NEHRP Clearinghouse
- Title
- Acts of God, Acts of Man, Victimization by Natural Hazards in the United States.
- File
- PB83101162.pdf
- Author(s)
- Rossi, P. H.; Wright, J. D.; Weber-Burdin, E.; Pereira, J.
- Source
- National Science Foundation, Washington, DC., January 1982, 293 p.
- Abstract
- An overview of natural hazards victimization is presented for defined serious hazard events. Results of a telephone and mail survey of individuals who experienced a flood, hurricane, tornado, earthquake, or fire between 1970 and 1980 are provided. It is shown that 86% of the fires resulted in property damage, as did 76% of the floods, 65% of the tornadoes, 55% of the hurricanes, and about 14% of the earthquakes. Property damage was found to be the most common consequence of a hazard. Proportions of hazards causing personal injuries varied from 9% (fires) to about 2% (tornadoes); death was even less common, being reported in fewer than 1% of all cases. Patterns of aid to hazard victims are examined and it is noted that the large average losses sustained in these events were offset by aid and financial relief. Most victims of a serious hazard were contacted by at least one help-giving agency; those contacted reported a high degree of satisfaction with the services received. Appendixes to this report contain the survey questionnaire, and estimates of victimization and losses based on pre-1980 data.
- Keywords
- Hurricanes; Damage; United States; Disasters; Tornadoes; Disaster relief; Hazards; Floods; Fires; Property damage; Surveys; Losses; Earthquakes