THMC002

MODULE 4

Mr. Joseph Gavriil T. Puig

Disaster Risk
Reduction &
Management

MODULE 4
Mr. Joseph Gavriil T. Puig
Objectives:

At the end of the period, the students should be

able to:

• identify the four theories of disasters; and

• explain the disaster risk reduction and
Management Framework
Disaster
It is a serious disruption of the functioning of a community or
a society involving widespread human, material, or
environmental losses and impacts which exceed the ability of
the affected community to cope using only its own resources.
The UNISDR (The United Nations Office of Disaster Risk
Reduction defined disaster as “a serious disruption of the
functioning of a community or a society involving widespread
human, material, or environment losses and impacts which
exceed the ability of the affected community to cope using
only its own resources.”
The Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disaster
defined disaster as “an unforeseen event that the causes
great damage, destruction and human suffering, which
overwhelms local capacity, necessitating a national or
international level assistance.”
Hazards Vs. Disaster
The World Health Organization’s Emergency and
Humanitarian Action Programme defines hazard as, “A
natural or human-made event that threatens to adversely
affect human life, property or activity to the extent of
causing a disaster”.

From the definition, it can be gleaned that hazards in

themselves do not constitute disasters, it is when the
hazards impact the vulnerable community that they
become disaster.
Several important elements can be culled out from the
definition above:
Serious disruption – disasters disturb the normal
processes in a society – from an individual up to the
community and society in general.
Widespread losses, great damage, and destruction –
disasters result in a magnitude of losses – from the lives
of people to the physical properties and environment
damages.
Exceeds the ability to cope, overwhelms local
capacity – the phenomenon is classified as a disaster
when the affected community cannot fully, efficiently, and
effectively handle the consequences of the phenomena. It
means that they were vulnerable to the said phenomena,
making it a disaster.
Effects and Impact of Disaster

The impacts of disasters cannot be measured fully. The only details

that can be proxy measures are the number of people killed or
affected, and the properties and livelihood lost.

• The impact of disasters can also be seen through the lens of

direct and indirect losses.
Direct losses – the immediate consequences of the
disaster or the physical phenomenon itself.
Indirect losses – that are not provoked by the disaster
itself, but by its consequences such as the reduction in
economic output and the long-term consequences of costs
to infrastructure as a result of the disaster.

• The poor are the most affected by the disaster.

• Agriculture is the most affected sector when natural disaster
strike.
Four Theories of Disaster
• Act of God - there are situations that tend to arise from
uncontrollable forces, in other words situations that are beyond
human understanding.
• Act of Nature - includes earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic
eruptions, landslides, hurricanes, floods, wildfires, heat waves
and droughts.
• Disaster as Joint effects of nature and society - hazards arise
from the interaction of a physical event system and a human use
system.
• Disaster as Social Constructions - A good example of this type of
disaster was the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami that
enveloped eastern Japan, whereas the disaster was heightened in
its danger and effect by having the Fukishima nuclear reactor melt
down and the continuing effects of radiation contamination far
from the affected area.
Disaster Risk Reduction and Management
Phases of DRRM:
Disaster prevention and mitigation – means the avoidance or lessening of the
adverse impact of hazards through actions taken in advances such as the
application of engineering techniques and hazard-resistant construction and/or the
implementation of policies, laws, programs, projects, and activities; knowledge
management; and public awareness.
Disaster preparedness – RA10121defines this thematic area as “the knowledge
and capacities developed by governments, professional response and recovery
organizations, communities and individuals to effectively anticipate, respond to, and
recover from, the impacts or likely, imminent or current hazard events or conditions.
Disaster response – The Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act
of 2010 defines disaster response as “the provision of emergency services and
public assistance during or immediately after a disaster in order to save lives, reduce
health impacts, ensure public safety and meet the basic subsistence needs of the
people affected.
Disaster rehabilitation and recovery – RA 10121 defines it as “measures that
ensure the ability of affected communities or areas to restore their normal level of
functioning”.
DRRM and Sustainable Development

It must be done in the context of sustainable

development. Sustainable development, according to
the United Nations, is “development that meets the
needs of the present without compromising the ability
of future generations to meet their own needs.

There must be strong policies and laws that are

implemented in order to prevent and mitigate the
impact of hazards, and strong fortifications and
infrastructure as well. In addition, the community must
be equipped with skills and capacities in order for them
to be prepared to face the impact of hazards.