Disaster

Definitions

European Definition

Disaster means any situation which has or may have a severe impact on people, the environment, or property, including cultural heritage.

Other International Definitions

UNISDR

A serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society involving widespread human, material, economic or environmental losses and impacts, which exceeds the ability of the affected community or society to cope using its own resources.

Disasters are often described as a result of the combination of: the exposure to a hazard; the conditions of vulnerability that are present; and insufficient capacity or measures to reduce or cope with the potential negative consequences. Disaster impacts may include loss of life, injury, disease and other negative effects on human physical, mental and social well-being, together with damage to property, destruction of assets, loss of services, social and economic disruption and environmental degradation.

National Definitions

Australia

Disaster is a serious disruption to community life which threatens or causes death or injury in that community and/or damage to property which is beyond the ay-today capacity of the prescribed statutory authorities and which requires special mobilisation and organisation of resources other than those normally available to those authorities.

Austria

Katastrophe: jede Situation, die ernsthafte Auswirkungen auf Menschen, Umwelt oder Eigentum, einschließlich Kulturgütern, hat oder haben kann.

Belgium

Ramp: elke situatie die ernstige gevolgen voor mensen, het milieu, of eigendommen, waaronder cultureel erfgoed, heeft of kan hebben.

Catastrophe: toute situation qui a ou peut avoir des effets graves sur les personnes, l'environnement ou les biens, y compris le patrimoine culturel.

Brazil

Desastre: resultado de eventos adversos, naturais ou provocados pelo homem sobre um cenário vulnerável, causando grave perturbação ao funcionamento de uma comunidade ou sociedade envolvendo extensivas perdas e danos humanos, materiais, econômicos ou ambientais, que excede a sua capacidade de lidar com o problema usando meios próprios.

Bulgaria

бедствие: означава всяка ситуация, която има или може да има тежки последици за населението, околната среда или имуществото, включително културното наследство.

Canada

An event that results when a hazard impacts a vulnerable community in a way that exceeds or overwhelms the community’s ability to cope and may cause serious harm to the safety, health or welfare of people, or damage to property or the environment.

Événement qui se produit lorsque la manifestation d’un danger affecte une collectivité vulnérable d’une façon qui dépasse ou qui accable sa capacité à faire face à la situation et qui peut causer un prejudice grave à la sécurité, à la santé et au bien-être de la population, ou endommager les biens ou l’environnement.

Disaster is essentially a social phenomenon that results when a hazard intersects with a vulnerable community in a way that exceeds or overwhelms the community’s ability to cope and may cause serious harm to the safety, health, welfare, property or environment of people.

A disaster may be triggered by a naturally occurring phenomenon which has its origins within the geophysical or biological environment or by human action or error, whether malicious or unintentional, including technological failures, accidents and terrorist acts.

Croatia

Katastrofa: znači svaka situacija koja ima ili može imati ozbiljne učinke na ljude, okoliš ili imovinu, uključujući kulturnu baštinu.

Czech Republic

Katastrofou: jakákoli situace, která má či může mít závažný dopad na obyvatelstvo, životní prostředí nebo majetek včetně kulturního dědictví.

Denmark

Katastrofe: enhver situation, der har eller kan have alvorlige konsekvenser for mennesker, miljøet eller ejendom, herunder kulturarv.

Estonia

Õnnetus: olukord, millel on või võib olla tõsine mõju inimestele, keskkonnale või varale, sealhulgas kultuuripärandile. <

Finland

(1) Katastrofi: tilanne, jolla on tai voi olla vakavia vaikutuksia ihmisiin, ympäristöön tai omaisuuteen, kulttuuriperintö mukaan lukien.

Disaster is a situation which has or may have serious effects on people, the environment or property, including cultural heritage. -unofficial translation-

(2) Suuronnettomuus: onnettomuus, jota on kuolleiden tai loukkaantuneiden määrän, ympäristöön tai omaisuuteen kohdistuneiden vahinkojen määrän taikka onnettomuuden laadun perusteella pidettävä erityisen vakavana.

Disaster is an accident which must be considered especially serious on the basis of the number of casualties or injuries, volume of damages to the environment or property, or the nature of the accident. -unofficial translation-

Katastrofilla: tarkoitetaan tilannetta, jolla on tai jolla voi olla vakavia vaikutuksia ihmisiin, ympäristöön tai omaisuuteen, kulttuuriperintö mukaan lukien.

France

Catastrophe: toute situation qui a ou peut avoir des effets graves sur les personnes, l'environnement ou les biens, y compris le patrimoine culturel.

Germany

A disaster is an event of such magnitude that it exceeds the everyday resources of the emergency response community.

A disaster is a (large-scale) emergency resulting from natural causes (earthquake, storm tides, volcanic eruption, etc.) or human activities (chemical accident, aircraft crash, attack, etc.) which may lead to an acute danger to the life or health of a large number of people, to the environment or to other significant objects of legal protection and which the authorities responsible for hazard control are unable to handle adequately with their own personnel and resources.

Katastrophe: jede Situation, die ernsthafte Auswirkungen auf Menschen, Umwelt oder Eigentum, einschließlich Kulturgütern, hat oder haben kann.

Greece

Καταστροφή νοείται κάθε ταχείας ή βραδείας εξέλιξης φυσικό φαινόμενο ή τεχνολογικό συμβάν στο χερσαίο, θαλάσσιο και εναέριο χώρο, το οποίο προκαλεί εκτεταμένες δυσμενείς επιπτώσεις στον άνθρωπο, καθώς και στο ανθρωπογενές ή φυσικό περιβάλλον.

(A disaster is any short-term or long-term natural hazard or technological event in land, sea or airspace, which causes extensive, adverse impacts to people, and to the man-made or physical environment)

The General Civil Protection Plan "Xenocrates" classifies the following type of disasters:

• Γενική Καταστροφή νοείται η καταστροφή που εκτείνεται σε περισσότερες από τρεις περιφέρειες της χώρας. (A General Disaster is a disaster that extends to more than three national regions)
• Περιφερειακή καταστροφή μικρής έντασης νοείται αυτή για την αντιμετώπιση της οποίας αρκεί το δυναμικό και τα μέσα πολιτικής προστασίας της περιφέρειας. (Small-scale Regional Disaster is one that can be dealt with the Civil Protection Resources of the region)
• Περιφερειακή καταστροφή μεγάλης έντασης νοείται αυτή για την αντιμετώπιση της οποίας απαιτείται η διάθεση δυναμικού και μέσων πολιτικής προστασίας και από άλλες περιφέρειες ή και από κεντρικές υπηρεσίες και φορείς. (Large-scale Regional Disaster is one that requires the assignment of Civil Protection Resources from other regions and/or from central services or authorities)
• Τοπική καταστροφή μικρής έντασης νοείται αυτή για την αντιμετώπιση της οποίας αρκεί το δυναμικό και τα μέσα πολιτικής προστασίας σε επίπεδο νομού. (Small-scale Local Disaster is one that can be dealt with the Civil Protection Resources of a county).
• Τοπική καταστροφή μεγάλης έντασης νοείται αυτή για την αντιμετώπιση της οποίας απαιτείται η διάθεση δυναμικού και μέσων πολιτικής προστασίας και από άλλους νομούς, περιφέρειες ή και από κεντρικές υπηρεσίες και φορείς. (Large-scale Local Disaster is one that requires the assignment of Civil Protection Resources from other counties, regions and/or from central services or authorities).

Καταστροφή: κάθε κατάσταση η οποία έχει ή ενδέχεται να έχει σοβαρές επιπτώσεις σε πρόσωπα, στο περιβάλλον ή σε περιουσίες, συμπεριλαμβανομένης της πολιτιστικής κληρονομιάς.

Hungary

Katasztrófa: minden olyan helyzet, amelynek a személyekre, a környezetre, vagy a tulajdonra – beleértve a kulturális örökséget is – súlyos hatása van vagy lehet.

Ireland

Disaster means any situation which has or may have a severe impact on people, the environment, or property, including cultural heritage.

Italy

Catastrofe: qualsiasi situazione che abbia o possa avere conseguenze gravi sulle persone, l'ambiente o i beni, compreso il patrimonio culturale.

Latvia

Katastrofa: ir jebkura situācija, kas smagi ietekmē vai var smagi ietekmēt cilvēkus, vidi vai īpašumu, tostarp kultūras mantojumu.

Lithuania

Nelaimė– situacija, kuri turi ar gali turėti didelį neigiamą poveikį žmonėms, aplinkai ar turtui, įskaitant kultūros paveldą.

Luxembourg

.

Malta

Diżastru tfisser kwalunkwe sitwazzjoni li jkollha jew li jista' jkollha impatt sever fuq il-persuni, l-ambjent, jew il-proprjetà, inkluż il-wirt kulturali.

Netherlands

Een ramp is een zwaar ongeval of een andere gebeurtenis waarbij het leven en de gezondheid van veel personen, het milieu of grote materiële belangen in ernstige mate zijn geschaad of worden bedreigd en waarbij een gecoördineerde inzet van diensten of organisaties van verschillende disciplines is vereist om de dreiging weg te nemen of de schadelijke gevolgen te beperken.
(A disaster is a major accident or other event which threatens or has impacted the live and health of many people, the environment or major material interests and which requires a coordinated action by services and different disciplines to remove the threat or to minimise the impact.)

Ramp: elke situatie die ernstige gevolgen voor mensen, het milieu, of eigendommen, waaronder cultureel erfgoed, heeft of kan hebben.

Poland

Klęska lub katastrofa: oznacza dowolną sytuację, która ma lub może mieć poważne skutki dla ludzi, środowiska naturalnego lub mienia, w tym dziedzictwa kulturowego.

Portugal

Catástrofe: qualquer situação que tenha ou possa ter consequências graves para as pessoas, o ambiente ou os bens, incluindo o património cultural.

Republic of Korea

Natural disasters: Disasters caused by a typhoon, flood, downpour, strong wind, wind and waves, tidal wave, heavy snowfall, lightning, drought, earthquake, sandy dust, hypertrephied of algae, ebb and flow, volcanic activity, and other natural phenomena equivalent thereto.

Republic of Trinidad & Tobago

A serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society involving widespread human, material, economic or environmental losses and impacts, which exceeds the ability of the affected community or society to cope using its own resources.

Romania

Dezastru:înseamnă orice situație care are sau poate avea efecte grave asupra persoanelor, a mediului, sau a bunurilor materiale, inclusiv asupra patrimoniului cultural.

Russian Federation

A local disaster is a situation where there are less than 10 casualties, no more than 100 person's vital activities are disrupted, material cost are not extensive and the (spatial) impact of the disruption does not exceed the specific industrial or social object.

Singapore

A sudden, unplanned calamitous event, usually causing great damage or loss, making an organization unable to provide critical business functions for some predetermined minimum period of time.

Slovakia

Katastrofa: je akákoľvek situácia, ktorá má alebo môže mať závažný vplyv na ľudí, životné prostredie alebo majetok, vrátane kultúrneho dedičstva.

Slovenia

Nesreča: pomeni vsako situacijo, ki resno vpliva ali bi lahko resno vplivala na ljudi, okolje ali premoženje, vključno s kulturno dediščino.

Spain

Catástrofe: toda situación que tenga o pueda tener efectos graves para las personas, el medio ambiente o los bienes, incluido el patrimonio cultural.

Sweden

Katastrof: varje situation som har eller kan få allvarliga effekter för människor, miljö eller egendom, inklusive kulturarvet.

Switzerland

Ereignis, das so viele Schäden und Ausfälle verursacht, dass die personellen und materiellen Mittel der betroffenen Gemeinschaft überfordert sind und Hilfe von aussen nötig ist.

Evénement qui provoque des dommages ou des pannes d'une ampleur telle que les moyens en matériel ou en personnel de la collectivité affectée s'avèrent insuffisants et qu’une aide de l'extérieur est nécessaire.

Evento che causa un numero di danni e perdite tali da rendere insufficienti il personale e il materiale della comunità colpita e che richiede pertanto l’intervento di aiuti esterni.

United Kingdom

Disaster means any situation which has or may have a severe impact on people, the environment, or property, including cultural heritage.

United States

DHS/FEMA

An occurrence that has resulted in property damage, deaths, and /or injuries to a community.

Standard Definition

ISO 22300:2012(en)

situation where widespread human, material, economic or environmental losses have occurred which exceeded the ability of the affected organization, community or society to respond and recover using its own resources.

ISO/PAS 22399:2007

Event that causes great damage or loss.

Other Definitions

Ontario (Canada)

Disaster is a serious disruption to an affected area, involving widespread human, property, environmental and / or economic impacts, that exceed the ability of one or more affected communities to cope using their own resources.

Sinistre: perturbation grave, dans une région donnée, ayant d’importants impacts sur le plan humain, matériel, économique ou environnemental, ces impacts étant tels que la ou les collectivités affectées ne peuvent les surmonter avec leurs seules ressources.

Other Definitions

ICDRM/GWU

Major disaster is any natural catastrophe (including any hurricane, tornado, storm, high water, wind-driven water, tidal wave, tsunami, earthquake, volcanic eruption, landslide, mudslide, snowstorm, or drought), or, regardless of cause, any fire, flood, or explosion, in any part of the United States, which in the determination of the President causes damage of sufficient severity and magnitude to warrant major disaster assistance under this Act to supplement the efforts and available resources of States, tribes, local governments, and disaster relief organizations in alleviating the damage, loss, hardship, or suffering caused thereby.

See also

• Event
• Disaster Risk
• Emergency
• Incident