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13 Effects of Natural Disasters on The Ocean That Can Cause Harm

by Rini

Natural disasters can occur anywhere, whether on land or at sea. Generally, natural disasters on land can be in the form of earthquake, tornadoes, floods, volcanic eruptions and so on. The impact of natural disasters can’t be considered trivial. It causes harm and also threaten the lives of many people.

Such massive and terrible disaster likewise the Tsunami natural disaster in Aceh was able to make a part of the city devastated. Hence the list of marine disasters natural and environmental.

However, natural disasters do not only occur on land. Natural disasters can also occur at sea, although they sound rare, the danger and impact are the same as on land disasters. To find out examples and any form of effects on natural disasters on the ocean, here is an explanation that can be known below:

1. Sea Population Damage

One of the effects on natural disasters on the ocean that occur at sea is the loss of a population of several biota. Because the impact was so great, many marine animals were stranded and even died of the effects of the disaster, such as the tsunami because all the biota would be carried off the track. A big disaster is indeed very terrible especially if its coming from the sea.

Almost all of the world is surrounded by sea water, so that at any time – when disasters come from the sea, not only animals in the sea will be destroyed but also the living things on land will be affected too. The types of tsunami based on occurrence time that ever happened.

2. Damaging the Seeds of Animals in the Sea

Furthermore, the effects of natural disasters in the sea is it can destroy the seeds of animals and other creatures in the ocean. For example fish, both large and small. If natural disasters in the sea are so terrible; of course, the existing seeds will be destroyed and damaged, this will reduce the population of new fish which should be prospective fish.

The more frequent disasters in the sea occurs, the marine animal habitat will also be threatened by extinction. Thus, the marine ecosystem does not run in balance and will threaten the survival of the life of the ocean.

3. Damaging the Coral Reef

The effects on natural disasters on the ocean can cause damage to coral reefs. There are many species of coral that live in the oceans, large natural disasters can certainly destroy the development of coral reefs. The role of coral reefs is very important in animal ecosystems in the sea, besides being home to some small fish, as well as a food chain and a source of reforestation in the sea.

Without coral reefs, the balance of the ecosystem will be damaged. If the coral reefs become extinct, then what will the fish depended on the sea?

Plus, at this time, there has been a lot of coral reef conservation damaged by human actions or natural disasters. The functions of coral reef ecosystems for humans and marine biota.

4. Damaging the Navigation of Marine Animals

Other impacts of natural disasters can also harm animal navigation in the sea. Fish must also navigate to look for asylum in their lives, there are marine animals that migrate to warmer waters or find locations where many preys can be eaten.

If there is a disaster while the animal is still navigating, then surely the animal will be carried away by the ocean currents or even stranded on various beaches even to a considerable distance. Not only animals will get lost, they will also die because the lacking of oxygen and water.

5. Damaging the Communication of Animals in the Sea

Apart from human-caused pollution, it turns out that natural disasters can also create adverse effects on marine animals. One of them is inhibiting the communication of fish and other creatures, (FYI, fishes are also able to communicate with each other.)

If natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis or others occur, the fish will save themselves and communication will be cut off. If this happens, then the survival of the animal will be threatened, even after many natural disasters, the fish will be carried away to the land, and that situation will leave them to die. Because fish in the sea cannot live with different water conditions. This is very dangerous, but natural disasters cannot be avoided because nothing can prevent natural disasters from occurring. Hence the process of the occurrence of waves people should be aware of.

6. Animals in the Sea Become Lost

Next, the effects on natural disasters on the animals in the ocean is they become easily lost in conditions without navigation and communication between groups. Therefore, there have been cases of dolphins stranded into the river flow in Meda, where one dolphin died because it did not match the water content in the river. Therefore, massive natural disasters can cause marine animals especially large animals such as sharks, whales, dolphins get lost. This condition can also make the survival of animals disturbed even to death.

7. Damaging Marine Ecosystems

Natural disasters also result in the extinction of ecosystems in the sea, not only fish, coral reefs, large animals, also in the balance of the sea. Later the water that had become calm suddenly turned into a swift current, changes in the substance contained in the water, and also the condition of the ocean acidity that could trigger sea pollution. Of course, this can cause the condition of dead sea creatures and also the seeds that should become new fish to die. If natural disasters such as tsunamis and volcanic eruptions occur, sea levels can reach tens of meters in height, the current that occurs at that time must be very strong and have an impact on the fish carried by the currents. The following are the differences between wind wave and tsunami wave you have to know.

8. Major Causes of Ocean Pollution

The effects on natural disasters on the ocean that are causing pollution are increasingly widespread. For example, if one location has been affected by oil pollution, with the addition of natural disasters such as tsunamis or earthquakes, then oil pollution could have spread to other locations far from the previous distance.

This, of course, can lead to pollution in a new place. Automatically, creatures that are in it will be disturbed in development and population. In addition due to natural disasters, Ph and acidity of sea water will change, the oxygen level of water is also affected. This is what causes high seawater pollution.

9. For Fishermen, Natural Disasters in the Sea Become Obstacles in Finding Fish

Another impact for coastal fishermen is their job as fishermen will be threatened by the occurrence of disaster . With natural disasters such as big waves, storms, winds, tsunamis will scare them and cause them to avoid looking for fish in the sea. As a result, the amount of fish supply will reduce, then the price of fish in the market will experience a significant increase.

Generally, when natural disasters occur, water will install and somehow this is fisherman’s fear. It also has an impact on significant decreasing number of fishes, because there are several species of fish that can’t survive in the condition of the tide. It’s one of the reason why fishermen avoids looking for fishes when natural disasters occur. The causes of subsurface ocean currents you must know.

10. Damaging Infrastructure Built in the Sea

Large natural disasters can also have an impact on existing marine infrastructure, such as ferries, oil drilling, warships, bridges and so on. No one can prevent natural disasters from happening anywhere. Whatever development has been facilitated, both on land and at sea, when a disaster arrives, then everything will definitely be destroyed and damaged.

Like a storm that can hit the shore so that it can damage residential buildings or whatever it is. As well as the big waves in the sea which is able to make a large ax become shaky or stranded. This is quite horrible and requires high alertness.

Apart from the explanations and examples above, there are still some other examples of the effects on natural disasters on the other ocean are as follows:

  • Natural disasters can also change the location of the plates on the ocean floor to change. Can be wider or moving, an example of an earthquake that could change the plate. This can lead to other disasters in the future, this is what becomes the research of various institutions to study more deeply the serious effects of natural disasters in the sea. Hence the function of sea waves you must know.
  • Natural disasters at sea can also change the terrain to become more broken or split. Examples of earthquakes or volcanic eruptions can change the terrain that was once united, suddenly split or drowned due to high seawater waves. Of course, if there will be many casualties and the population will become extinct, for example, the eruption of Mount Krakatau which divides the island of Sumatra and Java.
  • Natural disasters at sea can also be dangerous from navigating ship traffic lanes. There are several activities in the sea that are carried out such as containers, transportation lines, sea patrols, offshore activities and so on. This can be one of the obstacles in this activity.

So those are a few examples, as well as explanations about how great are the effects on natural disasters on the ocean. Not only does it have an impact on sea creatures, but also creatures on land. A disaster can happen anytime anywhere because it is a mandatory for us to keep the universe in balance.

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