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Natural Disasters

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"There is nothing natural about natural disasters".
To call a disaster ‘natural’, means that it has occurred completely independent of the influence of humans. The damage caused by Hurricane Katrina, cannot solely be held accountable by a force of nature, however destructive. Human factors have had an equally damaging effect on the affected areas. It is clear to anyone studying natural disasters that, the difference between who lives and who dies depends largely if not completely on which side of the social divide you were born into.
Reasons for evacuation and disaster preparation must be reviewed as these subjects are what caused the most damage. Many believed that the storm wasn’t a serious threat, this could be due to naivety and lack of education on the storm itself. While others, especially those lacking financial backing believed that taking a calculated risk was their best option, the risk of course being calculated by; cost and scepticism. While the richer demographic owned cars to evacuate, credit cards for supplies and refuge, and their immediate families were far more likely to have the resources available to support their evacuation.
Governmental, NGO’s and Private Organisations are also held responsible for city preparedness. Firstly, transportation issues were raised when armed police restricted free movement across the bridge to Jefferson, this was mainly due to issues surrounding race, particularly against African-Americans. Secondly, having known about the threat of these disasters, funding and aid was still directed towards a ‘more important’ war for oil in Iraq.
The above are just two issues focused on, of many, which have attributed to the cause and effects of ‘natural’ disasters.

Image 1. Example of Racial Discrimination outside of the superdome in New Orleans.

Bibliography

Boyle, Mark (2014) - 'At Risk: Society and Natural

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