What you need to do after the event of a natural disaster
There are many natural disaster occurrences in the world and many factors that can cause mother nature to unleash its fury. In many instances the main causes are changes in ocean currents which lead to sea temperature fluctuations and the formation of storms, long-term soil erosion caused by the wind and rain washing soil and rocks away can cause landslides and mudslides, fluctuations in air pressure can intensify the frequency of storms which can cause tornadoes, hurricanes and thunderstorms which can impact marine life leading to food shortages around the world and destroy houses. Unpredictable seismic activity can cause earthquakes and volcano eruptions and can severely cripple any impacted community.
While many of us may not ever likely get impacted by a natural disaster there are plenty of us who know of someone who has been affected and while it is best to keep it at the back of your mind it is also good practice to know what you should do in the event that you are impacted from a natural disaster. Below are some general tips to help you after a natural disaster.
Ensure the area is safe before returning to the disaster zone
No matter how anxious, worried and concerned you are about your possessions and belongings that were left behind in the disaster zone when you had to evacuate. Your life is the most important possession you have and without that you are unable to rebuild. But before for you make an impulse decision to return to the disaster zone and survey the damage you need to be two hundred percent certain that is now deemed safe to return. You can get this information from the authorities such as the police, firefighters and in most instances the government may even issue a public notice in the media. Going back into the disaster zone when it is still unsafe is extremely dangerous and there are many unpredictable factors that can occur such as falling debris, buildings that can collapse, storms that can retrigger.
Survey the damage
Once, you have managed to make your way through the disaster zone safely and back to your own property. You may find that what was once there may no longer be anymore. This is when the reality of what has happened may start to set in. It will most definitely be emotional as you see what was once a vibrant lively community may look like ruins covered in nothing more but rubble, debris and shattered memories. The road ahead will be hard as you rebuild, by each day will get easier and easier. When you have taken a sometime to come to the realisation of what has happen you need to start putting your hands to work and that starts with what can be salvaged and what needs to be removed.
Check your insurance cover
In a time of need, this is where it matters most, all the insurance premiums you have paid over the years to insure your home and contents will now help you initiate that claim. As this is what it is all about, having to carry an insurance policy for your peace of mind for when something does happen. Find out who you are insured with and give them a call to see how you can initiate that claim and how much for. This will definitely help the rebuild process if your house is severely damaged in the disaster. Many people don’t bother to check their insurance after they have purchased it but everyone needs to be diligent enough in updating their policy every couple of years and understand what is insured and under what circumstances. Some insurance companies will find ways not to initiate the cover that is the reason why it is vital to understand your policy and know what you will be covered for and in what situation and always have it down in writing so it is clear as night and day.
Register for any disaster relief
No matter how bad the destruction is left behind you will find in this time of need communities will strongly band together and unite as one and begin helping each other get through the rough times that lay ahead. Charities may be setup as Australians open up their hearts to help those who are affected by the disaster. Be sure to check if charities such as the Red Cross are participating in any disaster relief programs for your situation and check the governments website for Disaster assistance.
Get help to get back on your feet
Once you have put through your insurance claim and registered for any government or non-government funded assistance. It will help you begin your journey to getting back on your feet financially; it may not be a lot but anything helps in a situation of a natural disaster. For anything that you have managed to salvage and set aside you may need help in getting that moved into another location, whether that be a friends or family members house or whether you are moving it into storage. You will need the assistance of a removalist depending on which city you are from there are plenty of removalists around the country but you will need to locate one locally, so in Perth you need to locate Perth Removalists. If you need an Earth Mover then try and locate a local Perth Earth Mover to assist with the clean-up
Natural Disasters in Australia
In Australia we live in a continent that many perceive as inviting weather all year round and a great place to live. However, the reality of it is we are just as vulnerable to natural disasters as many other continents. Unfortunately, Australia’s harsh environment of dry climate and intense heat during summer can spark many spontaneous bush fires that can spread very rapidly. We are also surrounded by water where the air pressure of the sea can fluctuate dramatically particularly in Northern Australia in areas like Townville, Cairns and Darwin. Where formations of storms happen out at sea and eventually turn into hurricanes that cross land impacting many communities in their path.
Let’s have a look at some of Australia’s Natural Disasters:
February 2009 – Victoria – Black Saturday Bush Fires.
Known to be the worst day in bush fire history, as the condition on that day were the worst bushfire weather conditions ever reordered. Temperatures soared to 46 degrees Celsius accompanying winds of up to 100km/h. With over 380 fires that started on the day a cool change did bring the temperature down but increased the wind to 120km/h turning small fires into large fires taking over 5000 firefighters in total to control fires around the region. This resulted 173 people who lost their lives, over 400 people that was critically injured, 2100 homes were also lost.
March 2006 – North Queensland – Cyclone
With winds of up to 290kms per hour, a category 5 cyclone Larry ripped through the North of Queensland. It has made landfall near Innisfail on the 20th March with such force that trees had uprooted, flattened crops and even roofs of houses were torn off. It was amazing that no lives were lost. However, damage to infrastructure and crops totalled an estimate above half a billion dollars.
July 1997 – Thredbo – Landslide
On July 30th Thredbo witnessed a massive 2000 cubic metres of rock and mud shifting, near the Alpine Village of Thredbo. The end result was a gigantic land slide and in its way was the Carinya Ski Lodge, an elevated car park and Bimbadeen Lodge which were all taken out and buried under tonnes of rubble and soil and 18 people were killed.
December 1989 – Newcastle – Earthquake
On a summer’s day on the 28th December, Newcastle was severely impacted by a 5.6 magnitude Earthquake. The Earthquake impacted an area of about 200 square kilometres. It had claimed 13 lives and 160 people required hospital care. The Earthquake left a damage bill totalling $4b including 40000 homes that sustained structural damage affecting over 300000 people and rendering 1000 people homeless.
There is without a doubt that our Earth is changing, it may not be at a rapid pace but these changes are occurring on a daily basis and it is these very factors driving the heart of this change impacting our world and creating more natural disasters. If you are someone who is unfortunate enough to have been impacted by a natural disaster, you need to equip yourself with the knowledge to how to handle and prepare yourself for what is to come so please see tips on what you need to do after a natural disaster.
