Two different disasters

Read the following and give a response in 3-5 sentences.

1. In 1985, Mexico City suffered a severe earthquake that resulted in a widespread of death and injuries. The magnitude-8.0 quake occurred on September 19 due to the tectonic tension between the North American Plate and the subducting Cocos Plate. Most damaged occurred off the coast of Michoacán. According to the article, 250,000 people were displaced and left without shelter. The government estimated the final death toll at 10,000 people. (Augustyn, 2022). In 2005, Hurricane Katrina stuck along the Gulf Coast and New Orleans. Katrina was a Category Five storm with winds blowing at 175 MHP. “80 percent of New Orleans and large portions of nearby parishes became flooded, and the floodwaters did not recede for weeks” (Zimmermann, 2015). According to the NOAA, “Hurricane Katrina was one of the largest displacements of a population since the Great Depression” (Zimmermann, 2015).
The common problem within these disasters is that evacuation and preparedness was taking too lightly. Of course, challenges and barriers by individuals and communities can be examined, but we will focus on government failures. The Mexican President, Miguel de la Madrid and his advisers refused to fully deploy the national emergency plan. He also declined early offers of international assistances as well but quickly reversed course. The United States government had no real plan for the people who could not evacuate. Both disasters left the poorest individuals highly vulnerable. Due to the outcomes of these disasters, a culture of preparedness has spread. Mexico City has developed an Early Warning System called SASMEX. This alert system pinpoints the location and intensity of an earthquake and send alerts to state and local governments and emergency organizations. There are more than 90,000 users in Mexico City have receivers for receiving warnings. For the United States, Congress initiated reforms that first requires all levels of government to be trained to execute coordinated plans of disaster response. Congress also provided FEMA to pay out billions in grants to ensure better preparedness. The city of New Orleans improved resident access to evacuation and alert information. Research has also changed due to these disaster outcomes. Research and changes have examined how low-income communities and individuals are affected by disasters response and preparedness.

References
Hurricane Katrina: Facts, Damage & Aftermath | Live Science
This is not a drill: how 1985 disaster taught Mexico to prepare for earthquakes (theconversation.com)
Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2022, September 12). Mexico City earthquake of 1985. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Mexico-City-earthquake-of-1985

2. Our text states, “Disasters are not merely ornamental or interesting events that adorn our collective historical record—these disruptions have served to guide and shape it” (Coppola, 2021., p. 2). When working with a disaster, the author lists ‘the reduction of harm to life, property, the economy, society, and the environment” as the key principles wherever a disaster may occur (Coopola, 2021., p. 2).

The discussion prompt for this week called for the comparison of a disaster that occurred in the United States, with a disaster that occurred in another country. This discussion post will include a shared problem that hindered the response to the disasters, and will address why this problem was significant to preparation and training for said disasters. Information that follows discusses the 2005 Hurricane Katrina and the 2009 Haiti earthquake.

In August of 2005 a Category 3 hurricane hit New Orleans, Louisiana (History.com Editors, 2009) Houses that were below sea level were predicted to flood. These homes held poor and vulnerable New Orleans residents (History.com Editors, 2009). In 2009 Haiti was hit by a 7.0 earthquake and the hardest hit citizens were some of the poorest (Gilkey & Beaubien, 2020).

The main problems faced by both groups of residents was the lack of communication between aid groups and leaders. Relief was slow to reach designated areas which caused more suffering after the devastating events. The lack of communication aid releif and city leaders stalled or prohibited aid from reaching the victims annd highlighted problem areas that needed to be addressed. The failure in relief efforts caused new legislation to prevent similar occurrences in the future.

Resources

Donner, W., & Rodriguez, H. (2011). Disaster risk and vulnerability: The role and impact of population and society. PRB. Retrieved March 18, 2023, from https://www.prb.org/resources/disaster-risk/

Gilkey, D., & Beaubien, J. (2020, January 12). Haiti in ruins: A look back at the 2010 earthquake. NPR. Retrieved March 18, 2023, from https://www.npr.org/sections/pictureshow/2020/01/12/794939899/haiti-in-ruins-a-look-back-at-the-2010-earthquake

History.com Editors. (2009). History. Retrieved February 22, 2023, from https://www.history.com/topics/natural-disasters-and-environment/hurricane-katrina

Meyers, T. (2023, March 13). 10 disasters that changed the world. Direct Relief. Retrieved March 18, 2023, from https://www.directrelief.org/2019/12/10-disasters-that-changed-the-world

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