Introduction
A natural disaster is defined by the UN as: “the consequences of events triggered by natural hazards that overwhelm local response capacity and seriously affect the social and economic development of a region” (Elizabeth F,2006). Natural disasters, for example, floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornados, and windstorms, affect many people in the world yearly. It is essential that the impacts of these natural disasters are assessed and preventive measures taken to reduce their impacts.
Natural Disasters
Natural disasters, technological catastrophes, and acts of terrorism result in similar psychological consequences, such as symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, and physical ailments (Rubonis and Bickman, 1991; Green and Solomon, 1995; Salzer and Bickman, 1999; Norris et al., 2002)
Hurricane Sandy
Hurricanes sandy is a hurricane that occurred in October 2012 and affected the Caribbean, Eastern Canada, and the United States. Hurricane Sandy became the largest Atlantic hurricane on record. Many losses resulted from the storm, and over 190 people lost their lives.
The hurricane developed on 22 October 2012 as a tropical wave in the Caribbean Sea and eventually intensified. Two days later, the tropical wave had become a hurricane. According to the Washington Post, Associated Press, October 2012, in about three days, the total losses had amounted to $53.4 billion and massive deaths along the Caribbean region.
Upon the occurrence of a natural disaster, people in society suffer shock, psychological problems as well as physical problems. It is during the recovery from these shocks that people come together. Victims help in rebuilding the houses, food distribution as well as donations. From the research done on hurricane Sandy, I was able to identify that most of the rebuilding help came from the citizens from the unaffected parts.
Politics come to a standstill as politicians become involved in the humanitarian process. Hence political temperatures in the country will always cool down upon happening of a natural disaster. After the occurrence of Hurricane Sandy, political temperatures cooled down in the United States as it happened during the election campaigns.
Natural disasters have a great psychological and emotional impact on the victims. Many social workers are recruited to help the victims deal with psychological problems. Some people even volunteer, and they spend a lot of time with the victims with the aim of helping them recover.
The government sector always joins the private sector during this period in the provision of services to the victims. Many businesses will give out donations, trucks to deliver food supplies as well as housing for the victims. The government also deploys the armed forces to deliver supplies to the victims as well as saving people from inaccessible regions.
Conclusion
If I were to carry out research on this topic, I would first develop an overview of the topic, which would help me gather more information on the topic, develop a general bibliography as well as enabling my work from the general to specific objectives.
I would then review the literature. This involves understanding the topic more. This would include doing a thorough study of encyclopedias, books, and other publications to see what other authors have done.
Clarification of the problem would be the next stage. This involves narrowing the scope of the study and coming up with the purpose of doing the research.
Terms and concepts will be clearly defined. By defining the concepts and terms used in the research paper, the contents are made easier to understand to the final reader.
The next stage would define the population. Since my study would be based on Hurricane Sandy, my main population would be the persons affected by the hurricane or the persons living around the Caribbean region.
I would develop an instrumentation plan. This helps in assisting the data collectors and other persons who will be involved in the research on how to collect data and the contents required.
Data collection and analysis would then be carried out. This involves collecting either primary or secondary data through verbal or nonverbal communication.
After the analysis, I would present my research findings to society.
References
“A look at Caribbean deaths and damage from Hurricane Sandy”. The Washington Post. Associated Press. 2012. Web.
Elizabeth Ferris,( 2006),Natural disasters ,Conflicts and Human rights: Tracing the connections. Web.
Rubonis, A. V. and Bickman, L. (1991). Psychological impairment in the wake of disaster: the disaster-psychopathology relationship. Psychological Bulletin, 109, 384–399.