Podcast Notes// 10.08.

2020
2009 UNISDR (United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction) Terminology

DISASTER – A serious disruption of the functioning of a community or society involving

widespread human, material, economic, or environmental losses or impacts, which
exceeds the ability of the affected community or society to cope using its own
resources.

• Disaster involves a group of people

• Faced a hazard that disrupted livelihood, activities, etc.
• Losses/impacts - death, destruction, downfall of economy
• Usually needs help/outside support

HAZARD – A dangerous phenomenon, substance, human activity, or condition that

may (or may not) cause loss of life, injury, or other health impacts, property damage,
loss of livelihoods and services, social and economic disruption, or environmental
damage.

• Double triangle - common symbol for hazard

• Yellow - archetype of warning

HAZARDS AND TYPES OF HAZARDS

Natural Hazard

• Natural process or phenomenon

• Subset of all hazards
E.g. earthquakes, droughts, hurricanes, or tsunamis

Geological Hazard

• Internal earth processes

E.g. earthquakes, volcanic activities, mass movements, landslides
*hydro meteorological factors are important contributors
*tsunamis are difficult to categorize

Hydrometeorological hazard

• Atmospheric, hydrological, oceanographic

• Contributes to other hazards (e.g. forest fires, landslides, spread of disease, etc.)
E.g. Tropical cyclones (Typhoons, hurricanes), thunderstorms (w lightning), floods,
droughts

Biological hazard

• Either natural/organic or engineered

 E.g. Animal infestations

Technological Hazard

• Involving human-made devices, inventions, man-made structures

E.g. anthropogenic (human-related) causes (technological waste, pollution, nuclear
radiation, dam failures, transport accident)

Socio-natural Hazard

• Where human activity is increasing the occurrence of certain hazards beyond

their natural probabilities.
• Overlap between natural and technological Hazards
E.g. Human activity contributing to global warming, climate change, etc.

HAZARD MAPPING – The process of establishing geographically where and to what

extent a particular hazard is likely to pose a threat to people, property, infrastructure,
and economic activities. (Disaster Risk Reduction Resource Manual, Dep. Ed. 2008)
– One of the steps to identifying risk.

5 steps to making a Hazard Map

1. Draw the parameters of an area

2. Draw the items in the room that will further represent it
3. Make a list of these legends to help decode the map (x-symbol to represent
hazardous area)
4. Mark places where a hazard is found
5. List the hazards down

How to know what to mark with an x? (How to know if an area is hazardous?)

• Irregularity, an exposed area where someone could get hurt

E.g. elevated objects that are not secured, broken appliances, exposed electrical
wires, slippery pathways, broken doorknobs, contaminated areas, an open pit,
blocked corridor