A hazard becomes a disaster when the magnitude of destruction and damage caused by it is very high. While hazards are elements in the natural environment that have the potential to cause harm to people or property, they transform into disasters when they cause large scale, widespread death, loss of property and disturbance to social systems over which people have little or no control.

According to the Disaster Management Bill, 2005, a disaster is an occurrence that results in substantial loss of life or human suffering and is of such nature or magnitude as to be beyond the coping capacity of the community of the affected area. It requires mobilisation of efforts in excess of that normally provided by statutory emergency services.

Thus, all hazards need not turn into disasters. The transformation depends on the scale of destruction and the community's vulnerability and coping capacity.