THE IMPACTS OF NATURAL DISASTERS ON THE POOR: A BACKGROUND NOTE [Submitted by Mary B. Anderson to Cornell University under Consulting Agreement Number 35113-9382 for use in development of the World Bank's WDR 2000/2001]

The term "natural disaster" is used to refer to catastrophes that arise from acts of nature such as flood, wind, drought and earthquake. However, many people have challenged this terminology as misleading. As long ago as 1976,1 Frederick Krimgold defined a disaster as an event that outstrips the capacity of a society to cope with it. This definition highlights the fact that not every natural crisis event becomes a disaster. Disasters occur only when a natural event damages or destroys human lives and property to such an extent that a society is disrupted. A high wind in an unpopulated area may fell trees and alter landscapes, but it is not considered a disaster if there is no human suffering or damage of property on which humans rely for their welfare. It is the interaction of acts of nature with human decisions and actions that result in disasters.