Looking back on this semester and reviewing the different
natural hazards Egypt experiences I would have to say the two most dangerous as
well as most frequent are flooding and heat waves.
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| Flooding in Egypt |
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| Sun during a heat wave in Egypt |
Egypt is home to the largest river in the world, the Nile
River. The Nile River runs over 4,100 feet and provides water to countless
countries in Africa. Every year rains and melting snow cause the Nile River to
flood. This water allows for the land to be fruitful and people to thrive. I
feel this is an important hazard to consider because it occurs annually. Since
ancient times Egypt has experienced overflowing of the Nile River, called
inundation. Being a dessert Egypt encounters droughts and famine at times, the
annual flooding helps Egyptians endure these hard times and flourish. Knowing
about the inundation is only half the battle controlling damage, creating awareness;
safety procedures and implementing warning systems are a few things to
consider. Each year the Nile River is measured during inundation and the reading
not only allow for people to determine harvest but also what areas are affected
most. These areas deserve more
attention and should be required to have building codes as well as village
requirements to combat the flooding. In 1968 the Aswan High Dam was built in
Egypt serving irrigation, controls flooding improves navigation and generating
power.
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| Map of Egypt |
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| AswanHigh Dam |
Now that I’ve discussed Egypt’s annual flooding I will
continue by informing you about another natural hazard, heat waves. I know it
may baffle you after reading about Egypt’s abundance of water every year; nonetheless,
Egypt is first and foremost a dessert. Most of the year Egypt on average
experiences higher temperatures at times, exceeding 100 degrees Fahrenheit. These sever weather conditions can become dangerous,
even deadly. However, extreme settings can persist and a heat wave can occur. A
heat wave is a prolonged period of intense heat, often 2-3 days long and
endures through the night. This extreme heat can cause heat stroke or heat exhaustion
and poses dangerous effects on the brain and can end in death. As most people
can imagine a heat wave is unbearable with no relief in sight. Because all of
Egypt is a dessert I believe the whole region is affected. My recommendations
would be to create more awareness and implement emergency procedures. A heat
wave cannot be prevented but it can be counter measured. I would build large
building solely to provide relief during a heat wave, equipped with air
conditioning and water. Also during a heat wave I would have requirements to
disburse water throughout Egypt.
To end my final blog entry I will explore what region in
Egypt I would want to live at. First I would like to begin by saying my choice
in area is purely due to my own preference and my interest that were intrigued
during the course of my readings for this class. I would build a home in the
Qattara Depression near its only oasis. It may seem weird to want to live in the
world’s largest sinkhole; however, I think it would be magical to be surrounded
by a beautiful oasis in the midst of a barren dessert. I am not a very social
person and living a quiet life amongst a small village suits me well.
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| Siwa Oasis |
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| Siwa Oasis |
http://www.fascinatingplanet.com/6-fascinating-facts-about-the-qattara-depression-the-mother-of-all-sinkholes/
Photos from google.com
