Question

Which of the following is not a man made disaster?
A) War
B) Terrorism
C) Drought
D) Civil War

Answer 1

Hint: A disaster is defined as a natural or man-made (or technological) hazard which results in an event of substantial extent producing serious physical damage or destruction, loss of life, or substantial change to the environment. A disaster is divided into 2 types, namely Natural and Man-made disasters.

Complete answer:
As opposed to ‘Natural Disasters’ that occur due to natural hazards, ‘Man-made disasters' possess an element of human intent, negligence, or error that includes a failure of a man-made system. Earthquakes, volcanoes, hurricanes, floods, and forest fires are considered as natural disasters, while disasters like war, pollution, nuclear explosions, fires, hazardous materials exposures, explosions, and transportation accidents are included under Man-made disasters.

Now let us look at the options and eliminate the Man-made disasters to get the correct answer.
Option A) War: It is defined as a conflict between political groups that involves hostilities of considerable duration and magnitude. The term is generally applied to those conflicts which are initiated and conducted according to socially recognised forms. This option is incorrect as it is clearly evident that it involves human intervention. Thus, it is a man-made disaster.

Option B) Terrorism: It is defined as an act which is brutal or dangerous to the life of human beings, with the aim of furthering political or social objectives. All the communities around the world get affected by the threat of terrorism. It is of two types, namely ‘Domestic Terrorism' and ‘International Terrorism'. This option is again incorrect as in this also it is clear that it involves human intervention. Thus, it is also a man-made disaster.

Option C) Drought: It is that period of time when a region experiences below normal precipitation. The deficiency of adequate precipitation results in reduced soil moisture or groundwater, lessened stream flow, damage of crops, and a general water shortage. After a hurricane, it is the second-most costly weather event.

A drought could possibly last for weeks, months, or even years. Sometimes, a region may suffer drought conditions for a decade or even more. The longer it lasts, the greater the detrimental effects it has on people. This option is correct as it is caused due to inadequate precipitation which is in the hands of nature and does not have anything to do with human involvement. Thus, it is not a man-made disaster.

Option D. Civil War: It is defined as a war that takes place between organised groups within the same state or country. This option is also incorrect as only humans could be a cause of such a disaster. Thus, it is also a man-made disaster.

Thus, the correct answer is Option ‘C’.

Note: The Civil War is referred to as the bloodiest and most divisive conflict of America, pitting the Union Army against the Confederate States of America. It took place between southern and northern states of the United States. The southern states had decided to make their own country as they did not want to be part of the United States any more, while the northern states wanted to stay united.