How does climate change affect disasters?
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.
Disasters Explained
Tsunamis, earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, volcanoes, typhoons - everything you need to know about disasters.
Disasters affect thousands of people around the world each year.
They can cause 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 Disasters Explained series to find out the answers to these questions and many more.
Take a look
Disasters explained: Hurricanes
Find out everything you need to know about hurricanes and typhoons.
Disasters explained: Earthquakes and landslides
Powerful earthquakes and landslides can be very deadly. Learn everything you need to know about earthquakes and landslides and how we help.
Why disasters are not natural
Read why we no longer use the term ‘natural disasters’, the definition of a disaster, and how we have come to change our language.
Disasters explained: floods
Floods are among the most common and devastating disasters. Read more about why they happen and their effects.
Disasters explained: volcanoes
Learn what volcanoes are, how they erupt, and the effects of a volcano eruption.
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.
Disasters explained: Wildfires
Wildfires burn millions of acres of land every year. Find out more about what they are, their connection with climate change, and facts about the 2020 Australia bushfires.