Natural disaster

A natural disaster is an event that occurs naturally, suddenly and abruptly, causing major disruptions which may cause significant property damage and human injury.

Although natural disasters are caused by meteorological, seismic or other causes outside human control, their outcomes are highly dependent on human factors.

In fact, the location of populations and infrastructure or activities in zones subject to natural hazards influences the economic and human consequences of these disasters. Similarly, modifications to the environment may increase the damage caused by disasters (destruction of mangroves, deforestation, etc.) or, conversely, may reduce the damage (creation of dykes, locks, firebreaks...).

The fight against natural disasters is based on prevention (zoning, safety standards, awareness campaigns), alert systems (siren, weather bulletins) and relief and other interventions during and after the event (evacuation, medical care, psychological support, reconstruction).