calamity; disaster; catastrophe
A somewhat formal or literary term for a large-scale misfortune or disaster, often implying a tragic or fateful event. Less common in everyday speech than 災害 (さいがい) or 災難 (さいなん).
The country was struck by the twin calamities of war and famine.
He had an ominous dream, as if foretelling a disaster.
Compound of 災 (さい, 'disaster') and 厄 (やく, 'misfortune'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the combination has been used in literary Japanese to denote a great calamity.