Natural disaster
Natural disaster
A natural disaster (pronunciation: /ˈnætʃərəl dɪˈzɑːstər/) is a major adverse event resulting from natural processes of the Earth. Examples include floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tsunamis, and other geologic processes. A natural disaster can cause loss of life or damage property, and typically leaves some economic damage in its wake, the severity of which depends on the affected population's resilience and also on the infrastructure available.
Etymology
The term 'natural disaster' is derived from the Latin words 'natura' meaning 'birth, nature, quality', and 'disastro' which comes from the Italian 'disastro', meaning 'misfortune'. The term was first used in the 18th century to describe an event that occurs due to natural causes and leads to significant damage or loss of life.
Related terms
- Act of God: An act of God is a legal term for events outside of human control, such as sudden natural disasters, for which no one can be held responsible.
- Disaster management: Disaster management is the organization and management of resources and responsibilities for dealing with all humanitarian aspects of emergencies, in particular preparedness, response and recovery in order to lessen the impact of disasters.
- Emergency management: Emergency management is the organization and management of the resources and responsibilities for dealing with all humanitarian aspects of emergencies (preparedness, response, mitigation, and recovery).
- Environmental disaster: An environmental disaster is a disaster to the natural environment due to human activity, which distinguishes it from natural disasters.
- Man-made disaster: A man-made disaster is a disaster resulting from human intent, negligence, or error; the term excludes acts of war and terrorism.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Natural disaster
- Wikipedia's article - Natural disaster
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