Written by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 examโขWritten by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Definition
A natural disaster is a major adverse event resulting from natural processes of the Earth. These include floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tsunamis and other geologic processes.
Related terms
Catastrophism: The theory that the Earth has been affected in the past by sudden, short-lived, violent events that were sometimes worldwide in scope.
Ecosystem Disruption: An occurrence where an ecosystem experiences a drastic change or disturbance which alters its structure and function.