national disaster

American  

[nash-uhn-uhl-di-zas-ter] / ˈnæʃ ən əl dɪˈzæs tər /

noun

• national disasters
  plural

1. a disaster, especially a natural disaster, such as a flood, hurricane, or earthquake, that affects a large portion of a nation or requires the resources and powers of a national government to address it.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• national disasters
  plural

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

national disaster

Indonesia's national disaster agency, meanwhile, instructed officials in the North Sulawesi capital, Manado, northern Gorontalo province and the Sangihe islands "to immediately direct their residents to evacuate in an orderly manner to higher ground".

From Barron's ● Jun. 8, 2026

But its endless expanses have been swept by panic since an outbreak of highly contagious foot-and-mouth disease, which was declared a national disaster in February.

From Barron's ● Mar. 13, 2026

The Philippines is composed of thousands of islands and the national disaster agency based in the capital Manila is tasked with releasing official casualty figures for typhoons and earthquakes.

From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2025

"You try to take a Murray mint off a pensioner - uproar. But we've closed thousands of youth clubs. It's a national disaster."

From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2025

Among all masters of military art—including therein naval art—it is a thoroughly accepted principle that mere defensive war means military ruin, and therefore national disaster.

From Lessons of the war with Spain and other articles by Mahan, A. T. (Alfred Thayer)