Author: Mason Drake
BRB Bottomline: Natural disasters can leave catastrophic damage around that world that exceeds geographical damage. Nigeria, Indonesia, and Maui faced distinct natural disasters that demonstrate how economic variables vary in the midst of catastrophe.
Disaster relief and prevention is a priority around the world, especially for developing nations. Often, damage and loss have a ripple effect that disrupts a community of health, well-being, and essential resources. Chiefly, natural disasters can have a lasting effect on the affected nation’s economy. Building a robust, diversified economy is paramount to effective prevention and recovery from a natural disaster.
Indonesia
Southeast Asia commonly grapples with catastrophic weather. Flooding and tsunamis are most familiar to the region. Indonesia is especially vulnerable to flooding and tsunamis that decrease crop yield. Because Indonesia’s economy relies heavily on agriculture, these natural disasters have lasting effects within the region.
In January 2023, Indonesia’s Structural Equation Model-Partial Least Squares method, spanning over 30 years of data, reported that the Jakarta flooding not only diminishes productivity but also decreases the availability of essential resources throughout the economy. One of the most concerning outcomes is income inequality within the affected population.
Finally, because Indonesia is a developing country, catastrophic events would prevent it from investing in vital services. Thus, it is evident that such economic losses can be especially detrimental to a population that lacks proper insurance and healthcare.
Nigeria
Sub-Saharan Africa is notable for its wide range of natural disasters that only increase in damage and frequency. The region is “the second most impacted in the world by natural disasters, with only Asia experiencing a greater number of disaster events.” Floods and droughts have cost the region $200 billion on average per annum in the last decade.
“Globally these events are occurring at an increased frequency, with the number of natural disasters reaching 429 in 2021, more than triple the number that occurred in 1981”
Vision of Humanity
The repercussions of flooding demonstrate the extent to which income inequality can be attributed to disaster losses. Accordingly, half of Nigeria’s affected population lost around 79% of their total income. The middle class suffered losses up to 18% of their income and received only 13% compensation. On the contrary, the richest class received a substantial 44% compensation for losses up to 33% of their income.
Again, because Nigeria is a developing nation, natural disasters have a greater impact on its ability to recover. Essential services contribute considerably to effective disaster relief: a key component of a diversified, resilient economy.
Maui
The island of Maui is a vital part of Hawaii’s economy. However, placed in the center of the Pacific ring, the island of Maui is surrounded by potential disasters. Volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, and wildfires are a few disasters familiar to the region.
Today, the island of Maui faces the state’s deadliest natural disaster with 115 deaths and an estimated 15,000 evacuated from the island. This catastrophe holds dire implications for the island’s economy given Maui’s heavily tourist-driven economy.
The Maui Economic Development Board‘s findings indicate that an overwhelming majority of the island’s revenue—up to $4 out of every $5—is derived from tourism. Consequently, a significant part of Hawaii’s economy will face unprecedented disaster losses, a surge in unemployment, elevated costs of living, and diminished productivity.
Common Economic Repercussions
Although the economic repercussions of catastrophic events are often unique to the region, there are several volatile economic variables that tend to fluctuate similarly throughout natural disasters. Nigeria, Indonesia, and Maui exemplify a few of these repercussions despite such distinct weather patterns. Increased unemployment, costs of living, and poverty along with decreased productivity, labor, and spending toward vital infrastructure are expected economic downturns.
Moreover, pollution is a significant contributor to economic trends. The Global Burden of Disease asserts that pollution caused nearly 5.5 premature deaths around the world in 2013. Along with premature deaths, pollution reduces productivity within the workforce with respiratory diseases while diminishing crop and fish yield for food producers.
Therefore, economic repercussions from natural disasters can reveal lasting impacts and characteristics of a more disaster-proof economy. The economic responses from Maui and Indonesia suggest that a more diversified economy means a resilient foundation that better responds to catastrophe. In addition, economic loss within Indonesia and Nigeria demonstrate that greater spending toward vital infrastructure and risk management can facilitate an efficient recovery from natural disasters. Natural disasters and their economic impacts reveal that advantageous monetary and fiscal policy support an effective market recovery.
Take-Home Points
- Natural disasters have a lasting impact on affected regions that is beyond physical damage
- Different regions experience disasters in a number of ways that cause a unique economic impact
- Currently, Maui faces wildfires and repercussions of a heavily tourist-driven economy while Indonesia and Nigeria battle income inequality after flooding in each region.
- Often, affected populations experience increased unemployment and costs of living while decreased productivity and spending on vital infrastructure.
- More diverse economies have a resilient foundation that better responds to catastrophe than the non-diversified economy