Which scenario qualifies as a human-made disaster?

• A. A hurricane
• B. A chemical factory explosion
• C. Severe drought
• D. Landslide triggered by heavy rainfall

Answer: (B)

Disasters can be either natural or caused by human activity. A human-made disaster comes from human actions, decisions, or technology failing, leading to a sudden, large-scale disruption. The scenario with a chemical factory explosion fits this because it results from how a facility is operated—the handling of chemicals, safety practices, and equipment reliability—rather than from natural forces. It’s an industrial accident, a product of human systems.

The other scenarios are driven by natural processes: a hurricane arises from atmospheric and oceanic dynamics; a severe drought comes from climate patterns affecting rainfall; a landslide caused by heavy rainfall is a geological response to weather. So the chemical factory explosion is the one that is caused by human activity, making it the correct example of a human-made disaster.