Natural disaster

A natural disaster is a catastrophe that occurs when a

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

hazardous physical event (such as a volcanic eruption,

Related Topics:
Hazardous - Volcanic eruption

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

earthquake, landslide, hurricane, or any of the other natural phenomena listed below) precipitates extensive damage to property, a large number of casualties, or both. In areas where there are no human interests, natural phenomena do not result in natural disasters.

Related Topics:
Earthquake - Landslide - Hurricane - Natural phenomena

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A disaster is a social disruption that can occur at the level of the

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

individual, the community, or the state (Kreps 1986).

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The extent of casualties and damage to property resulting from a natural disaster depends on the

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

capacity of the population to resist the disaster (Bankoff et

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

al. 2004). This understanding is crystallized in the formulation:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"disasters occur when hazards meet vulnerability" (Blaikie, 1994).

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 2000, the United Nations launched the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) to address the underlying causes of vulnerability and to build disaster-resilient communities by promoting increased awareness of the importance of disaster reduction as an integral component of sustainable development, with the goal of reducing human, social, economic and environmental losses due to hazards of all kinds (UN/ISDR, 2000).

Related Topics:
United Nations - International Strategy for Disaster Reduction

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~