Meaning and Definition of Hazard and Disaster
Hazard
A hazard is a situation where there is a threat to life, health, environment, or property. Earthquakes, floods, tsunamis, wildfires, landslides, droughts, and volcanic eruptionsare natural hazards that cause a lot of destruction. They are natural phenomenon that take place without regard to humans and do not strike a place taking into account the built environment or the population. When any of these hazards takes place in an area that is desolate, it causes no harm to human lives or property. Hence, it is not called a disaster though technically it is the same phenomenon that would have raised an alarm had it taken place in an area that was thickly populated. It is clear then that a hazard is an event that has the potential to cause widespread destruction and loss of lives and property. But, when a hazard strikes an area that has no human population, though it still has destructive properties, it is not termed as a disaster.
When there are natural hazards, they cannot be prevented. But, we can certainly learn to live in harmony with nature by not taking steps that can turn hazards into major disasters. If one takes into account the cost that we finally pay when a disaster strikes and the cost of averting it, we come to a conclusion that it is prudent to be prepared rather than inviting the wrath of nature on a very large scale.
When it comes to hazards, there are several types of hazards. They are Physical (heat, noise, vibration), Chemical (leakages of chemical compounds, fires), Biological (parasites, viruses, bacteria), Psychological, and Radiation Hazards
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