Aim: To critique the definitions given for ‘disaster’

Read the following images / newspaper headlines. Are they all disasters?

Explain your thoughts.

According to UNISDR

• “A disaster is a sudden, calamitous event that causes serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society causing widespread human, material, economic and/or environmental losses which exceed the ability of the affected community or society to cope using its own level of resources”.

According to the UNISDR, there must be one of four characteristics present for an event to officially called a ‘disaster’.

What do you think they are?

UNISDR Disaster Criteria

• a report of 10 or more people killed

• a report of 100 people affected

• a declaration of a state of emergency by the relevant government

• a request by the national government for international assistance

Are these ‘disasters’?

• http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7835070.stm• http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7701230.stm• http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/

americas/7640181.stm• http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6181626.stm• http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/

7852639.stm• http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-

pacific/8037273.stm

Something to consider…

• When is a disaster not a disaster?

• Why does it take ten deaths before an event is a disaster?

• Can there be an objective definition of a disaster?