Hazards of Tropical Storms & Preparation + response

List + describe the hazards of tropical storms:

• High winds, up to 250km/h - uproot trees, damage infrastructure, buildings, cause injury/loss of life

• Intense rainfall - lead to flash flooding, damaging property + injuring people from fast-flowing water

• Storm surges - low pressure & high winds allow sea level to rise up & force a large mass of water towards land - erodes beaches, damages sea defenses & contaminates farmland + freshwater

• Coastal flooding caused by intense rainfall + storm surges - can affect large areas of low-lying land, incl farmland + tourist industry

• Landslides triggered by soil becoming saturated due to intense rainfall in areas w steep slopes where soil cannot hold its position & slides down slope

Discuss secondary impacts of these hazards on people:

• People may drown in strong currents from floodwater & storm surges

• Windspeeds can destroy homes, leaving many homeless

• High winds & flood water carry lots of debris - kill or injure people

• Electricity supplies are cut off as cables are damaged or swept away by flooding, which means life support systems, hospitals, shops & homes left w/o power

• Shortage of clean water & lack of sanitation can exacerbate spread of disease

• Unemployment increases as businesses are damaged/destroyed

• Damaged road make it difficult for aid & emergency vehicles to get through

• coastal/river flooding means crops, livestock & habitats destroyed - shortage of food, possibility of famine

Discuss secondary impacts of these hazards on the environment:

• Trees uprooted by winds which can damage/destroy woodland habitats

• Erosion of beaches by storm surges - damaging coastal habitats (e.g. coral reefs)

• Flooding caused by storm surges can pollute freshwater environments w saltwater

• Landslides deposit sediment in river & lakes - can kill fish

• Flooding can damage industrial buildings - leading to oil or chemical factories leaking harmful chemicals into environment or polluting

Physical vulnerabilities to impacts of tropical storms:

• Low-lying coastlines: Vulnerable to storm surges, flooding, and high winds.

• High relief (steep slopes): Increases risk of landslides.

• Storm-prone areas: Frequent hits as they lie in the path of tropical storms.

• Lack of infrastructure: Accessibility to remote areas can be limited by the physical landscape.

Economic vulnerabilities to impacts of tropical storms:

• Cost of repairs: Often unaffordable for some countries; people may lack insurance.

• Frequency of storms: Leaves little time and resources for recovery between events.

• Developed countries: Higher repair costs due to complex infrastructure and intense damage.

• Poorer countries: Lack resources for storm preparation or recovery.

Social vulnerabilities to impacts of tropical storms:

• Vulnerable groups: Old and young struggle to evacuate.

• Poor construction: Housing in poverty-stricken areas is easily damaged.

• Lack of emergency planning: Poor education and strategies cause panic.

• Access to essentials: Poorer areas lack shelter, food, water, and medical care.

• Health impacts: All affected, but poorer nations struggle with treatment and support.

• Poor infrastructure: Hinders rescue efforts in poorer or remote areas.

Explain why some countries are more vulnerable to others to the impacts of tropical cyclones:

• Lack of education (1) meaning people don’t know what to do. (1)

• Lack of emergency planning (1) meaning when the event occurs there is little or no response in a short period of time (1)

• Low level of economic development (1) meaning there is no resource available to respond (1) resulting in chaos and panic when the event occurs (1) and a lack of resource to rebuild (1) 

• Some countries experience a high frequency of natural hazards (1) which means that they do not have enough time / money to respond sufficiently (1) so additional money needs to be spent on recovery (1) which limits opportunity for increasing the level of development (1)

Suggest one way that the government of a developing country could help its people cope with a tropical cyclone.

• Only ONE method is needed for an answer

  • Predict – monitor and track the storm so warnings can be given, (1) this gives people time to evacuate the areas that are most at risk. (1)

  • Protection – build storm shelters so people have somewhere safe to go. (1) These would be raised off the ground and have strong windows and doors. (1)

  • Build a sea wall (1) to protect against storm surges. (1)

  • Build houses on silts, so homes are protected from the storm surge. (1) 

  • Planning – educate the people about tropical storms (1) so they know what to do if a storm hits. (1) 

• Answer must relate to a developing country (e.g. Myanmar)

Describe how scientists monitor & predict the path of tropical storms:

Weather forecasting & satellite technology monitor storms. Computer models are then used to calculate a predicted path for the cyclone.