a sudden major upheaval of nature, causing extensive destruction, death and suffering among the stricken community and which is not due to man's action; however, some natural disasters can be of slow origin, e.g. drought and a seemingly natural disaster can be caused or aggravated by man's action, e.g. desertification through excessive land use and deforestation, loodusjõudude tegevusest põhjustatud hävingulise toimega sündmused, sealhulgas äkilise hävingulise toimega sündmused, mis seavad ohtu elu, tervise, loodus- või tootmiskeskkonna
