Most affected are the poor, thosewhorely on the land for their livelihood and sustenance. Desertification and deforestation affect moret han one sixth of the world's population already. Reports of displacees from desertification cite 24 million as the worldwide total for this category, the African Sahel alone producing 2 million. Disasters may bring temporary displacement, or where permanent damage occurs, a long term refugee problem. We are witnessing a rise in the number of 'unnatural disasters' now occurring.
Normal events have effects which are exacerbated by human activities.
Disasters are the inevitable concomitant of our use, or perhaps our abuse, of the earth. Degradation of the environment and increase in population require many to occupy hazardous areas. This contributes to the increased vulnerability of man to nature in its extremes. Natural disasters may be sudden or gradual, butmanmade disasters tend to be sudden. Floods, tropical storms, earthquakes, volcanoes, droughts, famines and industrial and technological disasters all force people from their homes.