# Natural Disasters **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [January 5, 2018, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/natural-disasters/805901 "2018-01-05T09:18:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![constanze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@constanze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/constanze)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2018, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/natural-disasters/805901/1 "2018-01-05T09:18:34Z")
Link to column [Natural born killers: What’s the most deadly natural disaster? - The Straight Dope](https://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2609/natural-born-killers/) > [@](#): > > Prior to 1900 famines were principally of natural origin, the prototypical example being the Irish potato famine of 1846-’49, which was caused by crop failure due to blight That’s not the full truth. The Irish potato famine was greatly worsened because of the Actions of the British government - first link [Great Famine (Ireland) - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Famine_(Ireland)#Government_response) and [Great Famine (Ireland) - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Famine_(Ireland)#Analysis_of_the_government's_role) Similar, > [@](#): > > Still, many “natural” famines also occurred, such as the Ethiopian famine of 1984-’85, in which nearly a million died following a drought. While there was a drought, the government’s Response worsened the Situation much. [1983–1985 famine in Ethiopia - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1983%E2%80%931985_famine_in_Ethiopia) No mention either of famines caused entirely by human Action, e.g. currently Yemen and Syria, or before that Biafra [Nigerian Civil War - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigerian_Civil_War#Biafra_surrounded) > [@](#): > > One may argue that a natural disaster is a brief, impersonal convulsion in which humans are mere roadkill, whereas famines and epidemics take place over a longer period of time and human involvement is more central. But this seems to me a silly distinction that serves chiefly to eliminate the most shocking cases Why exactly? There are good reasons for distinctions between short, unexpected disasters: floods, earthquakes, hurricanes; and Long-term disasters like famines and epidemics: because both prevention and reaction differ greatly. Floods, hurricanes and earthquakes all require similar prevention: correct building codes for houses, cellars or bunkers for hurricanes, re-planting of forests and keeping river flood planes intact; regular Training in evacuation, together with Monitoring for early warning quick Response after it’s over Meanwhile, famines can be seen a Long time in coming - one-year drought or flooding does not cause a famine immediately, unless miss-Management was there before - and can be greatly lessened in Impact with correct measures, but greatly worsened with wrong measures or no measures. We know this because we can look at existing data of previous Responses, and because we have today the ability to quickly feed People (peanut paste etc) but often lack the will to do so. Similar, epidemics - as most recently with AIDS - also depend greatly on correct government Response: see different outcome in US from denial vs. Europe with early education campaigns and Research, or the tragic setback from African conspiracy believers hindering preventive steps and existing Treatment? Also, each new epidemic requires a lot of Research time to identify first the causing Agent (Virus/ parasite) and then a cure (see again AIDS or Ebola), but correct quarantine and hygienic measures to stop the spreading are known and can be followed (or not). Quite different from an earthquake that hits with Little warning. And if we talk about pestilence, why not talk about the worldwide death toll from Malaria, transmitted by moscitoes, or sleep sickness, aided by lack of government interest to fund Research for drugs?