Study notes

Human response
Before: preparation
1
Preparing people for the cyclone
2
Cyclones can be tracked by satellites
3
Warnings broadcast. Emergency procedures publicised.
People stock up on food and water, evacuate coastal
areas for higher land
During cyclone
1
Survival: people act to avoid hazards
2
All economic activity come to a halt
3
People avoiding strong winds and flying debris by
sheltering in buildings
Avoid storm surge and flooding by moving to higher land
After cyclone: emergency
response
1
Emergency Response
Saving lives and treating injured immediately after the
cyclone
2
Coordinate rescue teams
Establish medical facilities
3
Assess damages and identify the worst hit areas
After cyclone: recovery
1
Recovery
Caring for survivors in the days/week after the cyclone
2
Supplying food, water and shelter
3
Foreign aid, clean up, vital services restored
After cyclone: reconstruction
1
Normalising social and economic activities
in the months/years after cyclone
2
Crops replanted and tourist industry re-
established
3
Rebuilding roads, communications, homes,
businesses.
Effects on the natural environment
Coastal erosion and damage to coral
reefs from wave action
Flooded low lying areas from storm surge
and swollen rivers
Vegetation blown over
Soil damage when salt deposited
(salinisation) by storm surge or mud
deposited by flooding
Landslides on steep sloped caused by
heavy rainfall
Social effects
Injury and deaths as a result of hazards
Shock, fear and grief
Damaged homes, schools and churches
disrupt social activities
Drinking water shortages due to water
contamination
Community spirit may be developed
Economic effects
Buildings and crops destroyed
High cost of repairing damage
Infrastructure (roads, bridges, power and
communication networks) damaged
Tourist numbers drop, affecting jobs and
income
Improved buildings and infrastructure can
be built
Decreasing the effects
Developing infrastructure e.g. better
communications, transport and emergency
organisations.
Public education of emergency plans. Stockpile
supplies
Constructing buildings more able to withstand
cyclones
Zoning to limit development in coastal and steep
relief areas
Improved prediction/tracking techniques:
give people time to prepare and/or evacuate
Planting crops that can withstand impacts of a
cyclone
Increasing the effects
Growing population in cyclone-prone
areas puts more people at risk
Poor construction techniques
buildings easily damaged
Poor infrastructure e.g.
communications, transport, emergency
organisations.
Case study notes example/
Natural processes
Cyclone Ami hits Fiji on 14
th
Jan 2003
A depression developed into a cyclone north of
Fiji on Jan 12.
Moving south, the cyclone struck Vanua Levu
about 3am on Jan 14.
185km/hr wind gust, flash floods from storm
surge and torrential rain.
Case study notes example/
human responses
First hurricane issued at 1.50am on Jan
14 by Fiji Meteorological Services
Many locals sheltered in caves to escape
the violent storm surges and high winds
International aid agencies like Red Cross
mobilised emergency relief operations
Case study notes example/
natural environment effects
Storm surge and flooding of rivers left the
town Labasa and surrounding areas under
water
Landslides on the steep slopes of Vanua
Levu island from heavy rain
Soil damaged by salinisation
Case study notes example/
social/economic effects
17 people were killed (mostly by flooding)
30,000 affected. Losses of $30 million
Many buildings destroyed. Labasa town
residents left without clean drinking water
Communications cut for several days
Sediments ruined sugar cane farms