Natural disasters are things like the Tsunami, the earthquake in Pakistan, the floods in Bangladesh and in the US after Hurricane Katrina which destroy lives and livelihoods and to which governments and aid agencies have to respond quickly if the effect on the local population is to be minimised.

Disaster recovery, on the other hand, means putting in place either permanent or temporary satellite links to ensure that government agencies or corporate enterprises can continue to operate even if their primary communication system has failed.

In one situation the cost is in human terms; in the other it is largely economic. There is a common factor, however, and that is that both are mainly required in less well-developed countries or in remote areas.

Read more about:

• Natural Disasters
• Disaster Recovery