A disaster is defined as an event that occurs suddenly and unexpectedly, causing severe disturbances to people, objects, and the environment through loss of life, property damage, or health impacts to a population. Such situations disrupt normal life patterns and generate suffering by affecting an area's socio-economic structure to a degree that outside assistance is needed. Specifically, a disaster is considered a catastrophe, mishap, or calamity - whether caused by natural events, human actions, accidents, or negligence - that results in substantial loss of life or human suffering, property destruction, environmental damage, or degradation beyond the affected community's capabilities.

1. Definition of Disaster
• A Disaster is an event that occurs in most cases
suddenly and unexpectedly, causings evere disturbances
to people, objects and environment, resulting in loss of
life, property and health of the population.
• Such a situation causes disruption in normal pattern of
life, generating misfortune, helplessness and suffering
affecting the socio-economic structure of a
region/country to such an extent that there is a need for
assistance or immediate outside intervention.

2. Disaster (as per DM Act, 2005)
• Disaster means a catastrophe, mishap,
calamity or grave occurrence affecting any
area from natural and man made causes, or by
accident or negligence, which results in
substantial loss of life or human suffering or
damage to, and destruction of property, or
damage to, or degradation of environment
and is of such a nature and magnitude as to
be beyond the capacity of the community of
the affected areas.