Natural Disasters I: Hurricanes

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In October 1998 Hurricane Mitch resulted in the deaths of over 10,000 people in Central America. It was the deadliest Atlantic hurricane in 200 years.

7. Why was Mitch so destructive?

Mitch was a very powerful storm, perhaps the second most powerful ever recorded, but this doesn't explain the loss property and life entirely. To understand this we must look at three related issues:

economy
land management
wealth distribution

The economy of Honduras relies heavily on income derived from agricultural exports. Among the commercial crops are bananas grown by large companies for the US market. These crops are grown on large plantations that occupy fertile valley floors. Poorer farmers occupy marginal land for growing food for consumption and local markets. These marginal lands are often located on steep mountain slopes that must first be cleared of forests. Trees slow down the movement of water into rivers and, with their roots, hold soil in place. In their absence, rivers receive rainwater quickly and flood more easily. Moreover, if the slope is steep enough and the soil becomes saturated it can behave like a liquid and move downhill. A landslide consists of a river of soil, rock and trees that obliterates everything in its path.

8. Finding out more

There are several very good web sites that are devoted to hurricanes. You can access the most interesting sites (that have satellite images and information) through the Discovery channel site: Hurricane Website

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