El Niño
Discover how El Niño events can impact weather patterns around the world, potentially causing severe storms, floods, droughts or heatwaves.
Disasters affect thousands of people around the world each year.
From earthquakes and tsunamis through to conflicts and complex emergencies, these disasters can cause deaths, homelessness and massive population movements.
But why do extreme weather events occur? How did some of the world’s worst conflicts begin? What are the devastating effects of disasters and climate change?
Explore our Disasters Explained series to discover the answers to these questions.
When storms hit, earthquakes strike, or floods rage, disaster often follows – but it doesn’t have to be that way. Find out how we’re rethinking disaster and join our movement for change.
Read why we no longer use the term ‘natural disasters’, the definition of a disaster, and how we have come to change our language.
Learn More