Disaster Readiness & Risk Reduction

Disaster Readiness & Risk Reduction

• Processes Shaping the Environment:

  • Plate tectonics (mountain building, volcanism, ocean formation)
  • Atmospheric processes (cloud formation, precipitation, wind)
  • Biological processes (reef building, forestation)
  • Human activities (urbanization, resource extraction, geoengineering)

• Hazard:

  • A dangerous phenomenon, substance, human activity or condition.
  • Causes loss of life, injury, property damage, social and economic disruption.

• Disaster:

  • A serious disruption to a community or society.
  • Involves widespread losses exceeding the community's ability to cope.

• Risk:

  • The possibility of something bad happening.
  • Interaction between exposure to natural hazards and societal vulnerability (World Risk Report).

• Disaster Classification:

  • Natural Disasters: Caused by natural forces (earthquakes, typhoons, volcanic eruptions, fires, tornadoes, extreme temperatures)
  • Man-made Disasters: Intentional or unintentional human actions.
    • Technological/industrial: (industrialization, inadequate safety, leaks of hazardous materials, explosions, bridge collapses, vehicle collisions, power cuts)
    • Terrorism/violence: (bombs, explosions, chemical/biological agents, shootings, mutinies)
    • Complex Humanitarian Emergencies: (international/civil wars displacing people, impacting basic necessities like food, water, and sanitation).

Disaster Risk Factors

• Variables that aggravate or mitigate hazard effects.
  • Affects disaster scope and degree.

Analyze Disaster from Different Perspectives

• Physical Perspective:

  • Focuses on visible and quantifiable effects (e.g., number of families, houses damaged, infrastructure damage).

• Psychological Perspective:

  • Examines emotional, cognitive, physical consequences (e.g., trauma, shock, stress, disbelief, insomnia, psychological illnesses).

• Socio-Cultural Perspective:

  • Explores cultural context, social conditions (e.g., age, gender, wealth, ethnic groups).

• Economic Perspective:

  • Analyzes destruction of assets and economic disruption (e.g., lost jobs, inflation, food supply disruption).

• Political Perspective:

  • Examines how governments respond and deliver services (e.g., corruption, efficiency issues).

• Biological Perspective:

  • Considers ecosystem impacts (e.g., animal habitats, spread of diseases).

Concept of Exposure and Vulnerability

• Exposure:

  • Elements present in hazard zones.
  • Subject to potential loss (e.g., people, property, systems).

• Vulnerability:

  • Characteristics of communities/systems making them susceptible to hazards.
  • Factors include physical factors (e.g., building structures, land use), population density/distribution, socioeconomic aspects, and capacity to manage risk.

Week 5: Concept of Hazard

• Hazard Types:

  • Natural Hazards: (Biological, geological, hydrometeorological). Examples include earthquakes, floods, landslides, typhoons.

  • Man-made/Technological Hazards: (accidents, failures, infrastructure, specific human activities). Examples include oil spills, explosions, industrial accidents.

  • Quasi-Natural Hazards: (interaction of natural processes and human activities). Examples include smog, desertification and global warming.

• Hazard Assessment/Risk Assessment:

  • Process of estimating hazard probabilities/occurrence magnitude.
  • Involves understanding hazard, and then vulnerability.