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of the nature of a catastrophe, or disastrous event; calamitous:
a catastrophic failure of the dam.
Contemporary Examples

Clean water is increasingly scarce, even as catastrophic floods are more common.
Pakistan’s Impossible Year: Elections, Army Intrigue, and More Bruce Riedel December 28, 2012

In the real world, foreign policy often consists of helping to broker outcomes that are merely bad, not catastrophic.
Egypt Policy Shows How Well Obama Has Managed America’s Decline Peter Beinart July 1, 2012

For Iran, any real spread of tensions to the border would be catastrophic.
Iran Police Chief: Tehran Could Intervene in Iraq to Protect Shia Shrines IranWire June 11, 2014

First of all, most of the catastrophic job losses affecting men actually occurred while President Bush was still in office.
Mitt Romney’s ‘92 Percent’ Lie: There He Goes Again Leslie Bennetts April 15, 2012

Now the catastrophic rollout of the health law threatens instead to reinforce those doubts.
Can Obama Change? Michael Tomasky November 14, 2013

Historical Examples

catastrophic noises resounded in the loft; volcanoes seemed to romp upon the stairway.
Penrod Booth Tarkington

Almost all social prediction is catastrophic and absurdly simplified.
A Preface to Politics Walter Lippmann

This change of the point of view was, of course, not abrupt or catastrophic.
The Place of Science in Modern Civilisation and Other Essays Thorstein Veblen

To Louise, the loss of her holy place, but yet more the manner of its loss, was catastrophic.
Regiment of Women Clemence Dane

It might mean permanent, hopeless, catastrophic dislocation.
Marriage H. G. Wells

adj.

1824, from catastrophe + -ic. Related: Catastrophical; catastrophically.