DISASTER READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION

VULNERABILITY
1. Social Vulnerability- situations such as lack of inclusions of women in decision-making may lead to more
vulnerable communities. In addition, migrants or those who are new to a community are more vulnerable
because they are not yet equipped with the knowledge and culture of the community’s local, social, and
environmental context.
2. Psychological Vulnerability- it pertains to the trauma of loss that may be translate to an unhealthy condition.
3. Physical Vulnerability- includes physical assets such as money and houses.

In general, those who are under privileged are the most vulnerable because of their lack of resources, both
human and non-human, that they need to adapt to changes.
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 geographic location and infrastructures; and
3. Social vulnerabilities such as education, peace and order, good governance, health and nutrition, and
religion, and culture among others.
The impact of disasters can be identified as:
1. Direct losses- include physical effects such as destruction and changes that reduce the functionality of an
individual or structure. This involve damages to people (death/injury), buildings, vehicles, clean-up, and
disposal costs.
2. Indirect losses- affect society by disrupting or damaging utility services and local businesses. These include
loss of revenue; increase in cost; expenses connected to provision of assistance, lodging and drinking water;
and costs associated with the need to drive longer distances because of blocked roads.
3. Intangible losses- include psychological challenges caused by both direct and intangible losses that
individuals suffer from a disaster.

SOCIAL IMPACTS- the primary damage of disasters could be the destruction of buildings and infrastructures.
However, it cannot be denied that the impacts of disasters are intertwined with the social aspect of communities,
including housing, health, education, transportation, and political instability.
 Housing- disasters often displace a considerable number of people. The destruction of houses which
may be brought by floods and earthquakes can lead to homelessness. The social impact that the
disruption may bring can be long-term and transcend into other forms of disaster impact such as
economic.
 Health- health care infrastructures in most parts of the developing world are vulnerable to hazards
because of poor facilities.
 Education- in the Philippines, school facilities often serve as evacuation and relief centers when
disaster strikes. One of the greatest impacts of disasters to education is the disruption of educational
services that can have long-term effects to both students and teachers.
ECONOMIC IMPACTS- disasters create substantial environmental degradation and ecological imbalance
which lessens the quality of people’s lives.