10. Classification of disasters.

Classification of disasters has several benefits:


Disasters are classified in a variety of ways:

1. Classification according to the triggering event: A common system divides incidents into natural and technological (human-made) disasters. There is a crossover between the two types, for example, a building collapse due to a hurricane or an earthquake [32].

1.1. Natural hazards: They are naturally occurring physical phenomena caused by either rapid- or slow-onset events [33]. They are caused by nature, and men have no control over them. Earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, landslides, hurricanes, wildfires, droughts, and volcanic eruptions are some examples of natural disasters. Such disasters cause massive loss of life, property, and many other miseries. Table 1 shows the different subgroups of the natural disasters [34].


Table 1. Classification of natural disasters.

1.2. Technological (or man-made) hazards are events that are caused by humans and occur in or close to human settlements [33]. Man-made disasters are less complicated and occupy smaller areas making them easier to control [35]. Table 2 shows the man-made disasters with its subgroups and examples [36].

2. Classification based on the speed of onset

#### 2.1. Rapid-onset disasters

2. Secondary effects occur only because a primary effect has caused them. For example, fires ignited because of earthquakes, disruption of electrical power and water service because of an earthquake, a flood, or a hurricane, or flooding caused by a landslide into a lake or a river.

3. Tertiary effects are long-term effects that are set off because of a primary event. These include things like loss of habitat caused by a flood, permanent changes in the position of a river channel caused by flood, crop failure caused by a volcanic eruption, and so on [31].

1. It helps in better understanding of the disasters and helps interchange information regard-

2. It helps in the planning process and the types and amounts of resources devoted for

3. It facilitates the response to a disaster by better knowledge and training on similar disasters.

1. Classification according to the triggering event: A common system divides incidents into natural and technological (human-made) disasters. There is a crossover between the two

1.1. Natural hazards: They are naturally occurring physical phenomena caused by either rapid- or slow-onset events [33]. They are caused by nature, and men have no control over them. Earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, landslides, hurricanes, wildfires, droughts, and volcanic eruptions are some examples of natural disasters. Such disasters cause massive loss of life, property, and many other miseries. Table 1 shows the different subgroups of the natural

Storm:

• Tropical cyclone, • Extra-tropical cyclone. • Local storm.

Extreme temp. • Heat wave, • Cold wave,

tion. Drought Wild fire • Forest fire, • Land fire.

• Extreme winter condi-

types, for example, a building collapse due to a hurricane or an earthquake [32].

Biological Geophysical Hydrological Meteorological Climatological

Flood:

• General flood, • Flash flood, • Storm surge/coastal flood Mass Movement (Wet)

• Rock fall, • Landslide, • Avalanche, • Subsidence

10. Classification of disasters.

98 Essentials of Accident and Emergency Medicine

ing disasters in some detail.

response to each category.

disasters [34].

Earthquake, Volcano, Mass Movement

(Dry) • Rock fall, • Landslide, • Avalanche, • Subsidence,

Table 1. Classification of natural disasters.

Natural Disasters

Epidemics of • Viral, • Bacterial, • Parasitic, • Fungal, • Prion Insect infestation

Classification of disasters has several benefits:

Disasters are classified in a variety of ways:

Hazards that arise suddenly, or whose occurrence cannot be predicted far in advance, trigger rapid-onset disasters. Earthquakes, cyclones and other windstorms, landslides and avalanches, wildfires, floods, and volcanic eruptions are usually categorized as rapid-onset events. The warning time ranges from seconds or at best a few minutes in the case of earthquakes and many landslides, to several days in the case of most storms and floods. Some volcanic eruptions may be preceded by weeks or months of activity, but predicting volcanoes' behavior remains very difficult and the warning time for the eruption itself may be only days or hours. Most disasters are rapid-onset events [37].

2.2. Slow-onset disasters

Most discussion of slow-onset disasters concentrates on one hazard: drought. It can take months or sometimes years for the results of drought to become disastrous, in the form of severe water and food shortages and, ultimately, famine. Other examples are pollution of the environment, and human activities that degrade the environment and damage ecosystems (deforestation for instance) also contribute to disasters. Their cumulative impact may not be felt for decades, although the hazards that they make more likely, such as flash floods and landslides, may be sudden-onset events [37].


#### 3. Classification according to severity and who provide the resources:

3.1. Level I disaster is one in which local emergency response personnel and organizations can contain and effectively deal with the disaster and its aftermath.

7. Possibilities for further casualties:

vehicle collision [42].

11. Disaster severity

3. Duration of the disaster:

5. Number of casualties:

[43]:

continuing wildfires [42].

becomes 2 if the effect is compound.

4. The radius of the area in which the casualties are fallen:

This classification depends on the possibilities of continuous injuries and victims or no: 7.1. Static: no more casualties are expected after evacuating the scene, for example, motor

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7.2. Dynamic: more casualties are expected as long as the disaster is active, for example,

The severity index is used to assess the severity of any disaster. It depends on seven factors

1. Effect of the disaster on the surrounding community: if the effect is simple, it scores 1 and

Duration Severity Less than 1 h 0 1–24 h 1 More than 24 h 2

Area radius Severity Less than 1 km 0 1–10 km 1 More than 10 km 2

Number of casualties Severity Less than 100 0 100–1000 1 More than 1000 2

2. Man-made versus natural: man-made disasters score 0 while natural disasters score 1.

3.2. Level II disaster requires regional efforts and mutual aid from surrounding communities.

3.3. Level III disaster is of such a magnitude that local and regional assets are overwhelmed, requiring statewide or federal assistance and may even need international help.

This classification reflects a tiered response, which is a fundamental principle of the National Response Framework, a component of national disaster response planning in the United States [30].

#### 4. Simple and compound disasters:

4.1. Simple disasters: the location's infrastructure remains intact and effective. Communication is possible. Health system and other emergency services work [38].

4.2. Compound disasters: all or most of the infrastructures are disrupted. Communication is difficult; roads, electricity, and water supply are unavailable. Hospitals may be affected, and there is no place to treat the victims [38].

#### 5. Complex disasters:

This is a special kind of disasters in which there is a combination of both man-made and natural causes threatening the livelihood of people. It can be caused by wars and civil disturbance. Rescue operation may be done which is critical and risky to the environment [39].

Such "complex emergencies" are typically characterized by


#### 6. Compensated and uncompensated major incidents:

Countries using this classification differentiate between major incidents and disaster:

6.1. Compensated major incidents are incidents in which there are sufficient local resources to deal with the consequences [38, 41].

6.2. Uncompensated major incidents occur where the medical and other responding emergency services are totally inadequate. This is a disaster condition [38, 41].

#### 7. Possibilities for further casualties:

This classification depends on the possibilities of continuous injuries and victims or no:

7.1. Static: no more casualties are expected after evacuating the scene, for example, motor vehicle collision [42].

7.2. Dynamic: more casualties are expected as long as the disaster is active, for example, continuing wildfires [42].
