Natural disaster versus Catastrophe

   A disaster and a catastrophe both are processes classified as natural hazards according to our textbook.  In my very humble opinion, the difference between them is the very fact one has significant drawbacks than the other.  With that in mind, we can define a disaster as a "hazardous event that occurs over a limited time span within a defined area" (Keller/DeVecchio, page 5).  Yet in order for it to be a disaster, four criteria must fall into place which are (not in a a particular order) the death of 10 or more people, 100 or more people are affected, a calling for state of emergency and lastly the request of international assistance.
  A catastrophe on the other hand is a "massive disaster that requires significant expenditure of money and a long time  for recovery to take place.  Hurricane Katrina was a catastrophe that took place in New Orleans.
 Now can you guess which one is the worst?  Bravo!