Impacts: primary/secondary, environmental, social, economic, political
Tropical storms cause several types of damage. Geographers sort these into five overlapping categories: primary, secondary, environmental, social, economic, and political.
Real World
When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005, the primary impact was storm-surge flooding; the secondary political impact was a collapse in public trust in FEMA and the federal government's disaster response capabilities.
Exam Focus
Distinguish primary from secondary impacts by asking 'did this happen because of the storm, or because of the damage the storm caused?'
Essay Framework
Use PEEL to structure every paragraph. Tap each step for guidance and an example.
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