Natural Disasters - 9780367369330

Taylor & Francis

Originally published in 1984 Natural Disasters shows how misleading the term \u201Cnatural disaster\u201D can be. Forces of nature such as earthquakes, cyclones and extreme variations in weather can trigger disasters, but in many Third World countries it is environmental degradation, poverty and rapid population growth which turn a natural hazard into major disaster. This book questions whether the rich nations\u2019 usual response to disaster \u2013 fast, short-lived emergency assistance \u2013 is any longer adequate. Today, most major disasters are \u201Cdevelopment\u201D gone wrong, development which puts millions of poor people on the margins of existence. Disaster relief alone is like bandaging a rapidly growing wound. The appropriate response must include an element of true development \u2013 development which reduces rather than increases vulnerability to disasters.\n > Summary Preface Introduction: A Question of Balance 1. Forces of Nature, Acts of Man 2. Droughts: Tooe