Natural Disaster
Disaster, Accident
noun
A disaster that does damage. Usually these are natural disasters, though they could also just be regular disasters as well.
This is a jukugo word, which usually means on'yomi readings from the kanji. If you know the readings of your kanji you'll know how to read this as well.
自然災害ほどおそろしいものはありません。
There is nothing scarier than natural disasters.
そもそも、どうして災害が起こる可能性の高い場所に原子力発電所を建てたのかが理かいできません。
I can't understand why they built the nuclear power plant on a potential disaster site to begin with.
それぞれの部屋には、災害の場合に備えて懐中電灯とペットボトルのお水が何本か用意してあります。
Each room has been prepared with flashlights and water bottles in case of a natural disaster.