Disaster and Community Impacts on the United States

A community is affected by a disaster when an extreme hydrological or geological event occurs beyond the community’s limit. Disasters reshape a community, physical environments, and neighborhoods with harmful consequences on those living in the community.

In the United States, disasters also play a more role in the health of a community. It creates immediate risks to the safety and health of the people of the community. Disasters like tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, and earthquakes can also damage communications networks, electrical grids and the transportation infrastructure of the community.

Three major community impacts of disaster

1. Displaced population: A community that went through a disaster will definitely have a displaced population whereby many people would have to abandon their homes and look for shelter in other communities. So also, if the refugees are too much for the community to handle, it can disrupt the accessibility of health care, education, and food supplies, thereby slowing down the growth of the community. 

• Food Scarcity: food becomes quite scarce after a disastrous experience in the community. Many people in the community go hungry due to the damaged crops and loss of agricultural supplies. So also, there will be a hike in the price of food prices rises and also increase in the risk of severe malnutrition, thereby making it hard for the community to find its balance. The impacts of hunger that comes with a hurricane or earthquake can be tremendous and cause severe damage to the community.

How to recover from community impacts of disaster.

In the United States, disaster events are usually monitored by local, state, and federal authorities. Community recovery is not an easy task for a community that has experienced a disaster. Depending on the victims themselves, if they have savings and insurance that are undamaged by hazard impact, it may help a little. The victims can also promote the recovery of the community by reducing their consumption below the usual level or also engaging in overtime employment to generate additional funds. However, the community leaders can also seek assistance from nearby communities.