Natalie Kretlow

April 23, 2015

GC 210
Five Deadliest Natural Disasters
Introduction
Many disasters have occurred in 2015. Listed here, are the top
five destructive and deadliest disasters thus far. Millions of people have
been in distress and were left without food, water, and shelter already
this year. The world has seen disasters in 2015 that have not been
seen in years, such as a tornado in Hawaii and Southern California, hail
storm in Vietnam, sinkholes appearing across the globe, an earthquake
in Idaho, and a volcano eruption in Peru. There were many destructive
disasters this semester, but most did not take lives. The top five
disasters are categorized by most people affected and damages done
to the affected area. The first reported disaster of the year affected
Malawi and other countries in South West Africa with flashfloods and
spread of disease. Then, the beginning of February had heavy rain and
snow that tore through the Middle East. Next, March came in like a lion
and brought tropical category 5 storms in the South Pacific. Also in
March, floods and mudslides were abundant in Chile. Then just a few
days prior to exams, Nepal was affected by one of the deadliest
disasters Nepal saw this century, leaving millions in distress.
1. Flash Flooding Malawi January 2015
The flash flooding in South East Malawi was the first huge scale
disaster seen Malawi has seen since 1964. 15 districts in Malawi were
affected, but the worst was Nsanje and Phalombe. The rain season for
Malawi starts in December, is heaviest in February, and ends in March.
This year, the rain came early and heavier than ever, which caught
government officials and aid agencies by surprise. Heavy rain caused
flooding, which destroyed agriculture, major roads, and bridges. The
rain caused people to evacuate into one area leaving many prone to

sickness.

Flooding caused sanitation

issues by spreading water-borne diseases such as cholera, dysentery,

and typhoid. January 27, declared the cholera outbreak in Mozambique,
this took 37 lives, and affected 3,478 people. By April 8, 2015, 7,780
cases were reported, 59 deaths, and the epidemic had spread to the
Tete and Zambezia provinces, the Mudzi district in Zimbabwe, and
Chikwawa and Nasanje provinces in Malawi. As of April 15, 2015, 96
new cases of cholera were reported. 1
The rain began January 7, 2015, but it was not until January 11,
2015 people were forced to evacuate with only what could be carried.
Hundreds of people were forced into refugee camps without food or
water aid. By January 15, 48 had passed, and 23,000 displaced. As of
February 6, 2015, 336,000 people were displaced by, flooding, 104
died, 172 missing from Nsanje, and the destruction of agriculture from
flooding affected 1.15 million people. Mozambique and Madagascar
were also affected by the flooding. The total economic loss for the
three countries was about $300,000,000.

Mitigation efforts could have been better to prevent the number

of people affected, because flooding and heavy rain is not common in
areas of Malawi. The rainy season in that area goes from December
until March every year. Developments should be placed away from
shorelines and sediments. Tide gates, temporary perimeter barriers,
rock walls, grade reversals, and sand bagging techniques could protect
the areas near the river in Malawi.

1 Nield,R.(2015,February6).ThousandscutofffromaidindisastrousMalawifloods.RetrievedApril24,2015,
fromhttp://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2015/02/thousandscutaiddisastrousmalawifloods
150205100559431.html

2. Panjshir, Badghis, Badakhshan, Nangarhar, and Parwan

Provinces, Afghanistan
On February 1, 2015, a snowstorm made its way into the Middle
East that caused avalanches, and flooding in 137 districts in 24
provinces. It is estimated that floods, rain, heavy snow, and avalanches
affected 8,827 families. 291 people died, 96 injured, 1,454 houses
destroyed, and 7,119 homes damaged. Since the beginning of the
snowstorms, 174,000 people were affected by the storm. It is
estimated that $405 million USD is required to fix the incident.2
As of March 2, 2015, 40 avalanches were reported in total,
destroying homes, agricultural resources, the melting snow caused
flooding, and heavy rain in warmer areas also were susceptible to
flooding. 30,000 families fled to other provinces in the area with little
thought of returning to the affected area.

2 OCHA.(2015,April5).AFGHANISTANHUMANITARIANRESPONSEPLAN2015.RetrievedApril29,2015,
fromhttps://docs.unocha.org/sites/dms/Afghanistan/AfghanistanHRP2015Dashboard.pdf

Areas of Afghanistan are still being affected by the aftermath of

melting snow and flooding. 3 Flooding in the Baghian Province resulted
in 7 deaths and 11 injuries. 3.8 million people will need aid for the next
year.
Mitigation efforts should include education, coordination, and
protection of homes. Preparations could be made and people could
have doomsday kits amongst their homes. Homes should not be built
on areas that could be easily destroyed by snow, falling rocks, and
unstable areas. Observe the land and watch for drainage patterns,
vegetation, and observe the snowpack. When rebuilding, a stable
settlement foundation should be in order. Snow retention structures,
avalanche barriers such as metal mesh, and snow guards on roofs
could be used to help lessen the aftermath of a natural hazard.

3 UNOfficefortheCoordinationofHumanitarianAffairs.(2015,April5).Afghanistan:ExtremeWeatherRegional
Overview.RetrievedApril24,2015,fromhttp://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/OCHA
ExtremeWeatherUpdate20150405.pdf

3. Cyclone Pam Vanuatu, New Guinea, and Australia March

2015
March 6, 2015 a tropical storm formed slowly, east of the
Solomon Islands in the South Pacific. After two days of travelling and
picking up speed, the storm reached cyclone speeds and eventually
reached to the qualifications of a category 5 cyclone. Cyclone Pam
recorded speeds reaching 320 km/h and a 10-minute sustained speed
of 250 km/h just as Pam hit Vanuatu on March 12. The storm began to
dissipate but strengthened as it moved towards New Zealand. The
storm was predicted to be linked to climate change, rising seas, and
heavier than average rainfall in Vanuatu.
Fortunately, the storm was predicted and monitored since the
start, so many were told to evacuate. However, many affected patrons
lived on small islands, so many chose to hold on tight and hope for the
best. Hurricane Pam caused 11 deaths, completely cut off 60 island
clusters, and displaced 80 islands in the Pacific region. Pam was one of
four cyclones that formed consecutively. The island Tanna was nearly

destroyed, 30,000 displaced, all of crops destroyed, and most houses

gone. The storm caused food and water shortages.4

The storm finally ended, March 22, 2015. Cyclone Pam was one
of the worst in the history of Vanuatu. 90% of the buildings were
destroyed. Total people affected estimated 166,000 and about 65,000
homeless in Vanuatu alone. Death tolls were low for this incident,
however thousands were displaced, and millions in damages done.
Communication and electricity was limited during the time of
displacement.
Lack of tourism to the affected areas will hurt the economy in the
South Pacific. Tourism makes up about 40% of Vanuatus economy
and it directly employs more than 6,000 people 5 150 million dollars
are estimated damages of cyclone Pam.

4 CyclonePam:VanuatuislandersforcedtodrinksaltwaterBBCNews.(2015,March17).RetrievedApril28,2015,
fromhttp://www.bbc.com/news/worldasia31917913

5 Garrett,J.(2015,April27).VanuatuhotelsreopenafterdevastatingCyclonePam.RetrievedApril28,2015,from
http://www.abc.net.au/news/20150427/cyclonepamvanuatutourismindustrybouncingbackafterpam/6425234

Mitigation efforts were decent for cyclone Pam. The predictions

were made in advance so many were able to evacuate or reach safe
grounds. The problem at hand was destruction of crops, homes, and
lack of fresh water when people returned. For the future, it could be
encouraged for people to keep survival kits in their homes and prepare
water bottles when residents are warned to evacuate or warned of an
intense tropical storm. If a tropical storm is predicted, secure windows,
stay indoors, move hazard objects that could fall, secure items indoors
and out, and fill up water bottles, bathtubs, and sinks with extra water.
When rebuilding the areas, better roofing and foundations could be
implemented.
4. Floods and Mudslides Atacama, Antofagasta, Coquimbo
Regions of Chile March 2015
Regions of Chile have seen much hardship in March and April. Heavy
rainfall and flooding March 23-26, 2015, caused power outages,
flooding, which was a gateway for disease spreading, water shortages,
rising mud levels, mudslides from the Andes Mountains burying many,
and the wet and hardening mud made conditions more difficult and
flow in a torrent. The thick mud covered sewage drains and pipelines.
Rainfall and flooding affected Atacama, Chile the most. Northern Chile
has the worlds driest desert so heavy rainfall caused destruction and
mud to rise waist deep. The rain was caused by a cold front, which
typically brings heavy snowfall to the mountains. Instead, warmer airs
allowed for rainfall, which coincided with El Nino weather patterns,
much of the globe experienced in 2015. The dry area had not seen rain
this intense in over a century.6 Mudslides and rainfall from the Andes
Mountains into valleys made conditions worse.

6 GPM,NASA,IMERG,&Carlowicz,M.(2015,April11).FloodingintheChileanDesert:ImageoftheDay.
RetrievedApril29,2015,fromhttp://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=85685

25 people have passed away in total, 125 still missing, and over
30,000 people affected. 2,700 people were estimated to be homeless.
Schools are being used as refugee camps leaving almost 40,000
children without schooling. The thick mud hardened after a few weeks
of drying out, making it difficult to help patrons of Chile, rescue
survivors, and bring aid to affected areas. 7 8,300 homes need to be
completely rebuilt and about 7,000 should be reconstructed. Trucks,
homes, and livestock were completely washed away. Economy
destroyed due to destruction of businesses and agriculture of the area.
Atacama provided most of the milk supply for the country (950 million
gallons), so most of Chile is affected by the aftermath of the heavy
rainfall.

This flood has been ranked Chiles 4th deadliest and destructive
event in history. In one day, Chile received enough rain to account for
15 years of rainfall, accumulating approximately 1 inch of rain.
Quillagua, Chile experienced the first rainfall in 23 years. This event
also brought record warm temperatures to Antarctica.8 It was
estimated that 160,000 people were completely cut off and 320,000
affected by the disaster. The Chilean government issued about $10
million in aid, but has not released an estimate of damages.

7 ChilefloodtollrisesamidgrowingfearsformissingBBCNews.(2015,April5).RetrievedApril29,2015,from
http://www.bbc.com/news/worldlatinamerica32187734

8 Masters,D.(2015,April3).ARareEasterTyphoonforthePhilippines;ChileFloodToll:107DeadorMissing.
RetrievedApril29,2015,fromhttp://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=2951

Then to add to the hardships, about a month after the storm, on

April 22, 2015, the Calbuco Volcano in Chile began a pyroclastic
eruption, leaving thousands to evacuate and left areas completely
buried in volcanic ash. The entire country has nearly been affected by
flooding of water, magma, and volcanic ash. The volcano erupted twice
within hours killing livestock and millions of fish, especially salmon. The
volcano was dormant for about 40 years, and erupted showing no
warning signs. The eruption was quite intense with a 12,000-foot
plume, the second eruption caused lightening, and a third eruption is
predicted.
Mitigation efforts were evacuation for this event and no known
reported casualties thus far. Both events in Chile were unpredicted by
the Chilean government. The affected area typically does not get much
rainfall, but future efforts could be installing levees, dams, or natural
ways like sandbagging and digging trenches to block flooding. Though
flooding does not occur often, it would still be a worthwhile investment
to save people and agriculture.

5. Bhaktapur, Kathmandu, & Lalitpur, Nepal Earthquake April

2015 (Ongoing)
A 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit the central and western regions
of Nepal on Saturday, April 25th. The aftermath of the deadliest natural
disaster, Nepal has seen in more than eighty years, was catastrophic.
Then, Tuesday, April 28, 2015, thunderstorms are predicted to last 10
days. Also, a landslide occurred in Langtang National Park. Potentially,
200 people are missing.9 The death toll reaches approximately 4,600
as of April 28, 2015, and it is estimated another 6,833 injured. 8 million
people in 39 districts have been affected, but a majority of those

9 Watson,I.,Mullen,J.,&SmithSpark,L.(2015,April29).Nepalearthquake:Deathtollclimbsabove4,600
CNN.com.RetrievedApril29,2015,fromhttp://www.cnn.com/2015/04/28/asia/nepalearthquake/

severely affected were 2 million people across 11 districts.10

The areas most affected were Bhaktapur, Kathmandu, and

Lalitpur. Temples and homes destroyed in Kathmandu. The death toll is
still increasing, and is predicted to reach approximately 10,000
casualties. Many villages were completely cut off from aid and
resources, leaving many suffering. Over 1.4 million people are in need
of aid such as food, water, shelter, and medication.
Approximately 750,000 people lived near the epicenter in poor
quality homes with weak foundations, and vulnerable outer walls. The
earthquake not only took lives of people, but also destroyed agriculture
and livestock. Most of the cities are without power and some homes
and businesses have been running off generators. Nepal Telecom
offered no charge for short-term calls as relief efforts. Not only are
people of Nepal being affected by the earthquake, but also rainfall is
expected for the next ten days, making conditions worse. Government
official, Koirala, admitted to lack of equipment and expert personnel to
help the people. Many of the relief efforts were being made on foot. 11
The source of the disaster was a 7.8 magnitude earthquake, but
the source of many losses and injuries were due to poor housing/living

10 Nepalon'warfooting'asquarterofpopulationhitbyquakeBBCNews.(2015,April29).RetrievedApril28,
2015,fromhttp://www.bbc.com/news/worldasia32494628

conditions. Mitigation options for the future would be to construct

homes using shock resistant materials, building foundations that will
take little damage from resonance, and building energy absorbing
structures. Proper planning, and learning from this disaster, will save
lives in the future.

11 UNResidentandHumanitarianCoordinatorforNepal.(2015,April27).Nepal:Earthquake2015Officeofthe
ResidentCoordinatorSituationReportNo.04(asof27April2015;7:00pm).RetrievedApril28,2015,from
http://reliefweb.int/report/nepal/nepalearthquake2015officeresidentcoordinatorsituationreportno0427april
2015

Conclusion:
Millions of people have been in distress and were left without food,
water, and shelter just within the first four months of the twenty-fifteen
year. The globe has seen heavy rainfall this year, causing problems
such as, flooding, mudslides, avalanches, heavy snowfall, cyclones,
and destruction. Intense rainstorms caused most of the highest
numbers of affected people, the deadliest, and most destructive
natural disasters this year. Heavy rain caused flashfloods in Malawi,
flooding avalanches and snowstorms in Afghanistan, a cyclone formed
in the South Pacific Region, and flooding and rainfall affected Chile. The
deadliest disaster of twenty-fifteen thus far happened just over the
weekend, April 25, 2015; an earthquake struck Nepal leaving millions
affected, and thousands dead. Natural disasters occur often, and
affected people can become patrons in distress quickly due to
improper planning. With advancements in technology, awareness and
warnings can be made with plenty of time for people to prepare.
Education and learning from past disasters should be considered when
implementing mitigation efforts of protection and safety from natural
hazards in the future.

APA Bibliography
Abbott, P. (2014). Floods. Plate Tectonics and Earthquakes, In Natural
disasters (9th ed., p. 477). Boston: WCB/McGraw-Hill.
Carroll, C. (2009). The Big Idea - Safe Houses - National Geographic
Magazine. Retrieved April 28, 2015, from
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/big-idea/10/earthquakes
ChilefloodtollrisesamidgrowingfearsformissingBBCNews.(2015,April5).
RetrievedApril29,2015,fromhttp://www.bbc.com/news/worldlatinamerica32187734
CyclonePam:VanuatuislandersforcedtodrinksaltwaterBBCNews.(2015,March
17).RetrievedApril28,2015,fromhttp://www.bbc.com/news/worldasia31917913
Garrett, J. (2015, April 27). Vanuatu hotels reopen after devastating
Cyclone Pam. Retrieved April 28, 2015, from
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-04-27/cyclone-pam-vanuatu-tourismindustry-bouncing-back-after-pam/6425234
GPM,NASA,IMERG,&Carlowicz,M.(2015,April11).FloodingintheChileanDesert
:ImageoftheDay.RetrievedApril29,2015,from
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=85685
Masters,D.(2015,April3).ARareEasterTyphoonforthePhilippines;ChileFloodToll:
107DeadorMissing.RetrievedApril29,2015,from
http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=2951
Nepal on 'war footing' as quarter of population hit by quake - BBC
News. (2015, April 29). Retrieved April 28, 2015, from
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-32494628
Nield, R. (2015, February 6). Thousands cut off from aid in disastrous
Malawi floods. Retrieved April 24, 2015, from
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2015/02/thousands-cut-aiddisastrous-malawi-floods-150205100559431.html

OCHA.(2015,April5).AFGHANISTANHUMANITARIANRESPONSEPLAN2015.
RetrievedApril29,2015,from
https://docs.unocha.org/sites/dms/Afghanistan/AfghanistanHRP2015Dashboard.pdf
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. (2015, April 5).
Afghanistan: Extreme Weather
Regional Overview. Retrieved April 24, 2015, from
http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/OCHA
ExtremeWeatherUpdate20150405.pdf
UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Nepal. (2015, April 27).
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from http://reliefweb.int/report/nepal/nepal-earthquake-2015-officeresident-coordinator-situation-report-no-04-27-april-2015
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29, 2015, from http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/28/asia/nepal-earthquake/