disaster area

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

• noun An area that qualifies for emergency governmental aid as a result of a catastrophe, such as an earthquake or flood.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

• noun An area that has been the site of a natural disaster that receives an official designation entitling residents and organizations within that area to receive relief and benefits.
• noun An area that looks like one that has suffered a natural disaster.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

• noun a region whose population is affected by a general disaster