Types of Disasters

Disasters can take many different forms, and the duration can range from an hourly disruption to days or weeks of ongoing destruction. Below is a list of the various types of disasters – both natural and man-made or technological in nature – that can impact a community.

Natural Types of Disasters

A natural disaster 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 property damage, and typically leaves some economic damage in its wake, the severity of which depends on the affected population resilience, or ability to recover and also on the infrastructure available.   

Agricultural diseases & pests Damaging Winds Drought and water shortage Earthquakes Emergency diseases (pandemic influenza) Extreme heat Floods and flash floods Hail

Hurricanes and tropical storms Landslides & debris flow Thunderstorms and lighting Tornadoes Tsunamis Wildfire Winter and ice storms Sinkholes

Man-Made and Technological Types of Disasters

A disastrous event caused directly and principally by one or more identifiable deliberate or negligent human actions. Also called human-made disaster. For example

Fire hazard, airplane devastation, nuclear war etc.

Hazardous materials Power service disruption & blackout Nuclear power plant and nuclear blast Radiological emergencies

Chemical threat and biological weapons Cyber attacks Explosion Civil unrest