Hazards are defined as a thing, person, event or factor that poses a threat to people, structures or economic assets and which may cause a disaster. They may be human-made or naturally occurring. The word 'hazard' comes from the old French word 'hasart', meaning a game of dice (Arabic – az-zahr; Spanish – azar).
1. Hazard, Disaster and Catastrophe
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Natural hazard | A natural process and event that is a potential threat to human life and property; the events themselves are not a hazard but become so because of human use of the land |
| Disaster | A hazardous event over a limited time span in a defined area that causes great damage to property or loss of life and needs assistance from others |
| Catastrophe | A massive disaster that requires significant expenditure of money and a long time for recovery |