What is a natural disaster?

A natural disaster is defined as a major adverse event resulting from natural processes of the Earth. This definition emphasizes the role of natural phenomena, such as earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, and volcanic eruptions, which can have devastating impacts on communities, ecosystems, and the economy.

By recognizing that these events stem from the Earth's own processes, we can appreciate their unpredictability and the potential for significant destruction they carry. This understanding is essential in fields such as disaster management and environmental science, where the focus is on preparedness and response strategies to minimize the damage caused by such events.

The option reflecting a significant weather event only is too narrow, as it excludes other forms of natural disasters like earthquakes or tsunamis that are not weather-related. Any human-made accident does not align with the definition of a natural disaster, as it attributes the cause to human actions rather than Earth processes. Finally, considering environmental change over time does not fit the emergency nature of a natural disaster, as it describes gradual changes rather than sudden catastrophic events.