Technological disasters are those events that are generated as a result of a failure or malfunction of a technological structure, although they can also be generated by human error when manipulating the technology in question..
Unlike natural disasters, technological disasters are not as predictable and often happen unexpectedly. This means that when the consequences are caused they can be fatal because we are not prepared to face them. For example when an explosion occurs or a fuel spill occurs.
For their part, natural disasters are more predictable within a certain level, and their periods of occurrence have also allowed the development of techniques to deal with them..
Therefore, it is common for most people to be aware of how to deal with a natural disaster or at least have a greater degree of awareness regarding what it could mean.
However, technological disasters require other types of actions, since in the first instance they tend to manifest abruptly and quickly..
Technological disasters are classified as those that are caused by man after the manipulation of some dangerous element or equipment. They have the ability to alter normal life and pose a risk of injuries, deaths, affected groups and even evacuation.
In general, they cause great economic and material losses and among other misfortunes is that of polluting the environment.
They can occur suddenly, causing explosions, leaks, leaks or spills. They can also be produced by altering the normal course of a process, for example, in the storage of chemicals or in the handling of dangerous substances..
They refer to disasters generated in means of transport such as land, air or sea.
They can be classified by their location, such as structural, to refer to any type of construction or forest, which affect plant areas.
Caused by failures in nuclear power sources such as nuclear plants. The greatest danger is represented by exposure to radiation. Also included are weapons of mass destruction that use atomic energy.
The release of radioactive material into the environment can generate a cloud of radioactive particles that can be inhaled, ingested by living things, and even absorbed into the ground..
It can be caused by construction failures, lack of maintenance of structures and more.
It can be caused by deficiencies in the containment system of dams or reservoirs, which can lead to large floods.
Throughout history, technological disasters have been generated that have left their mark on the world. Today the occurrence of disasters of this type is more frequent due to the greater interaction with technology.
It was a disaster that occurred in 2008 due to the bursting of a fuel transportation pipeline that ran from Nigeria to the outskirts of the city in Lagos. Caused at least 100 deaths.
It originated from a bulldozer hitting the pipeline, resulting in an explosion followed by a large fire. Previously, this type of accident was already recurrent in Nigeria.
It is currently listed as the most polluted lake in the world. Since 1951 it has been used as a radioactive waste repository for the Mayak nuclear power plant in Russia. The levels of radioactivity on the shores of the lake exceed 200,000 times normal values.
One of the best known technological disasters in the world. The disaster at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine occurred in 1986 as a result of an explosion caused by untrained personnel..
It happened in 1944 during World War II. A warship, which was being loaded with ammunition, exploded due to erroneous procedures and poor personnel training. About 332 people died from the accident.
In India, in December 1984, an accident occurred at the Union Carbide pesticide plant in Bhopal. The toxic gas leak caused the poisoning of 500,000 people, of which thousands died.
On November 19, 1984, a rupture in the LP Gas pipeline caused a chain of explosions that set the town of San Juan Ixhuatepec on fire, causing a large number of injuries and approximately 500 deaths..
On July 17, 1981, inside the Hyatt Regency hotel in Kansas, United States, two internal walkways collapsed, causing approximately 100 deaths and 200 injuries. The failure was due to a design error.
In 1998, a high-speed train heading to Eschede station in northern Germany derailed due to undetected wheel failure..
The derailment caused the train to collide with the pillar of a bridge, which ended up collapsing on the means of transport. There were approximately more than 100 injured in this accident.
A civil engineering failure at the St Francis Dam in the San Francisquito Canyon, California, caused its walls to collapse. The collapse of the structure caused an avalanche of water that left more than 400 fatalities in March 1928.
It was the sinking of a cruise liner off the Italian coast of the island of Giglio. Among the reasons stands out the bad maneuver by the captain, which caused a large collision with the coastal rocks.
Rated as one of the most polluted places on the planet, this Indonesian river suffered for years from the dumping of chemicals by 2,000 industries. It also houses a large amount of waste from the surrounding populations.
One of the largest oil refineries in the world, in the town of Amuay, Venezuela, exploded after a breakdown that generated a large cloud of gas. Among the causes mentioned is the lack of maintenance. The explosion that occurred in August 2012 left approximately more than 50 dead, 150 injured and several missing..
The explosion of a fertilizer plant in Texas, United States, caused material and human losses in the residential area where it was located..
Rated as one of the most polluted cities in the world, Linfen has a dense cloud of pollution caused by the industrial use of coal.
On December 30, 1903, during a performance of the musical Mr bluebeard, at the Iroquois Theater in Chicago, one of the lights caught fire. The flames quickly spread through the curtains and later all over the place. About 600 people died.
The fire was caused by an explosion in a fuel tank, caused by a short circuit generated by a strong storm. The fire destroyed 200 homes in Darnaka.
Between Hawaii and California there is a large island of garbage whose surface exceeds 1.6 million kilometers. It is estimated that it has around 80,000 tons of plastic.
The formation of the island is a consequence of the large presence of garbage in the ocean, whose currents and winds have caused waste to accumulate in this area..
One of the most outstanding technological accidents in history is the sinking of the warship Vasa, whose construction was ordered by King Gustav II Adolf of Sweden. He was shipwrecked during his first voyage after a gust of wind in which the ship capsized. The problem was due to an excess of poorly distributed load. About 50 people died.
In 1984, an explosion following a pipeline rupture generated a large fire in the Cubatão town southeast of São Paulo. There were more than 100 fatalities from this event.
In 2019, more than 30,000 fires were registered in the Amazon area, Brazil. Most were caused by livestock and planting activities.
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