Natural disasters account for over $100 billion in damage every year worldwide.

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The Earth is consonant undergoing change we so many different factors affecting it at anyone time. When these processes cause a major destructive event, we refer to this as a natural disaster. As of late, these events seem to be more prevalent with the Earth's global temperature in a rising state. At times we see landslides occur where a downward movement or rock and soil tend to cause damage to things below it. This is a similar to avalanches that occur in wintery conditions. The earth will occasionally release large bursts of energy in the form of earthquakes. Earthquakes and just basic erosion can cause the ground (in general or;) below buildings to collapse causing sink holes. Volcanoes are obviously very dangerous when they erupt. The initial explosion shoots rocks into the atmosphere like missiles, this is followed by harmful gases being expelled great distances. Let's not forget the lava flows. Earthquakes or underwater volcanic eruptions can cause tsunamis that create tidal waves that can take down coastal towns in minutes. Hurricanes and tornadoes are violent winds that form due to environment weather patterns and conditions.

The destructive nature and unpredictability of these natural disasters makes them a major concern for humans that may inhabit areas where they occur. As the earth continues to warm, these events will unfortunately become more frequent and common. The worksheets found in this section will help students explore the natural disasters that cause an average of over sixty-thousand deaths per year globally. We will look at the most common forms of disasters, their nature, and some of statistics involved. Over the last decade there has been the formation of over a dozen different organizations that are looking into the common thought that these phenomena are becoming more common. The common question that most scientists are struggling with is whether these situations are more common or are we just better connected globally now due to technology, so we know what is happening in more places now.



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Printable Natural Disaster Worksheets

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All About Them

Many natural disasters are weather related. Others are caused by geological or biological events.

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All About Them Questions

When a contagious disease spreads uncontrollably, resulting in many deaths, it is called pestilence.

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Hurricanes

A hurricane is a powerful, rotating storm that begins out over the Atlantic Ocean, when the warm, moist air over the tropical water rises and is replaced by cooler air.

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QUESTIONS: Hurricanes

Which hurricane was more deadly, Hurricane Maria or Hurricane Katrina?

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Tornadoes

A tornado can form during a thunderstorm or a hurricane. When a large thunderstorm forms in a cumulonimbus cloud, a change of wind direction and wind speed at a high altitude causes the air to begin to swirl horizontally.

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QUESTIONS: Tornadoes

While tornados are usually funnel-shaped, they can also look like a wedge in the sky. Tornadoes are usually about 500 feet in diameter, but they can also be as narrow as a few feet or as large as two miles across.

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Tsunamis

A tsunami is a series of waves that can reach up to 100 feet high, causing massive destruction for miles when they come to shore and rush inland.

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QUESTIONS: Tsunamis

Once this water has been displaced, large waves ripple out from the location where the water first moved.

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Earthquakes

An earthquake is a shock wave that moves through the earth, usually causing violent shaking of the Earth's surface. There are two main causes of earthquakes: the collision of tectonic plates and volcanic eruption.

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QUESTIONS: Earthquakes

How strong (on the measurement scale) does an earthquake have to be in order to be felt?

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Volcanoes

Depending on the severity of the event, a volcanic eruption can cause injury to people and/or damage to human property.

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QUESTIONS: Volcanoes

What kind of effect can volcanic ash have on the area surrounding an eruption?

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Avalanche

The most frequent cause of avalanches is an increased amount of snow caused by a snowstorm.

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QUESTIONS: Avalanche

The deadliest avalanche in human history was triggered by the Ancash Earthquake (also known as the Great Peruvian Earthquake) in Peru on May 31st, 1970, killing nearly 20,000 people.

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Floods

When water overflows its usual boundaries (as of a pond, lake, or river) and moves onto land that is usually dry, it is called a flood.

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QUESTIONS: Floods

What caused massive destructive flooding in the City of New Orleans and St. Bernard Parish in 2005?

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Droughts

A drought is an extended period of dry weather. When an area gets less than its normal amount of precipitation (water that falls from the air in the form of rain, snow, or ice), food crops and other plants don't get the water that they need to grow.

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QUESTIONS: Droughts

Most droughts are caused by a lack of precipitation, though most droughts tend to occur in areas where normal levels of precipitation are already low.

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Wildfires

A wildfire is a large, uncontrolled fire that destroys large amounts of land. About 20% of wildfires have natural causes such as lightning strikes, volcanic eruptions, or sparks from falling rocks. The remaining 80% are caused by human carelessness.

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QUESTIONS: Wildfires

Where did the worst wildfire natural disaster occur between 1900 and 2015?

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