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Differences Between Natural Hazard and Disaster

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Differences between Natural Hazard and Disaster

Strictly speaking, there is no such thing as a natural disaster, but there are natural hazards, such as cyclones and earthquakes.

The difference between a hazard and a disaster is an important one. A disaster takes place when a community is affected by a hazard (usually defined as an event and even psychological factors that shape people’s life and that overwhelms that community’s capacity to cope).

In other words, the impact of the disaster is determined by the extent of a community’s vulnerability to the hazard. This vulnerability is not natural; it arises from human factors. It is shaped by economic, social, cultural, institutional, and political conditions, as well as the environment in which people live.

Natural HazardDisaste
1. Hazards are dangerous physical conditions or events.1. Most of the disasters occur rapidly, instantaneously and indiscriminately.
2. Hazards have the potential of damaging different forms of lives.2. Disasters are largely viewed from a human perspective causing severe damage to human life and property.
3. Hazard represents a latent threat to damage biotic and abiotic components of the environment.3. Disaster disrupts the normal functioning of society and the physical environment.
4. Hazards may or may not turn into disasters.4. All disasters cause damage to property and loss of lives. A large number of people are affected.
5. External aid is not required to damage biotic and abiotic components of the environment.5. It affects the society and socio, economic and physical environment to such an extent that external aid becomes necessary.
6. Earthquakes, floods, cyclones, volcanic eruptions, landslides, droughts etc are called natural hazards before they cause loss of life and damage to property.6. Earthquakes, floods, cyclones, volcanic eruptions, landslides, droughts etc are called natural disasters after they cause loss of life and damage to property.
7. People are not affected.7. People are affected.
8. Hazards also occur in areas not occupied by
human beings.		8. Hazards turn into disasters when they occur in the inhabited areas with infrastructures, buildings, telecommunications etc.
9. Hazards are processes of the genesis of extreme events.9. Disasters are the responses to the aftermath of natural hazards.