Mental health problems rank among the most widespread long-term effects of natural disasters. The loss of loved ones, homes, and livelihoods can alter the lives of multiple individuals. Grief and shock are normal in the immediate aftermath of a natural disaster.

So there’s little doubt that humans influence natural disasters over the long term. But can we also trigger sudden “natural” catastrophes? The answer is yes. From mud volcanoes to disappearing lakes, human actions can have all sorts of unforeseen environmental consequences.

In a disaster, you face the danger of death or physical injury. You may also lose your home, possessions, and community. Such stressors place you at risk for emotional and physical health problems. Stress reactions after a disaster look very much like the common reactions seen after any type of trauma.

Natural disasters are caused due to different reasons like soil erosion, seismic activity, tectonic movements, air pressure, and ocean currents etc. Natural activities taking place in the earth’s crust, as well as surface, are the main reasons for these disasters.

The economic damage caused by disasters varies. Capital assets and infrastructure such as housing, schools, factories and equipment, roads, dams and bridges are lost. Human capital is depleted due to the loss of life, the loss of skilled workers and the destruction of education infrastructure that disrupts schooling.

The GDP system views natural disasters as being a good thing or a bad thing depending upon who is suffering from them. According to them, if natural disasters happen in a developed economy like the United States then they end up providing a boost to the economy i.e. they increase the GDP numbers.

If a large company was affected during a disaster, then having the disaster relief programs help rebuild the facilities affected would promote and restore economic growth. The program also helps with price stability and full employment by helping out the people who have been affected during this time.

Again, GDP is not directly affected by the loss of property, so neither nonresidential structures nor equipment will decline sharply in the third quarter. The replacement of destroyed nonresidential structures and equipment could provide a boost to GDP growth in subsequent quarters.

Immediately following a tsunami disaster, many businesses will be unable to trade because of destruction to premises, stock, machinery, facilities, transport networks, supplies and loss of staff. All sectors of the business community are likely to be affected, though to various degrees of severity (see Table 2).