Three important elements of Disaster Risk Things that are taken into consideration when risk

factors underlying disaster are involved:

EXPOSURE
• 2009b the “elements at risk from a
natural or man-made hazard event
• refers to the degree to which a
community is likely to experience
hazard events of different magnitude.
HAZARD
• Potentially damaging physical event
phenomenon, or human activities that
may cause harm the loss of life or
injury, property damage, social and
economic disruption or environmental
damage.
VULNERABILITY
• Defined as the characteristics and
circumstances of a community system
or resources that make it susceptible to
the damaging effect of a hazard.
• Defined as the characteristics and
circumstances of a community system
or resources that make it susceptible to
the damaging effect of a hazard.
• - 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 can not avoid natural events from
occurring, but we can concentrate on
addressing the reduction of risk and
exposure by determining the factors
causing disasters.
RISK FACTORS
• Are processes or conditions oftern
development-related, that influence
the level of disaster risk by increasing
levels of exposure and vulnerability or
reducing capacity
SEVERITY OF EXPOSURE
• Which measures those who experience
disaster first hand 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.
6 Factors that underlie disaster:
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
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,).
• 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).
• 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).
5.POORLY PLANNED AND MANAGED URBAN
DEVELOPMENT
• A new wave of urbanization is unfolding
in hazard exposed countries and with it,
new oppurtunities for resillient
invesment emerge.
• People, poverty, and disaster risk are
increasingly concentrated in cities.
• Growing rate of urbanization + increase
in population density
WEAK GOVERNANCE
• weak governance zones are investment
environments in which public sector
actors are unable or willing to assume
thier roles and responsibilities in
protecting rights, providing basic
services and public services.
• Disaster risk is diproportionately
concentrated in lower-income countries
with weak governance
Effects of Disasters on one’s Life
A natural disaster can bring about many devastating
effects. Among these are deaths, destruction of
infrastructures, loss of livelihood and services, and
other physical and nonphysical effects. Since we are
partly responsible for the disasters happening around
us, we must change some of our ways, in order to
prevent or minimize the effects of disasters in our lives.
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.
Manmade 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 and Man-Made 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 a
result, 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.
Great damage caused by a disaster can be reduced if
everyone will take responsibility in anticipating its
effects. Here are some ways on how to plan ahead of a
disaster:
1. Check for hazards at home.
2. Identify safe place indoors and outdoors
3. Educate yourself and family members
4. Have Disaster kits/supplies on hand.
5. Develop an emergency communication plan.
6. Help your community get ready.
7. Practice the Disaster Preparedness Cycle
Disasters from Different Perspectives
The Different Perspectives of Disaster
1. Physical Perspectives
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.
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.
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.
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.
These traits help a lot of Filipinos to survive the
challenge of COVID19 in the country. To people who are
used to natural calamities like typhoons, flash floods,
and volcanic eruptions most citizen would find
contentment with what they have at the moment. The
culture of “malalampasan din natin ‘to..” belief and “
bahala na ang 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
During a disaster, individuals may need to take on new
roles and responsibilities to adapt to the crisis.
Traditional gender roles, cultural norms, or social
hierarchies may be challenged or reshaped. This can
lead to a reevaluation of societal expectations and a
shift in power dynamics.
• Disruption of social relationships and
personal connections
Disasters often lead to the displacement of individuals
and the breakdown or reorientation of social networks.
People may be separated from their families, friends,
and community members, resulting in feelings of
isolation and loss. The loss of social support systems
can hinder the recovery process and create challenges
for community cohesion.
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.
5. Political Perspetive
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, 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.
5. 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.
(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
ex. Swine Flue, COVID19
Mitigation Strategies
Mitigation involves acting to reduce the risk of life or
property damage from a potentially dangerous incident.
There is no way to avoid natural disasters, but people
and organizations may take steps to minimize the harm
and losses that they cause. Furthermore, mitigation is
defined by Merriam Webster’s dictionary as process or
result of making something less severe, dangerous,
painful, harsh, or damaging. The National Academies
Press describes mitigation as actions taken to prevent
or reduce the risk to life, social and economic, and
natural resources from natural hazards.
Programs that intensify nation’s hazard mitigation
capabilities includes the following steps:
1. Protection of schools and hospitals
All new schools and hospitals should be located and
constructed to ensure that high-hazard areas are
avoided and that special provisions are made to reduce
the potential for damage by natural hazards.
Furthermore, existing school and hospital buildings
should be surveyed to determine their resistance levels
to relevant hazards.
2. Adoption of nonstructural measures
Businesses and households should adopt non-
structural mitigation measures to mitigate casualties
from natural hazards and property damage. For
example, furniture and equipment can be easily
secured to reduce earthquake injuries and damage.
Other non-structural steps are vegetation management
to reduce damage from wildfires, and structure position
away from high-risk areas.
3. Incorporation of mitigation into new development
Local jurisdictions should ensure that new
developments are located, designed and built to resist
natural hazards. They should use hazard and risk
assessment information, land use plans and zoning
regulations to limit the development of hazard-prone
areas. Compatible uses of floodplains and other
hazardous areas should be incorporated into local
planning and zoning so that losses are reduced. Such
areas could have a high value for recreation, reserves
for fish and wildlife, open space, or other community
use.
4. Protection of cultural properties
Mitigation preparation and intervention will include
preservation of libraries, landmarks, historic buildings,
art works, and other cultural resources. Like preserving
and sheltering the following Architectural and artistic
significance, artworks, archaeological sites, antiquites,
books and manuscripts. The Cultural properties under
protection of “International Register of Cultural
Property” Pursuant to the 1954 Hague Convention.
5. Protection of natural resources
The mitigation plans and protection measures included
in the disaster response plans should identify
particularly valuable natural resources such as
endangered species of wildlife, fish, and plants. These
natural resources are not only present in the wild but
also in zoos and parks.
6. Government leadership of mitigation
implementation
Government at all levels should set an example by
requiring that new facilities that they fund, regulate, or
lease be designed, built, and located in accordance with
modern building codes and sound. Program disaster
resilience expanding mitigation, awareness action and
coordination through google meet and zoom.
7. Mitigation training
Training programs should be developed and offered
with a focus on contemporary challenges associated
with mitigation implementation. Like training
conducted by Disaster Risk Reduction and
Manangement in the Philippines, through online
programs and interactive activities.
8. Hazard-specific research
Recent disasters showed the advantages of mitigation
activities, thus emphasizing the need for research to
improve mitigation practices. The school should provide
Hazard-specific implementation guide for the students
Actions or plans to protect human lives and properties
1. Develop and rehearse a family disaster plan—what to
do if you are forced to leave home.
2. Include a communications plan—how to contact each
other if you become separated.
3. Put emergency supplies together, one set for your
home and one set for your car. Emergency supplies will
contain food, water, a kit for first aid, flashlights, a radio
and several batteries. The kit should also have flares
and jumper cables inside your car.
4. Know how to shut off your appliances and keep the
resources you need in hand. Make sure other family
members know how to do that, too. 5. Duplicate
important documents such as wills, birth certificates,
financial statements, insurance plans and numbers of
credit cards. Keep the originals in a box for safe deposit.
6. Make a detailed inventory of your personal
belongings, home or an apartment, garage and
surrounding property, with photographs or videos and
store it in a save place.
Precautionary Measures for Landslide and Sinkholes
Vulnerability and exposure to geohazards are
determined and validated through scientific tools,
visible signs, and maps. Communities are advised to
take precautionary measure to prevent unnecessary
damage to lives and properties
Landslides are also known as country slips.
· If your area is prone to landslide, plant more
trees, grasses, and other vegetation for soil
compaction and erosion prevention.
· Build mudflow or debris flow diversion channels
to steer flow away from your property.
· Make sure that diversion does not affect any
neighbor or property and/or result in more
substantial damage. Do not build your house on or
near steep slopes, mountain edges, drainages, or
natural erosion valleys
Here are some steps to consider before, during and
after a landslide:
A. Before a Landslide
1. Be familiar with your surroundings. Watch for any
changes to certain objects' presence or positions. When
there is a sudden debris flow, this could be a good
indicator of an incoming landslide.
2. Avoid open storm-water drainage and runoff as these
areas are likely to receive debris and soil from higher
elevations, especially when there is a storm or heavy
rainfall.
3. Be updated on news regarding the condition of your
area.
4. Be aware of the disaster plans of your local
government.
5. Learn and participate in emergency response and
evacuation plans for your community.
B. During a Landslide
1. Be attentive to unusual such as cracking objects,
moving debris, and rolling boulders.
2. Stay away from the path of debris. This is more
dangerous if mudflow occurs because it increases in
strength as it meets more water from ponds or streams
and it could be aggravated by heavy rain.
3. Stay alert and awake. Listen for unusual sounds that
might indicate moving debris, such as trees cracking or
boulders knocking together
4. Stay on an elevated and sturdy area. Avoid low-lying
areas and steep slopes.
5. If escape is not possible, curl into a tight ball and
protect your head. Find a structure that can serve to
protect you from the flow of debris.
C. After a Landslide
1. Stay away from a slide area as there is still danger of
more landslides.
2. Listen for the latest emergency information.
3. Follow warnings and instruction from the local
government.
4. If the landslide is caused by rainfall, watch out for
flooding as it will follow the same path taken by the
debris flow.
5. Check for injured or trapped people near the slide,
and flooding as it will follow other potential hazards.
Report these immediately to the rescuers or
authorities.
Sinkhole, also known as a cenote, swallet, swallow
hole, or doline.
The sinkhole is a depression or hole in the ground
caused by some form of surface layer collapse. Most of
them are caused by processes of karst-the chemical
dissolution of carbonate rocks or suffusion. Sinkholes
vary in diameter and depth from 1 to 600 m (3.3 to
2000 ft) and vary in shape from soil-lined bowls to
bedrock-edged chasms. Sinkholes may gradually or
suddenly form, and are found all over the world

In an event that sinkholes are not detected earlier and

it appears suddenly, do the following: 1. Find refuge in a
stable ground or open area.
u National Disaster Management Plan of 2016
2. Wait until the structures on and around the sinkhole stated that HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL is a
stops moving. Do not attempt to go back and retrieve process or phenomenon of atmospheric,
your belongings. hydrological or oceanographic nature that
may cause loss of life, injury or other health
3. Wait for the local government’s announcement impacts, property damage, loss of
when it is safe to go back. livelihoods and services, social and
economic disruption, or environmental
After a sinkhole’s appearance, here are the following damage.
steps to do:
Signs of Impending Hydro-meteorological Hazards
1. Stay away from the sinkhole.
u 1. Tropical cyclone, also called typhoon or
2. Monitor the damages on objects. For example, if the hurricane, an intense circular storm that
crack gets longer or wider the sinkhole may still enlarge. originates over warm tropical oceans and is
characterized by low atmospheric pressure,
3. Do not throw anything into the sinkhole. Anything
high winds, and heavy rain
thrown into it may contaminate the groundwater.
u WEATHER FORECAST - is a scientific estimate
4. Secure whatever is left of your properties and
of future weather condition.
relocate to safe grounds, preferably far from this
location because the same bedrock or soil profile may u Weather condition- a state of the
characterize the vicinities of the sinkhole. atmosphere at a given time expressed in
terms of the most significant variables.
Hydrometeorological Hazards
u In the Philippines, cloudiness, rainfall and
u Hydrometeorology comes from the root word
wind are the weather parameters with
“hydro” and the root word “meteorology.”
significant variation according to PAGASA,
u Hydro means water and Meteorology means and therefore of interest to the forecast
the study of atmosphere, atmospheric users.
phenomenon, and atmospheric effects of
2. Thunderstorm - is a powerful, short-lived weather
our weather.
disturbance, almost always associated with lightning,
thunder, dense clouds, heavy rain or hail, and fast,
roaring winds.

u Thunderstorms occur when layers of dry,

moist air rise to cooler regions of the
atmosphere in a broad, rapid updraft.
 u Thunderstorm forms through 3 stages known
as CUMULUS STAGE, MATURE STAGE and
DISSIPATING STAGE.
u a. Cumulus Stage where the sun heats the
Earth's surface during the day and warms
the air around it.
u b. MATURE STAGE. A cumulus cloud becomes
very large, where the water therein
becomes large and heavy, and raindrops
begin to fall through the cloud when the
rising air can no longer hold them up.
u c. DISSIPATING STAGE. After 30 minutes,
thunderstorm begins to dissipate, this
occurs when the downdraft in the cloud
begins to dominate over the updraft. Since
warm moist air can no longer rise, cloud
droplets can no longer form
3. FLOOD & FLASHFLOOD Flood is a high-water stage in
which water overflows its natural or artificial banks
onto normally dry land, such as a river inundating its
floodplain.
u The effects of floods on human well-being
range from unqualified blessings to
catastrophes.
Here are the main types of floods to look out for:
1. Inland flooding is the technical name for ordinary
flooding that occurs in inland areas, hundreds of miles
from the coast.
2. Flash floods are caused by heavy rain or the sudden
release of water over a short period of time. The name
"flash" refers to their fast occurrence and also to their
raging torrents of water that move with great speed.
Flash floods are also caused by heavy precipitation in a
short period of time, usually less than 6 hours.
3. River flooding occurs when water levels in rivers,
lakes, and streams rise and overflow onto the
surrounding banks, shores, and neighboring land.
4. Coastal flooding is the inundation of land areas along
the coast by seawater.
5. Urban flooding occurs when there is a lack of
drainage in an urban (city) area.
4. Storm surge or "Daluyong ng Bagyo" in the
Philippine system where the irregular sea-level rise
during tropical cyclone or "bagyo" occurs.
Ø When the tropical cyclone reaches the coast,
powerful winds force the ocean water over
the coastal low-lying areas, which can lead
to flooding.
Ø PAGASA takes many technological
considerations into account when
forecasting the negative impacts of a storm
surge.
Storm Surge
For storm surge prone communities, the most
important considerations are the strength of the
tropical cyclone; the height of the surge, and the
community located in the low-lying area.
5. EL NIÑO - means The Little Boy, or Christ Child in
Spanish.
u El Niño was originally recognized by fishermen
off the coast of South America in the 1600s,
with the appearance of unusually warm
water in the Pacific Ocean.
u The name was chosen based on the time of
year (around December) during which these
warm waters events tended to occur. It
often leads to weakening trade winds.
u The term El Niño refers to the large-scale
ocean atmosphere climate interaction
linked to a periodic warming in sea surface
temperatures across the central and
eastcentral Equatorial Pacific.
6. LA NIÑA – means The Little Girl in Spanish.
u also sometimes called El Viejo, anti-El Niño, or
simply "a cold event." La Niña episodes
represent periods of below-average sea
surface temperatures across the east-
central Equatorial Pacific.
u Global climate La Niña impacts tend to be
opposite those of El Niño impacts. In the
tropics, ocean temperature variations in La
Niña also tend to be opposite those of El
Niño.