Hazards, Disasters, and Catastrophes

Most of us have heard of natural processes such as earthquakes, tornadoes, or volcanoes. Only when these events serve as a potential threat to human life do they become a hazard.
While hazards can cause either a disaster or catastrophe, there are big differences between the two.

Disaster vs Catastrophe

A disaster is a hazardous event and occurs over a limited time span within a defined area. One of the following must occur to be considered a disaster:

1. 10 or more people dead
2. More than 100 affected
3. Declared state of emergency
4. International assistance is requested

A catastrophe is a massive disaster that requires years of economic and social rebuild. Hazards that can cause such an event are high magnitude earthquakes, hurricanes or typhoons, or volcanic eruptions. Speaking of volcanic eruptions, I bet many of you all know one famous eruption that happened a long time ago in Italy.