Natural Disasters 3.34 Natural disasters such as the 2010 earthquake in the Republic of Haiti highlight the far-reaching consequences and the extent to which natural disasters can cause catastrophic damage to a nation. 3.35 The Community is subject to a range of natural hazards, including hurricanes and tropical storms, earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides and floods. Each year the Region experiences significant loss of life, catastrophic property damage and social disruption as a result of natural disasters with an attendant negative impact on economic, health, environment, and the Region’s vital tourism industry. 3.36 Such catastrophes tend to exacerbate pre-existing problems and inequalities, further entrenching poverty, as the most vulnerable members of the community are often disproportionately impacted. Public Order Crimes 3.37 Recent episodes in European cities of rioting and looting, the ‘Arab Spring’ uprisings and other recent outbreaks of violence across the world were all facilitated by social organisation tools such as social media. This highlights the way that some citizens now have recourse to violence in dealing with their grievances. Initially peaceful demonstrations may be used by criminal opportunists, with no causal connection, other than that the temporary breakdown of law and order allows large-scale theft. 3.38 The probability of civil unrest may also be linked to external events such as a sharp rise in the cost of food or energy, or an economic recession that increases unemployment. External shocks can threaten the Region’s economy, and may therefore be a catalyst for social unrest which may then give rise to other public order crimes. These may be compounded by internal pressures, such as persistent poverty and a perception of corruption in the government, which can foster despair and rage, which may then lead to apparently spontaneous outbreaks of rioting. 29