disasters
Events requiring relief
Disasters are sudden events causing widespread destruction, suffering, or loss of life.
Natural disasters include earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, and wildfires.
Human-caused disasters include industrial accidents, oil spills, and acts of terrorism.
The word extends to any serious failure or fiasco: The dinner party was a complete disaster.
Disaster struck when the levee broke.
Severe widespread destruction
- rubbleBroken building fragments
- ruinsDecayed structural remains
- wreckageDestroyed remains of something
- destructionAct of completely ruining
casualties · fatalities · displacement · refugees · homelessness · trauma · rebuilding · recovery
Seismic ground movement
- tsunamiSeismic sea surge
- hurricaneViolent tropical windstorm
- tornadoViolent rotating windstorm
- floodOverwhelming water overflow
wildfire · volcano · cyclone · typhoon · avalanche · landslide · blizzard · drought
Removal from danger
- rescueSave from harm
- reliefEasing of distress
- aidSupport given freely
- first respondersPersonnel arriving at emergencies initially
shelter · FEMA · emergency services · search and rescue · survivors · triage · paramedics · Red Cross
Widespread destruction and chaos
- mayhemViolent disorder and destruction
- pandemoniumState of utter confusion
- turmoilViolent disturbance or confusion
- bedlamState of wild disorder
upheaval · anarchy · confusion · panic · disorder · commotion · frenzy · stampede
Violent burst of energy
- nuclear meltdownReactor core destruction
- oil spillPetroleum released into water
- chemical leakUncontrolled hazardous substance release
- industrial accidentHarmful event at factories
plane crash · shipwreck · derailment · collapse · Chernobyl · Bhopal · Deepwater Horizon · Titanic
Intense sorrow from loss
- mourningPeriod following loss
- lossBeing without something
- traumaLasting psychological wound
- sufferingSustained experience of distress
anguish · devastation · sorrow · bereavement · heartbreak · despair · shock · PTSD
devastation
Severe widespread destruction
- rubbleBroken building fragments
- ruinsDecayed structural remains
- wreckageDestroyed remains of something
destruction · casualties · fatalities · displacement · refugees · homelessness · trauma · rebuilding · recovery · damage
earthquake
Seismic ground movement
flood · wildfire · volcano · cyclone · typhoon · avalanche · landslide · blizzard · drought · monsoon
evacuation
Removal from danger
first responders · shelter · FEMA · emergency services · search and rescue · survivors · triage · paramedics · Red Cross · humanitarian aid
havoc
Widespread destruction and chaos
- mayhemViolent disorder and destruction
- pandemoniumState of utter confusion
- turmoilViolent disturbance or confusion
bedlam · upheaval · anarchy · confusion · panic · disorder · commotion · frenzy · stampede · looting
explosion
Violent burst of energy
- nuclear meltdownReactor core destruction
- oil spillPetroleum released into water
- chemical leakUncontrolled hazardous substance release
industrial accident · plane crash · shipwreck · derailment · collapse · Chernobyl · Bhopal · Deepwater Horizon · Titanic · dam burst
grief
Intense sorrow from loss
suffering · anguish · devastation · sorrow · bereavement · heartbreak · despair · shock · PTSD · memorial
- catastrophescatastrophe, apocalypse, cataclysm, calamity, earthquakes
- headline-grabbersscandals, celebrities, crimes, breaking news, controversies
- City BuildersSimCity, city planning, population, buildings, residential zones
- mismanagementmishandling, dysfunction, misuse, incompetence, inefficiency
- failuresfailure, failures, flop, flops, bust
- hazardsfire hazard, fire hazards, toxin, contamination, tripping hazard
disastersblessings
Favors from the divine
godsends · miracles · windfalls · strokes of luck · boons
disasterstriumphs
Overwhelming victories
successes · victories · achievements · masterpieces · coups
disasterssalvations
Acts of being rescued
rescues · recoveries · restorations · renewals · revivals
- 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