Module 1 - Disaster and Hazards

Disaster

"Kalamidad', a calamitous sudden calamitous event bringing great damage, loss, or destruction.

Vulnerability

"bulnerabilidad" or "kahinaan" in Filipino is associated with "the conditions determined by physical, social, economic and environmental factors or processes, which increase the susceptibility of a community to the impact of hazards" (UNISDR 2015).

Disaster is frequently described as a result of various condition such as:

(1) the exposure to a hazard; (2) the conditions of vulnerability that are present; and (3) insufficient capacity or measures to reduce or cope with the potential negative consequences

Hazard

- ex. Broken lamp, electricity wire, a baby trying to put its finger in a plug, slippery floor -it could lead to a hazardous event

Hazardous Event

-a occurrence of natural or human or something that could lead to disaster -Pangyayari -Ex. Bumagyo tas tumaas yung level ng tubig -Becomes a disaster when there are losses such as injuries, deaths, damage properties and more

Disaster

-may cause by nature/human activities -Result -Serious disruption of the functioning of the community or the society

Hazard

-peligro -potential danger -becomes a disaster that may cause loss like an injury, loss of property and family

DRR Strategies

1) Avoid the hazard -If you see a warning (wet floor or you think the floor seems slippery, avoid walking on it. -when the hazard has avoided the intersection between the hazard circle and vulnerability circle is reduced meaning fewer possible losses. Relocation of households from unsafe areas prevents losses in case a landslide occurs.

DRR Strategies

2) Manage the hazard - Put a barrier so that people won't walk on the area or clean the floors immediately -When the hazard is managed the possibility of the hazard being triggered is reduced and. the intersection between the hazard circle and vulnerability circle is reduced meaning fewer possible losses. Protection of unstable slopes using barriers and vegetation reduces the possible occurrence of landslides.

DRR Strategies

3) Reduce vulnerability -When you walk, be alert, and if you have poor eyesight, use eyeglasses -When the vulnerability is reduced by adding a fence or wall to prevent the falling earth from reaching the settlement, the intersection between the hazard circle and vulnerability circle is reduced meaning fewer possible losses

Hazardous Event

A hazard or "peligro" in Filipino is "a potentially damaging physical event, phenomenon or human activity that may cause the loss of life or injury, property damage, social and economic disruption or environmental degradation" (UNISDR 2015).

Disaster and Disaster Risk are two terms that must be distinguished from each other.

After the event, a disaster may occur and the losses like total number of deaths, injuries, damaged structures, displaced people and damaged properties can be determined.

Disaster Risk

Asses the Hazard + Asses the Vulnerability = Predict the Disaster Risk -> Losses predicted before the event

Communities (Exposed elements) near coastal areas (vulnerability) without early warning system and tsunami disaster mitigation structures are highly vulnerable to a tsunami (hazard).

Communities (Exposed elements) in low-lying areas (vulnerability) are highly vulnerable to flooding (hazard) due to intense rainfall.

It is a serious disruption of the functioning community or a widespread human, material, economic, or environmental loss.

Disaster

It is the chance or likelihood of suffering harm and loss as a result of a hazardous event.

Disaster Risk

Hazardous Event

Disasters occur because a hazard is triggered.

Take note that Disaster Risk depends on the Hazard and Vulnerability of the Elements at Risk (exposure)

Ex. The magnitude of the hazard (example: amount of earth that may fall due to the landslide) increases the disaster risk. The vulnerability can be express in terms of population or number of houses (settlement in on or below unstable slopes) exposed to the hazard. The larger the vulnerable exposure the higher the risk.

Disaster is frequently described as a result of various condition except _______________

Having enough capabilities

Disaster is frequently described as a result of various condition except ________.

Having enough capabilities.

When a hazard is triggered and a person, community or structure (which are the exposed elements) are vulnerable to the hazard, a disaster may occur

Hazard + Vulnerability = Disaster: Losses (human, physical, social, economic, and environment)

Disaster

Hazard is Triggered + There is Vulnerability of Elements = Disaster occurs -> Losses after the event

Buildings collapse occur due to earthquake ground shaking.

Hazardous Event: -earthquake ground shaking. Disaster: -Buildings collapse

Electric shocks are caused by faulty wiring or unsafe handling of electric gadgets.

Hazardous Event: -faulty wiring or unsafe handling of electric gadgets. Disaster: -Electric shocks

Floods are caused by heavy rainfall or overflowing river or water storage.

Hazardous Event: -heavy rainfall or overflowing river or water storage. Disaster: -Floods

Road accidents are caused by moving vehicles.

Hazardous Event: -moving vehicles. Disaster: -Road accidents

Slip & fall accidents are caused by wet or uneven floors and scattered objects on floors.

Hazardous Event: -wet or uneven floors and scattered objects on floors Disaster: -Slip & fall accidents

Disaster and Disaster Risk

Hence, in a disaster, the losses are after the event, while in disaster risk, the losses are estimates only if the event occurs or before the event

Disaster risk

Hence, the losses in disaster risk are predictions only if the hazard occurs.

Vulnerability

It is a set of prevailing or consequential conditions, which adversely affect the community's ability to prevent, mitigate, prepare for and respond to hazardous events.

Disaster Risk

It is the chance or likelihood of suffering harm and loss as a result of a hazardous event.

To reduce the impact of a disaster, we can avoid or manage the hazard or reduce the vulnerability.

Some hazards like slippery floors or faulty wiring can be avoided or managed.

A disaster due to landslide (hazard) occurs because people (Exposed elements) settle in unsafe areas (vulnerability) like unstable slopes.

Structures (Exposed elements) that are not designed to resist earthquakes (vulnerability) are highly vulnerable to damage or collapse due to earthquakes (hazard).

Disaster

The United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR 2015) defines a disaster as "a serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society due to hazardous events interacting with conditions of vulnerability and exposure, leading to widespread human, material, economic and environmental losses and impacts."

Hazardous Event

The keyword in the definition of a disaster is "LOSSES."

Disaster risk

The predicted losses are a result of an assessment of the hazard and vulnerability.

It is a set of prevailing or consequential conditions, which adversely affect the community's ability to prevent, mitigate, prepare for and respond to hazardous events.

Vulnerability

Electric shocks

Vulnerability: Kids, No safety protection on electric gadgets

Floods

Vulnerability: Low lying areas or flood plains, clogged drainage

Road accidents

Vulnerability: People with poor eyesight, physically impaired or senior citizens, Children, People not using pedestrian lanes or following traffic signals

Slip & fall accidents

Vulnerability: People with poor eyesight, physically impaired or senior citizens, Type of footwear (high heels), Inattentive with surroundings

Buildings collapse

Vulnerability: Poorly built houses and buildings, Buildings near faults

But some natural hazards like earthquakes and typhoons cannot be managed or avoided.

We can only reduce the effect of natural hazards by disaster risk reduction.

Hazardous Event

becomes a disaster when there are losses such as injuries, deaths, damaged property, loss opportunities, economic losses or damaged environment.

Disaster risk

considered to be a function of hazard, exposure and vulnerability. It is normally expressed as a probability of loss of life, injury or destroyed or damaged assets which could occur to a system, society or a community in a specific period of time (UNISDR 2015)

Disaster risk reduction (DRR)

starts with the individual. Everybody should be "safety conscious" in everyday living. One should always "think safety first" so that accidents in daily life can be avoided. When an individual is safe, he/she is better prepared for bigger disasters.

Disaster risk reduction (DRR)

the concept and practice of reducing disaster risks through systematic efforts to analyze and manage the causal factors of disasters, including through reduced exposure to hazards, lessened vulnerability of people and property, wise management of land and the environment, and improved preparedness for adverse events (UNISDR 2009).

Hazardous Event

the occurrence of a natural or human-induced phenomenon in a particular place during a particular period of time due to the existence of a hazard (UNISDR 2015).

The new definition of disaster risk reduction

the policy objective aimed at preventing new and reducing existing disaster risk and managing residual risk, all of which contributes to strengthening resilience (UNISDR 2015).