# Natural disasters are no longer purely natural

*Published:* 2018-01-16
*Author:* Ilissa Ocko

You may have heard the alarming news that weather and climate disasters in the U.S. killed 362 people in 2017 and caused a record [$306 billion in damages](http://www.noaa.gov/news/2017-was-3rd-warmest-year-on-record-for-us).

But also alarming is the fact that many news outlets are still referring to these events as “natural disasters.”

[![](https://blogs.edf.org/climate411/wp-content/blogs.dir/7/files/2018/01/170831-Z-AH923-007C-1024x683.jpg)](https://www.defense.gov/Photos/Photo-Gallery/igphoto/2001802769/)*Southeast Texas after Hurricane Harvey – a not-purely-natural disaster. Photo: U.S. Department of Defense*With recent advances in science, [researchers have found](https://wwa.climatecentral.org/about/) that [human-caused](https://blogs.edf.org/climate411/2017/03/23/how-do-we-know-that-humans-are-causing-climate-change-these-nine-lines-of-evidence/?_ga=2.234086429.2029538494.1515623100-1095860618.1505173443) climate change [plays a major role](https://www.edf.org/climate/climate-change-and-extreme-weather) in making certain events occur and/or making them worse. That means that many “natural disasters” are no longer purely “natural.”

Here is a look at some not-so-natural disasters:

- **Hurricane Harvey 2017:** human-caused climate change made record rainfall over Houston around [three times more likely and 15 percent more intense](https://wwa.climatecentral.org/analyses/hurricane-harvey-august-2017/)
- **European Extreme Heat 2017:** human-caused climate change made intensity and frequency of such extreme heat at least [10 times as likely](https://wwa.climatecentral.org/analyses/europe-heat-june-2017/) in Portugal and Spain
- **Australian Extreme Heat 2017:** maximum summer temperatures like those seen during 2016-2017 are now at least [10 times more likely](https://wwa.climatecentral.org/analyses/extreme-heat-australia/) with human-caused climate change
- **Louisiana Downpours 2016:** human-caused climate change made events like this [40 percent more likely](https://wwa.climatecentral.org/analyses/louisiana-downpours-august-2016/) and increased rainfall intensity by around 10 percent
- **European Rainstorms 2016:** human-caused climate change made probability of three-day extreme rainfall this season at least [40 percent more likely](https://wwa.climatecentral.org/analyses/european-rainstorms-may-2016/) in France
- **UK Storm Desmond 2015:** human-caused climate change made extreme regional rainfall roughly [60 percent more likely](https://wwa.climatecentral.org/two-year-anniversary-storm-desmond/)
- **Argentinian Heat Wave 2013/2014:** human-caused climate change made the event around [five times more likely](https://wwa.climatecentral.org/analyses/historical-responsibilities-extreme-weather-november-2017/)

By employing the term “natural disasters,” news outlets and others are inadvertently implying that all of these events are just misfortunate incidences – rather than consequences of our actions.

This seemingly innocuous phrase supports the idea that dangerous weather is out of our control.

But, *we do* have some control over their frequency and intensity, and that control is through our emissions of heat-trapping gases.

We need to [act on climate](https://www.edf.org/card/10-climate-solutions-will-help-us-fight-back), and we need to do it now. Pointing out that we worsen and may even cause these weather disasters may help convince people to do what needs to be done.