“…as a result of increasing human population and poor land-use choices, what were once disasters are now catastrophes.” (Keller, Edward A., DeVecchio, Duane E., Natural Hazards, 3). This semester I have learned more about this planet and natural disasters than I have ever thought I would want to know. Everything from tectonics, tsunamis, volcanoes, mass wasting, earthquakes, extreme weather, cyclones, coastal hazards, climate change, flooding, wildfires, droughts, and impacts and extinctions. I benefited from this class and my future knowledge of the world around me, most specifically if I were ever move to the United Kingdom I would be prepared for any natural disaster nature threw at me. Every week studying each different natural event that the U.K. could be affected from has shown me that the worst that could happen to the country are tsunamis and floods. Because of this, I would build my house in Worcestershire, England. Due to outdated and archaic engineering of flood prevention and protection, the community of Worcestershire is planning a flood relief project to begin this summer and is expected to protect some 300 homes and businessses and hope to inspire others to look at better ways for flood prevention. The town is also pretty far away from any coast line that would be flooded from the possibility of 10 foot plus high waves created off the coast.
“Natural ways of preventing flooding such as planting trees have no government funding despite ministers repeatedly backing the idea, according to a freedom of information request by Friends of the Earth.” (Carrington, Damion, UK government not funding natural flood prevention methods, The Guardian.) Because the U.K. has more of a coastal climate and has its fair share of flat valleys and bogs, floods would greatly impact the economies of the country. The winter of 2013-2014 was the wettest winter on record for the UK, and between November 2015 and January 2016 the UK recorded the highest ever rainfall for that period, causing some of the most extreme and severe floods in the past 100 years. Some say climate change is directly responsible for these recent events because a warmer climate can hold more moisture, but extensive research show evidence of man made climate change and other research shows other findings. The country of the United Kingdom is a massive island that as well needs protecting for its coast line towns and communities, rising sea levels have been rising at a rate of 1.5mm a year and long term, preventative measures have been suggested. Experts are stepping away from past solutions like rock armour and sea walls and work with natural coastal protections, like the extensive wetlands and beach systems that already act like a barrier from sea levels and severe storms.
Even though only two known tsunamis have been recorded in the history of the U.K. I believe out of all the disasters we have looked into this is the worst event that could devastate the country more than any other. In 1755 a earthquake created a 10 foot high wave that hit the southern most part of the British Isles and again in 1929 a meteotsunami created a 12 to 20 foot tsunami that crashed into some beaches on the southern coast of the U.K. These two events were created by two separate incidences, one by a volcano, which the U.K. has non active and one by atmospheric phenomena. Although, news of a landslide from a volcano in the Canary Islands could cause a tsunami that would create a 30 foot wave to hit the southern coast of Britain. Scientists believe it could happen in the next few years to the next 20. ”The looming tsunami would travel faster than a jet aircraft, and would devastate much of southern Britain as well as the eastern seaboard of America, reports Plymouth Herald.” (Haworth, Jessica, UK facing tsunami threat from unstable Canary Island as three-metre waves could devastate British coastal towns, Mirror.) So, even though volcanoes are the reason for the disasters to hit the U.K., Tsunamis and flooding are the main threat. Based on my research these are all problems that are of the utmost importance to the officials in control of the country. The U.K. has the best people engineering tools like a acoustic-gravity wave that can disrupt a tsunami wave, diminishing its size and force causing less damage on impact. Along with the British geological survey team keeping track of earthquakes off the coast that are most likely the number one suspect of a tsunami reaching the beaches of Britain.
All together, from earthquakes to volcanoes, I would have to say the United Kingdom is overall a pretty safe place to live. Sure there coastlands can be destructive, but other than a minor tremor or a sinkhole collapsing under your feet, living inland seems pretty safe. With up to date technology and ever scanning surveys of natural occurrences I can see why this country has been around for such a long time and has been able to build itself up to one of the global power houses of today.
Resources
Carrington, Damian. "UK government not funding natural flood prevention methods." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 21 Nov. 2016. Web. 25 May 2017.
Kadri, Usama. "Tsunami prevention." News. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 May. 2017.
Keller, Edward A., Duane E. DeVecchio, and Robert H. Blodgett. Natural Hazards: Earth's Processes as Hazards, Disasters, and Catastrophes. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2016. Print.
Haworth, Jessica. "UK Facing Tsunami Threat as Three-metre Waves Could Hit British Coastal Towns." Mirror. N.p., 07 Dec. 2016. Web. 25 May 2017.
Patient, Douglas. "Killer tsunami to hit UK: Disaster expert warns monster wave 'several metres high' coming." Dailystar.co.uk. Daily Star, 27 Nov. 2016. Web. 25 May. 2017.
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