DISASTER READINESS AND RISK Maychelou R.

Castillo
REDUCTION (DRRR) Faculty – MSU SHS Department
Gen. Santos City
CHAPTER 4: HAZARD
THE SEVERITY OF THE IMPACTS OF DISASTER

Basic Concept
of Hazard
BASIC CONCEPT OF HAZARD
• Are “those elements of the physical environment,
harmful to man and caused by forces extraneous to
him.” (Burton et al, 1978)
• Standards Australia defines: “A source of potential
harm or a situation with a potential to cause loss.”
• Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) defines it
as “a natural event that has the potential to cause
harm or loss.”
BASIC CONCEPT OF HAZARD
• US Geological Science (USGS) defines hazard as “a
phenomenon or situation, which has the potential to cause the
disruption or damage to people, their property, their services,
and their environment”.
• Most hazards are dominant or potential.
• Hazard becomes “active” creates emergency
• Hazardous situation that come to pass is an incident.
• Interaction of hazard and possibility creates risk.
GENERAL CLASSIFICATIONS OF HAZARDS
1. Natural Hazards – arise purely natural processes in
the environment.
2. Quasi-natural Hazards – such as smog or
desertification that arises through the interaction of
natural processes and human activities.
3. Technological (Man-Made) Hazards – arises directly
as a result of human activities.
TYPOLOGY OF HAZARDS
HEWITT AND BURTON (1971)
Atmospheric (Single Element)
-Excess rainfall
-Freezing Rain (Glaze)
-Hail
-Heavy snow falls
-High Wind speed
-Extreme temperature
TYPOLOGY OF HAZARDS
HEWITT AND BURTON (1971)
Atmospheric (Combined Element)
-Hurricanes
-Glaze Storm
-Thunderstorm
-Blizzards
-Tornadoes
-Heat/Cold Stress
TYPOLOGY OF HAZARDS
HEWITT AND BURTON (1971)
Hydrologic
-Floods – river and coastal areas
-Wave action (storm surge, tsunami)
-Drought
-Rapid Glacier advance
TYPOLOGY OF HAZARDS
HEWITT AND BURTON (1971)
Biologic
-Epidemic in Humans
-Epidemic in Animals
-Epidemic in Plants
-Locusts
TYPOLOGY OF HAZARDS
HEWITT AND BURTON (1971)
Technologic
-Transportation Accident
-Industrial explosions and fire
-Accidental release of toxic elements
-Nuclear Accidents
-Collapse of public buildings
-Cyber Terrorism
OTHER WAY OF CLASSIFICATION OF
HAZARD
•Natural Origin – geological,
hydro/meteorological, biological, extra-
terrestrial
•Anthropogenic Origin – fire, civil conflict,
pollution, technological
•Environmental
•Socio-economic, Political and Security
TYPES OF HAZARD ACCORDING TO ONSET
•Sudden Onset - little or no warning
- minimal time to prepare
- earthquake, tornado, eruption
•Slow Onset - event slow to develop
- 1st level (situation) 2nd level
(emergency) 3rd level (disaster)
- drought, climate change, eruption
COMMON LONG TERM IMPACTS OF
NATURAL DISASTER
Physical Impacts
•Death of people
•Destruction and loss vital infrastructure like
transportation, roads, bridges, power lines and
communication lines
•Widespread loss of housing
COMMON LONG TERM IMPACTS OF
NATURAL DISASTER
Psychological Impacts
•Grief and PTSD
•Marital Conflicts
•Depression due to loss of loved ones and property
•Chronic anxiety (children)
COMMON LONG TERM IMPACTS OF
NATURAL DISASTER
Socio-Cultural Impacts
•Displacement of Populations
•Loss of Cultural identity
•Forced adoption of new sets of culture
•Ethnic conflicts
COMMON LONG TERM IMPACTS OF
NATURAL DISASTER
Economic Impacts
•Loss of job due to displacement
•Loss of harvest and livestock
•Loss of farms, fish cages and other source of living
•Loss of money and valuables
COMMON LONG TERM IMPACTS OF
NATURAL DISASTER
Environmental Impacts
•Loss of Forest due to displacements
•Loss of fresh water due to salination
•Disturbance of biodiversity
•Loss of natural rivers and other tributaries
COMMON LONG TERM IMPACTS OF
NATURAL DISASTER
Biological Impacts
•Epidemic to people, flora and fauna
•Chronic and permanent illnesses due to nuclear
radiation
•Mental disorders due to consumption of
contaminated food
•Proliferation of different viral and bacterial diseases