Classification of disasters

CLASSIFICATION OF DISASTERS

Disasters are classified (based on source or origin) into:

1. Natural disasters and
2. Man-made disasters

Natural disasters are further classified (based on the location of their occurrence) into:

1. Terrestrial disasters and
2. Extraterrestrial disasters

Terrestrial disasters are classified into:

1. Endogenic disasters (examples of this type are listed below)
1. Earthquakes
2. Volcanoes
2. Exogenic disasters (examples of this type are listed below)
1. Atmospheric disasters
1. Drought
2. Rainfall
3. Snowfall
4. Winds
5. Hailstorms
2. Hydrospheric disasters (examples of this type are listed below)
1. Wave currents
2. Tsunamis
3. Floods
3. Lithospheric disasters (examples of this type are listed below)
1. Landslides
2. Weathering
3. Erosion
4. Silting
5. Avalanches
3. Biotic disasters
1. Floral disasters
2. Faunal disasters
3. Anthropogenic disasters (Human induced)
1. Physical disasters
1. Earthquake
2. Landslide
3. Erosion
2. Chemical disasters
1. Release of toxic chemical
2. Nuclear explosion
3. Biological disasters
1. Eutrophication
2. Population explosion

• Endogenic disasters originate under the surface of the Earth
• Exogenic disasters take place at the Earth's surface and are very destructive
• Biotic disasters occur due to activities of living organisms (Plants, animals or human beings)