Reducing the impact of hazards
Marjorie Henry, Contributor

For the past two weeks, I have been discussing question 8 of the June 2007 CSEC question paper. The last lesson ended with suggestions of precautionary measures that individuals can take to reduce the impact of natural hazards, namely, hurricanes, volcanoes and earthquakes. That was in response to section (c) (i) of the question. Here is section (c) (ii):

(ii) For a named country, explain how TWO measures that have been adopted by the government can reduce the impact of the hazard chosen in (b) (ii).

In your response, you are required to name the Caribbean territory where the measures are employed. Here are some responses in reference to Jamaica:

Establish government departments with the responsibility for relief organisations, for example, the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM).

Through community meetings, persons can be educated on disasters.

The Water Resources Authority (WRA) provides flood maps which show the areas that have been flooded and are likely to be flooded during a hurricane.

• Establish and enforce proper methods of building construction.
• Grant financial assistance for rebuilding.
• Proper farming methods should be encouraged.
• Establish evacuation centres for emergency shelters.
• Improve meteorological capabilities for more accurate forecasting.
• The cleaning of drains and gullies

Here is the last section of the question under discussion:

(d) Explain how TWO land-based activities can contribute to coral-reef destruction in the Caribbean.

• Improper farming practices lead to soil erosion, as does deforestation and the construction of buildings, particularly on coastal lands. All these activities lead to an increase of sediments. The sediments, on reaching the sea, cause turbidity in marine waters which reduces the sunlight available for photosynthesis. They also smother the reefs.
• Chemical spills, such as caustic soda spills; these can occur at the bauxite ports. These change the acidity/alkalinity of the sea and will attack the coral tissue directly.
• The growth of marine algae is encouraged by increased nutrients in the sea water. These algae can suffocate the corals. There are different sources of nutrient pollution in the sea. These include:
  (a) Fertiliser (NPK) that is used in agricultural production. Excess fertiliser is washed into the sea as runoff after rainfall.
  (b) Sewage is a source of nitrogen (N). Domestic wash water from the kitchen and laundry, where washing is done with detergent, provides phosphorus (P).
• Industrial pollution: Sometimes, factories use the sea as a cheap dumping ground for their waste products. Many substances, for example, the remains from brewing beer or distilling rum, have a high biological oxygen demand (BOD) or a high chemical oxygen demand (COD). This means that this substance utilises oxygen dissolved in the sea. The marine environment becomes starved of oxygen, and the animals and plants in the sea that depend on oxygen will suffocate.
• Heat pollution: This results when water that is used for cooling operations flows into the sea. The increase in the temperature of the water causes increases in the rates of all the chemical reactions in the ecosystems nearby. This also means that there are fewer gases, like oxygen in solution, which will affect the fish and other animals and plants.

Patrieka Preston (centre) was awarded for academic excellence at the graduation ceremony of Godfrey Stewart High School. Sharing with the presentation are principal Theobold Fearon (left) and CEO for CHASE Fund, W. Billy Heaven. - Photo by Dalton Laing

Marjorie Henry is an independent contributor.