Natural Disaster

Definition

A natural disaster is a major adverse event resulting from natural processes of the Earth. These include floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tsunamis and other geologic processes.

Analogy

Think of a natural disaster like an uninvited guest at a party. They show up unexpectedly, cause chaos and disruption, and leave behind a mess to clean up.

Related terms

Catastrophism: The theory that the Earth has been affected in the past by sudden, short-lived, violent events that were sometimes worldwide in scope.

Ecosystem Disruption: An occurrence where an ecosystem experiences a drastic change or disturbance which alters its structure and function.

Climate Change: Long-term changes in temperature and typical weather patterns in a place.