disaster
Sudden devastating occurrence
A disaster is a sudden event causing widespread destruction or suffering—floods, earthquakes, plane crashes.
The word extends to anything that goes catastrophically wrong: The dinner party was a complete disaster.
A disaster can also be a person who's hopelessly disorganized or prone to failure: She's a disaster in the kitchen.
Severe widespread destruction
- wreckageDestroyed remains of something
- rubbleBroken building fragments
- debrisScattered broken fragments
- carnageWidespread violent death
demolition · annihilation · obliteration · decimation · desolation · ruins · collapse · implosion
Those killed or wounded
- fatalitiesLosses of life
- victimsThose who suffer harm
- mourningPeriod following loss
- griefIntense sorrow from loss
loss · sorrow · memorial · remembrance · devastation · heartbreak · anguish · bereavement
State of utter confusion
- mayhemViolent disorder and destruction
- turmoilViolent disturbance or confusion
- bedlamState of wild disorder
- upheavalViolent disturbance of order
disarray · anarchy · confusion · panic · frenzy · commotion · uproar · disorder
Violent burst of energy
- meltdownCatastrophic loss of control
- spillAccidental liquid release
- contaminationIntroduction of impurities
- derailmentLeaving the intended track
collapse · leak · rupture · malfunction · accident · Chernobyl · Bhopal · Fukushima
devastation
Severe widespread destruction
- wreckageDestroyed remains of something
- rubbleBroken building fragments
- debrisScattered broken fragments
carnage · demolition · annihilation · obliteration · decimation · desolation · ruins · collapse · implosion · cave-in
casualties
Those killed or wounded
- fatalitiesLosses of life
- victimsThose who suffer harm
- mourningPeriod following loss
grief · loss · sorrow · memorial · remembrance · devastation · heartbreak · anguish · bereavement · suffering
pandemonium
State of utter confusion
- mayhemViolent disorder and destruction
- turmoilViolent disturbance or confusion
- bedlamState of wild disorder
upheaval · disarray · anarchy · confusion · panic · frenzy · commotion · uproar · disorder · tumult
explosion
Violent burst of energy
- meltdownCatastrophic loss of control
- spillAccidental liquid release
- contaminationIntroduction of impurities
derailment · collapse · leak · rupture · malfunction · accident · Chernobyl · Bhopal · Fukushima · Deepwater
earthquake
Seismic ground movement
flood · volcano · typhoon · cyclone · avalanche · landslide · eruption · wildfire · bushfire · blizzard
refugees
People seeking safety elsewhere
- displacementRemoval from usual location
- evacuationRemoval from danger
- reliefEasing of distress
aid · shelter · survivors · rescue · famine · epidemic · pandemic · outbreak · crisis · shortage
- eventsevent, events, party, parties, wedding
- disastersearthquake, earthquakes, floods, calamity, hurricane
- catastrophesapocalypse, cataclysm, calamity, earthquakes, floods
- crisescrisis, emergency, calamity, meltdown, collapse
- dangersdanger, peril, hazard, risk, menace
- destructiondestruction, destroying, demolishing, devastation, ruination
disastersuccess
Favorable outcome attained
triumph · victory · win · achievement · miracle
- natural disasterCatastrophic environmental event
- disaster areaPlace of widespread destruction
- mining disasterFatal underground excavation accident
- disaster planningReadiness for emergencies
- disaster reliefAssistance following catastrophic events
- nuclear disasterCatastrophic reactor failure
disastrous, disasters, disastrously, natural disaster, disaster area, disastrousness, environmental disaster, disaster areas