Lake Victoria is the largest lake in Africa. It is also the second largest lake in the world. It is an important lake because it is one of the sources for the longest river in the world, the Nile River. Lake Victoria provides a source of water, food, and power for several African countries. Lake Victoria is a big part of African life.

Unfortunately, Lake Victoria has a problem. It is shrinking. There are several power stations at Lake Victoria in Uganda. These are on the Nile River, and besides producing power, they keep the water of the lake at a certain level. For the past forty years, that level has been 11.9 meters. Over the last several years, the water level has dropped by about 2.5 meters. There seem to be several reasons for this drop.

One possible reason is drought(干旱). Drought has been very bad in the area since 2000. Lake Victoria gets all of its water from rain, so the drought means less water in the lake.

However, some environmentalists believe that the real problem is the power plants(factories) on Lake Victoria. Uganda depends on those power plants for most of its power, and they made the power plants larger in 2000. Many people believe the power plants have been taking too much water off Lake Victoria. As a result, they have been asked to use less water until Lake Victoria goes back to its old level.

Whether the low water level is caused by drought or power plants, the result is the same. This is already a poor area of Africa, where many people live a really hard life. People, animals and plants around Lake Victoria will suffer even more from low water levels on the lake. Many people need Lake Victoria for fishing or growing food. Fish need the water to live, and animals need it for water.

As parents, you can help children deal with the fear of natural disasters and help protect them from being hurt by telling them how disasters happen, and what to do when disasters happen. Here are some tips for you:

◆ Find out what disasters are possible in your area by visiting your local library;

◆ Think about where your family should go if your house is destroyed;

◆ Teach children the warning signs and signals in your area and practice what to do if a disaster happens.

◆ Once you know the danger, ask your children to help check the safety in your house. You and your children can also work together on a disaster plan and prepare a disaster box with food, water and necessary tools.

◆ If a disaster does happen, pay attention to your children’s behavior. Changes in behavior, for example, acting strangely, mean that your children need help.

◆ Allow children to share their feelings about what has happened such as drawing a picture or writing a story.

◆ Let friends and neighbors help you if they can.

◆ Continue to tell your children that they are loved.

自然界的三大灾难

In March 2015, a big wildfire went through Cape Town, South Africa. “It was moving 65 km in a single day and destroying (毁坏) everything on its way. We couldn't breathe because of the smoke, and we couldn't run away,” said one Cape Town resident (居民). Wildfires can start in forests or on open land, and it spreads very quickly. Sometimes they start because the weather is hot and dry, but mostly humans cause wildfires. We can prevent them by carefully controlling campfires and other outdoor fires.

Other natural disasters (灾难) are impossible to prevent. A hurricane—also called a typhoon—is a rotating tropical storm (旋转的热带风暴) that starts over the sea. When typhoon Haiyan struck the Philippines and Vietnam in 2013, the winds reached over 100 kph and caused disasters. Six thousand people were killed, and more than two million people had to leave their homes. Today we can exactly predict these storms, and if we pay attention to severe weather warnings, we can prepare for their arrivals.

Unlike a storm, an earthquake is usually completely unexpected. A huge earthquake hit Pakistan in October 2015. “The ground was shaking,” said one Islamabad resident who was at work at that time. “But worse than that was the sound of the earthquake. It was a terrible noise.” Earthquakes usually don't last more than a minute, but their effects can be terrible. Buildings fall down and this can sometimes cause fires and floods. It can be very difficult to find survivors (幸存者) in the destroyed areas.

These are just three examples of how powerful nature can be. But humans can use predictions, take practical steps to make our environment safer, and work together when things go wrong.