DRRR

IT’S A DISASTER

Disaster is "a sudden, calamitous occurrence that causes great harm, injury, destruction, and
devastation to life and property”. It disrupts the usual course of life, causing both physical and
emotional distress as well as an intense feeling of helplessness and hopelessness. A preceding definition
of disaster stresses that two elements are affected – life (whether human or animal) and property. The
effects vary – it maybe a minor damage (like broken windows and doors), major damage (like torn
rooftops, collapsed walls), total destruction (like completely destroyed houses and structures rendering
them useless and inhabitable) and the worst of all, death.
Disasters are often a result of the combination of: the exposure to a hazard; the conditions of
vulnerability that are present; and insufficient capacity or measures to reduce or cope with the potential
negative consequences.Its impacts may include loss of life, injury, disease and other negative effects on
human physical, mental, and social wellbeing, together with damage to properties, destruction of assets,
loss of services, social and economic disruptions, andenvironmental degradation.The damage caused by
disaster cannot be measured. It also differs with the kind of geographical location, climate, earth’s
specific characteristics, and level of vulnerability. These determining factors affect generally the
psychological, socio –economic, political, and ethnical state of the affected area.

Risk and Disaster Risk

Risk has various connotations within different disciplines. In general, risk is defined as “the combination
of the probability of an event and its negative consequences” (UNISDR, 2009). The term risk is thus
multidisciplinary and is used in a variety of contexts. It is usually associated with the degree to which
humans cannot cope (lack of capacity) with a situation (e.g. natural hazard). The term disaster risk refers
to the potential (not actual and realized) disaster losses, in lives, health status, livelihoods, assets, and
services which could occur in a community or society over some specified future time period.
Disaster risk is the product of the possible damage caused by a hazard due to the vulnerability within a
community. It should be noted that the effect of a hazard (of a particular magnitude) would affect
communities differently (Von Kotze, 1999:35). It can also be determined by the presence of three
variables: hazards (natural or anthropogenic); vulnerability to a hazard; and coping capacity linked to
thereduction, mitigation, and resilience to the vulnerability of a community.
Classification of Disasters:

Disasters can be divided into 2 large categories:

A. Natural - a natural phenomenon is caused by natural forces, such as earthquakes, typhoon, volcanic
eruptions, hurricanes, fires, tornados, and extreme temperatures. They can be classified as rapid onset
disasters and those with progressive onset, such as droughts that lead to famine. These events, usually
sudden, can have tremendous effects.
B. Man-Made - Disasters caused by man are those in which major direct causes are identifiable
intentional or non-intentional human actions.
Subdivided into three categories:
1. Technological/industrial disasters - Unregulated industrialization and inadequate safety standards
increase the risk for industrial disasters.
Example: leaks of hazardous materials; accidental explosions; bridge or road collapses, or vehicle
collisions; Power cuts
2. Terrorism/Violence - the threat of terrorism has also increased due to the spread of technologies
involving nuclear, biological, and chemical agents used to develop weapons of mass destruction.
Example: bombs or explosions; release of chemical materials; release of biological agents; release of
radioactive agents; multiple or massive shootings; mutinies.

Lesson 2: RISK FACTORS

Disaster Risk as defined in the first module, has three important elements such as:

1. Exposure - the “elements at risk from a natural or man-made hazard event (Quebral, 2016).

2. Hazard - a potentially damaging physical event, phenomenon or human activity that may cause loss of
life or injury, property damage, social and economic disruption or environmental degradation (Food and
Agriculture Organization of the United nation, FAO 2008).
3. Vulnerability - the condition determined by physical, social, economic and environmental factors or
processes, which increase the susceptibility of a community to the impact of hazard (Food and
Agriculture Organization of the United nation, FAO 2008).

Reduction of the level of vulnerability and exposure is possible by keeping people and property as
distant as possible from hazards. We cannot prevent natural events from occurring so we should focus
on addressing the reduction of vulnerability and exposure by identifying the factors which underlie
disasters.
Risk Factors are processes or conditions, often development-related, that influence the level of disaster
risk by increasing levels of exposure and vulnerability or reducing capacity.
The following are also taken into consideration when risk factors underlying disaster are involved:

• Severity of exposure - which measures those who experience disaster firsthand which has the highest
risk of developing future mental problems,followed by those in contact with the victims such as rescue
workers and health care practitioners and the lowest risk are those most distant like those who have
awareness of the disaster only through news.
• Gender and Family - the female gender suffers more adverse effects. This worsens when children are
present at home. Marital relationships are placed under strain.
• Age - adults in the age range of 40-60 are more stressed after disasters but in general, children exhibit
more stress after disasters than adults do.
• Economic status of country - evidence indicates that severe mental problems resulting from disasters
are more prevalent in developing countries like the Philippines. Furthermore, it has been observed that
natural disasters tend to have more adverse effects in developing countries than do mancaused
disasters in developed countries.
Factors which underlie disasters:
1. Climate Change - can increase disaster risk in a variety of ways – by altering the frequency and
intensity of hazards events, affecting vulnerability to hazards, and changing exposure patterns. For most
people, the expression “climate change” means the alteration of the world’s climate that we humans
are causing such as burning of fossil fuels, deforestation and other practices that increase the carbon
footprint and concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. This is in line with the official
definition by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change(UNFCCC) that climate
change is the change that can be attributed “directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the
composition of the global atmosphere and which is in addition to natural climate variability observed
over comparable time periods”
2. Environmental Degradation - Changes to the environment can influence the frequency and intensity
of hazards, as well as our exposure and vulnerability to these hazards. For instance, deforestation of
slopes often leads to an increase in landslide hazard and removal of mangroves can increase the damage
caused by storm surges (UNISDR, 2009b). It is both a driver and consequence of disasters, reducing the
capacity of the environment to meet social and ecological needs. Over consumption of natural resources
results in environmental degradation, reducing the effectiveness of essential ecosystem services, such as
the mitigation of floods and landslides. This leads to increased risk from disasters, and in turn, natural
hazards can further degrade the environment.

3. Globalized Economic Development - It results in an increased polarization between the rich and poor
on a global scale. Currently increasing the exposure of assets in hazard prone areas, globalized economic
development provides an opportunity to build resilience if effectively managed. By participating in risk
sensitive development strategies such as investing in protective infrastructure, environmental
management, and upgrading informal settlements, risk can be reduced. Dominance and increase of
wealth in certain regions and cities are expected to have increased hazard exposure (Gencer, 2013).
4. Poverty and Inequality - Impoverished people are more likely to live in hazard exposed areas and are
less able to invest in risk-reducing measures. The lack of access to insurance and social protection means
that people in poverty are often forced to use their already limited assets to buffer disaster losses, which
drives them into further poverty.Poverty is therefore both a cause and consequence of disaster risk
(Wisner et al., 2004), particularly extensive risk, with drought being the hazard most closely associated
with poverty (Shepard et al., 2013). The impact of disasters on the poor can, in addition to loss of life,
injury and damage, cause a total loss of livelihoods, displacement, poor health, food insecurity, among
other consequences. Vulnerability is not simply about poverty, but extensive research over the past 30
years has revealed that it is generally the poor who tend to suffer worst from disasters (DFID, 2004;
Twigg, 2004; Wisner et al., 2004; UNISDR, 2009b).
5. Poorly planned and Managed Urban Development - A new wave of urbanization is unfolding in
hazard-exposed countries and with it, new opportunities for resilient investment emerge. People,
poverty, and disaster risk are increasingly concentrated in cities. The growing rate of urbanization and
the increase in population density (incities) can lead to creation of risk, especially when urbanization is
rapid, poorly planned and occurring in a context of widespread poverty. Growing concentrations of
people and economic activities in many cities are seen to overlap with areas of high-risk exposure.
6. Weak Governance - weak governance zones are investment environments in which public sector
actors are unable or unwilling to assume their roles and responsibilities in protecting rights, providing
basic services and public services. Disaster risk is disproportionately concentrated in lower-income
countries with weak governance (UNISDR, 2015a). Disaster risk governance refers to the specific
arrangements that societies put in place to manage their disaster risk (UNISDR, 2011a; UNDP, 2013a)
within a broader context of risk governance (Renn, 2008 in UNISDR, 2015a). This reflects how risk is
valued against a backdrop of broader socialand economic concerns (Holley et al., 2011).

Lesson 3: Effects of disaster on one's life

A disaster is a damaging event that occurs suddenly and involves loss of life and property. It can be of
two types, natural and man-made.Natural disasters can destroy a whole community in an instant.
Examples of natural disasters are volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, earthquakes, and typhoons which are
destructive to people's lives.Man-made disasters on the other hand are caused by human beings. Some
of the man-made disasters are bomb explosions, terrorism, wars, leakage of poisonous chemicals,
pollutions, industrial accidents, and epidemics. They are identified as man- made disasters because they
happen due to human actions and not by natural forces.

What is the difference between hazard and disaster?

A hazard is a dangerous situation or event that carries a threat to humans. A disaster is an event that
harms humans and disrupts the operations of society. Hazards can only be considered disasters once it
affected humans. If a disaster happened in an unpopulated area, it is still a hazard.
The Human Effect of Natural Disasters
1. Displaced Populations - One of the most immediate effects of natural disasters is population
displacement. When countries are ravaged by earthquakes or other powerful forces of nature, many
people need to abandon their homes and seek shelter in other regions. A large influx of refugees can
disrupt accessibility of health care and education, as well as food supplies and clean water.
2. Health Risks -Aside from the obvious immediate danger that natural disasters present, the secondary
effect can be just as damaging. Severe flooding can result in stagnant water that allows breeding of
waterborne bacteria and malaria-carrying mosquitoes. Without emergency relief from international aid
organizations and others, death tolls can rise even after the immediate danger has passed.
3. Food Scarcity -The aftermath of natural disasters affects the food supplies. Thousands of people
around the world are hungry because of destroyed crops and loss of agricultural supplies, whether it
happens suddenly in a storm or gradually in a drought. As aresult, food prices rise reducing families’
purchasing power and increasing the risk of severe malnutrition or worse. The impacts of hunger
following an earthquake, typhoon or hurricane can be tremendous, causing lifelong damage to
children’s development.
4. Emotional Aftershocks -Natural disasters can be particularly traumatic for young children. Confronted
with scenes of destruction and the deaths of friends and loved ones, many children develop post-
traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a serious psychological condition resulting from extreme trauma. Left
untreated, children suffering from PTSD can be prone to lasting psychological damage and emotional
distress.
The Different Perspectives of Disaster
1. Physical perspective -Calamities are phenomena that cause great physical damage in a community
infrastructure, its people and their properties, e.g. houses and environmental sources of living. These
cited effects of a disaster can be easily measured and the most common. Natural disasters generally
affect the physical infrastructural facilities, agricultural productivity and even lead to loss of life and
cause damage to property. Various factors influence the effects of a disaster on a country among them
are the magnitude of the disaster, the geography of the area affected, and the recovery efforts directed
towards reducing the immediate effects of a disaster.“Effects of a natural Disasters on a Country Essay”,
Ivy Panda Free Study Hub, January 20, 2020, https://ivypanda.com/essays/effects-of-a-natural-disaster-
on-a-country/
Effects of Physical Disasters
- Injuries - Physical disabilities or illness - Sanitation - Damage in infrastructure
2. Psychological Perspective -Victims of disasters may suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
and other serious mental health conditions, which are not being given much attention to by the
authorities or even by the victims, themselves. (This may be sensitive statement). Disasters are mostly
unpredictable, which leave the victims in a state of shock. They tend to deny the loss and try to escape
from reality. Being in a denial state makes the victims more vulnerable to stress, anxiety, and other
different maladaptive reactions. Death of a closed one also leaves the victim in a state of insecurity
because the sense of love, attachment and belongingness are deprived. Makwana, Nikunj Disaster and
its impact on mental health: A narrative review, October 31, 2019
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6857396/
Psychological effects of a Disaster:
• Distress Hopelessness • Intrusion/avoidance Emotional effects • Hatred/revenge Cognitive Effects •
Dependence/insecurities Physical Effects • Grief/withdrawn/isolation Interpersonal effect • Guilt feeling
Helplessness • Lack of trust
3. Socio-cultural Perspective -Filipinos are generally known as “matiisin”, resourceful, helpful, optimistic,
and prayerful. These characteristics are manifested in the country’s recent fight against COVID19.Due to
the National Health Emergency, Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) prevailed in the whole country.
A lot of people temporarily lost their jobs, some people stranded in different regions, repatriated OFWs
were held in different quarantine facilities in Metro Manila, and all people were restricted to go out of
their homes for months. As a result, most Filipino families would rely on government’s help for them to
get by. However, limited resources and aids from the government make people find possible ways to
survive amid the pandemic. The culture of “malalampasan din natin ‘to..” belief and “ bahala na and
Diyos” syndrome give hope to most Filipino in the midst of a disaster. Such perspective helps a lot
especially those who belong to the marginalized sector to be hopeful and continue fighting against any
challenge at hand. Their belief that a help from someone or from God would arrive at a time they most
needed. It also helps most people survive a lot of oddities in life.

Socio-Cultural Effect of Disasters

➢ Change in individual roles ➢ Disruption of social relationships and personal connections

4. Economic Perspective- Disasters affect the economic condition of a community because they reduce
local and international trade. It can also partially or totally paralyze a country’s transportation system,
just like what happened in the COVID19 pandemic.
Implementation of a partial and total shut down of local business operations result to a lot of people
losing means of living.
Economic Effects of Disasters

- Loss of life - Unemployment - Loss of property - Loss of household articles - Loss of crops - Loss of
public infrastructure
5. Political Perspective- Natural disasters are commonly thought to be less politically argumentative than
armed conflicts, yet a closer look shows that both the effects of a natural disaster and the resulting
distribution of humanitarian aid are profoundly linked to politics. Just as vulnerability to disasters is
mediated by the political system of a country, disasters can have major consequences for political
stability and political legitimacy (Hörhager, date?). Since agencies of government have a significant role
to play in directing disaster preparedness, prevention and recovery. Social systems establish
vulnerability to natural disasters and governments are often considered to be responsible for the
disaster effects.
6. Biological Perspective- The disturbing effects caused by a prevalent kind of disease or virus in an
epidemic or pandemic level is known as biological disaster.
(a) Epidemic Level: Biological disaster affects large numbers of people within a given community or area.
Ex: Dengue.
(b) Pandemic Level: Biological disaster affects a much large region, sometime spanning entire continents
or the globe Biological disasters can wipe out an entire population at a short span of time. Example of it
is the COVID19 pandemic which infected millions in less than a month and left thousands of deaths in
the same duration. Viral respiratory infections can lead to anything from a mild cough that lasts a few
weeks or months to full-blown persistent wheezing or asthma (Martin, 2020). Since COVID19 is a
respiratory disease, the public is advised by health authorities to do health precaution to prevent social
contamination. Examples are: observing physical distancing, appropriate washing of the hands, wearing
of mask at all times once outside of one’s home, and boosting one’s immune system. COVID19 patients
who have strong immune system can likely soon recover from the disease. Also, those who follow the
health precaution strictly have less chance of being infected. As such, the effects of a biological disaster
can be reduced.
Effects of Biological Disasters
•Loss of lives • Hunger •Public demobilization •Negative economic effect •Unemployment