User:Emilyfisher0/sandbox

Area: adding section "Disproportionate risk"
Natural disasters tend to disproportionately affect low-income populations who not only lack the mobility to escape geographically vulnerable areas, but also lack the resources to mitigate the effects post-disaster. Although the extreme natural phenomena generating natural disasters produce the same environmental effects throughout the world, their consequences differ based on the vulnerability and socio-economic status of the individuals. Significantly more people suffer and are killed in disasters striking low or middle income countries than higher and more developed countries. Poor individuals and countries pose a higher risk and vulnerability due to their poorer initial health status, lower-quality housing, less available resources, less savings, and location in areas facing greater geographic and environmental risk of enduring a natural disaster. Not only do lower income individuals within lower income countries tend to live in geographically unsafe locations, but they also are most likely to live in a society or political system that is inadequate in providing resources and supplies to limit the consequences of the disaster. Inequality is a major determinant and identifier of the severity of the disaster in which a community will experience.

Political Consequences
From the article: "Natural disasters can also affect political relations with countries and vice versa.[clarification needed] Violent conflicts within states can exacerbate the impact of natural disasters by weakening the ability of states, communities and individuals to provide disaster relief. Natural disasters can also worsen ongoing conflicts within states by weakening the capacity of states to fight rebels."

My addition: The role of donors and NGOs in disaster relief can produce changes in the political economies of the countries receiving such foreign aid in post-disaster efforts. As the role of NGOs has increased in providing foreign aid, so has their market and political power. Although some NGOs remain altruistic in their attempts to support the weak after disaster strikes, others use emergency assistance to exercise their power and influence over local political economies through providing partisan aid to organizations and parties they want to keep or increase in power.