SHS

DISASTER READINESS and

RISK REDUCTION
Week 1 – Module 1
Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction
Grade 11/12 Week 1 – Module 1
First Edition, 2020

Copyright © 2020
La Union Schools Division
Region I

All rights reserved. No part of this module may be reproduced in any form without
written permission from the copyright owners.

Development Team of the Module

Author: AURIE AMOR T. QUINONES

Editor: SDO La Union, Learning Resource Quality Assurance Team

Illustrator: Ernesto F. Ramos Jr., P II

Management Team:

ATTY. Donato D. Balderas, Jr.

Schools Division Superintendent

Vivian Luz S. Pagatpatan, PhD

Assistant Schools Division Superintendent
German E. Flora, PhD, CID Chief

Virgilio C. Boado, PhD, EPS in Charge of LRMS

Rominel S. Sobremonte, EdD, EPS in charge in Science
Michael Jason D. Morales, PDO II
Claire P. Toluyen, Librarian II
Disaster Readiness and
Risk Reduction
Week 1 – Module 1
 Target

Every year, millions of individuals, young and old, around the world are
affected by either natural disasters or human-caused disasters. Loss of lives,
livelihood as well as properties are the common end results.

This module will provide you with information and activities that will help you
understand the meaning of disaster.

After going through this learning material, you are expected to:

1. explain the meaning of disaster (DRR11/12-Ia-b-1)

Jumpstart

Activity 1: GUESS THE PHENOMENA!

Identify the event being illustrated in the following figures. Write your answer
on the space provided before the number.

___________________1.

___________________ 2.

___________________ 3.
___________________ 4.

___________________ 5.

Discover

DEFINTION OF DISASTER
What makes an event a disaster? The answer lies with how the population is
eventually affected: both the direct effects on the people as well as the indirect effects
or damage to infrastructure. The United Nations International Strategy for Disaster
Reduction (2015) defines disaster as a serious disruption of the functioning of a
community or society due to hazardous events interacting with conditions of
vulnerability and exposure, leading to widespread human, material, economic or
environmental losses and impacts. Disasters are a type of hazardous event in which
there is a significant disruption of the function of all or part of society. The impact
of the disaster is often widespread and could last for a long period of time. The
impact may test or exceed the capacity of a community or society to cope using its
own resources, and therefore may requires assistance from external sources, which
could include neighboring jurisdictions, or national or international levels.

Disaster results from the combination of: the exposure to a hazard; the
conditions of vulnerability that are present; and insufficient capacity or measures to
reduce or cope with the potential negative consequences. Consequences may include
injuries, disease and other negative effects on human physical, mental and social
well-being, together with damage to property, loss of services and environmental
degradation.

Although there are many definitions for disaster (Refer to Box 1), there are are
common factors. First, there is an event or phenomenon that impacts a population
or an environment. Second, a vulnerable condition or characteristic allows the event
to have a more serious impact. For example, a typhoon will cause much greater
damage to life and structures if it directly strikes an area with poorly constructed
dwellings compared to striking a community of well-built homes with greater
structural support. Identifying these factors has practical implications for
communities’ preparedness and provides a basis for prevention. Third, local
resources are often inadequate to cope with the problems created by the phenomenon
or event. Disaster affect communities in multiple ways. Their impact on the health
care infrastructure is also multi-factorial. The disaster event can cause an
unexpected number of deaths. In addition, the large numbers of wounded and sick
often exceed the local community’s health care delivery capacity.

Box 1. Definitions of a disaster

“Disaster is a sudden calamitous event bringing great damage, loss, or

destruction” https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disaster

“Disaster is a major hazard event that causes widespread disruption to a community or region
that the affected community is unable to deal with adequately without outside help.”
https://graphylaunchpad.weebly.com/definition-of-disaster.html

“A disaster is a sudden, calamitous event that seriously disrupts the functioning of a community
or society and causes human, material, and economic or environmental losses that exceed the
community’s or society’s ability to cope using its own resources.” https://www.ifrc.org/en/what-
we-do/disaster-management/about-disasters/what-is-a-
disaster/#:~:text=A%20disaster%20is%20a%20sudden,disasters%20can%20have%20human%2
0origins.

“Disaster is an occurrence disrupting the normal conditions of existence and causing a level of
suffering that exceeds the capacity of adjustment of the affected community.”
https://apps.who.int/disasters/repo/7656.pdf

HOW AND WHEN AN EVENT BECOMES A DISASTER

An event, either human-made or natural, becomes a disaster when it is
sudden or progressive, causing widespread human, material or environmental
losses. Lets take an example, typhoon Yolanda. Typhoon Yolanda is a natural
phenomenon. However, it became a disaster for some factors: its strength (290
km/hr); the storm surge it brought was sudden and unexpected; and it is devastating
to human, material, and environment. More than 7,000 people perished. The entire
City of Tacloban was literally flattened to the ground.

Our country, the Philippines, is frequently visited by typhoons on the average

of 20 every year. Thus, we can consider typhoons as natural events. However, in
2009, Typhoon Ondoy turned into a disaster because the amount of precipitation
brought by its torrential rains lasted for several days causing floods and flash floods
in Metro Manila. Thousands of houses were submerged in flood water. Hundreds of
shelters along river banks and steros were washed out. Power and water supplies
were cut off for several weeks. Hundreds of lives perished.
 Wow Wowie, hosted by Willie Revillame, a popular singer-commedian, became
so popular. Thousands of fans flock to ULTRA (a huge event venue during that time)
to watch the noon time variety show. However, that event turned out to a disastrous
tragedy when there was a human-induced disturbance among the watching crowd
that caused a stampede. Many spectators were hurt and some even died which led
to the dissolution of the said TV program.

Explore

You are informed there has been a flood affecting one of the municipalities in
the Province of La Union. According to the latest population census, around 10,000
people who are mostly poor live in this area. What are the characteristics that
indicate that this event can be defined as disaster?

___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

Deepen

The whole world is experiencing the COVID-19 pandemic. Can you consider
it as a disaster why or why not? Based your answer on the discussed meaning of
disaster?

___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
 Gauge

Conduct an online research of two event in the Philippine context that turned
to a disaster. Explain why it became a disaster. Use short bond paper for your
activity. You will be graded using the rubric below:

Areas of 4 3 2 1
Assessment
Ideas Present ideas
Present ideas Ideas are too Ideas are
in an original
in a consistent general vague or
manner manner unclear
Organization Strong and
Organized Some No
organized organization organization
attempt
Understanding Writing shows Writing shows Writing shows Writing shows
strong a clear adequate little
understanding understanding understanding understanding
Sentence Sentence Sentence Sentence No sense of
Structure structure structure is structure is sentence
enhances evident; limited; structure or
meaning; sentences sentences flow
flows mostly flow need to flow
throughout
the work
Answer Key
JUMPSTART

1. Landslide
2. Volcanic eruption
3. Flood
4. Earthquake
5. Fire

EXPLORE

Answers may vary

DEEPEN

Answers may vary

GUAGE

Answers may vary

References
Book:

Disaster Reduction and Risk Management-Core Teacher's Guide. (2017). Pasig City: Department of
Education.

Quebral, V. S. (2016). Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction. Quezon City: Lorimar Publishing, Inc.

Electronic Sources:
Patrick Mahar, J. L. (n.d.). aap.org. Retrieved from aap. org website: https://www.aap.org/en-
us/Documents/disasters_dpac_PEDsModule1.pdf

Physiopedia. (n.d.). Retrieved from physio-pedia.com: physio-pedia.com/Disaster_Management

preventionweb.net. (2015, August). Retrieved from preventionweb.net:

https://preventionweb.net/files/45462_backgroundpaperterminologyaugust20.pdf