Describe a Natural Calamity that you Fear Cue Card

Why do you fear it?

Recent flooding in the southern Indian subcontinent poses a serious hazard. Not only did the flood cause the deaths of thousands of people, it also ruined the local economy, land, and possessions. I watched the incident on TV.

How it affects people’s lives?

I regret to say that some of my friends were also stranded there, so I was very concerned for them. I was unable to communicate with them, which increased my level of anxiety. The food supply had been cut off owing to the flooding, there was no internet access, and the cell phone network was down, as I could see on television. Some people were confined to their homes, while others had lost loved ones. Even on television, it was a horrible scene to witness. I questioned how my pals were handling things and what they had been going through.

Explain how you think the damage can be reduced?

According to me, the only way to prevent floods is for the government to adopt new climate change adaptation regulations. Floods play a significant role in climate change. The government must take steps to manage the coast as sea levels rise faster owing to climate change. To alleviate coastal flooding, coastal fortifications such as sea walls, beach replenishment, and barrier islands can also be constructed.

Model Answer 2

Why do you fear it?

It still is imprinted in my head and I remember it vividly. Indonesia, among other countries, is more prone to earthquakes. Years ago a 6.5 earthquake hit Indonesia in the middle of the night. This earthquake mortified me to the core. It killed nearly one lac people and thousands of buildings were destroyed. The quake destroyed people’s houses, lost their near and dear ones, and traumatized them for a lifetime. We ourselves lost everything and were completely broken by the incident.

How it affects people’s lives?

The government did provide a relief fund but it wouldn’t erase the haunting memories of the earthquake. I believe the government is responsible for these frequent earthquakes. To mitigate the damages from earthquakes an earthquake-resistant building code should be followed when new construction is going on.

Explain how you think the damage can be reduced?

Seismologists should be able to predict the time and location of earthquakes properly so that people are made aware of the situation beforehand. A warning before such a calamity will allow people to relocate to a safe place and save them from such a catastrophe. Even if an earthquake hits I believe that a team of rescuers should be available readily so that people can be evacuated quickly. Lastly, The government should tighten its policies in regards to mitigating the quake as Indonesia is so much more prone to quakes than other countries.

Why do you fear it?

The authorities had declared it to be a flash flood and warned everyone to stay inside their homes. One midnight I woke and the entire house was almost flooded with water. My family and I were staying on the second floor. I soon woke up my father. He woke up and looked around and saw the continuous rains had clogged all streets, roads, and some homes had submerged in water. We couldn’t sleep the entire night.

How it affects people’s lives?

In the morning I saw some vehicles floating around in the water, along with people’s belongings, even animals. I dreaded watching it. As roads were completely flooded with water there was no transportation. The wifi and our mobile networks all had died. We were completely stuck inside the house. Later that day, it started raining again, winds were blowing so strongly that it even broke one of the house windows. I even saw the mobile tower completely being swayed by the winds.

Explain how you think the damage can be reduced?

Fortunately for some days, we had electricity, so we could charge our mobile and talk to our near and dear ones. Our relatives reached out to us and were extremely worried. They kept updating us about the weather conditions and when it might improve. The entire scenario continued for about two weeks. We were short on ration as well. However, some professional volunteers came to deliver food packets every day. Fortunately, after a few days, the administration ran a rescue operation and our entire building was vacated and moved to a safer pace.