In light of the recent East Coast earthquake and the upcoming U.S. landfall of Hurricane Irene, today’s Tuesday Tidbit is focusing on natural disasters.  Natural disasters frequently occur without warning and can cost billions of dollars in damage and significant loss of life.  Check out some of the following links for more information on natural disasters, including tips for disaster preparedness:

National Geographic – National Geographic’s contains excellent information on a variety of natural disasters, including videos and photos, as well as explaining the science behind many natural disasters.

FEMA – The Federal Emergency Management Agency is a division of the United States government responsible for managing both man-made and natural disasters.  Their website has a number of safety tips for surviving various disasters, links to local and state emergency management agencies and current information on any ongoing emergency situations.

CDC – The Centers for Disease Control devotes a very informative portion of their site to disasters.  Information found here includes how to prepare for certain disasters, what to do in the aftermath of disasters and evacuation information.

Ready NC – Ready NC, a site maintained by the North Carolina Division of Emergency Management, provides a wealth of information of how to deal with a number of different disaster, both natural and otherwise.  It contains tips about what to do before and after certain types of events, as well as information about preparing emergency kits, dealing with insurance in an emergency situation and volunteering.