Threatening event, or probability of occurrence of a potentially damaging phenomenon within a given time period and area. (Source: EM-DAT).
Natural hazards are naturally occurring physical phenomena caused either by
rapid or slow onset events which can be geological (e.g. earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity), hydro meteorological (e.g. cyclones, tropical storms, floods) or biological (e.g. disease
epidemics, animal/plant contagion, insect plagues).
Technological or man-made hazards are events that are caused
by humans and occur in human settlements and can include environmental
degradation, pollution or technological or industrial accidents.
Hazards can be single, sequential
or combined in their origin and effects.
There are a range of challenges,
such as climate change, unplanned-urbanization, under-development as well as the threat of pandemics, that will shape humanitarian assistance
in the future. These aggravating factors will result in
increased frequency, complexity and severity of disasters.
Disaster management
