Impact of Disasters On The United States

The United States is quite vulnerable to disasters; every state is exposed to one or more hazards. Disasters can either be natural, such as tornados, hurricanes, and earthquakes, or human-made, such as technological accidents or terrorism. The effect of disasters can be felt at the community, city, and state level or even impact the entire country.

Disaster has caused dangerous weather events to occur in the United States, while the government data suggest that they’ve been happening more often over the past several years. Below are the three major impacts of disaster on the United States;

1. Community impact 

A community that experiences a disaster will absorb the impacts of the destructive events. The community will lose so much in economic resources that recovery will become difficult or impossible. Some communities in the state find opportunities in the aftermath of a disaster to rebuild stronger and better communities than before but not all.

• Economic impact 

Natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, and typhoons will inflict serious damage on the economy. It can destroy tangible assets like equipment and buildings and also human capital, therefore, deteriorating the economy’s production in the state. It can even result in firms and industries being forced to shut down. 

• Individual impact

The impact can also be felt mentally, physically, and emotionally. Natural disasters cause loss of financial resources, personal illness or injury, and also the destruction of property. Many individuals develop post-traumatic stress disorders or withdraw into states of depression after experiencing a disaster. However, the state’s government officials and researchers report regularly that older adults are more exposed to disasters.

How to prepare for disaster

• Know the hazards you are exposed to in your area.
• Ensure you have adequate insurance cover against every disaster you are vulnerable to in your environment.
• Plan to have somewhere safe to go in case of an emergency evacuation.
• Ensure you inspect and eliminate any potential hazards in your house. Items in your home that can cause a fire or break are a potential hazard.
• Ensure you consistently check safety devices in your home.
• Ask and learn about your community’s emergency plans, evacuation routes, warning signals, and the locations of their emergency shelters.