A tsunami inundates Tonga as a pandemic's death toll mounts around the world. We hear that nature runs rampant, seeking to destroy us through these 'natural disasters', with climate change at the forefront. Geography recounts a different story, altering the disaster narrative so that we can act to stop disasters happening. Disasters are not usually the consequence of environmental phenomena, such as volcanic eruptions and tornadoes. Instead, they occur due to human choices, notably decisions about where and how we live, particularly how people with political power and resources treat those who have less. We put ourselves and others in harm's way while failing to take measures which we know would prevent disasters, no matter what nature does. Disasters are not natural because the causes are human values, attitudes, behaviour, and decisions, which geography demonstrates that we can and should improve.
