Natural Disasters

25 Natural Disasters Glossary terms

I picked this subject because we talked a lot about ecology during our classes, and natural disasters are, in my opinion, a subject in which peoples aren't very aware of when we talk about our relation with nature. I'm also really interested in the scientific causes behind these phenomena.

Act of god

Idiom

a natural event that cannot be controlled or prevented by humans, especially one that causes a lot of damage, such as an earthquake or a flood

Example: An event entailing a destruction of all or part of its systems (such as an act of God, a fire or an act of vandalism) would have a material effect on the Company's ability to invoice [...]

fr: Evénement de force majeure

Avalanche

noun

a fall of snow and ice down a mountain

Example: Two skiers were buried by the avalanche.

fr: Avalanche

Blizzard

noun

a blinding storm of wind and snow

Example: Two climbers are missing after yesterday’s blizzard.

fr: Tempête de neige

Bushfire

noun

a fire burning in a bush that is difficult to control and sometimes spreads quickly

Example: Before setting out on a journey, inform yourself of bushfire risks through TV, radio and newspapers reports.

fr: Feu de forêt

Cyclone

noun

wind moving in a circular direction towards an area of low atmospheric pressure

Example: Canada responded immediately with an initial $2 million to help the people of Burma when the cyclone hit.

fr: Cyclone

Drought

noun

a long period when there is little or no rain

Example: Good water management reduces the risk of drought.

fr: Sécheresse

Dust Storm

noun

a mass of dust and sand that has been lifted from the ground and that is carried by the wind

Example: The first dust storm this year was observed in Korea on March 17.

fr: Tempête de sable

Earthquake

noun

a sudden violent movement of the earth's surface, sometimes causing great damage

Example: Apparently, hundreds of schools in B.C. are not built to earthquake standards.

fr: Séisme

Flood

noun

an overflow of water that submerges land which is usually dry.

Example: The river is in flood again.

fr: Inondation

Humanitarian

Noun, adjective

(a person who is) involved in or connected with improving people's lives and reducing suffering

Example: The refugees need humanitarian aid quickly.

fr: Humanitaire

Hurricane

noun

a violent wind that has a circular movement

Example: The state of Florida was hit by a hurricane that did serious damage.

fr: ouragan

Landslide

noun

a mass of rock and earth moving suddenly and quickly down a steep slope

Example: Landslides are commonly associated with steep terrain and saturated conditions, yet the interactions to create conditions for a landslide are complex.

fr: Glissement de terrain

Lightning

noun

a flash of bright light in the sky that is produced by electricity moving between clouds or from clouds to the ground

Example: Our house was struck by lightning and caught fire.

fr: Foudre

Meteorological data

noun

Meteorological facts pertaining to the atmosphere, such as wind, temperature, air density, and other phenomena

Example: Those stations were programmed to collect meteorological data every half hour.

fr: Données météorologiques

Rainstorm

noun

a weather condition with strong wind and heavy rain

Example: The city reservoir fills up after a rainstorm.

fr: Orage

Sheltered

adjective

protected from wind, rain, or other bad weather

Example: The pedestrians were sheltered from the storm in the store.

fr: Abrité

Storm

noun

an extreme weather condition with very strong wind and heavy rain

Example: A lot of trees were blown down in the recent storms.

fr: Tempête

Thunderstorm

noun

also known as an electrical storm, a lightning storm, or a thundershower, this is a type of storm characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere known as thunder.

Example: It starts to rain very hard, and a thunderstorm breaks out.

fr: Orage violent

Tornado

noun

a violently rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud.

Example: The tornado is one of the most spectacular manifestation nature has to offer.

fr: Tornade

Tsunami

noun

an extremely large wave caused by a violent movement of the earth under the sea

Example: On 26 December 2004, a strong tsunami in the Indian Ocean struck a number of third countries.

fr: Tsunami

Vigilant

Adjective

always being careful to notice things, especially possible danger

Example: Pleasure craft should avoid passing close to regulating works where currents may be encountered and should at all times be vigilant at approaches to lock structures where currents and eddies are caused by lock operations.

fr: Vigilant

Volcanic eruption

noun

an occasion when a volcano explodes, and flames and rocks come out of it

Example: If you are impacted by the flight delays due to the Icelandic volcanic eruption, we'd like to get you to your meeting through video conferencing.

fr: Eruption volcanique

Weather

noun

the conditions in the air above the earth such as wind, rain, or temperature, especially at a particular time over a particular area

Example: The weather is chilly tonight.

fr: Météo

Whirlwind

noun

a tall, spinning column of air that moves across the surface of the land or sea

Example: Whirlwinds are very common but not usually destructive; waterspouts can be seen over lakes.

fr: Tourbillon

Wildfire

noun

a fire that is burning strongly and out of control

Example: Safety of fire crews is the paramount concern in any wildfire situation

fr: Incendie