Titre : | Natural Disasters (Facts on File Science Library) |
Auteurs : | Lee Davis |
Type de document : | Books |
Editeur : | New York : Facts on File, 2008 |
Article en page(s) : | XVI, 464 p. |
Collection : | Facts on File science library |
ISBN/ISSN/EAN : | 978-0-8160-7000-8 |
Langues: | Anglais |
Index. décimale : | 904/.5 |
Tags : | Natural disasters |
Résumé : |
Throughout history, natural disasters have devastated mankind. In some cases, they have even altered the course of human history. With more than 500 entries, Natural Disasters, Revised Edition provides a comprehensive and international survey of these tragic occurrences. Following a general introduction are chapters organized according to disaster type: including avalanches and landslides, hurricanes, earthquakes, icestorms and snowstorms, famines and droughts, tornadoes, floods, typhoons, plagues and epidemics, storms, cyclones, volcanic eruptions, and natural explosions. Each entry features basic facts about each disaster, background information, as well as its impact on mankind and the environment. Thrilling eyewitness accounts, helpful chronologies, and illustrations provide additional insight for readers. Sample entries include: * World AIDS epidemic * Hurricane Iniki, Hawaii (1992) * Typhoon Fred, China (1994) * Ebola virus, Zaire (1995) * Eruption of the Soufriere Hills volcano, Montserrat (1995-1997) * Avalanche, Mt. Everest (1996) * Cyclone, Bangladesh (1997) * Floods, India (1998) * Snowstorms, Austria (1999) * Drought, Somalia (1999) * Earthquake in India (2001). From School Library Journal Grade 9 Up—The opinionated introduction to this update of the 2002 edition paves the way for the unstinting social commentary ("people situated near volcanoes ignore common sense and the warnings of experts") in these 500-plus articles. Chapters begin with thorough explanations of the phenomena and a chronological list of calamities, prehistory to 2007. They are arranged by disaster type and include "Avalanches and Landslides," "Earthquakes," "Famines and Droughts," "Plagues and Epidemics," "Hurricanes," "Icestorms and Snowstorms," and "Volcanic Eruptions and Natural Explosions." Within these divisions, arrangement is geographical and then chronological. Entries provide a synopsis of the disaster, and then proceed with a detailed history, including magnitude or strength (Richter scale measurements, etc.) death toll, property damage, and other effects, interspersed with numerous eyewitness accounts and quotes. New coverage includes entries on Hurricane Katrina, the U.S. Midwestern floods of 2007, and SARS. There are no cross-references. Also, there is no chapter on tsunamis, so the book lacks a comprehensive explanation of their creation. Instead, descriptions of the genesis and destructiveness of individual tsunamis, including the massive 2004 disaster, are scattered throughout the flood and earthquake sections. Black-and-white photographs accompany many of the entries, and there is an eight-page section of color photos. Both types are grainy. Though it covers only through 2006, Marlene Bradford and Robert S. Carmichael's Notable Natural Disasters (Salem, 2007) is a better option. It covers more disaster types, gives the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami its own entry, and discusses prevention more thoroughly.—Henrietta Thornton-Verma, School Library Journal |
En ligne : | http://lccn.loc.gov/2007050846 |
Exemplaires (1)
Code-barres | Cote | Support | Localisation | Section | Disponibilité |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
301320 | XXX.1320 | Book | Royal Military Academy | Economie, management & leadership | Disponible |