Notes on Lesson 1: What is Disaster and Disaster Risk?

Introduction to Disasters

- Definition: Disasters are sudden, calamitous events causing great damage, injury, or loss
of life and property. They significantly disrupt normal life, leading to physical and
emotional distress.

- Types of Disasters: Classified into natural disasters (caused by natural forces) and man-
made disasters (directly caused by human actions).

Natural Disasters

- Characteristics: Can be rapid onset (e.g., earthquakes, typhoons) or progressive onset

(e.g., droughts leading to famine).

- Location Influence: The Philippines, positioned along the Ring of Fire, is highly
susceptible to natural disasters like earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

Man-Made Disasters

- Categories:

1. Technological/industrial disasters: Linked to industrial accidents due to unregulated

industrialization and inadequate safety standards (e.g., hazardous material leaks).

2. Terrorism/Violence: Includes acts of terrorism using nuclear, biological, and chemical

weapons, shootings, and mutinies.

3. Complex humanitarian emergencies: Arise from conflicts or wars, leading to massive

displacements and disruptions of basic infrastructure.

Impact of Disasters

- Varied Effects: The impact of disasters varies based on geographical location, climate,
and the community's level of vulnerability.

- Consequences: Include loss of life, injury, psychological effects, socio-economic and

environmental degradation.
Disaster Risk

- Definition: The potential future losses in lives, health status, livelihoods, assets, and
services that could occur within a community or society due to disasters.

- Components:

- Hazard: Potential threat to humans and their welfare.

- Vulnerability: The susceptibility of a community to the impact of hazards.

- Coping Capacity: The ability of a community to prevent or minimize the potential

negative effects of hazards.

Risk and Its Multidisciplinary Nature

- General Definition: Risk is the combination of the probability of an event and its negative
consequences.

- Disaster Risk Factors: Includes the hazard itself, the community's vulnerability, and its
capacity to cope or mitigate the effects.

Key Takeaways

- Disasters disrupt life and cause significant harm to individuals, communities, and
societies.

- The Philippines' geographical position makes it particularly prone to natural disasters.

- Man-made disasters can result from technological failures, terrorism, or complex

humanitarian emergencies.

- The damage from disasters depends on various factors, including location, vulnerability,
and the ability to cope.

- Understanding and managing disaster risk involves assessing hazards, vulnerabilities,

and capacities to mitigate and respond to potential disasters.