Disaster and Pollution: English Vocabulary List

an event causing great and often sudden damage, distress, or destruction

"The earthquake was a terrible calamity."

"The oil spill was an environmental calamity that destroyed marine habitats and harmed the fishing industry for many years after the accident occurred."

action that breeds severe damage or destruction

"The storm's ravage was immense."

"The ravage left by the hurricane was evident in the widespread destruction of homes and infrastructure."

an extremely intense and destructive fire

"The conflagration turned the whole forest into black ash."

"The small campfire quickly spread into a massive conflagration that burned thousands of acres of forest before firefighters could finally control it."

a cause of widespread suffering or affliction

"The disease was a terrible scourge that killed millions in the past."

"A scourge is a persistent and widespread affliction causing immense suffering"

a smaller earthquake or tremor that follows the main shock of a seismic event

"A strong aftershock shook the city hours after the main earthquake."

"The earthquake was followed by a strong aftershock several hours later that damaged buildings already weakened by the first quake."

an earthquake caused by underground movement or volcanic activity

"The temblor was felt across the entire city early this morning."

"After the temblor struck the coastal village, many residents were evacuated to safer ground."

the action of rescuing a ship, its crew, or its cargo from a shipwreck, fire, or similar disaster

"The salvage was successful."

"The salvage team worked tirelessly to recover valuable artifacts from the sunken vessel before it was completely lost."

the point on the surface of the earth vertically above the focus of an earthquake where its effects are felt most strongly

"Earthquake epicenter located here."

"The earthquake's epicenter was determined to be in a sparsely populated region, minimizing the immediate damage."

a tornado occurring over a body of water, characterized by a funnel-shaped cloud filled with water droplets or spray

"A waterspout formed over the ocean."

"The waterspout formed over the warm ocean water creating a twisting column of spray that moved toward the beach."

a waste treatment process that involves the combustion of substances contained in waste materials

"The hospital uses an incinerator to burn medical waste safely."

"An incinerator is a high-temperature furnace designed to combust waste materials into ash"

a risk to human health or to the environment caused by a biological source, especially microorganisms

"The lab handles biohazard materials with extreme care and safety."

"A biohazard is any biological substance that poses a threat to human health"

the semi-solid residue produced during sewage or wastewater treatment

"The factory dumped toxic sludge into the river for many years."

"Environmental groups are concerned about the harmful sludge being released into the local waterways."

a black powdery substance produced by burning materials like wood or coal

"The chimney was black with soot."

"The chimney was full of black soot which the sweep carefully removed with a long brush."

liquid waste or sewage discharged into rivers, lakes, or the sea

"The factory effluent polluted the river and killed all the fish."

"Effluent is liquid waste discharged from a sewage treatment plant or industrial process into a natural water body"

waste or debris produced by the disintegration or decomposition of organic or inorganic matter

"The beach was littered with detritus from the big storm."

"The detritus from the decaying leaves formed a rich layer on the forest floor."

a protective garment worn by workers to safeguard against exposure to hazardous substances or environments

"The firefighters wore a hazmat suit to enter the chemical spill."

"A hazmat suit is a full-body protective garment impermeable to hazardous substances"

airborne particles, such as dust or debris, that settle after a nuclear explosion or similar event

"Radioactive fallout from the nuclear test spread over many miles."

"The radioactive fallout from the nuclear accident contaminated the soil and water for many miles around the damaged power plant."

a suspension of fine solid or liquid particles dispersed in a gas

"The aerosol spray contains chemicals that can damage the ozone layer."

"The spray can released a fine aerosol of paint particles that hung in the air for a few seconds before settling on the surface of the table."

a small, discrete particle or substance, especially one suspended in air, such as dust, pollen, or soot

"The air was full of fine particulate from the forest fire."

"Particulate matter is a complex mixture of microscopic solid and liquid droplets suspended in air"

a device in a vehicle's exhaust system that reduces the emission of harmful pollutants by promoting chemical reactions that convert them into less harmful substances

"The catalytic converter reduces harmful gases from the car's exhaust."

"The mechanic replaced the car's catalytic converter because a broken one was causing the vehicle to fail its emissions test at the inspection station."

not containing lead

"I need unleaded gasoline."

"The gas station attendant asked whether the customer wanted regular unleaded or premium gasoline for his brand new sports car."

a sudden, violent natural disaster that drastically alters the earth's landscape

"The earthquake was a cataclysm that changed the landscape forever."

"The volcanic eruption was a global cataclysm that affected weather patterns worldwide and caused crop failures on several different continents."

a sudden and heavy rainfall

"A deluge fell from the sky."

"The unexpected deluge caused significant flooding in the low-lying coastal areas."