Earthquakes,Tsunami and Floods

     The trembling or shaking movement of the earths surface as a result volcanic activity results in plate movements along the fault plane and this is what causes earthquakes. They are sudden, violent, day or night. The richter scale is used to measure magnitude and the modified mercalli intensity scale which determines qualitatively by physical observations of the earthquakes impact.Visit here for more on earthquake and the research of earthquakes

from Reuters

      We shift to Tsunami an ocean wave generated by a submarine earthquake, volcano or landslide. Its been also called a tidal wave but this is not correct and its only other name is a seismic sea wave. Point to note is that tsunami can hit much faster than most people expect. With speeds of up to 1000km/hr, the message is clear heed tsunami warnings.Floods on the other hand are caused when water covers previously dry areas. They are not always negative ask the Egyptians and they are blessed when it floods.With it brings nutrients to its desert enabling cultivation and feeding its people and so efficiently done that they can export.

from VOA.com: Kenyan Military helping people affected by landslides in the country 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
       Landslides are caused by by a particular factor or a combination. Before we look at this lets note that landslides refers to the downward movement of masses of earth and rock. With this done we note that the factors that causes them could be; an increase in the load the earth is bearing, a change in the earths gradient, shocks and vibrations, change in the water content in an area or the movement of ground water, frost action,change in vegetation, or even removal of vegetation cover. On top of these factors they are characteristics to note of a landslide hazard area. They are courtesy of virtual university. Some human causes include over development grading,terrain cutting and filling.

Benson Mutahi
Disaster Management Enthusiast

Situations we are watching
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-24022866
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia-pacific/2013/09/2013990014907480.html
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=45794&Cr=democratic&Cr1=congo

References

Emergency Management: the American Experience,1900-2010. ed. Claire B.Rubin 

http://www.google.co.ke/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CDsQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.col.org%2FSiteCollectionDocuments%2FDisaster_Management_version_1.0.pdf&ei=TU0fUu2pCcPD7AaN5YCwBw&usg=AFQjCNFTu0x4d83emTdP7PeqNce5_tocqw&bvm=bv.51495398,d.ZGU

http://www.google.co.ke/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=5&cad=rja&ved=0CFkQFjAE&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gobookee.net%2Fintroduction-to-disaster-management%2F&ei=TU0fUu2pCcPD7AaN5YCwBw&usg=AFQjCNGfJUQc_bdnzhgRaoFoKkVLME69bw&bvm=bv.51495398,d.ZGU