Natural disasters occur yearly around the world affecting millions of people and costing billions. These events are caused by a combination of environmental and social factors that lead to the overwhelming of highly vulnerable communities, which results in mortality and destruction. Disaster management involves the four phases of response, recovery, prevention and preparedness.
In the event of a natural disaster, the health impacts are often direct and immediate, including the impact on the water supply, sanitation and food/nutrition systems as well as displacement of populations from their homes, which in turn leads to a greater risk of disease through poor hygiene, malnutrition and decreased opportunities for health care. Indirect effects on health can also be seen from the damage done to medical facilities and health care staff.
The physical forces that cause natural disasters are complex, and specialized units within national governments (e.g., China’s Earthquake Administration, the Japan Meteorological Agency, India’s National Center of Seismology and the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) monitor specific physical phenomena such as earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, droughts, floods, fires and tornadoes. These agencies coordinate with international organizations to issue warnings, develop internationally accepted safety standards and assess the risks associated with global events.
Research shows that the distribution of disasters around the globe is largely driven by development differences, with countries with a higher level of development less exposed to natural hazards. However, this doesn’t fully explain why different populations and countries experience varying levels of vulnerability to natural disasters. Various factors such as resources available, methods of resource access, financial stability and the type of governing body significantly affect how much a given hazard can affect a population.