Natural disasters occur when natural events such as earthquakes, floods and storms cause loss of human life, financial loss or environmental damage. These natural events happen frequently without any particular loss, it is only when humans get involved do we start too think of it as a disaster.

These natural events can be categorized as:

• Land
• Water
• Weather
• Fire
• Health
• Other

Land disasters such as earthquakes, landslides, avalanche and volcanic eruptions are based upon unstable material that moves with terrific force. Such forces make it imperative that we predict and avoid coming into conflict with such events if we are to survive their effects. Sometimes with avalanche and the like we can intervene before the event to make a controlled move of the material concerned and hence mitigate the worst effects of being court up in an unexpected event.

Water always caused humans problems. Either, too little causing drought or too much causing flooding. Very much associated with weather patterns but can be as a result of human interference such as a dam bursting. Tsunamis are related to underwater earthquakes or landslides that cause these unexpected walls of water that a devastating effect on those living in low lying areas next to the sea.

Weather based disasters are more frequent and can happen just about anywhere on the planet. Cyclonic storms, tornados, excesses of heat or cold, snow, hail and many other phenomena all give rise to disaster that leads to much human suffering and financial loss.

Fire storms are often related to human activity and although the weather may set up the conditions that make fire a real danger it is too often a human that adds the spark that sets in motion a wild and ferocious beast that is very difficult to stop until it has run its course.

Health is and area that so often leads to human misery and new or old diseases come upon us and wreak havoc. The main problem is the ability for disease to keep re-inventing itself and becoming resistant to drug therapy. Cancer, Flu, aids, TB, and many other diseases continue to take their toll. Human lifestyle, living conditions or poverty often add to the problems, and if other disasters hit, disease will be sure to following close by to add more misery.

So many other things can be listed as causing natural disasters and human suffering. We can do much to mitigate the effects of such. One major thing is to listen and act when warnings are given. Doing so could have prevented much human misery in the past and may do so in the future.