Earth will only have a 12-hour warning before massive solar storm wipes out grid - are you prepared?

(NaturalNews) It has been well over a century since the last major solar storm hit the earth, but sooner or later, it will happen again. It's only a question of when, and many scientists believe that the recurrence of such an event is overdue.

In fact, scientists claim that the likelihood of a coronal mass ejection on the scale of the 1859 Carrington Event - the most devastating solar storm on record - is around one percent annually, which means that it should have already happened, statistically speaking.

As previously reported by Natural News, the Carrington Event fried telegraph networks in several countries and lit up the sky with auroral displays so bright they could be seen even near the equator.

When a solar storm of this magnitude hits the earth again, the consequences will be far more disastrous given our complete dependence on electronic devices, electronic systems and the power grid - all of which will almost certainly be wiped out. This will include items such as cell phones, toasters, automobile ignition systems, and the electrical power that we take for granted and rely on more heavily than most of us would care to imagine.

Up to a decade with no power grid

It could take years or even a decade before the power grid and some sense of normalcy can be restored. In the meantime, there is a strong likelihood that millions of people -- particularly those living in urban areas -- will perish within a short time after the event.

Without power to the cities, social order will quickly collapse and mayhem will ensue.

The UK's Department of Business, Innovation and Skills has just released its Space Weather Preparedness Strategy, which outlines "the nature of the risk to the UK from severe space weather, our progress to prepare for the risk and our priorities for future work."

The strategy for preparing for such occurrences, according to the Brits, is threefold:

The UK approach to space weather preparedness is set out in this document and is underpinned by three elements: designing mitigation into infrastructure where possible; developing the ability to provide alerts and warnings of space weather and its potential impacts; and having in place plans to respond to severe events. Preparation is needed to the national level, with the support of local capabilities to deal with the consequences. This all requires of international co-ordination.

The document points out the fact that "awareness of the risk is low" and that the public needs to be informed that when a major solar storm occurs, there will be a maximum 12-hour warning period before the harmful x-rays and radiation reach the Earth.

Although there is nothing that can be done to accurately predict when such an occurrence might happen -- much less be able to do anything to stop it -- there are steps the public can take to prepare for it.

Are you prepared for the worst?

In fact, the strategy report suggests that reparations for a solar storm are basically the same as for any other disaster - basically, citizens need to have at least a short-term supply of fresh water, non-perishable food and other supplies, such as flashlights, candles, first aid kits and weapons for self-defense.

In other words, you should stockpile survival supplies in the manner that "preppers" have been doing for years. Often looked upon as "doomsday wackos," preppers are the ones most likely to survive a solar storm or any of the other possible disasters that could strike without warning at any time. These scenarios include extreme weather events, EMPs, wars, natural disasters such as earthquakes, and many others.

More and more people are realizing that "preparedness" is not just for extremists and survivalists, but for anyone who wants a decent chance at survival after a solar storm or any of the other possible cataclysmic occurrences that we face. Many of these scenarios, such as a massive solar event, are not nearly as far-fetched as some people would like to believe.

If you are suddenly warned that you have only 12 hours before a major solar storm hits the earth that is likely to disrupt the power grid for an indefinite amount of time, will you be prepared for it?

Sources:
http://news.yahoo.com
http://www.ibtimes.com.au
www.gov.uk