Originally a cataclysm was destruction by a flood, then metaphorically as something to be washed or carried away. A catastrophe is a turnaround, originally used to refer to the end of a drama, where all of us falter in the big reveal. Later it was also used metaphorically for events that cause a great revolt, especially one of nature that puts an end to things. But today these terms are used synonymously in most cases.
Sometimes the idea of cataclysm is used to refer to a profound change in a biotype (a region with the necessary environmental conditions for the development, subsistence and reproduction of a group of fauna and flora). It is estimated that the disappearance of the dinosaurs was due to a cataclysm, possibly caused by the fall of a meteorite.
Similarly, the cataclysm is a profound upheaval of the political or social order: "The cataclysm generated by the resignation of the president and all his ministers led to a wave of violence", "The socialist revolution was a cataclysm for society", "Democratic after the cataclysm caused by the coup took several years."
An event that profoundly modifies daily life can be called a cataclysm: “The death of my father when I was just a baby was a cataclysm for my family”, “The fire destroyed Gustavo's house and caused a cataclysm”.
In Greek tragedy (drama), catastrophe (also known as "climax") precedes catastrophe (life-changing events), which can include fatalities, and no matter what, it is always profound or momentous.
A clismo is a blush, a deluge, a heavenly cleansing (intense, like an enema). Interestingly, it is the same root as the climax, but in a more violent sense, like a great river that falls apart.
A catastrophe means something along the lines of “events have gotten out of hand. The usual order is disrupted.
But not all cataclysms are necessarily tragic. This is why we also have the phrase "a minor cataclysm", which can even be used casually, along with the phrase "has been avoided."
