A Review of Three Books on Natural Disasters

Journal of Geoscience Education, Nov 2003 by Hope-King, Lizabeth, Fryxell, Joan E

A Review of Three Books on Natural Disasters

Natural disasters are frightening and fascinating certainties here on Planet Earth. They are an inevitable part of the human experience and should be examined as an important aspect of a good education. Their occurrence needs to be recognized, studied, and understood. Exploring the distinction between truly natural disasters and those caused by human activities can provide the students with new perspectives. Due to the sensational nature of the topics, courses about natural disasters enjoy great popularity on many college campuses, and help to excite interest in the sciences among students.

"Geohazards, Natural and Human" by Nicholas K. Coch (Prentice Hall, ISBN 0023229926), "Earth's Fury, An Introduction to Natural Hazards and Disasters" by Robert L. Kovach (Prentice Hall, ISBN: 0130424331), and "Disasters, An Analysis of Natural and Human-Induced Hazards" by Charles H. V. Ebert (Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company, ISBN 0787270733) are all textbooks dealing with the subject of natural disasters. Each author has interpreted this area of study with his own style. In addition, supplementary on-line materials pertaining to natural disasters and hazards are available from Prentice Hall in "Hazard City: Assignments in Applied Geology" by Hobart King.

"Geohazards" presents its subject matter in a progressive and thorough manner. The author builds the ideas and concepts contained in this text with a firm foundation in geology. The book has sixteen chapters. The first three chapters explain the fundamentals of geology and are followed by Volcanic Hazards, Earthquakes, Soil Erosion and Sediment Pollution, Streams, Groundwater, Landslides, Subsidence and Collapse, Atmospheric Geohazards, Waste Disposal and Geohazards, Estuarine and Wetlands Problems, Problems of Mangrove Wetlands and Coral Reefs, Coastal Problems, and Severe Weather Hazards.

Each major topic is described with relevant geologic processes, hazards, and mitigation discussed in individual subsections. This provides clear understanding of the concepts introduced. The text is well supported with many informative illustrations, all in color, and case histories. Of the many illustrations, the diagrams are exceptionally effective in clarifying and reinforcing the concepts presented in the reading. The photographs are visually appealing and efficient in illustrating the hazards in real-life settings and in emphasizing the pertinent geology. The author recognizes the importance of maps in relating geologic concepts. The charts and graphs effectively present information. Case histories are presented as inserts in the relevant sections. These accounts describe the occurrence of some notable disasters and warn of dangerous geologic hazards. The reality of the images is thought provoking. The reading is captivating, and the stories are all well documented. Each chapter ends with a summary, a list of key terms, thoughtful review questions, and some suggested readings. The book closes with two appendices, a metric conversion section, a detailed soil classification table, an informative glossary, and a well-organized index.

In the on-line supplement "Hazard City: Assignments in Applied Geology", the student becomes a geologist, gathering and analyzing information, processing it, making assessments, and giving recommendations. The scenarios include Volcanic Hazard Assessment, Earthquake Damage Assessment, Flood Insurance Rate Maps, Landslide Hazard Assessment, Snowpack Monitoring, Groundwater Contamination, Coal Property Evaluation, and Landfill Siting.

"Earth's Fury" features a dynamic, fact-filled narrative. The text has ten chapters. After a brief introduction, the topics are Volcanoes, Earthquakes, Earthquake Engineering, Landslides and Land Movement, Desertification, Land Degradation and Drought, Atmospheric Hazards, Oceanographic Hazards, River Floods, and Some Accident Scenarios.

Each chapter begins with basic information on its topic. This condensed, fast-moving explanation is designed to help the student gain some basic understanding of the nature and mechanics of the subject at hand. Fundamental facts punctuated with effective case histories, some of which are amazing, characterize the reading. Occasionally, a case history will be featured in its own section to highlight a specific hazard.

Engineering is a strong underlying theme in this text. Engineering and structural information pertaining to past disasters and mitigation measures for the future are discussed throughout the reading. These concepts are illustrated with informative diagrams. Drawn clearly, these figures are detailed and accurate. Examples include the behavior of different structural forms when stresses are applied in various scenarios and a hypothetical risk analysis for a natural gas terminal. Facts and concepts are also frequently expressed mathematically.

The maps and graphs are clear, understandable, and well placed within the reading. Pictures range from interesting and educational to fascinating in their depiction of extraordinary geologic disasters. All of these visuals are displayed in black and white. Each chapter closes with a number of comprehensive review questions.