12

Disaster
Readiness and
Risk Reduction
Quarter 1 – Module 1
Basic Concept of Disaster and Disaster Risk
Introduction:

Every year, millions of people around the world are affected by either human-caused or
natural disasters. Disasters take different forms, like volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, floods,
hurricanes, tornados or fires. In a disaster, people face the danger of death or physical injury.
They may also lose their home, possessions and community where they live in. Disasters can
cause a full range of mental and physical reactions. Those affected may also react to problems
that occur after the event, as well as to triggers or reminders of the trauma.

What I Need to Know

This module was designed and written with you in mind. It is here to help you
understand the Basic Concept of Disaster and Disaster Risk. This module provides
discussions and activities that will help you learn the concepts, ideas, and relevant
information about the lesson. This module emphasizes the guidelines, and importance
of disaster readiness, risk reduction, and management.

The module is all about the Basic Concept of Disaster and Disaster Risk.

After going through this module, you are expected to:

1. Explain the meaning of disaster.

2. Differentiate the risk factors underlying disasters.
 What I Know

Choose the letter of the best answer. Write the chosen letter on a separate sheet of paper.

1. What is a process, a phenomenon or human activity that may cause loss of life or other
health impacts, property damage, social and economic disruption or environmental
degradation?
a. Hazard c. Emergency
b. Disaster d. Vulnerability
2. Which is NOT a risk driver?
a. Week governance c. Environmental degradation
b. Poverty and inequality d. Properly planned urban development
3. What are the variables that amplify the effects of hazards, thus affecting the degree or
scope of a disaster?
a. Exposure c. Risk drivers
b. Elements at risk d. Vulnerability
4. Which among the following is not a result of disasters?
a. Displacement of populations.
b. Damage to the ecological environment.
c. Destruction of a population’s homeland.
d. Adequate supply of goods and services.
5. An event, whether natural or human-induced, becomes a disaster except on what
situation?
a. It occurs in an area with no exposure.
b. It causes widespread material or environmental losses.
c. Community cannot provide the residents their basic needs.
d. Communities experience severe danger and incur loss of lives.r
Lesson Basic Concept of
1 Disaster and Disaster
Risk

Do you feel scared or shocked when you hear news about typhoons, floods, fire, earthquakes,
landslides, terrorism, kidnapping, and epidemic diseases? When these happen, you hear terrible deaths,
witness many injured or sick people, see massive infrastructure destruction, or experience economic
loss. In this world, we always face these threats. Are there ways on how you can become prepared for
these threats? With this first module, you will be equipped with knowledge, and information about
disasters.

What’s In

ACTIVITY 1.

When was the last time you experienced a disaster? What are the effects of this disaster to you
or probably to your family or community? How did you respond to it?

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 What is It

The concept of disaster and disaster risk

Definition of Disaster and Disaster Risk

Disaster is defined as “ a sudden, calamitous event, bringing great damage, loss,
destruction and devastation of life and property. Its origin can be natural, such as earthquakes,
floods and hurricanes, or of human origin, such as explosions, nuclear accidents and terrorist
acts.
From a socio-cultural perspective, disaster is defined as “ a serious disruption of the
functioning of society, causing widespread human, material or environmental losses, which
exceed the ability of the affected people to cope, using their human resources.
Relative to disaster, a salient factor that needs to be addressed properly is disaster risk.
Disaster risk is defined as “ the probability that a community’s structure or geographic area is
to be damaged or disrupted by the impact of a particular hazard , on account of its nature ,
construction and proximity to a hazardous area. In other words, disaster risk signifies the
possibility of adverse effects in the future. It is derived from the interaction of social and
environmental processes, from the combination of physical hazards and the vulnerability of
exposed elements.
The disaster risk formula is shown below:
Disaster Risk = Hazard x Exposure x Vulnerability
Capacity
A hazard is a process, phenomenon. or human activity that may cause loss of life,
injury or other health impacts, property damage, social economic disruption or even
environmental degradation.
An exposure is the situation of people, infrastructure, housing, production capacities
and other tangible human assets located in hazard-prone areas.
Vulnerability is a condition determined by physical, social, economic, and
environmental factors or processes which increases the susceptibility of an individual,
community, assets or systems to the impacts of hazards.
 To determine disaster risk, the capacity of the community must be analyzed.
Capacity is the combination of all strengths, attributes, and resources available within an
organization, community, or society to manage and reduce disaster risks.
Disaster risk can be presented with this diagram:

HAZARD VULNERABILITY

Risk
EXPOSURE

Nature of Disasters
Disasters are of two types – “ natural and human-made “. Based on the
devastation, these are further classified into major or minor natural disasters and major or
minor man-made disasters.
1. Natural disasters – These originate from the different “ forces “ of nature ( geological,
meteorological, hydrometeorological and biological ). Natural disasters such as earthquakes,
volcanic eruptions, typhoons, and cyclones affect many countries in Asia particularly the
Philippines.
2. Human-made disasters – These disasters occur due to people’s actions against human,
material and environment. These include transport and industrial accidents such as air and train
crashes, chemical spills, and building collapses. Terrorism is also categorized as human-made
disaster.

Disaster Risk Drivers

Disaster risk drivers are factors the promote or increase the risk of a disaster. The
following are some disaster risk drivers:
 1. Climate change – This an amplify disaster risk while weakening the resilience of the
community.
2. Poverty – extreme poverty equates to greater disaster impact.
3. Socio-economic inequality – can result to limited capacity of households and
communities to manage the risk and improve their resilience.
4. Increase population density/growth – the higher the population, the greater
vulnerability to disasters.
5. Rapid and unplanned urbanization – can result to an increased severity of disasters.
6. Environmental degradation – can reduce the environmental capacity to provide social
and ecological needs.
7. Lack of awareness – households, communities, and societies who have lack of awareness
on disasters are not disaster prepared thus can aggravate disaster risk.
8. Weak governance – inefficient, and incompetent protection of human rights, and failure
to provide public services can happen due weak governance.

What’s More

ACTIVITY 2. My Disaster Diary

Answer this activity in a separate sheet. Fill in the table by writing in the
first column the disasters you experienced, year it happened in the second
column, and what you felt and experienced during these disasters in the third
column.
Disasters Year these happened Thoughts and
experiences

What I Have Learned

1. A disaster is a serious disruption in the functioning of a community or a

society due to a hazardous event.
2. The factors of disaster risk are hazard, exposure, vulnerability, and
capacity.
 3. Disasters can be natural, such as earthquake, typhoon, and flood, or man-
made such as hazardous material and chemical threat.
4. Disaster risks can be promoted or aggravated by poverty, rapid and
unplanned urbanization, increased population density, climate change,
environmental destruction, socio-economic inequality, weak governance
and lack of awareness.

What I Can Do

Population is a man-made disaster in the environment brought about

by irresponsible actions and activities. Pollution can harm people, animals and
plants. As a student, how can you help in solving the problem on pollution?

Assessment:

Multiple choice. Choose the best answer. Answer on a separate of paper.

1. Which is NOT a risk drive?

A. Weak governance C. Environmental degradation
B. Poverty and inequality D. property planned urban development
2. What is a process, phenomenon or human activity that may cause loss of
life, injury or other health impacts, poverty damage, social and economic
disruption?
A. Hazard C. Emergency
B. Disaster D. Vulnerability
3. What are the variables that amplify the effects of hazards, thus affecting
the degree or scope of a disaster?
A. Exposure C. Risk drivers
B. Elements at risk D. Vulnerability
4. An event, whether natural or human-induced, becomes a disaster except
on what situation?
A. It occurs in an area with no exposure.
B. It causes widespread material or environmental losses.
C. Community cannot provide the residents their basic needs.
D. Communities experiences severe danger and incur loss of lives.
5. Which among the following is not a result of disasters?
A. Displacement of population.
 B. Damage to the ecological environment.
C. Destruction of a population’s homeland.
D. Adequate supply of goods and services.
6. Which of the following situations pertains to a disaster risk?
A. A landslide at the foothill of a deserted mountain.
B. A landslide in Benguet that destroyed a mountain village.
C. An isolated volcano erupting in the middle of Pacific Ocean.
D. Typhoon Haiyan passing over a remote and unpopulated island.
7. Which among the following is not an example of a natural disaster?
A. Sinkholes C. Nuclear war
B. Insect infestation D. Storm surge
8. What is the condition determined by physical, social, economic, and
environmental factors or processes which increases the susceptibility of
an individual, a community, assets or systems to the impacts of
hazards?
A. Vulnerability C. resilience
B. Hazard D. Capacity
9. Which risk driver shows the inefficient, and incompetent protection of
human rights, and failure to provide public services?
A. Poverty C. Weak governance
B. Lack of awareness D. Climate change
10. What is the difference between a disaster and a disaster risk?
A. Disaster is process, phenomenon, or human activity that may cause
loss of life. Injury or other health impacts, property damage, social and
economic disruption or even environmental degradation; whereas a disaster
risk is the situation of people, infrastructure, housing, production capacities
and other tangible human assets located in hazard prone areas.
B. Disaster is the combination of all strengths, attributes and resources
whereas a disaster risk is the potential loss of life, injury, or
destroyed/damaged assets which could occur to a system.
C. Disaster is defined as a serious disruption of the functioning of a
community or a society at any scale due to hazardous events interacting with
variety of conditions; whereas disaster risk is the potential loss of life, injury or
destroyed/damaged assets which could occur to a system.
D. None of these

References:
Commission on Higher Education. 2016. Teaching Guide for Senior High School:
Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction.
Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction for Senior High School
Author: Rolly E. Rimando and Villamor S. Quebral