ABSTRACT
Whether an occurrence is natural, accidental, or human-made, the effect on people and their way of life will depend on the severity of the event and the subsequent response to that event. Beyond the intended terrorist or criminal act, the inhabitants of our planet face a variety of natural and accidental disasters and catastrophes on a routine basis. Unlike bombs or the chemical, biological, or fire emergency circumstances included elsewhere in this book, the incidents described below have the potential to cause severe damage to our environment and infrastructure as well as resulting in an enormous number of deaths and injuries.
