Title: The Environmental Effects of Natural Disasters - The Environmental Blog
Headings: The Environmental Effects of Natural Disasters
The Environmental Effects of Natural Disasters
How Natural Disasters Can Damage Infrastructure and the Environment
Hurricanes Can Cause Water Contamination
Wildfires Can Have a Lasting Impact
Natural Disasters Can Have Serious Effects on the Environment

Content: Particularly severe storms can also destroy forests, displacing animals. Even slight damage to certain industrial structures can have a big impact. Oil pipelines are regularly damaged by landslides and earthquakes, sometimes causing them to leak crude oil, which can have a serious environmental impact. Amid the 2016 protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline, an expert called for rerouting due to the high risk of landslides along the construction path. Hurricanes Can Cause Water Contamination
If your company has a robust disaster preparedness plan in place, hurricane damage can be mitigated with good practice and insurance. However, many businesses aren’t ready for the potential problems these storms can cause — and in some cases, this may make things worse. For example, wastewater ponds — which phosphate plants use to store acidic and somewhat radioactive waste produced by mining operations — can also have a major impact if disturbed or damaged by natural disasters. In 2004, Hurricane Frances caused massive waves in a pond on top of a phosphate plant in Riverview, Florida. This sent 150 million gallons of polluted water cascading into a stormwater ditch surrounding the plant. At this point, the company opened a valve that released 65 million gallons of water from the ditch into the local Archie Creek.