An avalanche is a type of which one of the following disasters ?

An avalanche is classified as a terrestrial (or geological/geophysical) disaster because it involves the rapid movement of mass down a slope on the Earth's surface. According to standard disaster classifications, natural hazards are grouped into categories such as geological, climatic, and biological [4]. Avalanches, along with earthquakes, volcanoes, and landslides, are specifically categorized as geological or terrestrial hazards because they originate from solid earth processes and gravity-driven mass wasting [5]. While snow avalanches are triggered by weather conditions, the disaster itself is a physical movement of material (snow, ice, rock, or debris) across the land surface [2]. This distinguishes them from atmospheric disasters like cyclones or storms, and biological disasters like epidemics [5]. Therefore, they fall under the terrestrial category, representing hazards originating from the solid earth or its surface processes [6].

Sources

1. [3] Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 17: Contemporary Issues > NATURAL DISASTERS > p. 1
2. [4] Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 8: Natural Hazards and Disaster Management > types of Disasters. > p. 9
3. [5] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7123175/
4. [1] Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 8: Natural Hazards and Disaster Management > Avalanches are commonly divided in the following categories: > p. 45
5. [2] Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 8: Natural Hazards and Disaster Management > avalanches > p. 44
6. [6] https://extranet.who.int/kobe_centre/sites/default/files/pdf/WHO%20Guidance_Research%20Methods_Health-EDRM_3.2.pdf