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

The country's national disaster agency said reports of casualties were "still being verified".

From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026

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

Mozambique has declared a red alert in the wake of the devastating floods while South Africa has announced a national disaster.

From BBC • Jan. 19, 2026

Another 150,000 have been evacuated in Sindh province, national disaster management chief Inam Haider Malik told reporters on Thursday, warning that the "number may rise over the coming days".

From BBC • Sep. 12, 2025

It was against his advice that the great battle of Warsaw was fought, and his subsequent strategy neutralized the ill effects of that national disaster.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 7, Slice 8 "Cube" to "Daguerre, Louis" by Various