BASIC CONCEPT OF

DISASTER AND
DISASTER RISK
OBJECTIVES
•Define disaster and disaster risks;
•Differentiate hazard and disaster
•Describe the effects of disasters on one’s life;
•Explain how and when an event becomes a disaster;
•Identify areas/ locations exposed to hazards that may lead to
disaster
•Analyze disaster from the different perspectives (physical,
psychological, socio-cultural, economic, political and
biological)
 Concepts of Disaster
Disaster- is a sudden , calamitous event that
seriously disrupts the functioning of a community or
society and causes widespread human, material and
economic or environmental losses and impacts, that
exceeds the ability of the affected COMMUNITY to
cope using its own resources
•Although caused by nature , the role of human
greatly affects the impacts of disasters.

•Disaster occurs when a hazard targets

vulnerable people.
 Disaster impacts includes;
1. Loss of life
2. Injury
3. Disease and other negatives effects on human.
4. Physical, mental and social well- being
5. Damage with the property
6. Destruction of assets
7. Loss of services
8. Social and economic disruption and
environmental degradation.
IMPACTS OF DISASTERS
• IMPACT OF DISASTERS can be identified as direct,
indirect and intangible losses on environment and
society as a whole.

1. SOCIAL IMPACTS
2. ECONOMIC IMPACTS
3. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
Difference between a hazard and disaster
A disaster is the result of a hazard’s impact on society. So
the effects of a disaster are determined by the extent of a
community’s vulnerability to the hazard (conversely, its
ability, or capacity to cope with it).
 DISASTER

EXTENSIVE INTENSIVE
involve the exposure of involve the exposure of
large number of people in small number of people in
a specific geographic area a specific geographic area
to extreme events that can
further lead to Causes low impact
catastrophic disaster
impacts involving high
mortality rate and asset
loss
What is a disaster risk?
ISDR- International Strategy on Disaster Reduction

Disaster risk is the potential loss of lives , health status,

livelihoods, and various assets which are often
challenging to quantify
 Hazard (earthquakes,
torrential rains, storms etc.

Exposure (people, Vulnerability

(resistance against natural
property and etc. hazards)
EXPOSURE
• It refers to people and properties that are affected by hazards.
It can be measured by the number of people or types of assets
in area. Magnitude of exposure varies depending on location
and interaction of elements.
Sensitivity
• It is the degree to which certain community can be
affected by hazards.

• Gender perspective in disaster risk reduction helps

gender-specific capacities and vulnerabilities to
prepare , confront and recover from disasters.
 Vulnerability

• The concept explains how people and the differences

among them contribute to the situation or context
wherein they operate.
Vulnerability can be seen in various ways
• 1. economic factors associated with levels of savings,
debt, and availability of credit and insurance.

• 2. physical vulnerabilities including geographical

location and infrastructure.

• 3. social vulnerabilities such as education, peace and

order , good governance, health and nutrition, and
religion, and culture , among others