ABSTRACT
Any event that results in the loss of human life is disastrous, but most accidents, such as aeroplane and train crashes, are limited in the number of people involved. Conversely, tsunamis and nuclear explosions leave in their wake massive destruction over large areas, which may transcend national boundaries. All the apparatus of a society that respond to such disasters (the civil administration, emergency services, fire brigades and hospitals) may themselves be rendered non-functional (Fig. 30.1). Large numbers of people may require immediate shelter and food in addition to their requirements for medical care.
