Hazards

Hazards
● Potentially damaging materials, physical events (no on-going construction sign / lack
of signages: inability to implement to protective measures), natural phenomena, or
human activities (pollution, wars, arson) that may cause injury or loss of life, damage
to property, social and economic disruption, or environmental degradation (UNISDR,
2007).
● Thus, hazards are threats to safety and survival.

Types of Hazards
● Natural hazards
○ Geological
○ Hydrometeorological
○ Biological
○ Astronomical
○ Climotological
● Anthropogenic hazards
○ Fire hazards
○ Industrial and technological hazards
○ Civil conflicts
○ Other hazardous human activities (e.g.: accidents, carelessness, inability to
implement to protective measures)

Hazard Analysis / Profiling

● Essential in predicting and planning for possible disasters
● Provides descriptions of the hazards
● Help in setting priorities and corresponding to the need for protection
● Assist in designing the appropriate DRRM system, plan, programs, and services

Types of Hazard Analysis / Profiling

● Community hazards and disaster history matrix
○ Pertains to the identification of existing hazards and/or disasters that the
community have experienced
● Hazard and vulnerability mapping
○ Pertains to the identification of specific hazard where an area is vulnerable to
● Factor analysis
○ Is a tool that describes the characteristics of a hazard in terms of the following
(Heijmans and Victoria, 2001)
■ Frequency - how often does the hazard occur?
■ Duration - how long does it occur?
■ Speed of onset - how fast does it occur upon initial detection?