D I S A S T E R R E A D I N E S S

A N D R IS K R E D U C T I O N
ACUL AO FA B IE , RN, L PT
JEFF OLIVER B
Welcome
Learning Outcomes
Present disaster along
physical,
psychological, socio-
Clarify the meaning State the effects of
cultural, economic,
of disaster and disaster on human political, and
disaster risk life biological pespectives

Identify the
Explain the risk Stress how and different
factors underlying when an event areas/locations
disasters becomes a disaster exposed to hazards
that may lead to
disaster
DEFINITION OF DISASTER AND DISASTER
RISK
 A “sudden, calamitous event, bringing
great damage, loss, destruction and
devastation to life and property
(Asian Disaster Preparedness Center –
ADPC, 2002

Its origin can be natural, such as

earthquakes, floods and hurricanes,
or of human origin, such as
explosions, nuclear accidents and
terrorist acts
 “a serious disruption of the
functioning of society, causing
widespread human, material or
environmental losses, which exceed
the ability of the affected people to
cope, using their human resources”
(Adelman, 2011)

Socio-cultural
perspective
Disaster Disaster
Risk
“the probability that a community’s
structure or geographic area is to be
damaged or disrupted by the impact of a
particular hazard, on account of its nature,
construction and proximity to a hazardous
area” (ADPC, 2012)
 It is derived from the interaction of social and
environmental processes, from the combination of
physical hazards and the vulnerability of exposed
elements

Disaster risk signifies the possibility of adverse

effects in the future
Disaster
Natural
Human-induced
 Natural Disasters – originate from the
different “forces” of nature (geological,
meteorological, hydrometeorological and
biological). Natural disasters such as
earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, typhoons,
and cyclones affect many countries in Asia
particularly in the Philippines
 Human-induced disasters – occur due to
people’s actions against human, material and
environment. These include transport and
industrial accidents, such as, air and train
crashes, chemical spills, and building
collapses.

Terrorism is also categorized as human – made

disasters
Disasters can take many different forms
and the duration can range from an hour
to days or weeks of ongoing destruction.
(Hewith and Burton, 1971)
Natural Types of Disasters
Tornadoes
Tsunamis
Agricultural diseases and pests Wildfires
Storm surge Sinkholes
Drought and water shortage – El
Emergency disease
Niño
Earthquakes (pandemic influenza)
Hurricanes and tropical storms Extreme heat
Landslides and debris flow Floods and flash floods
Thunderstorms and lightning
La Niña
 Hazardous materials
Power service disruptions and blackout
Nuclear power plant and nuclear blast
Radiological emergencies
Chemical threat and biological weapons
Cyber attacks
Explosion
Civil unrest

Human – induced and

Technological Types
Risk Factors underlying Disasters
A number of factors make it more
likely that those affected will
have more severe or longer
lasting stress reactions after
disasters Summarized
risk factors
made by
ADPC, 2012
Severity of the exposure

The amount of exposure to the disaster is highly related to

risk of future mental problems. At highest risk are those that
go through the disaster themselves. Next are those in close
contact with victims. At lower risk of lasting impact are
those who only had indirect exposure, such as news of the
severe damage
Women suffer more negative
effects than men does.
Recovery is more stressful
when children are present in
the same home.

Also, conflicts between

family members or lack of
support in the home make it
harder to recover from
disasters
Adults who are in the
age range of 40-60
are likely to be more
distressed after
disasters.
Other factors specific to the survivor

Recovery is worse if
survivors:
Were not functioning well before the disaster

Have had no experience dealing with disasters

Must deal with other stressors after the disaster

Have poor self – esteem and think they are

uncared for by others
They think they have little control over
what happens to them

Lack the capacity to manage stress

Other factors have also been found

to predict worse outcomes:
Bereavement (death of someone
close
Injury to self or another family
member
Life threat
Panic, horror, or feelings like that
during the disaster
Being separated from family
Great loss of property
displacement
Developing countries
There is a strong body of evidence
that these risk factors can be made
worse if the disaster occurs in a
developing country

Disasters in the Philippines have

more severe mental health impact
than others
Low or Negative Social Support
The support of others can be both
a risk and a resilience factor.
Social support can weaken after
disasters.
Effects of Disasters
on

Human Life
 Where Am I going now?
Where shall I Live ?

Displaced Populations
 A large influx of
Immediate effect refugees can
disrupt
accessibility of
health care and
Population education, as well
displacement as food supplies
and clean water
HEALTH RISKS
Water-borne diseases
dysentery
Gastric related disease
Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever
Leptospirosis and typhoid fevers
Food Scarcity
After natural disasters,
food often becomes
scarce. Thousands of
people around the
world go hungry as a
result of destroyed
crops and loss of
agricultural supplies
 Natural disasters
can be particularly
traumatic for young
children.
Post-traumatic
Emotional Aftershocks stress disorder
(PTSD)
How and When an Event
Becomes a Disaster ?
An event, either human-induced or
natural, becomes a disaster when it
is sudden or progressive, causing
widespread human, material or
environmental losses.
 Yolanda is a natural phenomenon

Strength 290 km/hr

Storm surge was sudden and unexpected
7000+ people perished
Entire Tacloban flattened to the ground
Ondoy 2009 Willie Revillame
 For Discussion, Action and Research
Conduct a research or present a paper of some
events in the Philippine context that turned to a
disaster. Classify such events whether they are
natural or human-induced
Areas/Locations Exposed to Hazards
Areas/Locations Exposed to:
Coastal areas Storm Surge, tsunami or tidal wave

Reclaimed areas Flooding, sinkhole

Near fault lines Earthquake

On foot of denuded mountains Mudslide/Landslide

Near volcanoes (danger zones) Volcanic eruption – pyroclastic materials,

lahar flow, lava flow and ash fall
River banks and esteros Flooding, flash floods

Open fields Thunderstorm, hailstorm, blizzard

 Exposed to Human-induced Hazard
Areas/Locations Exposed to:
Near Oil Depots Oil spill, pollution

Near Mining Projects Toxic waster – heavy metal, lead, mercury,

nitric acid, etc
Near Chemical Plants Chemical fumes, chemical waste

Near Nuclear Plants Nuclear waste, possible technical failure,

leaks, or worse accidental explosion
Near Factories Factory waste, pollution

Unsafe building structure Fire

Public places in Mega Cities Terrorism

 Disasters from Different Perspective
A disaster is a result of vast ecological breakdown in the
relation between humans and their environment; a
serious or sudden event on such a scale that the stricken
community needs extraordinary efforts to cope with it,
often with outside help or international aid.

Disaster is analyzed from different perspective as follows

 Physical
Perspective
Disaster is defined as a
phenomenon that can
cause damage to
physical elements such
as buildings,
infrastructures,
including people and
their properties
 Physical effects are the most visible and quantifiable
effects of a disaster.

Considered in data recording

Assessment of disaster is focused on the following
common questions:
How many families are affected? (displacement, injury,
death)
How many houses are damaged or washed out? (in case
of super typhoons)
Psychological Perspective
Psychological research has shown
that disasters can cause serious
mental health consequences and
takes in the form of Post Traumatic
Stress Disorder (PTSD)
In a psychological context
Occurrence involving unexpected
Uncontrollable event rather than a long
Term experience
Other psychological effects of a disaster
Emotional effects
Shock, terror. Irritability, blame, anger, guilt,
grief/sadness, helplessness, loss of pleasure
derived from familiar activities, difficulty
feeling happy, difficulty feeling loved
 Impaired concentration, decision-
making ability, memory impairment,
disbelief, confusion, nightmares,
decrease self esteem, self-efficacy,
self-blame, intrusive thoughts,
memories, dissociation
Physical effects

Fatigue, exhaustion, insomnia, CV strain,

startle response, hyper arousal, increased
physical pain, reduced immune response,
headaches, GI upset, decreased appetite,
libido, vulnerability to illness
Interpersonal effects
Increased relational conflict, social withdrawal,
reduced relational intimacy, alienation, impaired
work performance, decreased satisfaction,
distrust, externalization of blame, of vulnerability,
feeling abndoned
Socio – Cultural Perspective
 People’s socio-cultural
background may affect their
responses to disasters at the
different stages of disaster
management
 Socio-cultural point of view, a disaster is
analyzed based on how people respond having a
parameter their social conditions and cultural
settings.

These two factors are important determinants of

the degree of risks, resilience and vulnerability of
those affected.
Economic Perspective
 A natural disaster can be
define as a natural event
that causes a perturbation
to the functioning of the
economic system, with a
significant negative impact
on assets, production
factors, output, employment
and consumption.
Direct economic cost is
To get the whole picture
the value of what has
indirect losses is crucial
been damaged or
in assessing disaster
destroyed by the
seriousness
disaster
Done by evaluating the
Should be seriously
main indirct
considered in disaster
consequences of a
risk management and
disaster
assessment
 Political Perspective
Governmentality or deliverance of government services
to constituents can be a plus or minus factor in disaster
risk reduction and management.

Government interventions should be present in the

following phases of DRRM 1) Prevention, 2) Mitigation, 3)
Preparedness, and 4) recovery
Environmental Perspective
Disasters are not random and do not occur by accident. They
are the convergence of hazards and vulnerable conditions.
Disasters not only reveal underlying social, economic,
political and environmental problems, but unfortunately
contribute to worsening them.

The Millennium Declaration recognizes the risk to

development stemming from disasters and calls on the
global community to “intensify our collective efforts to
reduce the number and effects of natural haards and human-
induced disasters
A disaster is:
Exposure and Vulnerability
Learning Outcomes
Enumerate different elements exposed to hazards

Explain the meaning of vulnerability

Discuss why certain structures are more vulnerable to

specific hazard than others
Determine the elements that are exposed to a particular
hazard
 The severity of the impacts of disasters and other
extreme weather and climate events depends strongly
on the level of vulnerability and exposure to these
events.
Understanding the multi-faceted nature of vulnerability
and exposure is a pre-requisite for determining how
natural hazards and climate events contribute to the
occurrence of disasters, and for designing and
implementing effective adaptation and disaster risk
management strategies.
Elements Exposed to Hazard
Exposure – refers to the “elements at risk” from a
natural or human-induced hazard events.
Human beings
Dwellings/households and communities
Buildings and structures
Public facilities and infrastructure assets
Public and transport system
Agricultural commodities and environmental assets
What is Vulnerability?
Defined as “the characteristics and
circumstances of a community, system or
asset that make it susceptible to the
damaging effects of a hazard
Reasons Why Certain Sectors of Society
are
More Vulnerable to Disasters than Others
Vulnerability can be seen as the result
of a process in which various different
things cause a population to be more
vulnerable. These can be divide into
demographic and socio-economic
aspects
 1. Demographic factors

Population density
The more dense the population, the more efficient a
response should be, considering the number of people
that might be affected by a disaster. Densely populated
cities require some amount of education on disaster
preparedness, government support and relief
operations in the event of a disaster
Age of population
Very old and very young populations are less
mobile and able to respond to hazard events well.
This makes them more vulnerable compared to
others, and this requires more attention from the
government and other support agencies
especially during emergency evacuation or
relocation
Distribution of population
Regardless of density, populations may be
distributed within the hazard area, e.g. elderly
people on lower floors apartment buildings, or
concentration of highly vulnerable people in
poorer areas of a city. This must be seriously
considered in human settlement planning and
relocation activities of the government
2. Socio-economic factors
Wealth
Low income populations are less likely to be well
prepared. Part of preparation is having a Survival
Kit that includes tools to be used, emergency
food stock and water that could last for at least 3
to 5 days. Poor families will find hard time to do
such preparation due to lack of money to spend.
Education
Education programs such as MMDA shake drill can
instruct populations on how to deal with hazard events,
like the “Big One” – anticipated 7.8 magnitude earthquake
that may strike Metro Manila anytime. However, even the
proponents of the oncs-a-year drill agree that such
activity will not be enough to get everybody prepared.
Hence, they are encouraging schools to make this
preventive action part of their regular activities, at least
once every year.
Nature of society
In highly centralized government structures,
efficient emergency response may be the result of
careful planning and training of personnel.
However, it can also lead to bureaucracy and a lack
of autonomous decision making, which slows down
distribution of relief goods and emergency
response efforts in case of extreme emergency
Understanding the area
Recent migrants are likely to struggle to cope
with hazard effects compared to established
populations. Understanding the area is a salient
factor to be considered in Disaster
Preparedness Planning , and this will give
greater advantage to the established or original
settlers in a particular area affected by disaster
3. Community Preparedness
Building Codes
Rigorous and applied building codes protect most
buildings from collapse during earthquakes. This
should considered by the government in the issuance
of building permits and licenses for land development.
In the 1990 Baguio earthquake, most of the deaths
occurred in collapsed buildings, like the Hyatt Terraces
Hotel where hundreds died and many others were hurt.
Scientific monitoring and early warning
Systems
Established monitoring system can prepare
people for onslaught of any kind of disaster. The
coming Super Typhoon Yolanda was forecasted by
PAGASA. However, the magnitude of storm surge
that it caused was not effectively predicted due to
lack of advanced monitoring equipment and
technology.
Communication Networks
Communication plays a very important and
crucial role in times of disaster.
Communication plan is a very salient
component of Emergency Planning that
should not be left out.
Emergency Planning
Preparation is the key element of prevention.
Preparation for a disaster is embodied in an
Emergency Plan. Where monitoring and
communication are in place, the emergency
planning is likely to prepare a person or a
group (family) for such events and take action
based on data, rather than prediction
Dealing with the after-effects
Insurance cover
Part of preparation for disaster,
individual purchase insurance policies
to mitigate their losses, thus preparaing
them better for similar future events
Emergency Personnel
These are trained for community preparedness.
The availability of such personnel will vary
depending on the time of day location of the
hazard event. The Philippines should take into
consideration the training for more emergency
personnel as part of disaster risk mitigation,
reduction and management
Aid request
Outside help in the form of humanitarian aid is necessary
during a disaster. However, it should be fast and efficient.
Foreign aids in the form of monetary and material aid
poured immediately after the onslaught of typhoon Yolanda.
However, due to inefficiency and mismanagement, aids
were not able to reach those afflicted on time and up to date
distribution and accounting of actual worth of aid was under
question
Vulnerability of Specific Hazards
Poor design and construction of buildings and other
infrastructure
Inadequate protection measures of assets
Lack of public information and awareness
Limited official recognition of risks and preparedness
measures, and
Disregard for wise environmental management (ADPC,
2012)
4 main types of vulnerability (UNISDR)
1. Physical vulnerability
May be determined by aspects such as
population density levels, remoteness of a
settlement, the site, design, and materials used
for critical infrastructures and for housing
United Nations International Strategy for
Disaster Reduction
 2. Social vulnerability
Refers to the inability of people, organizations
and societies to withstand adverse impacts to
hazards due to characteristics inherent in social
interactions, institutions and systems of cultural
values.
It is linked to the level of well being of
individuals, communities and society
3. Economic vulnerability
The level of vulnerability is highly dependent upon
the economic status of individuals, communities and
nations. The poor are usually more vulnerable to
disasters because they lack the resources to build
sturdy structures and put other engineering
measures in place to protect themselves from being
negatively impacted by disasters.
4. Environmental vulnerability
Natural resources depletion and resource
degradation are key aspects of environmental
vulnerability. This is one aspect that both
communities and government must be sensitive to
about. Mitigation measures like reforestation and
natural resource protection and conservation must
be undertaken to reduce natural disaster risk and
vulnerability
Risk Factors

Signifies the possibility of adverse effects in the

future
Derived from the interaction of social and
environmental processes, from the combination of
physical hazards and the vulnerabilities of exposed
elements
Earthquakes Engineering

Vu
Tsunami Economic

rd
Floods Social
Cyclone

lne
za
Bushfire
Landslides

ra
Ha
Volcanoes

RISK

b il
it y
Exposure
People
Buildings
Business
Infrastructure
Risk Hazard x Exposure x Vulnerability
Capacity
The left side of the Triagram shows the
different natural hazards that may occur in
an area at any given period of time. The base
indicates the different elements exposed to
hazard/disaster. On the right side, factors
and elements of vulnerability are presented
 Philippine Exposure and
Vulnerabilities to Natural Disasters
8 out 10 cities found in the PH
More than half of the 100 cities most
Exposed to earthquakes, storms, etc
10 cities most at risk of disasters are:

1. Port Vila (Vanuatu)

2.Tuguegarao (Cagayan Province)
3.Lucena (Quezon Province)
4.Manila
5.San Fernando (Pampanga)
6.Cabanatuan (Neuva Ecija)
7. Batangas
8.Taipei (Taiwan)
9.San Carlos
10.Naga (Bicol Province)
 Philippine Vulnerabilities to
Natural Disasters
The Philippines lies in the Pacific typhoon bet and we are
visited by an average of 20 typhoons every year
The rugged nature of our landscape makes our communities
very vulnerable to landslides, mudflows, and other disasters
The Philippines is an archipelagic country with many small
islands
Many of the areas are at low or below sea level, and this makes
vulnerable to flooding and worst, inundation with rise in sea
level
Vulnerable to storm surge because of the long coastline at
about 32, 400 kilometers
Poor institutional and societal capacity to manage, respond and
recover from natural hazard events
Considered “high risk” in terms of the ability to manage and
mitigate the impacts of natural hazard and in part due to
“entrenched corruption and levels of poverty” (Rappler, 2014)
Basic Concept of Hazard
Define and elucidate hazards
Give and picture examples of the types of
hazards
Explain the impact of various hazards on
different exposed elements
Hazards are those elements of the physical environment,
harmful to man and caused by forces extraneous to him
(Burton et al, 1978
“A source of potential harm or situation with a potential to
cause loss.” Standards Australia (2000)
“A natural event that has the potential to cause harm or
loss.” Asian Disaster Preparedness Center
“A phenomenon or situation, which has the potential to
cause the disruption or damage to people, their property,
their services, and their environment. (USGS)
General Classification of Hazards
Natural hazards
Such as earthquakes or floods arise from purely natural
processes in the environment

Quasi-natural hazards
Such as smog or desertification that arise through the
interaction of natural processes and human activities
Technological (human-induced) hazards
Such as the toxicity of pesticides to agricultural lands,
accidental leaks of chemicals from chemical laboratories or
radiation from nuclear plant. These arise directly as a result of
human activities
Types of Hazard
Hewitt and Burton, 1971

Typology of hazards
Atmospheric
(single element)
• Excess Rainfall
• Freezing rain (glaze)
• Hail
• Heavy snowfalls
• High wind speeds
• Extreme temperature
Atmospheric
(combined elements/events)
• Hurricanes
• Glaze’ storm
• Thunderstorm
• Blizzards
• Tornadoes
• Heat and cold stress
Hydrologic
•Floods – river and coastal area
•Wave action
•Drought
•Rapid glacier advance
Geologic
• Mass movement
• Landslides
• Mudslides
• Avalanches
• Earthquake
• Volcanic eruption
• Rapid sediment movement
Biologic
•Epidemic in humans
•Epidemic in plants
•Epidemic in animals
•locusts
WELCOME
EARTHQUAKE HAZARDS
OBJECTIVES
•IDENTIFY AND DESCRIBE VARIOUS POTENTIAL
EARTHQUAKE HAZARDS
•MAKE AN EMERGENCY EVACUATION PLAN FOR THE
FAMILY
•RELATE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF UNDERSTANDING THE
POTENTIAL EARTHQUAKE HAZARDS TO EVERYDAY LIFE.
Natural
Quasi-Natural
Technological
Human-induced
Atmospheric Hydrologic

Geologic Biologic

Technologi
c
LET US WATCH THIS
VIDEO!
What is an earthquake?
Also known as quake, tremor or tremblor is the
perceptible shaking of the surface f the Earth, resulting
from the sudden release of energy n the Earth’s crust
that creates seismic waves. (US Geological Science-
USGS)
What are the potential hazards?

Geologists explain that an earthquake is a type of

hazard that depends on the strength of seismic
activity, along with such factors as local topographic
and built features, subsurface geology and
groundwater.
A large earthquake will always be followed by a
sequence of aftershocks that normally
aggravates its effect on human and material
elements like buildings and infrastructure
Ground shaking/motion
The Earth shakes with the passage of
earthquake waves, which radiates energy
that had been “stored” in stressed rocks,
and were released when a fault broke and
the rocks slipped to relieve the pent-up
stress.
 Ground or Surface Rupture
surface rupture is an offset of the ground surface
when fault rupture extends to the Earth’s surface.
Any structure that is built across the fault is at risk
of being torn apart as the two sides of the fault slip
past each other. Normal –and-reverse- (collectively
called dip-slip) faulting surface ruptures features
vertical offsets while strike-slip faulting produces
lateral offsets
Liquefaction
Soil liquefaction is a phenomenon in which the
strength and stiffness of a soil is reduced by
earthquake shaking or other rapid loading. It
normally occurs on saturated soils, that is, soils
in which the space between individual particles
is completely filled with water.
Ground subsidence
subsidence, or lowering of the ground
surface, often occurs during
earthquakes. This may be due to
downward vertical displacement on one
side of a fault, and can sometimes affect
a huge area of land.
Lateral Spreading
Lateral spreading occurs where sloping
ground starts to move downhill, causing
cracks to open up, that are often seen
along hill crests and river banks.
 Tsunami
also known as seismic sea wave is a series of waves in a
water body caused by the displacement of a large volume of
water, generally in an ocean or a large lake. Earthquakes,
volcanic eruptions and other underwater explosions
(including detonations of nuclear devices), landslides,
glacier cravings and other disturbances above or below
water all have the potential to generate a tsunami
 Landslide
landslides are frequently triggered by strong ground
motions. They are important secondary earthquake
hazard. The term landslide includes a wide range of
ground movement, such as rock falls, deep failure of
slopes, and shallow debris flows. Strong earthquake-
induced ground shaking greatly increases the
likelihood of landslides where the landscape is
susceptible to these types of ground failure.
GROUNDSHAKING/GROUND
MOTION
GROUND/SURFACE RUPTURE
LIQUEFACTION
GROUND SUBSIDENCE
TSUNAMI
LANDSLIDES
EVACUATION PLAN
Video
 Question is?
WHAT CAN WE DO TO PREPARE AND PRESERVE
OURSELVES IN AN EVENT OF AN EARTHQUAKE?
GROUP 1: MAKE A SONG WITH ONE OR TWO STANZAS THAT
DEPICTS EARTHQUAKE PREPAREDNESS PLAN
GROUP 2: MAKE A POEM ABOUT AN EARTHQUAKE AND
RELATE IT TO YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE.
GROUP 3: MAKE A SKETCH/DRAW AND ACTUAL SCENARIO
OF AN EARTHQUAKE IN A SCHOOL SETTING
GROUP 4: MAKE AN EARTHQUAKE DANCE COVER IN THE
TUNE OF TALA.
An earthquake can strike anytime and anywhere. Its
intensity can only be determined after it strikes. No
matter how and what science can do it still cannot
predict as to when the earthquake will strike. Philippine
history will teach us a very valuable lesson that we
should not neglect. Sometime in the 1990s, the
powerful, magnificent, luxurious, and thought to be out
of this world construction of Hyatt Hotel in Baguio City
was no excuse to such an unpredictable strike of an
earthquake.
The death toll of that incident was too great to even
speak of. On August of 1976, a great tidal wave believed
to be the after and immediate effect of an underwater
earthquake took the lives of some four thousand
(4,000) people in Pagadian City and the nearby
shorelines. The recent strike being in Cotabato and
Davao respectively that caused havoc and damage to
the people on a peaceful Monday morning sometime in
Novemeber 2019. Earthquake strike is no laughing
matter.
The knowledge we have today that Science has
provided us can only make us prepare for such a
disaster and to protect our lives and property
when this disaster strikes. The best thing we can
do is to put God as our priority in our lives. If we do
such, our safety and salvation is already secured.
Be it here on earth or in heaven above. No other
option left for us, except this.
 Multiple Choices
Which among the following is described as the
lowering of the ground surface, often during
earthquakes?

a. Tsunami
b. Earthquake-induced landslide
c. Liquefaction
d. subsidence
Among the following , which best describe
liquefaction?
a. A phenomenon in which the strength of a soil is
reduced by shaking or rapid loading?
b. An offset of the ground surface when fault
ruptures
c. An intense shaking of the ground
d. All of the above
Vertical offsets: Dip-Slip and Strike-
Slip:__________.
a. Lateral offsets
b. Horizontal offsets
c. Transverse offsets
d. Diagonal offsets
Also known as seismic sea wave.
a.Tsunami
b.Strom surge
c.Tidal wave
d.None of the above
What does PHIVOLCS stands for?
a. Philippine Volcanology and Seismology
Service
b. Philippine Volcanology and Seismology
Society
c. Philippine Volcanology and Seismology
d. All of the above
 Assignment
Make a map of the Philippines and
identify the faults according to
PHIVOLCS. (Due next meeting)
Natural Signs of an Impending Tsunami
1. Animal Behavior
Some zoologist believe that some animals like elephants
have the ability to sense subsonic Rayleigh waves from
an earthquake or a tsunami
As observed in Sri Lanka during the Indian Ocean
Tsunami, the elephants’ reaction was to move away from
the approaching noise. By contrast, some humans went
to shore to investigate and many drowned as a result
2. Drawback
This is an observable natural sign of an impending
tsunami that is noteworthy. In fact, drawback can serve as
a brief warning.

In 2004, Tilly smith, 10, of Surrey, England, and her family

survived when a tsunami struck Maikhao beach in Phuket,
Thailand
How Drawbacks are Formed
All waves have a positive and negative peak, i.e. a
ridge and a trough
If the first to arrive at shore is ridge, a massive
breaking wave or sudden flooding will be the first
effect noticed on land.
If the first to arrive is trough, a drawback will occur as
the shoreline recedes dramatically
Drawback can exceed hundreds of meters
A typical wave period for damaging tsunami is about 12 minutes.
This means that if the drawback phase is the first part to arrive, the
sea will recede, with areas below sea level exposed after 3
minutes. During the next 6 minutes the tsunami wave trough builds
into a ridge, and during this time the sea is filled in and destruction
occurs on land.
During the next 6 minutes, the tsunami waves changes from
ridge to a trough causing flood waters to drain and drawback
to occur again. This may sweep victims and debris some
distance from land. The process repeats as the next waves
arrives.
 Search and read the account about Super
Typhoon Yolanda. Based from our
discussion of drawback, what d o you think
really occurred in Tacloban, Leyte in
November 2013? Was it a Storm Surge or a
Tsunami? Explain your answer.
What to Do Before, During and After
an Earthquake
Before and Earthquake
1.Engage yourself in training activities that
promote safety and disaster preparedness
2.Participate in government-initiated
earthquake drills and evacuation drills
3.Share your acquired knowledge and skills to
your family
During an Earthquake
1. Stay indoors if you are within a structurally sound
building or home
2.If you feel the building is not safe, quickly open the door
for exit
3.If you’re caught inside a room or building, duck, hold
and cover
4.Stay away from glass windows, shelves, cabinets and
other heavy objects
5.Beware of falling debris. Keep your eyes open
After an Earthquake

1.Take the fastest and safest way out of the

building
2.Do not use elevators
3.Do not enter damage buildings
4.Do not use telephones unless necessary
5.Most of all, do not panic
Volcanic Hazards
Learning Outcomes
1. Explain Various Volcano-related hazards
2.Differentiate among different volcano-related
hazards
3.Recognize signs of an impending volcanic eruption
4.Interpret different volcano hazard maps
5.Apply appropriate measures/interventions before,
during, and after a volcanic eruption
Volcanoes can be exciting and fascinating because of
their natural formation, but they can also be very
dangerous. Any kind of active volcano is capable of
creating harmful or deadly hazards, whether during an
eruption or a period of quiescence. Understanding a
volcano is the first step in mitigating volcanic hazards.
However, it is noteworthy that even if scientists have
studied volcanoes for decades, they do not necessarily
know everything about what they are capable of.
Volcanoes are natural systems, and they always have
some elements of unpredictability.
 Various volcano-Related Hazards
Volcanologist are always working to understand
how volcanic hazards behave, and what can be
done to avoid them. USGS bulletin enumerates a
few of the more common volcanic hazards, and
some of the ways in which they are formed and
behave.
LAHARS
Lahars are specific kind of mudflow made up of
volcanic debris. They can form in a number of
situations, namely 1.) when small slope collapse
gather water on their way down a volcano, 2.) through
rapid melting of snow and ice during an eruption, 3. )
from heavy rainfall on loose volcanic debris, 4.) when
a volcano erupts through crater lake, or 5.) when a
crater lake drains because of overflow or wall
collapse
Destructive Characteristics of Lahars
1. Lahars move rapidly down valleys like rivers of
concrete.
2. Lahars can occur with or without volcanic eruption.
3. Lahars pick up materials as they travel, which can
cause damage to structures in their path
4. Lahars and excess sediment cause serious economic
and environmental damage to river valleys and flood
plains
 ASH FALL
Volcanic ash consists of fragments of pulverized rock, minerals and
volcanic glass, created during volcanic eruptions and measuring less
than 2mm (0.079 inches) in diameter

The term volcanic ash is also often loosely used to refer to all
explosive eruption products (correctly referred to as tephra),
including particles larger than 2mm.

Volcanic ash is formed during explosive volcanic eruptions when

dissolved in gases in magma expand and escape violently into the
atmosphere
Devastating Effects of Ash fall
Ash fall rarely endangers human lives, but it can have devastating
effects on the things that people rely upon from day to day living

Ash fallout to the ground can pose significant disruption and damage
to buldings, transportation, water, and wastewater, power supply,
communications equipment, agriculture, and primary production
leading to potentially substantial societal impacts and costs, even at
thicknesses of only a few millimeters or inches.

Fine grained ash, when ingested can cause health impacts

Pneumonoultramicrosc
opicsilicovolcanoconio
sis
Pyroclastic Flows
Contain a high-density mix of hot lava blocks, pumice, ash
and volcanic gas.
Move at a very high speed down volcanic slopes typically
following valleys
Consist of two parts: a lower (basal) flow of coarse
fragments that moves along the ground, and ;A turbulent
cloud of ash that rises above the basal flow.
Ash may fall from this cloud over a wide area downwind
from the pyroclastic flow.
Pyroclastic flows form in different ways
Collapse of eruption column: during a highly explosive eruption, the column
ejected upwards into the atmosphere cools and can become too coo and
dense to maintain upward momentum

Boiling over from eruptive vent: during an explosive eruption, material is

erupted without forming a high plume and rapidly moves down slopes

Collapse of lava domes or flows: the fronts of lava flows or domes can
become so steep that they collapse due to gravitational force.
Volcanic Gases
Magma
Contains dissolved gases , which provide the driving force that
causes most volcanic eruptions.

As magma rises towards the surface and pressure decreases,

gases are released from the liquid portion of the magma(melt)
and continue to travel upward and are eventually released into
the atmosphere
Harmful Effects of Volcanic Gases
1. Carbon dioxide (CO2) trapped in low-lying areas can be
lethal to people and animals
2. Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is irritating to eyes, skin and
respiratory system.
3. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is very toxic in high
concentrations
4. Hydrogen halides HF, HCl, HBr) are strong, toxic acids.
Lava Flows
Are streams of molten rock that pour
or ooze from an erupting vent.

Is erupted during either non-

explosive activity or explosive lava
fountains.
Factors affecting lava movement
1. The type of lava and its viscosity
2. Steepness of the ground over which it travels
3. Whether the lava flows as a borad sheet, through
a confined channel, or down a lava tube.
4. Rate of lava production at the vent
Devastating Effects of Lava Flows
1. Lava flows may instigate other types of hazards.

2. Everything in the path of a lava flow will be knocked over,

surrounded, buried, or ignited
3. When lava erupts beneath a glacier or flows over snow and ice,
melt water from the ice and snow can result in far-reaching lahars
4. If it enters a body of water or water enters a lava tube, the water
may boil violently and cause an explosive shower of molten spatter
over a wide area.