COOL
LINK
Violent Weather
Destructive weather events
What is in the book?
Chapter: Violent Weather
Wind
Cyclones/hurricanes
Tornados
Thunderstorms
Lightning
Floods
Global Warming
Days with destructive winds, lightning and floods are the times when ‘Mother Nature’ shows her bad temper. In a matter of minutes, her fury flattens whole neighbourhoods, towns or regions. Millions lose their homes and belongings every year. Some lose more than their possessions. Violent weather takes away the lives of thousands worldwide. Hurricane Mitch alone was responsible for the death of over 10,000 Hondurans in 1998.
On the average, about 50 Australians and over 1,000 US citizens die every year as a direct consequence of extreme weather events. The figure is likely to be much higher, however, because the cause of death is not always easily attributed to weather events.
The economic impact of destructive winds is, to some degree, more tangible. When a tornado or a cyclone ravages a town, an assessor estimates the replacement cost of homes and contents and the damage to the town’s infrastructure. Not quite as easy is the assessment of secondary impacts, such as the temporary provision of shelter and food, long-term revenue shortfalls, reduced business activity etc.
