A natural disaster is a calamity caused by the effects of nature rather than human activity that results in catastrophic loss of life or overwhelming damage to property. Natural disasters may occur anywhere on Earth; however, some types are more common in specific geographic regions. The earthquake in Haiti in 2010, the tsunami that hit Japan in 2011, and the flooding in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh are some of the most notable natural disasters to have made headlines in recent years. Hundreds of natural disasters occur worldwide each year crippling economies, devastating crops, and displacing millions. While some people argue that natural phenomena like floods, droughts, cyclonic storms and volcanoes are inevitable and that disasters should be accepted as part of the risk, others claim that human activities contribute to the incidence and intensity of these events by altering their frequency and severity.
NASA’s Earth-observing satellites collect global data that is useful to the study of natural disasters. These include hazard frequency and distribution maps, climate risk projections, mortality risk deciles, and economic loss risk estimates. In addition, NASA provides socioeconomic datasets that can be used to evaluate a community’s exposure and vulnerability to the potential of being impacted by a natural disaster.
Natural disasters can be exacerbated by poverty, lack of access to clean water, food/nutrition and shelter, and the presence of infectious diseases. In addition, humans are prone to psychological distress as they cope with disasters and recover from their impacts.