supercatastrophe

plural supercatastrophes

1. rareA very severe, widespread catastrophe.

   Then came that supercatastrophe, that curse and blot upon civilization, the great World War.

   1922, United States National Transportation Safety Board, Congressional Record May 25-June 13, 1922: Volume 62, Superintendent of Government Documents, page 8543

   2 more examples

   It may be a vast waterfront fire, like the Staten Island ferry terminal blaze a few years ago that consumed acres of buildings; a supercatastrophe, like the Black Tom explosion; a blazing oil tanker drifting toward a pier laden with explosives; or perhaps a helicopter pilot has dunked in the river, a boat is adrift, or someone has fallen off a ferryboat.

   1953, Popular Mechanics Magazine 1953-11: Volume 100 Issue 5, Hearst Magazines, Division of Hearst Communications Incorporated, page 136

   Insurance underwriters very often take the same optimistic view as property owners and in many countries underestimate the long term annual cost for the rare supercatastrophes.

   1980, United States. Congress. House Committee on Banking, Finance, and Urban Affairs, Subcommittee on Housing and Community Development, Earthquake Insurance Availability, U.S. Government Printing Office, →ISBN, page 727