Critical infrastructure is a term used by the governments to describe assets that are essential for the functioning of a society and economy. The term Critical infrastructure has been widely adopted to distinguish those infrastructure elements that, if significantly damaged or destroyed, would cause serious disruptions of the dependent system or organisation.
Storm, deluge or earthquake damage leading to loss of certain transportation routes in a city, for example bridges crossing a river, could make it impossible for certain people to evacuate, and for emergency service to operate; these routes would be deemed critical infrastructure. Example of CI are:
- Electricity generation, transmission and distribution
- Gas production, transport and distribution
- Oil and oil products production
- Telecommunication
- Water supply
- Agriculture, food production and distribution
- Public health
- Financial services
- Security services.