Hazards, Disasters, and Catastrophes

It is important to note beforehand that events such as earthquakes and tornadoes are actually natural processes and only are labeled as hazards because humans or property are in danger. That being said, natural hazards are natural events that pose a potential risk to either properties or humans. Under that umbrella of natural hazards there are both disasters and catastrophes. Specifically, a disaster is a  natural hazard that happens over a certain span of time in a certain area. Furthermore the event must meet one of these criteria to be considered a disaster: kill ten or more people, affected 100 or more people, cause a declaration of a state of emergency, or cause a request of international assistance. On the other hand, a catastrophe is a huge disaster that called for large spending and time to recover from it.