Which statement best compares natural hazards with natural disasters? a natural disaster has caused a significant amount of death and destruction to an area whereas a natural hazard has the potential to cause death and destruction. natural hazards refer only to earthquakes and volcanoes whereas natural disasters refer to all natural processes that can cause death and destruction. natural hazards have affected humans over the past couple million years or so whereas natural disasters have affected planet earth over billions of years. natural disasters are caused entirely by people whereas earth's natural processes cause natural hazards.