According to a global risk assessment company called Maplecroft, it is mostly developing nations that pertain to countries with the most natural disasters risk. This is mainly due to the fact that they have fragile infrastructure to begin with and their healthcare is not prepared enough to deal with the aftermath of a natural disaster. This is why they are most susceptible to natural disaster risk and deaths that result.

The British assessment company used a variety of factors when compiling the ranking of natural disaster risk for 229 nations and territories since 1980. These factors include the likelihood and frequency of such catastrophes and the number of annual deaths resulting from them. The types of natural disasters analyzed include tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, flooding, earthquakes, landslides, droughts, epidemics, extreme temperatures, and general storms.

According to these factors, the countries with the most natural disasters are as follows:
1) Haiti
2) Mozambique
3) Bangladesh
4) Pakistan
5) Ethiopia
6) Indonesia
7) Honduras
El Salvador
9) Zimbabwe
10) Nicaragua

Developing Countries Are Hardest Hit
It is hardly surprising that Haiti and Mozambique are at the top of the list. The more or less recent earthquake in Haiti resulted in over 300,000 deaths across the country, which was at the top of the index of more than 200 nations. In general, this Caribbean country is located in a high-risk hurricane zone, so all these factors put it in first place. Mozambique has suffered a lot as well, but mainly because of severe flooding and many economic losses. Indonesia deserves its place on the list too, having been hit by the what is considered the deadliest catastrophe of the decade – the 2004 tsunami from the Indian Ocean, resulting in 226,408 deaths.

Developed Countries Not Far Behind
Developed nations are not exempt from natural disasters either. The most vulnerable countries in Europe are deemed to be Italy and France, where some 40,000 deaths resulted from the 2003 and 2006 heat waves. Another high risk country, according to the report, is the United States itself. It was ranked 30th after hurricane Katrina hit in 2005 and resulted in 1836 deaths and massive economic losses amounting to some $45 million. China ranked 26th on the list, and its biggest disaster of the decade was the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, which resulted in almost 90,000 deaths. The economic losses of this catastrophe amounted to some $123 billion.

The Low Risk Countries
The countries with the lowest natural disaster risk and frequency were found to be Kuwait, Iraq, and Finland. Climate scientists from the UN stress that global warming will continue to bring more and more disasters around the world in the form of heat waves, floods, landslides and powerful storms.

If you live in or near a coastal area in, say, Florida, then you have probably wondered more than once about how to be prepared for a hurricane. Here are the 7 things you absolutely must do in order to be prepared at all times.

Making an Emergency Kit. There may not be much you can do during the hurricane itself, but this is very handy after the storm. This box should contain fresh water, first aid items, matches, candles, snacks, a radio with batteries, and various medications. During the storm you may not have power, water, or a phone connection.

Always Have Supplies. The next thing you should do in how to be prepared for a hurricane is to have a regular supply of water and food in the house. If there is any kind of storm warning, fill up buckets, bathtubs, and sinks full of water, since you may need this water after the storm. Stock up on canned food, which you may need after the hurricane as well.

Protect Your Windows. This is a great answer to the question ‘how do people prepare for hurricanes’. They get permanent shutters on their windows. Plywood panels would be a lower-cost approach to this. Weak or dead branches from trees outside your window should be trimmed to avoid further damage.

Know Your Area. The next answer to our question ‘how do people prepare for hurricanes’ is knowing the emergency routes of the town/city you live in. If your town issues an evacuation, you must take it seriously, and get out as fast as you can. Knowing the fastest, most efficient ways out of town will certainly help.

Make Arrangements for Your Pets. You should contact your local humane society to see where the nearest animal shelter is, because your pets may not be allowed to enter emergency shelters, which is usually for space and health reasons.

Develop an Emergency Communication Plan. If you are separated from your family members during a hurricane, then you should have a plan ready about how you will meet up again (as phones may not work after a storm). Another possibility is to have a relative in another town as a “family contact”, so that they can be called after the storm by everyone in the family.

Create a Box of Importance. If a situation arises where you must flee your home immediately after a hurricane warning has been issued, an importance box is very handy. This is sometimes referred to as a ‘fire box’ as well. What you put in this box is up to you, but it should be things that are most valuable to you. It’s best to have this pre-planned, so you don’t have to rummage through piles of stuff in a panic when disaster actually strikes.

For more information, go to:
http://www.nola.com/hurricaneresources/
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/disaster_prevention.shtml

4. Crawling Out of Bed
If you happen to be in bed when an earthquake hits, don’t attempt to leave it, unless your room has a heavy fixture above the bed. According to studies conducted on earthquakes, staying in bed and covering yourself with a pillow will actually increase your survival chances.

5. Following the ‘Triangle of Life’ Theory

The ‘triangle of life’ theory has been gaining popularity as a safe method of survival during an earthquake. The theory states that when large objects collapse, voids are created next to them, usually forming the shape of a triangle. So, according to this theory, you should run for cover next to a large object, not under it. However, other studies show that it is virtually impossible to know beforehand where such gaps will occur, because the building can get damaged in a number of different ways. So, we advise against following this theory.

6. Rushing Outside When Already Inside
If an earthquake starts and you happen to be inside, you shouldn’t try to get outside. It will prove difficult to run, and the risk of getting hurt this way because of falling objects is much higher. Instead, find cover where you are.

7. Rushing Inside When Already Outside

The same principle goes for when you are outside. Running inside will only increase your risk of getting hurt, especially getting inside a building. The most dangerous place to be is just outside a building, because of the debris and shattered glass that is likely to result.

Click here for Part 1 of article

People who live in earthquake-prone areas are often instructed on what they should do when an earthquake hits. However, when they are actually caught in an earthquake, what NOT to do seems like it has never been taught to them. Here are the 7 main mistakes people make during an earthquake:

1. Running for the Door
This idea comes from the notion that the doorway is a structurally sound location, so it is the least likely to collapse. This may be partially true for older buildings, but modern doorway construction is quite different, so the doorways in these buildings will not be stronger than any other part. If you stand in the doorway, you are risking collision with other objects, which may come flying at you unexpectedly.

2. Holding Your Pet

If there is an earthquake, what not to do is very much this. Animals are a lot more instinctive than humans, so they will try to find their own way to safety. If you try to hold them back, they may instinctively attack you.

3. Getting Under the Car

If an earthquake happens while you’re driving, it may be tempting to get under the car to avoid being hit with falling objects. This will work to some extent, but the logic here omits one important possibility – the vehicle itself could cave in on you. What you should do instead is try to park in an open area and remain in the car with the parking brake on.

Click here to continue reading

4 – Forget the motor, we’re going back to the horse and cart!
Forget about your car. If you live in the US, then there’s going to be so much ash, that it will clog everything up and you’ve probably got your last speeding ticket for a while. Forget flying – we all saw what happened after the pip squeak (in comparison) Icelandic volcano took off. Prepare to buy a horse, get on your bike, or stay where you are.

5 – Learn some real DIY!
Learn how to do stuff yourself! Let’s face it, we have little idea how most of the convenient things we use every day works. If the resulting years of winter coming after the volcano knocks civilization sideways, will you be able to fend for yourself? Will you know how to grow your own food? Do you know which plant groups will mostly likely survive the wintery conditions and give you something to eat? Do you know how to preserve meat by salting it? Me neither, but it’s the people who do who are most likely to survive the post Yellowstone years of turmoil.

As I bring this article to a close, I would like to give you the good news. You know what I said about how most sources on the Internet state that the volcano goes off every 600,000 years, and it is now 640,000 years since it last blew? Well, I am happy to report that this is not quite true, and is just sensationalism to get you unnecessarily worried. In actual fact, between the last eruption and the one before that 650,000 years passed, and between the two eruptions preceding that 800,000 years passed. The happy conclusion is that, whilst Yellowstone is going to blow its top some day, it might be tomorrow, or it might not be for another 200,000 or more years! Praise be to geological time!

Click here for Part 1 of article

If you are reading this article then you are probably aware of the Yellowstone eruption threat to civilization. If not then here it is in one sentence: Underneath Yellowstone park is a volcano so big that if it blows it will likely take out half of the US before casting ash plumes that will block out the sun and bring the world into a decade long perpetual winter.

The bit most people enjoy hearing the least is that (according to many sources across the Internet) the volcano goes off every 600,000 years, and it is now 640,000 years since it last blew. This means that we are 40,000 years past due the next big Yellowstone eruption. Its stuff like this that puts the overdue credit card bill into perspective, isn’t it?! Many of us lead a life in which we often feel like we are “fighting for survival,” when, in truth, we ain’t seen nothing yet.

So when the big one comes, what should we do?

1 – Get away from the North-West!
When Yellowstone blows, you really don’t want to be in Wyoming or any of the states that border it! Am I telling you move away from your beautiful mountain home in Colorado just because there might be a huge explosion sometime in the future? Well, yes I am! But as I know that is completely ludicrous and only completely loopy people are going to do that, I will move onto the next, more useful point.

2 – Watch out for that ash!
No matter where you live in the US, the big immediate danger (if you haven’t been blown to smithereens) will be the volcanic ash. There will so much of the stuff, that it will pile up on roofs to the extent that millions of buildings would be likely to collapse. So, particularly if it has a flat roof, get out of you building! At the same time, you should really stay in your building and close all the windows, as breathing in that stuff will do you no good at all! So either way you’re screwed. Really the best thing would be for you to have a stock of high quality masks at your disposal.

3 – Get rich and buy a place in a shelter!
If you are really rich there are a variety of products on the market now for just these kind of occasions. If you’ve seen 2012, you’ll know what I’m talking about. You could be one of the lucky few to have a place in a specially designed shelter for up to five years after the explosion. Let’s just hope you get on with your room mates….

Click here to continue reading

Iceland

Politically Iceland is the safest place to be in 2012, since it has no land borders and no countries around it for thousands of miles. Although Iceland has some volcanic activity, it is unlikely to have anything to do with the 2012 doomsday predictions. Iceland is one of the most stable nations in the world at the moment and, according to the Global Peace Index, it is home to some of the happiest people in the world. Not that I really believe that, to be honest.

Arizona, USA

There are people who think that USA in general is not a good place to be if the doomsday predictions of 2012 come true. However, it’s important to realize that it’s a big country with a variety of landscapes and climates. Arizona is definitely the safest place to be in 2012 in the USA, because of its many highlands. If a pole shift occurs, Arizona is where you run to.

New Zealand

It is fully developed and very isolated, which makes a good candidate for 2012. Its landscape is diverse enough to hide in should everything go wrong everywhere else in the world. Also, New Zealand doesn’t have land borders, just like Iceland, which makes it a politically safe choice as well.

Africa

(Not a country I know!) Some argue that Africa is THE safest place to be in 2012 on the entire planet. The continent as a whole remains largely unchanged for millions of years and it’s the most stable of all, since very little shifts have been observed on it. The volcano count in Africa is negligible, and the number of fault lines on the continent is insignificant. Although if you really want to play it extra safe, you should be at an altitude of at least 2,300 meters. The disease factor in Africa, however, is a big minus for this hideaway.

Click here for Part 1 of article

Most of us have heard about the doomsday predictions for 2012. Some of us take it with a pinch of salt, but others are taking it so seriously that they are actually making active preparations. If you are in the latter group, then you perhaps you are even looking for a different country to hide out in! Well, here is my list of safe places to be – but be aware, civilizations have predicted doomsday scenarios for thousands of years, and so far not one of them has come true!

China

This is one of the safe places for 2012, because a lot of the country is located above sea level, and none of it is prone to any volcanic or seismic activity. China also has ample resources and much of the country is landlocked, so water-related disasters are unlikely.

Canada

This one is often voted as the safest place to be in 2012, especially for global warming-related disasters. Since the true north strong and free will be warming up, it will be a good place to hide from droughts and floods in other parts of the world. Also, the fact that it only has one shared border that is peaceful gives it political safety as well.

Sierra Nevada, Spain

Although the predictions for Europe’s future are rather grim, Sierra Nevada in Spain is one of the safe places for 2012. Sierra Nevada will actually be a paradise hideaway from the many things predicted to go wrong in Europe – volcanic eruptions, floods, and explosions of various nuclear facilities. It is possible to reach Sierra Nevada’s peaks by road, and adequate shelter can be provided for comfortable living.

Click here to continue reading

Its the Asians that get the brunt of the worst hurricanes. North and Central America has its fair share too, as we all know, but this is nothing compared to what the far east has suffered from over the centuries. Take a look at the worst hurricanes ever to see:

1) Bhola Cyclone. What is now known as the country of Bangladesh suffered badly from the Bhola Cyclone in 1970. This is considered one of the worst hurricanes in history, because an estimated 500,000 people died under its wrath. One district reports to have lost almost half of its entire population. A Category 3 hurricane, the Bhola Cyclone had gusts of wind as high as 130 mph. Calculated in today’s currency, the damage would cost nearly $500 million.

2) The 1991 Bangladesh Cycle. Bangladesh is once again a host to one of the worst hurricanes ever. It started in the Bay of Bengal, and kept moving in the north-west direction, while continuing to intensify. At times the wind was as strong as 160 mph. The storm left at least 138,000 people dead, costing over $1.5 billion in damage.

3) The 1922 Swatow Typhoon. The next on our list of the worst hurricanes in history is the Swatow Typhoon, which was first spotted in the Pacific Ocean near the Caroline Islands. It kept moving north, slowly intensifying, until it entered the China sea and hit the city of Statow in China a few days later. Water levels were raised 12 ft above normal, with winds reaching speeds of 100 mph. Almost 50,000 people died as a result of this storm.

4) Haiphong Typhoon. In 1881 the town of Haiphong, Vietnam was hit with a devastating typhoon, where an estimated 300,000 people were killed. The winds were gusting at 100 mph. Unfortunately, it was hit again in 2005 by another monster storm, but only 150 people died the second time.

5) The 1867 Great Backerganj Cyclone. Continuing our worst hurricanes ever list is the Bay of Bengal. This area suffers again, as this hurricane brought wind speeds of 136 mph, and the biggest waves of 45 feet! This storm caused massive property damage and about 200,000 people where killed.

6) The 1975 Typhoon Nina. This is one of the largest typhoons ever recorded in the history of hurricanes. With wind speeds reaching 155 mph, it landed between China and Taiwan, hitting mostly mountain terrain. However, cities and towns still suffered damage, with the death toll well beyond 100,000, and $1.2 billion in damage.

7) The Calcutta Cyclone. It is difficult to get solid evidence of this disaster as it happened in 1737. Records from that time state that a large storm wrecked the coastal areas with an estimate of 300,000 people killed. The storm destroyed many thatched villages and thousands of ships.
Great Backerganj Cyclone. Poor Bangladesh! No doubt the country hit hardest over history by hurricanes, in 1876, present-day Brisal, Bangladesh’s Meghna River saw a 40-foot storm surge. This caused about 200,000 deaths, with winds as high as 126 mph.

9) Cyclone Nargis. Burma (Myanmar) was struck with this one in May 2008, with winds reaching 105 mph. Over 146,000 people were killed in this Category 4 storm, and thousands more were missing. The estimated damage afterwards was over $10 billion.

10) The 1839 Indian Cyclone. Coringa, India was hit hard with a 40 ft storm surge, which virtually destroyed this city. 300,000 people were killed and the city was never rebuilt.

For more information, go to:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_cyclone

If you live in or near a coastal area in, say, Florida, then you have probably wondered more than once about how to be prepared for a hurricane. Here are the 7 things you absolutely must do in order to be prepared at all times.

Making an Emergency Kit. There may not be much you can do during the hurricane itself, but this is very handy after the storm. This box should contain fresh water, first aid items, matches, candles, snacks, a radio with batteries, and various medications. During the storm you may not have power, water, or a phone connection.

Always Have Supplies. The next thing you should do in how to be prepared for a hurricane is to have a regular supply of water and food in the house. If there is any kind of storm warning, fill up buckets, bathtubs, and sinks full of water, since you may need this water after the storm. Stock up on canned food, which you may need after the hurricane as well.

Protect Your Windows. This is a great answer to the question ‘how do people prepare for hurricanes’. They get permanent shutters on their windows. Plywood panels would be a lower-cost approach to this. Weak or dead branches from trees outside your window should be trimmed to avoid further damage.

Know Your Area. The next answer to our question ‘how do people prepare for hurricanes’ is knowing the emergency routes of the town/city you live in. If your town issues an evacuation, you must take it seriously, and get out as fast as you can. Knowing the fastest, most efficient ways out of town will certainly help.

Make Arrangements for Your Pets. You should contact your local humane society to see where the nearest animal shelter is, because your pets may not be allowed to enter emergency shelters, which is usually for space and health reasons.

Develop an Emergency Communication Plan. If you are separated from your family members during a hurricane, then you should have a plan ready about how you will meet up again (as phones may not work after a storm). Another possibility is to have a relative in another town as a “family contact”, so that they can be called after the storm by everyone in the family.

Create a Box of Importance. If a situation arises where you must flee your home immediately after a hurricane warning has been issued, an importance box is very handy. This is sometimes referred to as a ‘fire box’ as well. What you put in this box is up to you, but it should be things that are most valuable to you. It’s best to have this pre-planned, so you don’t have to rummage through piles of stuff in a panic when disaster actually strikes.

For more information, go to:
http://www.nola.com/hurricaneresources/
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/disaster_prevention.shtml