Natural Disasters

A natural disaster is a major adverse event resulting from the natural processes of the Earth, which can be broadly categorized by their geological or atmospheric origins. These phenomena, rooted in the principles of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, include geological events like earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis, as well as atmospheric events such as hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and droughts. An event is classified as a disaster when its impact—in terms of loss of life, property damage, and societal disruption—overwhelms a community's or society's capacity to cope using its own resources, making their study crucial for prediction, mitigation, and preparedness.

  1. Introduction to Natural Disasters
    1. Defining Natural Hazards and Disasters
      1. Basic Terminology
        1. Distinction between Hazards and Disasters
          1. Natural vs. Anthropogenic Hazards
            1. Disaster vs. Catastrophe
              1. Emergency vs. Disaster
              2. The Hazard-Vulnerability-Capacity Framework
                1. Components of Hazard
                  1. Magnitude
                    1. Frequency
                      1. Duration
                        1. Spatial Extent
                        2. Elements of Vulnerability
                          1. Physical Vulnerability
                            1. Social Vulnerability
                              1. Economic Vulnerability
                                1. Environmental Vulnerability
                                2. Capacity and Coping Mechanisms
                                  1. Individual Capacity
                                    1. Community Capacity
                                      1. Institutional Capacity
                                      2. Risk Equation and Calculations
                                      3. Classification Systems for Natural Disasters
                                        1. Classification by Origin
                                          1. Geological Disasters
                                            1. Hydrometeorological Disasters
                                              1. Biological Disasters
                                                1. Extraterrestrial Disasters
                                                2. Classification by Speed of Onset
                                                  1. Rapid-onset Disasters
                                                    1. Slow-onset Disasters
                                                      1. Creeping Disasters
                                                      2. Classification by Scale and Magnitude
                                                        1. Local Disasters
                                                          1. Regional Disasters
                                                            1. National Disasters
                                                              1. International Disasters
                                                              2. Classification by Geographic Extent
                                                                1. Point Disasters
                                                                  1. Linear Disasters
                                                                    1. Areal Disasters
                                                                  2. Risk Assessment Fundamentals
                                                                    1. Risk Identification
                                                                      1. Risk Analysis
                                                                        1. Risk Evaluation
                                                                          1. Risk Communication
                                                                          2. Vulnerability Analysis
                                                                            1. Physical Vulnerability Assessment
                                                                              1. Social Vulnerability Indicators
                                                                                1. Economic Vulnerability Measures
                                                                                  1. Environmental Vulnerability Factors
                                                                                  2. Resilience Concepts
                                                                                    1. Engineering Resilience
                                                                                      1. Ecological Resilience
                                                                                        1. Social Resilience
                                                                                          1. Adaptive Capacity
                                                                                          2. Measuring Disaster Impact
                                                                                            1. Human Impact Metrics
                                                                                              1. Mortality Rates
                                                                                                1. Injury Classifications
                                                                                                  1. Displacement Statistics
                                                                                                    1. Missing Persons
                                                                                                    2. Economic Impact Assessment
                                                                                                      1. Direct Economic Losses
                                                                                                        1. Indirect Economic Effects
                                                                                                          1. Macroeconomic Impacts
                                                                                                            1. Cost Estimation Methodologies
                                                                                                            2. Environmental Impact Evaluation
                                                                                                              1. Immediate Environmental Effects
                                                                                                                1. Long-term Environmental Consequences
                                                                                                                  1. Ecosystem Service Disruption