Natural Disasters Have A Negative Impact On Poverty

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The walls of a family home being blown apart, accompanied by the thunderous patter of pouring rain. The roaring wildfires turning trees in its path into ash. Families are torn apart and cherished possessions being lost. Disasters affect everyone: those who have nothing to lose, those living paycheck to paycheck struggling to pay their rent, and those who have everything to lose. Any disaster, a hurricane, tornado, wildfire, or landslide brings chills to one’s ears and is all the more reason for a call to action. Natural disasters have had a negative impact on poverty-stricken individuals for years. A natural disaster is defined as a major adverse event resulting from natural processes of the Earth. These catastrophes have also contributed …show more content…

According to the National Academies Press, Mitigation refers to a set of actions taken to prevent or reduce the risk to life, property, economic activities, and natural resources from natural hazards (21). Education, preparation, and prediction along with the use of warning systems can reduce the disruptive impacts of a natural disaster on communities. Furthermore, the implementation of mitigation has been overlooked by many districts, “Despite increasing vulnerability to natural disasters, many communities resist adopting mitigation programs”(National 21). On the other hand, the process of mitigation takes time and money which poverty-stricken individuals do not have much of. Due to this issue, implementation has been pushed aside. Strategies that Mitigation includes are: avoiding development in flood-prone areas through planning and zoning ordinances, developing emergency warning systems and plans, and emergency drills may save money in construction and reduce the loss of life and damage to property and natural …show more content…

Economic gaps would be widened and each disaster would worsen the state of the nation. Each individual could simply donate to a government organization and equip themselves for spontaneous emergencies. Precautions, emergency plans, and insurance are all actions that can be taken to remain standing after a disaster. Although it seems difficult for a lower-income individual to prepare themselves, a simple step is all it takes. Disasters are inevitable; humans do not have the ability to obstruct a hurricane. On the other hand, humans can shield and prepare themselves. The best that can be achieved is reducing the effect of a disaster, and recovering

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