How do humans cause natural disasters?

Answer 1

The word 'natural' indicates that humans have not caused the disaster. However, human activity can certainly interfere with nature, which in turn may either cause a natural disaster or make its effects much worse.

For example, human do not cause earthquakes that are generated by tectonic movement and seismic activity, but underground mining can result in instability that causes earthquakes.

Humans do not cause the rain and monsoonal weather patterns that bring floods, but their activities in damaging the banks of rivers, and alteration of natural waterways, as well as poor drainage patterns in urban areas certainly contributes to flooding, and in some cases is the direct cause of floods which would not have otherwise occurred.

Humans also do not create the weather patterns that cause droughts, but unwise agricultural practices and deforestation most certainly exacerbate the effects of a drought, leading to increased desertification.

Humans do not cause tornados, hurricanes or cyclones but again, their activities in an area can make the effect of these natural disasters worse.

Answer 2

Not directly, however human activities can make natural disasters worse. When heavy rain comes, poor water management, altering of river banks, urban development, and deforestation can lead to severe flooding in areas where it might not. Deforestation of hillsides can also lead to landslides and mudflows during earthquakes and heavy rains. Destruction of wetland worsens the effects of storm surge during hurricanes.

Certain mining and drilling practices have produces stress in the ground, which has led to some earthquakes. Though not as severe as the earthquakes at plate boundaries, some of these have bee strong enough to produce minor damage.

Humans can also start wildfires,though a fire started by people is, by definition, not natural.

Answer 3

Man is responsible for some natural disasters by altering the landscape and atmospheric conditions. Landslide can be caused by altering the soil while floods can be a result of dams or irrigation systems.