Definition of disaster types

DesInventar specific definition
Please noted, that the methodology allows to add, remove, create any terms related to specific disasters, however, we recomend to map them to the international standardized definition.
Find below, other hazards available with our methodology.

Accident
Automobile, rail, aircraft or navigation accidents. Limited to accidents induced by natural phenomena, such as landslides, earthquakes, hurricanes, rain, etc. Includes transportation accidents generating spills or leaks of harmful substances, regardless of the cause.

Alluvion
Torrential water flows dragging large amounts of solid material (pebbles, stones, and rock blocks) common in dry regions river beds which are produced by heavy rain. Equivalent to the term “huaico” used in Peru.

Boat Capsize
Overturning of a boat due to hitting the water-bed or due to sea disturbances, or other natural phenomena such as heavy winds or flash floods.

Explosion
Explosions of any type, but limited to those induced or highly connected to natural phenomena, such as electrical storms, earthquakes, droughts, etc.

Extreme Rain
Precipitation. Includes punctual, persistent or torrential rain, or rain exceeding the rainfall averages of a specific region; also, unusual long rain periods. Rain includes terms such as downpour, cloudburst, heavy shower, deluge, etc.

Fire
Urban, industrial or rural fires, but not including forest fires. Limited to those induced or highly connected to natural phenomena, such as electrical storms, earthquakes, droughts, etc.

Flood - Urban Flood
Storm water that gets collected in city or urban areas after heavy rains due to blocking or under capacity of storm water drains. It may also be a riverine flood occurring specifically over an urban area.

Leak/Oil Spill
Leak of harmful liquid, solid or gas substances, whether radioactive or not, generated by technological accidents, human fault or transportation accidents.

Liquefaction
Soil liquefaction describes a phenomenon whereby a saturated soil substantially loses strength and stiffness in response to an applied stress, usually earthquake shaking or other sudden change in stress condition, causing it to behave like a liquid.

Panic
Panic o mass hysteria among people concentrated in a certain place (stadiums, theaters, etc.) that can kill or injure them, and cause physical damage. Limited to those induced or highly connected to natural phenomena, such as electrical storms, earthquakes, etc., and early warnings about incoming events.

Pollution Concentration of
polluting substances in the air, water or soils, at levels harmful to human health, crops or animal species.

Sedimentation
Deposits of solid material on hillsides and river beds produced by mass movements, wind, floods or surface erosion with damages on crops, utilities or other infrastructure.

Soil Erosion
Washing away of soil down the surface of hill slopes or mass movements due to storm water flow during intense rains or winds. This can cause in turn sedimentation in streams / rivers and areas at the toe of the hills.

Structural Collapse
Damages or collapse of any type of structure for reasons such as excess weight in public places, bridges, etc. This event includes damage that, although not taking the structures to the point of collapse, does make them unusable. Damages in structures caused by natural phenomena are reported as an effect of these phenomena.