Natural Disaster Impact Scenarios

Natural disasters can strike with little or no warning often leaving a wake of wide-spread destruction and strained emergency resources. The following information is compiled from both personal experience living through various natural disasters combined with over 24-years of monitoring emergency radio communications throughout the Los Angeles County region before, during, and after those events. 

Note: The last section at the bottom of this page contains a wealth of resources for you to learn more about specific natural disasters. 

• Earthquakes 
• Hurricanes, Tornados, & Thunderstorms
• Flash Floods
• Wildfires
• Your Lifeline When Disaster Strikes
• National Weather Service Frequencies
• Severe Weather Preparation Tips
• Natural Disaster Resources

Earthquakes can strike anywhere at anytime without warning. In fact, thousands of earthquakes occur everyday in the US alone with most too small to even be noticed. The real danger lies in the number of strong, or even worse, major quakes that strike periodically. These quakes have the potential to cause severe widespread damage, death and serious injury if they strike near populated areas. 

Having personally experienced every major shaker to hit Southern California starting with the 6.6M San Fernando Quake (Feb. 1969), I can attest to the awesome force of "intense" ground shaking generated by a 6.0+ or 7.0+ magnitude earthquake. There is just something about watching every single thing around you shaking all at once in different directions that is, well let's just say, unforgettable.     

QUAKE MAGNATUDE

The strength of an earthquake is measured by what is known as a Richter scale magnitude. An earthquake's magnitude can raging anywhere between M1.0 and M9.0+. Ever point increase in magnitude multiples the strength of an earthquake by 1,000 times. For example, a quake registering a 6.0 magnitude is roughly 1000 times stronger than a quake measuring 5.0 magnitude. Other factors that affect the strength of an earthquake are depth (how close to the surface) and type of fault it occurs on.  

Earthquakes are classified according to the following intensity categories:

These quakes are less than magnitude 3.0 and are referred to as "micro-quakes" - so small they are not even felt. No damage or injuries result from these. 

For an example of micro-quakes in action, check out the Current Earthquake Activity for California.

These are earthquakes that range in the magnitude 4.0 & 5.0  range and are strong enough to be felt tens of miles away from the epicenter. Ground shaking from these earthquakes can cause minor damage within the immediate area of the epicenter such as items knocked over or off shelves. There may even be a few injuries from falling objects. Minor disruptions is utilities are unlikely but possible. In addition, small aftershocks are common for several weeks after the event. 

For an example of a moderate event, check out the quake maps for the 4.2M Valencia Quake (California - Jan. 26, 2002) and the 5.6M Sierra Madre Quake (California -Jun. 26, 1991).

These earthquakes range in the 6.0 magnitude range and produce severe to violent shaking and can be felt over a hundred miles away. Ground shaking from these earthquakes can cause moderate to heavy wide-spread damage to homes, structures, and roadways with the heaviest damage near the epicenter. Moderate to major disruptions in power, gas, telephone, and water are likely and the risk of fire and explosion from gas main ruptures is extremely high. In addition, these quakes can trigger destructive landslides, avalanches, and tsunamis. Strong aftershocks are common for several days after such an event and continue, decreasing in strength for months, even years after the event. 

For an example of a strong quake, check out the quake map for the 6.7 Northridge Quake (California - Jan. 17, 1994).

These earthquakes range in the 7.0 magnitude and produce violent to extreme shaking and can be felt several hundred miles away. Ground shaking from these earthquakes can cause massive wide-spread damage to homes, buildings, and other structures including bridges, roads, and passes. Major disruptions in power, gas, telephone, and water would occur as would fire and explosion from gas main ruptures. In addition, the loss of vital community infrastructure (police, fire, and medical facilities) is possible as are destructive landslides, avalanches, and tsunamis. Strong aftershocks are common for several days after such an event and continue, decreasing in strength, for months and years after the initial event. 

For an example of major quakes, check out the quake maps for the 7.3M Landers Quake (California - June 28, 1992) and the 7.1 Loma Prieta Quake (California - Oct. 17, 1889)

These rare earthquakes range in the 8.0+ magnitude and and produce extreme shaking resulting in widespread catastrophic damage radiating outward from the epicenter. 

Ground shaking from an event of this magnitude would cause the complete collapse of vital community infrastructure (police, fire, and medical facilities) as well as major collapses to roads, freeways, and passes. Long-term disruptions in power, gas, telephone, and water would continue for weeks. In addition, there would be wide-spread fires from ruptured gas lines, destructive landslides, avalanches, and tsunamis. Severe aftershocks would follow for weeks and continue in a decreasing pattern for years after. 

You can learn more about earthquakes and what causes them through the online resources provided at the bottom of this page. 

Severe weather-related disasters can be as devastating as a major earthquake depending on the type and severity of the event. Severe weather-related events include hurricanes, tornadoes, severe lightning-thunderstorms, flash floods, winter snowstorms/blizzards, and even severe wind conditions.

Severe weather-related events usually give some warning time before impacting a specific area, which is good. The bad part is that some of these events may spawn others dangers such as flash floods.

The strength of a hurricane is determined by it's wind velocity and is broken down into five categories known as the Saffir/Simpson scale: 

The potential impact can range from minor damage and temporary evacuations to wide-spread destruction of homes, structures, and roadways depending on the strength at landfall and storm surge. A storm surge is a dome of ocean water that can be 20 feet high at its peak and 50 to 100 miles wide brought about by a hurricane or a northeaster. The surge can devastate coastal communities as it sweeps ashore. In recent years, the fatalities associated with storm surge have been greatly reduced as a result of better warning and preparedness within coastal communities.

Hurricane Watches and Warnings

A hurricane watch is issued when there is a threat of hurricane conditions within 24-36 hours. A hurricane warning is issued when hurricane conditions (winds of 74 miles per hour or greater, or dangerously high water and rough seas) are expected in 24 hours or less. See: National Weather Service Frequencies below for more information. 

The intensity scale for tornados, the Fujita Scale (or "F" scale), is also broken down into distinctive categories numbered from F0 to F6, with F6 being the strongest. The potential impact from a tornado can range from moderate damage to wide-spread destruction of homes and structures depending on the strength. 

For more information on tornados, check out the resources listed at the bottom of this page.

Events such as severe thunderstorms lack the concentrated destructive forces of hurricanes and tornados to cause widespread destruction, but nevertheless, they still have the potential to cause moderate to major disruptions in power, gas, telephone, and even water. These disruptions can last anywhere from several hours to several days depending on the severity of the event and the damage left behind. In addition, thunderstorms can spawn other disasters such as flash floods and landslides.

For more information on thunderstorms, check out the resources listed at the bottom of this page. 

From lost lives to lost property, the results of flash floods can be devastating. Water can quickly rise to 25 feet or more above normal levels with little or no warning. In 1976, a flash flood in Colorado struck without warning killing 139 people as it moved through a narrow canyon. 

According to ThinkQuest, an average of 200 people are killed every year in the US from flash floods making it the number one weather related killer. 

• Between 1947 and 1967, more than 173,000 people died from floods in the US. 
• Flooding accounts for almost one quarter of the weather related deaths.
• Death due to floods and flash floods is on the rise due to two reasons. First, more and more people are living along rivers and streams, and that makes the chance of flood related deaths higher.
• Twenty thousand towns in the United States are built on flood plains but only about 1,000 communities have local flood warning systems.
• An estimated 90 percent of damage related to all natural disasters is caused by floods. 

• Severe thunderstorms producing intense rain over a long period. 
• Multiple thunderstorms moving over the same area
• Tidal surges from hurricanes
• Heavy rains from tropical storms.
• Monsoon rain storms
• Levee or dam failure.
• Floating debris accumulating and blocking natural and man-made drains and channels.
• Floating debris accumulating and blocking rivers and streams causing them to overflow. 

The destructive force of moving water can easily destroy homes, buildings, bridges, and roads as well as carry away vehicles, rip out trees, move large rocks & boulders, knock-down power poles & lines, even trigger mud-slides. Many homes and buildings are often red-tagged following a flood because of severe damage. 

Although flash floods can strike anywhere, the areas below are most often prone to flash flooding:

• Areas near lakes, rivers, streams, & levees
• Areas near flood control channels
• Areas near canyons & passes
• Areas in low lying valleys & plains
• Areas below sea level elevations
• Coastal areas  

Wildfires are one of the most destructive forces that can strike at anytime and are not exclusive to a particular region of the US. They occur near hillsides, forests, swamplands, rural areas, and remote mountain areas.  

According to the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC), in 2000 alone there were a total of 122,827 wildfires that consumed 8,422,237 acres causing billions of dollars in damage. (view report here)

Wildfires spreads quickly, consuming and destroying anything in it's path. Some factors that affect the speed of a wildfire include wind and brush conditions, humidity, time of day, and terrain. Windy conditions, heavy brush, high humidity, uphill terrain, and even daytime all cause wildfires to spread faster. A wind-driven wildfire is the most dangerous because it spreads extremely often by "jumping" ahead of itself along the tops of trees and brush.

• Those who live near or on a hillside
• Those who live in a wilderness area
• Those who use recreational facilities in a wilderness areas.
• Those who like to "get-away" for a day in wilderness areas.
• Those who travel through a wilderness area to get to their destination. 

Immediately after a major disaster strikes, police and fire-rescue personnel ("first responders") will be strained beyond capacity leaving them unable to respond to emergency calls for assistance. Before they can even respond to calls for assistance, they must first make damage assessments in and around the firehouse or police station and other vital infrastructures. 

After initial damage assessments are made, fire personal respond to handle any emergency calls for service while police personal conduct assigned "critical location" checks. Critical locations include locations such as city hall and other priority buildings, dams, banks, etc. Other responders to the affected area may include county, state, and federal government agencies, non-profit organizations such as the American Red Cross, and even private sector entities. 

In the event of a flash flood or major flooding, you will most likely be forced to evacuate your home. Unless you are monitoring a police scanner, the first word of an evacuation will most like be through authorities making announcements over a loud speaker. Authorities will provide you with the location of emergency shelters set up by the American Red Cross for residents affected by the evacuation. Follow evacuation instructions CAREFULLY! and do not take shortcuts, it could prove deadly. 

In the aftermath of a major disaster, information is key! Remember, after a large quake, your power may be out leaving you to relying on radio broadcasts for information, which will be sketchy at best! Using your police scanner, you can get "real-time" information as events unfold around you including; 

• Earthquake magnitude and epicenter location within minutes
• Vital infrastructure status (police, fire, and hospital services)
• Real-time structural and highway damage assessments
• Rescue operations in progress
• Power outage reports
• Gas main break reports
• Evacuation routes
• Emergency shelter locations
• Road closures
• and much more!

In the event of a wildfire or weather-related event, the first word of pending danger you will receive will most likely be through emergency personnel, by then it may be too late to take action. Again, your scanner can provide you with information you need to know such as; 

• Current conditions of lakes, rivers, streams, flood-control channels, creeks, etc.
• Continuous updates on rising water levels and overflows
• Current weather conditions and advisories 
• The area affected
• Structural damage reports
• Highway damage reports
• Rescue operations in progress
• Road closures due to flooding
• Power outage reports
• Gas main rupture reports
• Evacuation routes
• Emergency shelter locations 
• Vital infrastructure status (police, fire, and hospital services)
• Road Closures
• and much more!

You can learn more about police scanners here. 

The National Weather Service continually broadcasts updated weather conditions, warnings, advisories, and forecasts 24-hours a day nationwide from NOAA (National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration) data center. NOAA WEATHER RADIO IS THE BEST MEANS TO RECEIVE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. These broadcasts can be received by NOAA Weather Radios sold in many departments stores and by all radio scanners.

One or more of the following NWS channels can be heard in most areas of the U.S. Most new scanners come with these channels pre-programmed and accessed by a one-touch button labeled "WX". If your does not have a one-touch weather button, simply program these frequencies into your scanner to find the one for your area. Or, if your scanner has a search feature, search between 162.400 and 162.550. 

IF YOU HAVE A POLICE SCANNER, MONITOR YOUR LOCAL PUBLIC SAFETY FREQUENCIES OR THE WEATHER FREQUENCIES LISTED ABOVE FOR THE LATEST WEATHER ADVISORIES! IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A SCANNER, MONITOR YOUR LOCAL TV OR NEWS RADIO FOR THE LATEST NEWS AND/OR ADVISORIES! MAKE SURE you have extra batteries for your scanner or portable radio. 

• Make sure you have your police scanner and extra batteries ready to go! 
• If you do not have a police scanner, make sure you have a portable TV or radio for the latest weather news or current advisories!
• Make sure you have a FIRST AID KIT in the event that you need to treat injuries that may occur due to falling/flying debris or broken glass.
• Be sure to fill up your gas tank before storm hits and know ahead of time where you will go in case you are forced to evacuate. 
• Make sure you have enough non-perishable foods and drinking water to last up 72-hours.
• Locate and secure all important papers (insurance, mortgage, etc.). 
• Make sure you have a place for your pets to stay in the event you must evacuate as shelters will most likely no allow pets. 
• Get materials ahead of time if your place needs boarding up. 
• Secure all loose objects and furniture in your yard. 
• ONCE AGAIN! - MONITOR YOUR POLICE SCANNER FOR THE LATEST UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION DURING A SEVERE STORM, IT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE!

See our First Aid Kit Page for complete details on putting a first aid kit together or purchasing a ready-made kit and our Emergency Tools & Supplies page for additional preparedness information and tips. 

Remember, you should be prepared to be self-sufficient for up to several days or more depending on the severity of the disaster.  

Link Disclaimer: The links below are provided as a service to you. Police-Scanner.info is not affiliated with any of the externally linked sites and any content found on those sites is the intellectual property of the site's owners. For your convenience, links to external sites open in a new window. Simply close the new window when done viewing link.

• National Weather Service (NWS)

• NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admin)  

• US Doppler Radar Sites

• Intellicast Weather

• The Weather Channel

• AccuWeather.com 

• The Weather Channel Online - the one-stop source for weather related information.

• NOAA Significant Event Imagery - Gallery of satellite photo imagery by the U.S. National Oceanic Administration Agency.

• Earthquakes! - a great reference source for learning all about earthquakes. 

• Earthquakes for Kids - this site explains everything about earthquake in a kid-friendly environment. 

• 3D Earthquake Map - from MSNBC, an interactive earthquake map.

• Earthquake Online Glossary - an online glossary of earthquake terms.

• Did You Feel It? - a service of the USGS, this site offers color-coded severity maps based on reports from visitors. If you feel and earthquake, check out this site and leave your report. You can also view maps of past events.

• EQ Fault Listing - here you can learn all about earthquake faults and locations. 

• USGS Earthquake Information - another great source for past and current earthquake information for any place in the world.  

• National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC) - a primary source for current earthquake information for any place in the world.  

• Recent Earthquakes in California - displays current earthquake activity for California and Nevada.

• Southern California Seismographic Network (SCSN) - here you can learn about the tools that are used to measure earthquake ground movement. 

• QuakeMap Software - QuakeMap offers real-time earthquake monitoring software for your PC. 

• Seismo-Watch Information Services - a subscriber based earthquake notification service. 

• The San Andreas Fault - here you can learn all about the world's most famous fault that runs through California.

• Children, Stress, and Natural Disasters - from the University of Illinois Cooperative Extension Service, a set of resources for teachers, child-care providers, and parents. 

• American Red Cross Disaster Services - the American Red Cross provides many services to disaster victims.

• NWS National Hurricane Center
  

• Hurricane Preparedness
  

• National Skywarn - Severe Weather
  

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• Coping With Floods - from the North Dakota State University, this site provides plenty of information on dealing with floods. 

• American Red Cross - Floods - provides a wealth of information on disaster planning including what to expect and more.

• Flash Floods - The Awesome Power - a flash flood preparedness guide provided by the National Weather Service.

• Repairing You Flooded Home - provides information on dealing with the aftermath of flood damage. 

• Firewise - Information for people who live, vacation, or own vacation homes in fire prone areas.

• National Interagency Fire Center -  Prevention & education

• Wild Fire Fact Sheet - A fact filled publication by FEMA  

• Yellowstone Fires and their Legacy - The only online comprehensive guide to the Yellowstone fires of 1988.

• Historical Wildfire Statistics - This is a list of some of the most serious wildland fires in U.S. history. 

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