SCI104 - DISASTER READINESS AND RISK

REDUCTION

and
Exposure
Vulnerability

MODULE 2
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
• Explain the meaning of vulnerability
• Explain why certain sectors of society are
more vulnerable to disaster than others
• Recognize vulnerabilities of different
elements exposed to specific hazards
• Differentiate among hazards, exposure, and
vulnerabilities and explain the relationship
of the three to disaster risk
 REVIEW: DISASTER RISK

Disaster risk has three components: hazard, exposure, and vulnerability.

SC I I 104 - M OD U L E 2

EXPOSURE
The situation of the people,
property, systems, and other
elements present in hazard zones
are therefore subject to potential
loss.
UNDRR, 2009
SO UR C E :
H T TPS : //WW W . PR E VE N T IO N WE B . NE T/ DI SA S T ER -
R ISK/R ISK/EXPO SUR E/
"The majority of the world's megacities
are highly exposed to disasters. "
- UN DESA, 2018
Some large cities are exposed to as many as four or five
different types of natural disasters. These include such large
urban centres as Manila, Tokyo, Santiago, and Guatemala City,
the capitals of the Philippines, Japan, Chile, and Guatemala
respectively.

Megacities of more than 10 million inhabitants are more

exposed, with only three of them – Moscow (Russian
Federation), Cairo (Egypt), and Kinshasa (Democratic
Republic of the Congo) – deemed to be at low or at no risk...
 EXPOSURE
Exposed elements may be tangible or
intangible.

CLASSIFICATION OF
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ELEMENTS* AT RISK
• Physical
*may be lost
• Societal
due to disaster
• Economic
• Environmental
 Exposure changes over time.
Exposure evolves over time as a result of
(unplanned) urbanization, demographic changes,
modifications in building practice, and other
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factors.

This fact must be considered when analyzing data,

and in creating disaster preparedness and
mitigation plans.
How do we reduce exposure?
• ecosystem management (natural resources)
• land-use planning (assessing hazards)
• insurance (financial recovery)
• an effective disaster preparedness plan
• financial investment in disaster risk
management
• global supply chain management
• investing in post-disaster recovery planning
SC I I 104 - M OD U L E 2

Vulnerability
It is the characteristics and
circumstances of a community,
system, or asset that make it
susceptible to the damaging effects of
a hazard.

Aspects: physical, social, economic,

and environmental
SC I I 104 - M OD U L E 2

Poverty is a major contributor to

vulnerability.
Poor people are more likely to live and work
in areas exposed to potential hazards, while
they are less likely to have the resources to
cope when a disaster strikes.
1. PHYSICAL
This includes population density
levels, the remoteness of a
settlement, the site, design and
materials used for critical
infrastructure and for housing

Poor design and construction of

buildings.
A SPEC TS OF
V U L N NERABIL ITY
2. SOCIAL
This is the inability of people,
organizations, and societies to withstand
adverse impacts to hazards due to
characteristics inherent in social
interactions, institutions, and systems of
cultural values.

This aspect includes issues caused by social

groups, gender, ethnicity, religions, literacy,
education, peace, human rights, access to A SPEC TS OF
information, age, disability. V U L N NERABIL ITY
3. ECONOMIC
The poor are more vulnerable to
disasters because they lack
resources to build sturdy structures
and put engineering measures to
protect themselves; unprepared due
to lack of access to education and
information.
A SPEC TS OF
V U L N NERABIL ITY
4. ENVIRONMENTAL
This involves depletion and
degradation of natural resources

Examples:
• Increase salinity in freshwater,
pollution from stormwater runoff
containing agricultural chemicals,
eroded soils, etc.
A SPEC TS OF
V U L N NERABIL ITY
Under what aspect of vulnerability do each
scenario belong?

1 The support and relief operations must be more

efficient if the community has a high population
density.

2 Wealthy families have the capacity to purchase

emergency kits.
3 Highly centralized government structures can
result in careful planning and training. But may
also result in bureaucracy and lack of
autonomous decision slowing down emergency
response.

4 The country received timely outside help in the

form of humanitarian aid, reducing further risk
by those affected by the disaster.
5 The lack of advanced monitoring equipment and
technology during Super Typhoon Yolanda
hindered the prediction for the magnitude of the
storm surge.

6 The local government does not enforce the building

codes and neglect regulation of building permits
and licenses for land development.
7 Emergency communication networks were
considered during disaster planning.

8 Deforestation due to illegal logging causes

landslides and mudflows.
 DISASTER RISK

Disaster risk has three components: hazard, exposure, and vulnerability.

 "It is important to
emphasize people's
capacity to
anticipate, cope
with, resist and
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recover from
disasters, rather
than simply focusing
on the vulnerability
that limits them." https://www.preventionweb.net/disaster-
risk/concepts/capacity/
 The capacity to cope
requires continuing
awareness,
resources, and good
management, both
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in normal times as
well as during crises
or adverse
conditions.
- UNISDR, 2017
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
• Explain the meaning of vulnerability
• Explain why certain sectors of society are
more vulnerable to disaster than others
• Recognize vulnerabilities of different
elements exposed to specific hazards
• Differentiate among hazards, exposure, and
vulnerabilities and explain the relationship
of the three to disaster risk