic ash, originating from a volcanic mountain in the Eyjafjallaokull glacier (Iceland) covering Europe, reached a height of 6 km, covering the sky causing thousands of flights to be canceled. Although there was no damage to people, the economic losses amounted to billions of dollars.

- It is predicted that summer to dryness will occur in a large area in many countries with unusual heat. That situation will cause crop failure, hunger, disease, causing huge losses in people and livestock.

- According to Indian Hydro-Meteorological Agency, this summer will be 4 to 6 degrees C hotter than last year in North and Central India. The first news, in the past April 18, in New Delhi, over 43.7 degrees Celsius killed 80 people.

Source: LiveScience