Disaster Management and Urbanization Issues

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Questions and Answers

What is a primary consequence of rapid, poorly planned urbanization, especially in areas of poverty?

Reduced strain on infrastructure

Improved living standards for urban residents

Increased risk of disasters (correct)

Increased access to essential services

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a weak governance zone?

Strong disaster risk governance (correct)

Inability to protect basic rights

Failure to provide essential public services

Limited capacity to manage disaster risk

What is the primary reason for the increase in displaced populations after natural disasters?

Psychological trauma and distress

Food scarcity and malnutrition

Damage to homes and infrastructure (correct)

Lack of access to healthcare services

Which of the following is NOT a health risk associated with disasters?

Improved sanitation and hygiene (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is a major contributor to food scarcity after a disaster?

Reduced agricultural production due to damaged farms and infrastructure (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary psychological impact of disasters on individuals?

Risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (D) Signup and view all the answers

From a physical perspective, what is a disaster primarily defined as?

An event that causes damage to physical structures and infrastructure (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a key aspect of disaster risk governance?

Ignoring pre-existing vulnerabilities and inequalities (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a psychological effect of a disaster, according to the provided content?

Damage in infrastructure (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is a key aspect of the recovery phase after a disaster, beyond relief services?

Debriefing or psychological support (C) Signup and view all the answers

How does the socio-cultural perspective differ from the psychological perspective in analyzing disasters?

The socio-cultural perspective analyzes how social and cultural factors influence responses, while the psychological perspective examines individual mental health impacts. (A) Signup and view all the answers

According to the content, which of the following is considered a key determinant of vulnerability to disasters?

Socio-cultural factors such as social hierarchy and cultural values (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a cognitive effect of a disaster?

Increased anxiety (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is a key difference between how a disaster is viewed from a psychological perspective compared to a socio-cultural perspective?

The psychological perspective focuses on individual experiences, while the socio-cultural perspective examines the collective response. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a physical effect of a disaster, as described in the text?

Startle response (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a factor that influences the degree of risk, resilience, and vulnerability to disasters?

Level of technology (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is a significant economic impact of a disaster?

Loss of employment (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following natural disasters is not directly related to weather patterns?

Earthquake (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following directly contributes to increased risk of mental health problems after a disaster?

The severity of exposure to the disaster (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT listed as a human-made or technological type of disaster?

Volcanic Eruption (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a human-made disaster that might result from an act of nature?

Power Service Disruption and Blackout (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which demographic group is most likely to experience heightened stress after a disaster?

Adults between 40 and 60 (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a factor that can contribute to increased vulnerability to disaster?

Lack of access to essential resources (B) Signup and view all the answers

Based on the provided information, which of the following statements is TRUE?

Disaster risk factors can impact the severity and duration of post-disaster stress. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the main focus of the information provided in the text?

Identifying risk factors that contribute to post-disaster stress (D) Signup and view all the answers

How does climate change generally exacerbate disaster risk?

Climate change can alter the frequency and intensity of hazard events, affect vulnerability to hazards, and change exposure patterns. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is a consequence of deforestation on slopes?

Increased risk of landslides. (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a risk-sensitive development strategy mentioned in the text?

Increasing globalized economic development. (C) Signup and view all the answers

How does poverty contribute to disaster vulnerability?

Poorer people are often forced to use their limited assets to buffer disaster losses, leading to further poverty. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is an element of poor urban planning that increases disaster risk?

Concentration of people and poverty in cities. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is a potential consequence of globalized economic development in relation to disaster risk?

Increased exposure of assets in hazard-prone areas due to economic growth. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the main impact of disasters on impoverished people, beyond the immediate losses?

Total loss of livelihoods and displacement. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is a key factor in the vulnerability of developing countries to natural disasters?

Inadequate housing and infrastructure. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the defining factor of a disaster, according to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies?

An event that disrupts the functioning of a community, exceeding its coping capacity. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the main difference between natural and human-made disasters?

Natural disasters are caused by forces of nature, while human-made disasters are caused by human actions. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT considered a characteristic of disaster risk?

The geographic location where the disaster occurred. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of understanding disaster risks?

It helps us to better prepare for and mitigate the impacts of disasters. (A) Signup and view all the answers

Based on the provided information, which of the following is an example of a human-made disaster?

A terrorist attack (D) Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'exposure' refer to in the context of disaster risk?

The elements (e.g., people, property) that are at risk during a hazardous event. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best exemplifies the concept of 'vulnerability' in disaster risk?

The lack of accessible evacuation routes in a community. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a type of natural disaster?

Industrial accident (D) Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Basic Concept of Disaster and Disaster Risk

A disaster is a sudden, calamitous event that seriously disrupts the functioning of a community or society, causing human, material, and economic or environmental losses exceeding the community's or society's ability to cope using its own resources. (International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies)
Disasters are natural or man-made emergencies that cannot be handled by affected communities, resulting in severe danger, loss of lives and properties, disrupting social structures, preventing the fulfillment of essential community functions. (Disaster Risk Reduction Resource Manual)
Disaster risk is the probability that a community's structure or geographic area will be damaged or disrupted by a hazard's impact, considering its nature, construction, and proximity to a hazardous area. (ADPC – Asian Disaster Preparedness Center, 2012)

Elements of Disaster Risk

Hazard: Any phenomenon that can potentially damage life, property, or the environment.
Exposure: Any element (people, property, or systems) present in a hazard, prone to potential loss.
Vulnerability: The likelihood that assets will be damaged or destroyed when exposed to a hazardous event.

Nature/Origin of Disasters

Natural Disasters: Originate from natural forces (geological, meteorological, hydrometeorological, and biological). Examples include earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, typhoons, and cyclones; agricultural diseases and pests; storm surges; drought and water shortages (e.g., El Niño); earthquakes; hurricanes and tropical storms; landslides and debris flows; thunderstorms and lightning; tornadoes; tsunamis; floods; La Niña; wildfires; sinkholes; and emergency diseases (pandemic influenza).
Human-Made/Technological Disasters: Occur due to human actions against human, material, and environmental well-being. Examples include transport and industrial accidents (air and train crashes, chemical spills, building collapses); terrorism; hazardous materials; power service disruption and blackout; nuclear power plant and nuclear blast; radiological emergencies; chemical threat and biological weapons; cyber attacks; explosions; and civil unrest.

Risk Factors Underlying Disasters

Severity of Exposure: Injury and life threats lead to more mental health problems.
Gender and Family: Women and children may suffer more adverse effects than men. Marital conflicts, and lack of family support worsen the impact on recovering from a disaster.
Age: Adults aged 40-60 are more stressed by disasters but overall, younger children are more impacted than adults.
Low or Negative Social Support: Disaster reduces social support from the immediate surrounding.
Economic Status of the Country: Developing countries with poorly-built infrastructure, limited resources, and weak social safety nets often suffer significantly from disasters.
Climate Change: Altered frequency and intensity of hazards, exposure changes, and affecting vulnerability to hazards are possible impact.
Environmental Degradation: Changes in the environment can increase hazard frequency and intensity, and vulnerability. Deforestation and mangrove removal can increase disaster damage.
Globalized Economic Development: Increased polarization between rich and poor and hazard-prone areas.
Poverty and Inequality: Impoverished people are more likely to live in hazardous areas, reducing measures due to limited access to resources, and causing total loss of livelihoods from loss of life, injury, damage, and displacement.
Poorly Planned and Managed Urban Development: Rapid, poorly-planned urbanization, widespread poverty, concentrated people and economic activities overlap with high-risk exposure, leading to increased disaster risk.
Weak Governance: Public sectors lack the capacity or unwilling to provide essential services, disproportionally concentrating disaster risk in lower-income countries.

Disaster and its Effects

Displaced Population: Natural disasters, such as floods and earthquakes, force many people to abandon their homes and seek safety.
Health Risks: Disasters lead to health problems including stagnant water, breeding of waterborne bacteria and mosquitoes, and lack of clean water.
Food Scarcity: Disasters damage farms and roads, reducing food supplies. High prices and reduced buying capacity for victims contribute to food scarcity.
Psychological Consequences: Disasters can have a severe mental health impact by exposure to death and catastrophe, potentially causing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Disaster Perspectives

Physical Perspective: Focuses on the phenomenon causing physical damages of an object (buildings, infrastructure, including people and their properties), and are widely regarded and record data.
Psychological Perspective: Emphasizes mental distress (and psychological conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder—PTSD) impacting disaster victims, highlighting debriefing or psychological support as vital recovery components.
Socio-cultural Perspective: Considers cultural values, community impact on social conditions and cultural settings, and societal perceptions impacting disaster risk, resilience, and their vulnerabilities which is crucial to recovery.
Economic Perspective: Focuses on and assess the direct and indirect economic costs including; unemployment, loss of property, loss of household items, loss of crops and loss of public infrastructure.
Political Perspective: Focuses on assessing policies put in place by local officials in mitigating or recovering from disasters and whether people have trust in their institutions. Assess how this affects the acceptance of hazard policies and whether people disregard the information these institutions provide.
Biological Perspective: Considers the widespread of disease or virus (epidemic and endemic level) as a part of how people respond to a disaster, and the effects.

Generalizations

Disasters vary in form and intensity. People need to anticipate potential harms and prepare themselves and the community.

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Description

This quiz explores the consequences of rapid urbanization, especially in impoverished areas, and its relation to disaster management. It covers topics such as governance, health risks, food scarcity, psychological impacts, and recovery phases after disasters. Test your knowledge on these critical aspects of disaster risk and governance.