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

Inflected Forms

noun

• national disasters
  plural

Example Sentences

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

President Cyril Ramaphosa's designation of the outbreak as a national disaster allows the government to release extra funds and speed up the acquisition of vaccines from abroad.

From BBC • Feb. 19, 2026

The current situation in South Africa has now been declared a national disaster.

From BBC • Feb. 19, 2026

Dr. Miles pointed out that tremors along the fault might trigger off a chain of quakes amounting to a national disaster.

From Tom Swift and The Visitor from Planet X by Appleton, Victor [pseud.]