TECHNOLOGICAL DISASTERS: CAUSES AND EXAMPLES AROUND THE WORLD - TECHNOLOGY - 2024

The technological disasters are events that are generated as a result of a failure or malfunction of a technological structure, but also can be generated by a human error when making a manipulation of 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 happens or a fuel spill occurs.

Technological disasters are listed as one of the main reasons for environmental pollution

Image by Yogendra Singh from Pixabay

For their part, natural disasters are more predictable within a certain level, and their occurrence periods have also allowed the development of techniques to deal with them.

For this reason, it is common for most people to be aware of how to deal with a natural disaster or at least have a higher 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.

Causes and types of technological disasters

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.

Toxic substance accidents

They can appear 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 hazardous substances.

Transportation accidents

They refer to disasters generated in means of transport such as land, air or sea.

Fires

They can be classified by their location, such as structural, to refer to any type of construction or forest, which affect plant areas.

Nuclear accidents

Caused by failures in nuclear power sources such as nuclear plants. The greatest danger is represented by exposure to radiation. Weapons of mass destruction that use atomic energy are also listed.

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.

Landslides

It can be caused by failures in construction, lack of maintenance of structures and more.

Rupture of hydraulic works

It can be caused by deficiencies in the containment system of dams or reservoirs, which can lead to large floods.

Examples of technological disasters

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.

Oil pipeline explosion in Nigeria

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. It caused at least 100 deaths.

It originated from a bulldozer hitting the pipeline and led to an explosion followed by a large fire. Previously, this type of accident was already recurrent in Nigeria.

Polluted lake Karachay

Today it is 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.

The Chernobyl accident

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.

Port Chicago disaster

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. Approximately 332 people died from the accident.

Bhopal disaster

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.

Gas explosions in San Juan Ixhuatepec, Mexico

More than 500 deaths left the industrial accident. Source: El Universal

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.

Collapse of the walkways of the Hyatt Regency hotel

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.

Train derailment to Eschede

In 1998, a high-speed train bound for 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.

Collapse of the St Francis Dam

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.

Costa Concordia disaster

It was about the sinking of a cruise ship 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 against the coastal rocks.

Citrarum River Pollution

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.

Explosion of the Amuay refinery

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.

West Fertilizer Explosion

The explosion of a fertilizer plant in Texas, United States, caused material and human losses in the residential area where it was located.

Air pollution in Linfen, China

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.

Iroquois Theater Disaster

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.

Fuel tank explosion in Egypt

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.

Pacific garbage island

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.

Shipwreck of the Vasa

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. She was shipwrecked during her 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.

Pipeline explosion in Sâo Paulo

In 1984, an explosion caused by a rupture of an oil pipeline generated a great fire in the Cubatão town southeast of São Paulo. There were more than 100 fatalities from this event.

Wildfires destroy the planet's main sources of oxygen

Image by skeeze from Pixabay

Fires in the Amazon

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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