This is the 10081st most frequent Spanish word.
catástrofe
A sudden and disastrous event causing great damage or suffering; catastrophe.
In this sentence, 'catástrofe' is used to describe a severe natural event causing significant damage and adversity.
La inundación de ese año fue una verdadera catástrofe para el pueblo.
The flood of that year was a true catastrophe for the town.
Here, 'catástrofe' is used metaphorically to warn about potentially disastrous consequences of an ongoing process.
Si no actuamos pronto, el cambio climático podría convertirse en una catástrofe global.
If we don't act soon, climate change could become a global catastrophe.
In this context, 'catástrofe' is applied to describe a situation of failure in management or organization processes.