Disasters Explained

Tsunamis, earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, volcanoes, hurricanes – everything you need to know about disasters.

Disasters affect thousands of thousands of people each year, all around the world.

They can cause, amongst others, deaths, injuries, homelessness, loss or damage to infrastructure and massive population movements.

But why and how exactly do they form? How often and where do they happen? What are the devastating and often lingering effects of disasters like tsunamis, floods, and volcanic eruptions?

Explore our Natural Disasters Explained series to find out the answers to these questions and many more.

Take a Look


DISASTERS EXPLAINED: Earthquakes

Learn about earthquakes, landslides and the tectonic plates that affect them.

DISASTERS EXPLAINED: HURRICANES

Find out everything you need to know about hurricanes and typhoons.

Disasters Explained: Volcanoes

Learn what volcanoes are, how they erupt, and the effects of a volcano eruption.

DISASTERS EXPLAINED: FLOODS

Floods are among the most common and devastating disasters. Read more about why they happen and their effects.

DISASTERS EXPLAINED: WILDFIRES

Wildfires burn millions of acres of land every year. Find out more about what they are, their connection with climate change.

DISASTERS EXPLAINED: TSUNAMIS

Tsunamis can destroy lives, homes, crops and roads in the blink of an eye. Learn more about what they are, what causes them and what the effects are.

How does Climate Change affect Disasters?

Changing climate is worsening large weather events like droughts, hurricanes, floods and wildfires; displacing thousands of people

Climate change is a humanitarian crisis. Find out key stats about climate change, how it affects disasters and people, and what we’re doing about it.