The document defines key terms related to disasters: 1) A disaster is defined as a natural or man-made occurrence that causes damage, disruption, loss of life or health on a large scale, beyond the capacity of the affected community. 2) A hazard is a potential threat, whether natural or man-made, while a disaster is the actualization of the effects of that hazard. 3) Disasters can be categorized as natural (meteorological, topographical, environmental) or man-made (technological, industrial, warfare).