Disaster Relief

Synonyms

Disaster assistance; Disaster response

Definition

Disaster relief refers to interventions aimed at meeting the immediate needs of the victims of a disastrous event. Disaster relief commonly refers to aid that can be used to alleviate the suffering of national or foreign disaster victims. It often includes aid or assistance in the form of humanitarian services and transportation; the provision of food, clothing, medicine, medical services, beds, and bedding; temporary shelter and housing; and making repairs to essential services such as electricity, water supplies, and phone lines.

Discussion

Disaster relief, often commonly referred to as disaster response, is an intermediate phase of several phases in disaster management, which include (1) mitigation, (2) preparedness, (3) relief, or response, and, (4) recovery (the longest phase). Relief in this context comprises the range of actions that are necessary during the critical period immediately following a disaster when...