DISASTER READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION

LESSON 1
 DISASTER
Sudden calamitous occurrence that causes great harm, injury destruction, and devastation to
azard - A hazard is a source or
life and property.
• It disrupts the usual course of life, causing both physical and emotional distress such as an condition that has the potential
to cause harm to
intense feeling of helplessness and hopelessness.
• A preceding definition of disaster stresses that two elements are affected life (whether human
or animal) and property.
DISASTERS
are often a result of the combination of the exposure to a hazard; the conditions of vulnerability humans in the form of injury or
illness, property damage,
that are present; and insufficient capacity or measures to reduce or cope with the potential
negative consequences.

azard - A hazard is a source or environmental damage, or

condition that has the potential a combination of these.
to cause harm to azard - A hazard is a source or
humans in the form of injury or condition that has the potential
illness, property damage, to cause harm to
environmental damage, or humans in the form of injury or
a combination of these. illness, property damage,
environmental damage, or
 DISASTER READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION
LESSON
a combination of these.
2. MAN-MADE DISASTER– these occur due to people’s actions against human, materials
and environment.
Man-made Types of Disasters

azard - A hazard is a source or

●crime
●civil disorder
●terrorism

condition that has the potential ●war

●biological/chemical threat
●cyber-attacks

to cause harm to
humans in the form of injury or
illness, property damage, THREE CATEGORIES OF MAN MADE

environmental damage, or 1.TECHNOLOGICAL/INDUSTRIAL.DISASTERS

Unregulated industrialization and inadequate safety standards increase the risk for industrial

a combination of these
disasters.
EXAMPLES: leaks of hazardous materials; accidental explosions; bridge or road collapses, or
vehicle collisions; Power cuts
2 TYPES OF DISASTER:
2. TERRORISM/VIOLENCE
1. NATURAL DISASTER– these originate from the different “forces” of nature. Natural the threat of terrorism has also increased due to the spread of technologies involving nuclear,
Types of Disasters biological, and chemical agents used to develop weapons of mass destruction.
Storm surge
El Nino / La Nina 3. SOCIAL DISASTERS
Earthquakes A. TERRORISM/VIOLENCE -
Hurricanes / Landslide the threat of terrorism has also increased due to the spread of technologies involving nuclear,
Thunderstorms / Tornadoes biological, and chemical agents used to develop weapons of mass destruction.
Tsunamis / Wildfires EXAMPLES: bombs or explosions; release of chemical materials; release of biological agents;
Pandemic / Extreme Heat release of radioactive agents; multiple or massive shootings; mutinies
Floods
B. COMPLEX HUMANITARIAN EMERGENCIES –
the term complex emergency is usually used to describe the humanitarian emergency resulting
 DISASTER READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION
LESSON 3 & 4
from an international or civil war.
EXAMPLES: conflicts or wars and Genocide the deliberate killing of a large group of people,
especially those of a particular ethnic group or nation.

 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 READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION
LESSON
usually used to describe the
3. Complex humanitarian humanitarian emergency
emergencies - the term resulting from an
complex emergency is international or civil war.
usually used to describe the
humanitarian emergency
DISASTER RISK
The potential loss of life, injury, or destroyed or damaged assets which could occur to a
system, society or a community in a specific period of time, determined probabilistically as a

resulting from an
function of hazard, exposure, vulnerability and capacity.

international or civil war.

3. Complex humanitarian
emergencies - the term
complex emergency is
 DISASTER READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION
LESSON 3 & 4
HAZARD 3. SOCIO- CULTURAL FACTORS
is a dangerous phenomenon, substance, human activity or condition. It may cause loss of life,
 religion
injury or other health impacts, property damage, loss of livelihoods and services, social and
 social status
economic disruption, or environmental damage.
 traditions
POTENTIAL HAZARD
 perception by society
means a danger to health safety which may occur if corrective action is not taken.
VULNERABILITY 4. ECONOMIC FACTORS
is the characteristics determined by social, economic and environmental factors which increase
the susceptibility to the impacts of hazards. EXPOSURE  assets and liabilities
The situation of people, infrastructure, housing, production capacities and other tangible human  income
assets located in hazard-prone areas  social and economic class
5. POLITICAL FACTORS
 government structures
 diplomatic issues

DISASTER RISK EQUATION

LESSON 3
HAZARD X VULNERABILITY
RISK= NATURAL DISASTER
CAPACITY
can bring about many devastating effects. Among these are deaths, destruction of
Reduction of the level of vulnerability and exposure is possible by keeping people and property infrastructures, loss of livelihood and services, and other physical and nonphysical effects.
as distant as possible from hazards.
THE 4 HUMAN EFFECT OF NATURAL AND MAN-MADE DISASTERS
1. DISPLACED POPULATIONS
DISASTER RISK FACTORS 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
1. PHYSICAL FACTORS 6. BIOLOGICAL FACTORS abandon their homes and seek shelter in other regions.
tangible objects or infrastructure  health issues
availability of fire exits diseases 2. HEALTH RISKS
sturdiness of the building injuries 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
2. PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS waterborne bacteria and malaria carrying mosquitoes.
include state of mental capacity and health
3. FOOD SCARCITY
fear The aftermath of natural disasters affects the food supplies. Thousands of people around the
 DISASTER READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION
LESSON
world are hungry because of destroyed crops and loss of agricultural supplies, whether it 2. PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
happens suddenly in a storm or gradually in a drought. 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
4. EMOTIONAL AFTERSHOCKS
even by the victims, themselves.
Natural disasters can be particularly traumatic for young children. Confronted with scenes of
Psychological effects of a Disaster
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.  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

LESSON 4

THE 6 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 3. SOCIO-CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE
effects of a disaster can be easily measured and the most common Socio-Cultural Effect of Disasters
Effects of Physical Disasters  change in individual roles
 disruption of social relationships and personal connections
 Injuries
 Physical disabilities or illness 4. ECONOMIC PERSPECTIVE ECONOMIC
 Sanitation Effects of Disasters
 Damage in infrastructure
 loss of life
 unemployment
 DISASTER READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION
LESSON 3 & 4
 loss of property  negative economic effect
 loss of household articles  unemployment
 loss of crops  hunger
 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
Political Effects of a Disaster
 People who have trust in political institution will assess the government’s risk
assessments as credible and accept their hazard policies (Johnson 1999)
 Low level of trust in public institutions therefore means that citizens may ignore the
recommendations and disregard the information provided by these institutions
(McCaffey 2004).
 If individuals are confident that they will receive sufficient aid from the government
when a disaster occurs, they might not be motivated to take measures on their own
(King and Kang 2000)

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.
Effects of Biological Disasters

 loss of lives
 public demobilization