Usage Note
Kalamidád is borrowed from Spanish calamidad and is widely used in the Philippines — a country highly exposed to typhoons, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions — to describe major disasters and catastrophic events. It is a staple of news broadcasting and government disaster-response communications, where it often appears alongside bagyo (typhoon) and lindol (earthquake).
Examples
" Malaking kalamidad ang bagyo. "
Natural Translation
The typhoon is a big calamity.
Literal Translation
Big calamity the typhoon.
" Naghanda ang bayan para sa posibleng kalamidad. "
Natural Translation
The town prepared for a possible calamity.
Literal Translation
Prepared the town for possible calamity.
" Tuwing dumarating ang malalakas na bagyo, tila walang humpay ang kalamidad na dinaranas ng mga taga-baryo. "
Natural Translation
Whenever strong typhoons arrive, the calamity the villagers experience seems endless.
Literal Translation
Every-time arrives the strong typhoons, seems without stop the calamity that experienced by-the villagers.
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