disaster area

American  

noun

1. a region or locality in which the population is generally affected by the occurrence of a major disaster, as a widespread flood, an explosion causing extensive damage, or the like.

2. such a region or locality officially determined to be eligible, under statutory provisions, for emergency governmental relief.

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Etymology

Origin of disaster area

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

But if AI can turn a 16,000-email disaster area into simple bulleted lists, I might finally make peace with my thousands of unreads.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 18, 2026

ANYmal is soon also to be deployed on building sites or anywhere that is too dangerous for people -- for instance to inspect a collapsed house in a disaster area.

From Science Daily • Mar. 13, 2024

"This is a great regret as the crew members performed their duties with a strong sense of mission and responsibility for the victims of the disaster area," he said.

From BBC • Jan. 3, 2024

To bring the picture into sharper focus, however, the scientists knew there was no substitute for seeing the disaster area for themselves.

From Science Magazine • Jan. 3, 2024

I’ve been on the receiving end of broadcasts like this from other places—but this is the first time in as long as I can remember that I’m standing in the epicenter of the disaster area.

From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman