1988–1990 North American Drought
North America experienced one of the most prominent droughts between 1988 and 1990. The midwestern states were most affected by the devastating effects of the drought. Its negative effects correlate with environmental changes, deaths, economic loss, and other adverse consequences. The heatwaves that exacerbated the drought have facilitated a prolonged period of risks and devastation, which, in certain areas of the countries, have lasted for years.
Multiple midwestern states were affected by the natural disaster, yet the effects could be observed in the majority of the country. Nonetheless, South Dakota, California, Colorado, Iowa, and other regions have experienced major difficulties. It is approximated that between 5,000 and 17,000 people have died as a result of the correlating heat waves as a result of heat strokes and similar circumstances (Justin, 2019). Moreover, the heatwave and the subsequent drought have generated forest fires, which had destructive effects, destroying almost 800,000 acres of Yellowstone National Park territory. The economic devastation was also immense, with the government spending $39 billion on recovering from the hardship correlating with the 1988-1990 drought.
The aforementioned natural disaster has impacted multiple areas of life and has led to various negative outcomes, such as the high rate of deaths linked to the phenomenon and the financial losses allocated for economic recovery. As one of the deadliest droughts in North American history, the destructions were major and required several years of investment to minimize the damage that had been done. The natural calamity was partly so devastating as it was not predicted and had a random nature that Americans did not know how to handle or recover from.
1936 North American Heat Wave
The heat wave of 1936 was one of the deadliest natural disasters in North America. July of 1936 remains the month with the highest recorded temperature in the US. The disaster affected the agricultural sector and generated major financial issues. Needless to say, the fact that the heatwave affected the country during the Great Depression significantly worsened the outcomes for those experiencing its devastating effects.
The 1936 heatwave affected the Midwest states the worst. North Dakota, Ohio, Illinois, and other states have been affected more predominantly, which is evident by the record temperatures as well as the death records. Namely, the higher recorded temperature reached 121 degrees Fahrenheit (Bass, 2022). The heat-related deaths have been estimated to be approximately 5,000 people. The most deaths were experienced in densely populated areas. The main reasons for the outcomes were the health effects as a result of exposure to such high temperatures, such as heat strokes. Moreover, the most vulnerable population was the elderly.
Needless to say, the loss of crops during the already challenging economic situation in the country during the Great Depression facilitated major problems for farmers specifically. The destruction correlating with the 1936 heatwave is portrayed both through the economic tolls as well as the multiple deaths linked to the record temperatures. The lack of air conditioning, especially in highly populated areas, ultimately generated more deaths than hurricanes and tornadoes. Moreover, the subsequent winter was one of the coldest recorded seasons in the country. As a result, negative health effects such as hypothermia, as well as financial loss due to spoiled crops and dead livestock, can also be indirectly attributed to the previously mentioned devastation of the heatwave.
References
Bass, G. (2022). The U.S. is sweltering. the heat wave of 1936 was far deadlier. The Washington Post. Web.
Justin. (2019). The North American drought of 1988-1989. Global Energy News. Web.