Distinction between a hazard and a disaster

A hazard can either be man made or natural but it is not synonymous with ‘disaster’.

A disaster occurs when a community cannot cope with the deleterious effects of a hazard. Therefore, a disaster is a social construct, always the consequence of human failure to plan well. In other words, a hazard event is a necessary but not sufficient condition for the occurrence of a disaster. For example, if a flood occurs in south Sudan but does not result in massive loss of lives and property, the flood is only a hazard event not a disaster

Oftentimes, government or external agents go ahead and declare a disaster on behalf of communities without consulting them. Government declaration of disasters is also sometimes political. It should be noted that if a community can cope with the effects of a hazard they would not seek external assistance. However, if they cannot cope, they will also let it be known right away. Therefore, the point of reference for declaring a disaster is the community.