Can you stop a disaster? ⏲️ 6 Minute English

Summary

In this BBC Learning English episode, hosts Beth and Neil discuss the paradoxical case of Roy Sullivan, a park ranger struck by lightning seven times, and the broader issue of natural disasters. With climate change exacerbating the situation, they explore the notion that disasters are not just 'natural' but can be mitigated. Experts like Lucy Easthope argue against fatalism, emphasizing our ability to prevent additional harm. The show highlights technological and low-tech solutions, such as Bangladesh's cyclone warning system, which has drastically reduced deaths. The episode also teaches relevant vocabulary, emphasizing the importance of preparedness and community efforts in disaster management.

Takeaways

• 🌩️ Roy Sullivan, a US park ranger, was struck by lightning seven times and survived, illustrating the unpredictability of natural events.
• 🌍 Natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, and cyclones have caused over half a million deaths globally in the last decade.
• 🔍 The year 2023 saw at least sixty thousand deaths due to earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, highlighting the severity of recent disasters.
• 🌡️ Climate change and increasing populations are predicted to exacerbate the frequency and impact of natural disasters in the future.
• 🏞️ Floods and droughts have historically caused the most human deaths, but climate change introduces new threats.
• 🤔 Contrary to common belief, Professor Lucy Easthope argues that calling disasters 'natural' is a mistake as it implies a sense of fatalism and helplessness.
• 🏗️ There are ways to mitigate the damage caused by disasters, such as improving infrastructure and implementing early warning systems.
• 📈 Bangladesh has dramatically reduced cyclone deaths by a hundred-fold through a new monitoring and alert system.
• 🚴‍♂️ A low-tech solution in Bangladesh involves people on bicycles with megaphones to warn communities about approaching cyclones.
• 🛑 Evacuation is a critical process of moving people from dangerous areas to safety during a disaster.
• 🏠 The concept of 'livelihood' refers to jobs or work that provide the means to acquire necessities for living.

Q & A

Who was Roy Sullivan and why was he considered either extremely lucky or unlucky?

Roy Sullivan was a US park ranger who was struck by lightning seven different times and survived them all. His situation made him either the luckiest for surviving so many strikes or the unluckiest for being struck so often.

What is the estimated global death toll from natural disasters in the last decade?

In the last decade, an estimated half a million people have died globally due to natural disasters.

What natural disaster in 2023 caused a significant number of deaths in Turkey and Syria?

In 2023, at least sixty thousand people died after earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.

What does Professor Lucy Easthope believe about the term 'natural disaster'?

Professor Lucy Easthope believes that describing disasters as 'natural' is a mistake because it implies a sense of fatalism and hopelessness, suggesting that people are powerless to change events.

What does the term 'fatalism' mean in the context of natural disasters?

Fatalism in the context of natural disasters refers to the belief that people are powerless to change the way things happen, implying that disasters are inevitable and unavoidable.

What is one technological solution mentioned to identify places at risk of natural disasters?

One technological solution mentioned is using computers to map geological movements to identify places at risk of natural disasters.

How has Bangladesh significantly reduced cyclone deaths?

Bangladesh has seen a hundred-fold decrease in cyclone deaths since the introduction of its new monitoring and alert system.

What is one low-tech solution that has been effective in reducing cyclone deaths?

One low-tech solution involves people on bicycles shouting warnings about approaching cyclones into a megaphone to alert people in danger zones.

What is the purpose of the shelters built in Bangladesh as part of their disaster preparedness?

The shelters in Bangladesh are built to protect everyone, including children, the old and sick, and even animals, so that they can safely return to their livelihoods after a cyclone.

Which natural disaster is most responsible for human deaths according to the script?

Earthquakes are the natural disaster most responsible for human deaths, as mentioned in the script.

What does the term 'within your grasp' mean?

If something is within your grasp, it means it is very likely that you will achieve it, suggesting that there are actions that can be taken to prevent or mitigate the effects of natural disasters.

Outlines

00:00

🌩️ Natural Disasters: Beyond Our Control?

The first paragraph introduces the topic of natural disasters, using the example of Roy Sullivan, a park ranger who was struck by lightning seven times and survived. It highlights the significant number of deaths caused by natural disasters globally, such as earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, and cyclones. The paragraph discusses the impact of climate change and increasing populations on the frequency and severity of these disasters. It introduces the idea that while we cannot prevent natural disasters, there are ways to mitigate their effects, as suggested by Lucy Easthope, a professor of hazard and risk. Easthope argues against the term 'natural disaster' because it implies a sense of hopelessness and fatalism, whereas there are actions we can take to prevent additional harm.

05:01

📢 Solutions to Natural Disasters

The second paragraph continues the discussion on natural disasters, focusing on potential solutions. It confirms that earthquakes are indeed the most deadly type of natural disaster. The paragraph recaps the vocabulary related to natural disasters, including terms like 'unpredictable events', 'fatalism', 'within your grasp', 'megaphone', 'evacuation', and 'livelihood'. It emphasizes the importance of technological and low-tech solutions, such as computer mapping and monitoring/alert systems, to reduce the impact of disasters. The example of Bangladesh's success in drastically reducing cyclone deaths through a new monitoring and alert system is highlighted. The paragraph concludes by discussing how shelters and infrastructure built in Bangladesh have allowed people to safely return to their livelihoods after disasters.

Keywords

💡Natural disaster

A natural disaster refers to a catastrophic event caused by natural processes of the Earth, such as earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis, and floods. These events are often unpredictable and can result in significant loss of life and property. In the script, natural disasters are discussed as a central theme, with examples including the recent earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, as well as the potential for increased disaster frequency due to climate change.

💡Unpredictable

Unpredictable refers to something that is not possible to foresee or anticipate. In the context of the video, it is used to describe natural disasters, which are often sudden and hard to predict accurately. The script mentions that natural disasters are sometimes called acts of God, emphasizing their unpredictable nature.

💡Fatalism

Fatalism is the belief that all events are predetermined and therefore inevitable, leaving individuals feeling powerless to change the course of events. The script challenges this notion by suggesting that while natural disasters themselves may be inevitable, the extent of their impact and the harm they cause can be mitigated through human intervention and preparedness.

💡Additional harm

Additional harm refers to the secondary effects or consequences of a disaster that can sometimes be worse than the initial event. For example, in the script, it is mentioned that the spread of diseases or the destruction of infrastructure following an earthquake can cause more harm than the earthquake itself. The concept is used to argue for the importance of disaster preparedness and response strategies.

💡Within your grasp

The phrase 'within your grasp' means that something is within reach or achievable. In the script, it is used to convey the idea that while it may not be possible to prevent natural disasters, there are measures that can be taken to limit their impact and the number of deaths they cause, which are within human capability.

💡Geological movements

Geological movements refer to the shifting and changes in the Earth's crust, which can lead to earthquakes and other seismic activities. The script mentions the use of computers to map these movements as a technological solution to identify areas at risk of natural disasters, particularly earthquakes.

💡Low-tech solutions

Low-tech solutions are simple, cost-effective methods that do not rely heavily on advanced technology. The script provides the example of Bangladesh's cyclone warning system, which includes people on bicycles with megaphones to warn communities of approaching storms, demonstrating that effective disaster mitigation can be achieved with basic tools and community engagement.

💡Evacuation

Evacuation is the process of moving people from a dangerous area to a safer one. The script discusses evacuation as a critical part of disaster response, particularly in the context of cyclones in Bangladesh, where people are moved to shelters to protect them from the storm.

💡Livelihood

A livelihood refers to the means of earning a living or the job that provides the necessities of life. In the script, the importance of protecting livelihoods is highlighted, as people in Bangladesh are able to return to their jobs and activities after a cyclone because the infrastructure and their workplaces are built to withstand disasters.

💡Megaphone

A megaphone is a device used to amplify sound, typically used for making announcements in public places. In the script, it is mentioned as a tool used in Bangladesh for disaster communication, where people on bicycles use megaphones to warn others about approaching cyclones.

💡Climate change

Climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns. It is discussed in the script as a factor that could exacerbate the frequency and severity of natural disasters, making preparedness and mitigation strategies even more critical.

Highlights

Roy Sullivan, a US park ranger, was struck by lightning seven times and survived.

Half a million people have died globally in natural disasters over the last decade.

In 2023, at least sixty thousand people died after earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.

Climate change and increasing populations are predicted to worsen natural disaster impacts.

Floods and droughts have historically caused the most human deaths.

Climate change introduces new dangers beyond traditional natural disasters.

Lucy Easthope, a professor, argues that calling disasters 'natural' is a mistake.

Describing disasters as 'natural' implies hopelessness and a sense of fatalism.

There are ways to reduce the damage caused by natural disasters.

Additional harm from disasters, like disease spread, can be worse than the disaster itself.

Ways to limit disaster damage are within our control.

Geological movement mapping can identify at-risk areas.

Bangladesh has seen a significant decrease in cyclone deaths with a new monitoring system.

Ilan Kelman highlights the importance of shelters and evacuation routes in disaster preparedness.

Bangladesh's infrastructure and job security help people return to their livelihoods post-disaster.

A low-tech solution in Bangladesh involves people on bicycles with megaphones for warnings.

Evacuation is key to moving people from danger to safety.

The vocabulary includes terms like 'unpredictable', 'fatalism', 'within your grasp', 'megaphone', 'evacuation', and 'livelihood'.

Transcripts

Hello. This is Six Minute

English from BBC Learning English

I'm Beth and I am Neil.

Now, depending on how you look at it,

Roy Sullivan was either the luckiest or the unluckiest man alive.

Working as a US park ranger, Roy was struck by lightning

on seven different occasions and survived them all.

But Roy isn't the only victim of an unpredictable natural event,

sometimes called an act of God. In the last decade

an estimated half a million people have died globally

in natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes and cyclones.

In 2023 at least sixty thousand people died after earthquakes in Turkey and Syria

and things are predicted to get worse in the future due to climate change

and increasing populations.

So can anything be done to stop natural disasters or like Roy Sullivan

should we accept that some things are beyond our control? In this programme,

we'll be finding out and, as usual,

we will be learning some useful new vocabulary, too.

Throughout history,

floods, when there's too much water, and droughts, when there isn't enough,

have caused most human deaths,

but with climate change, new dangers are emerging. But do you know

Neil, which natural disaster is most responsible for human deaths?

Now, um,

I'm not sure but you do hear a lot

about terrible earthquakes in the news, don't you?

Yeah, probably earthquakes.

Now, in her job as professor of hazard

and risk at Durham University, Lucy Easthope

attends conferences to advise on planning for natural emergencies.

But according to Lucy, describing disasters as natural is a mistake,

as she told BBC Radio Four programme Inside Science.

Probably the worst thing you can do at a disaster conference

is describe it as a natural disaster because that's the hopelessness

right there. The 'natural' implies a sense of fatalism and a sense of

'let's give up now', whereas in fact, these events...

there's huge elements that we have in our grasp to both prevent,

and more importantly perhaps, prevent additional harm.

Professor Easthope thinks calling disasters, 'natural' is fatalistic.

It involves the belief that people are powerless to change events.

Although no one can prevent an earthquake,

there are ways people can reduce the damage done - what Professor Easthope

calls additional harm.

Often, this additional harm,

things like the spread of diseases

or destroyed roads and buildings, are worse than the disaster itself.

Fortunately, ways to limit

the damage are within our grasp.

If something is within your grasp, it is very likely that you will achieve it.

It may be impossible to stop disasters from happening,

but there are ways to limit

the number of deaths. An earthquake in the middle of the ocean

is less of a disaster

than in a populated city.

So one technological solution involves computers

mapping geological movements to identify places at risk.

But low tech solutions can be just as effective.

Bangladesh has seen a hundred-fold decrease in cyclone deaths

since the introduction of its new monitoring and alert system.

Ilan Kelman,

Professor of disasters and health at UCL, has been involved in the project

and told BBC Radio Four's Inside Science, how it worked.

What Bangladesh has done... has realised, we cannot have

one hundred thousand people dying in a cyclone each time.

So, in addition to having people on bicycles

with megaphones going out and saying, 'look a cyclone is coming,

please get to shelter'. People in the danger zones have grown up accepting

that their shelters will be safe, knowing where the evacuation routes are,

but most importantly, that they can return afterwards to their homes

and to their livelihoods because they've built the infrastructure

and they've built their jobs in order to avoid being destroyed by the cyclone.

One low-tech solution

involves people on bicycles

shouting warnings about approaching cyclones into a megaphone,

a handheld cone-shaped device that makes your voice louder

when you speak into it.

Once people know the danger,

they can start the evacuation – moving people from a dangerous place

to somewhere safe.

The Bangladeshis have built shelters which protect everyone:

children, the old and sick,

even animals, so that when the cyclone is over,

they can safely return to their livelihoods – their job

and other activities which give them the things they need to live.

Well, it's great to see people working together to survive cyclones.

Earlier, we were talking about other natural disasters.

We were and I asked you

which disaster you thought caused

most deaths and you said you thought maybe earthquakes which was... the right

answer, which is why these new ideas to save lives are so hopeful.

OK, let's recap the vocabulary

we've learnt from this programme on natural disasters.

Unpredictable events or catastrophes which cannot be controlled by humans

and which are sometimes called acts of God.

Fatalism is the belief that people are powerless to change

the way things happen.

If something is within your grasp, it is likely to be accomplished.

A megaphone is a handheld cone-shaped device that makes your voice louder

when you speak into it so that people can hear you from far away.

Evacuation means moving people from a dangerous place

to somewhere safe.

And finally, livelihood is your job or the work that gives you money

to buy the things you need to live. Once again our six minutes are up.

Goodbye, everyone. Bye.