Friday, May 27, 2016

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.
Flooding in Egypt

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.
Map of Egypt


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.

Siwa Oasis
Siwa Oasis















http://www.fascinatingplanet.com/6-fascinating-facts-about-the-qattara-depression-the-mother-of-all-sinkholes/

Photos from google.com

Friday, April 15, 2016

Egypt's heatwaves

What is a heatwave? A heatwave is a prolong period of extreme heat. Usually a heatwave lasts anywhere from 2-3 days and persists through the night. Common symptoms people experience during a heatwave include; dizziness, headache and fainting. In extreme cases some people experience heat exhaustion or heat stroke. This occurs after a person stops perspiring. And can lead to lose of consciousness. This has dangerous effects on the brain and can cause death.
Egypt is a dessert and no stranger to heat waves. Just last year in the middle of August 2015 Egypt experienced a heat wave for 3 days. During this time temperatures rose above 115 degrees Fahrenheit. Within these three days a total of 61 deaths and 581 hospitalized.





“Egypt Heatwave leaves 61 People Dead.” BBC News. BBC, 12 Aug. 2015. Web. 14 Apr. 2016.

Harmon, Katherine. “How Does a  Heat Wave Affect The Human Body?” Scientific America. Scientific America, a Division of Nature America. Inc. 23 July 2010. Web. 14 April. 2016.

Pictures from Google.com