Why 'natural disasters' is a dangerous myth (+ what smart communicators do instead)

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For decades, we have assumed a comforting fiction that separates "natural hazards" from "human activities." Floods, earthquakes, and storms were natural events, while infrastructure failures and pollution were human problems.

This distinction has always been problematic, but in today's world it's simply misleading.

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For those working in emergency communications, public information, and crisis messaging, this shift is changing the way we do our jobs:

1. Move beyond single-hazard communication. Your flood-fighting communications fall short if they don't also address associated risks such as landslides, infrastructure failures or evacuation issues. As Van Wyk de Vries noted, "earthquakes in deforested areas can trigger additional landslides, damming rivers and increasing flood risk." Your communication must take this reality into account.
2. Tell the whole story behind every disaster: Hurricanes are intensifying due to the climate crisis. Hillsides collapse when we build roads. Cities sink because of groundwater pumping. If we treat disasters as mere "natural events"," we miss half the story. Good communication makes these human connections clear.
3. Build flexible messaging systems. The Sendai Framework advocates early warning systems for multiple hazards. For us communicators, this means we need to create a messaging approach that adapts to evolving, interconnected threats. We must no longer treat every threat as if it exists in a vacuum.
4. Rethink preparedness messaging. We've spent years telling people what to do in a disaster. Now we need to help them understand why disasters happen when hazards collide with vulnerable communities. Our messages should address both sides of this equation - the event and the underlying vulnerabilities.

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Its four-phase process- - thorough preparation, targeted training, crisis response and post-crisis evaluation - helps communicators craft messages that reflect the chaotic, multi-hazard world Van Wyk de Vries describes.

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