Talking about Disasters: 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."