Module No.
2
GRADE 12 STEM B - DISASTER READINESS & RISK REDUCTION
DIFFERENT DISASTER PERSPECTIVES
Prepared by: MR. ANTONIO B. BELLUGA
Learner’s Name: _____________________________ Section: ______________
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CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS
Content Standards
The learners demonstrate understanding of concept of disaster, disaster risk, and
nature and effects of disasters.
Most Essential Learning Competency (MELC)
Describe the effects of disasters on one's life.
Analyze disaster from the different perspective (physical, psychological, socio-
cultural, economic, political, and biological).
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
At the end of this session, as a Senior High School learner,
I can explain what a disaster is.
I can differentiate factors that put people at risk.
I can explain the effects of natural disasters on human life.
I can analyze the factors of disaster risk from different perspective.
Life Performance Outcome (LPO)
LPO2: Courageous, Resourceful EXPLORERS and PROBLEM SOLVERS
I am a courageous, resourceful explorer and problem solver, demonstrating my
creativity and charism.
LOP3: Credible, Responsive COMMUNICATORS and TEAM PLAYERS
I am a credible, responsive communicator and team player, building harmonious
community through active collaboration.
Essential Performance Outcome (EPO)
EPO1: Initiate and sustain efforts that draw attention to environmental issues and
propose workable measures to reduce and eventually eliminate them.
EPO2: Join others in operating local projects that tangibly protect and preserve
the environment and all life forms.
INTRODUCTION
Every year, millions of people around the globe are affected by either human-caused
or natural disasters. As we all know, disasters take different forms, like volcanic
eruptions, earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, or fires. In the event of disaster,
we are facing the danger of death or physical injury, destructions of homes, loss of
livelihood and many more.
In this module, you will be able to describe and understand the effects of disaster
on human life, identify or locate areas that are exposed to hazards that may lead to
disaster and analyze risk factors of disaster from different perspectives.
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DISCUSSION AND ACTIVITIES
Firm-up
Disaster Risk refers to the expectation value of deaths, injuries, and
property losses that would be caused by a hazard.
Disaster Risk = Hazard x Exposure x Vulnerability
Hazard - is “a situation or an occurrence with capacity to bring damages to lives,
properties, and the environment.”
Exposure – the degree to which the elements at risk are likely to experience hazard
events of different magnitudes
Vulnerability - A concept which describes factors or constraints of an economic,
social, physical, or geographic nature, which reduce the ability of a community to
prepare for and cope with the impact of hazards.
Effects of Natural Disasters on Human Life.
The following are the common effects of disaster identified by some studies on
disaster risk and management.
Displaced Population
When countries are ravaged by earthquakes or other powerful forces of
nature like floods and super typhoons, many people have to abandon their homes
and seek shelter in other places or region.
Health Risks
Severe flooding can result in stagnant water that allows breeding of
waterborne bacteria and malaria-carrying mosquitoes.
Food Scarcity
Food often becomes scarce, after natural disasters. Crops will be destroyed
and there will be food shortage.
As a result, food prices rise, reducing families' purchasing power and
increasing the risk of severe malnutrition.
Emotional aftershocks
Confronted with scenes of destruction and the deaths of friends and loved
ones, many children develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
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Deepen
Disaster Risk Factors from Different Perspectives
1. Physical factors- this pertain to tangible objects or infrastructure, like the
availability of fire exits, or the sturdiness of the building, or the presence or absence
of objects that can harm you or help you, etc.
PHYSICAL PERSPECTIVE. From this view disaster is defined as a
phenomenon that can cause damage to physical elements such as buildings,
infrastructures, including people and their properties, e.g. houses an
environmental source of living. This is the most visible and quantifiable effects
of a disaster.
2. Psychological factors-include state of mental capacity and health (e.g. are we
dealing with babies? kids? Adults? People with special needs? Perception of self (e.g.
self-assessment of capability to respond to disasters, fear, etc.)
PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
Research have shown that disasters can cause serious mental health
consequences for victims. These consequences take the form of PTSD or (Post
traumatic Stress Disorder) and a variety of other disorders and symptoms
which have been less investigated.
Other psychological effects of a disaster are:
a) Emotional effects: Shock, terror, irritability, anger, blame, guilt, grief or
sadness, numbing, helplessness, loss of pleasure, derived from familiar
activities, difficulty feeling happy, difficulty feeling loved.
b) Cognitive effects: Impaired concentration, impaired decision making ability,
memory impairment, disbelief, confusion, nightmares, decreased self-esteem,
decreased self-efficacy, self-blame, intrusive thoughts, memories, dissociation
(e.g. tunnel vision, dreamlike or spacey feeling).
c) Physical effects: Fatigue, exhaustion, insomnia, cardiovascular strain,
startle response, hyper arousal, increased physical pain, reduced immune
response, headaches, gastrointestinal upset, decreased appetite, decreased
libido, vulnerability to illness.
d) Interpersonal effects: Increased relational conflict, social withdrawal,
reduced relational intimacy, alienation, impaired work performance, decreased
satisfaction, distrust, externalization of blame, externalization of vulnerability,
feeling abandoned.
3. Socio-cultural factors include religion, social status, traditions, perceptions by
society, etc.
People's socio-cultural background may affect their response to disasters at the
different stages of disaster management. From socio-cultural point of view, a
disaster is analyzed based on how people respond having as parameter their social
conditions and cultural settings. These two factors are important determinants of
the degree of risk, resilience and vulnerability of those affected. That is why some
ethnic groups can easily cope with disasters compared to other groups.
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4. Economic factors include assets and liabilities, income, economic class, etc.
From an economic perspective, a natural disaster can be defined as a natural event
that causes a perturbation to the functioning of the economic system, with a
significant negative impact on assets, production factors, output, employment and
consumption. One salient component of assessing the impact of disaster from this
view is defining direct economic cost and indirect losses.
5. Political factors include government structure, diplomatic issues, etc.
From this view, natural disasters are commonly thought to be less politically
contentious than armed conflicts. Politics are deeply wedded to both the impact of a
natural disaster and the subsequent delivery of the humanitarian assistance.
Political considerations before, during, and after a natural disaster can
determine who is the most at risk, who can intervene, what actions will be taken,
and who will benefit from those actions.
Some case studies demonstrate that economic, social, and political factors can
significantly amplify the devastating impacts of disaster. Governmentality or
deliverance of government services to constituents can be a plus or minus factor in
disaster risk reduction and management. Government interventions should be
present in the following phases of Disasters Risk Reduction and Management:
a.) Prevention, b.) Mitigation, c.) Preparedness, and d.) Recovery.
Failure to do so, will adversely affects the capacity and opportunities of those
affected to cope with and recover from the impacts of disaster.
6. Biological factors include flora and fauna in environment, health, diseases, etc.
Few development organizations adopt a precautionary approach in the design and
management of projects and fewer still recognize the role of environmental
management in reducing disaster risk. Several studies have recently highlighted
the fact that investment in development are in jeopardy unless precautionary action
is taken toward reducing disaster risk.
SOURCES
1. Disaster Readiness & Risk Reduction for Senior High School- Villamor S. Quebral,
Ed.D.
2. Disaster Readiness & Risk Reduction (Building Resilient Communities) –Lanada, et
al.
3. Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction: Senior High School SHS Teaching Guide
4. https://www.teacherph.com/disaster-readiness-teaching-guide/
5. http://www.dw.com/en/exposed-why-vanuatu-is-the-worlds-most –at-risk-
country-for-natural-hazards/a-18319825
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