Disaster Risk Assessment Quiz

Geophysical Hazards

• Volcanoes
• Earthquakes
• Mudflow
• Surface collapse
• Landslides
• Rockslides

Hydrological Hazards

• Mudslide
• Flooding
• Inundation
• Tsunamis

Meteorological Hazards

• Storms
• Hurricanes
• Cyclones
• Typhoon
• Storm Surge
• Excessive Rain

Climatological Hazards

• Drought
• Extreme Temperature
• Heat/Cold waves
• El Nino/La Nina
• La Nina

Biological Hazards

• Bacteria
• Viruses
• Venomous wildlife
• Poisonous plants
• Plants/insects carrying disease causing agents

Anthropogenic Hazards

• Household Fire
• Maritime accident
• Plane crash
• Land accident
• Industrial accident
• Pollution
• Civil disturbance
• Terrorism
• Armed Conflict

Factors Affecting Vulnerability

• Geographic Location/Spatial
• Population Density
• Level of Development
• Temporal
• Education of the community

Characteristics of Disasters

• Frequency of Occurrence
• Intensity/Magnitude
• Speed of onset
• Duration
• The area they cover

Disaster

• A serious disruption in the functioning of a community or society
• Caused by hazardous events interacting with conditions of exposure, vulnerability and capacity
• Results in human, material, economic, and environmental losses and impacts

Water-Induced Disasters

• Floods
• Avalanche
• Landslides
• Debris flow
• Glacial lake outburst floods
• Drought

Disaster vs. Natural Hazards

• There is no such thing as a natural disaster, but disasters often follow natural hazards.
• A natural hazard becomes a disaster when it combines with exposure and vulnerability to cause loss of life, injury to people, and economic loss.

Risk

• Potential loss of life, injury, or destroyed or damaged assets in a system/community
• Combination of the severity and frequency of a hazard, the numbers of people and assets exposed to the hazard, and their vulnerability.

Vulnerability

• Determined by physical, social, economic, and environmental factors
• Results from the range of economic, social, cultural, institutional, political and psychological factors that shape people’s lives and the environment
• Requires understanding the root causes or drivers of vulnerability

Factors Affecting Vulnerability

• Poor design and construction of buildings, unregulated land use planning (Physical Factors)
• Poverty and inequality, marginalization, social exclusion, discrimination based on gender, social status, disability, age, and psychological factors (Social factors)
• Uninsured informal sector, vulnerable rural livelihoods, dependence on single industries, globalization (Economic factors)
• Poor environmental management, overconsumption of natural resources, decline of risk regulation ecosystem services, climate change (Environmental factors)

Exposure

• The situation of people, infrastructure, housing, production capacities, and other tangible human assets located in hazard-prone areas.

Philippine Disaster Risk Profile

• The Philippines ranks high in global disaster risk.
• Factors include exposure to hazards, occurrence and magnitude of events, and vulnerabilities across physical, social, and economic spheres .

The Pacific Ring of Fire

• Path along the Pacific Ocean characterized by active volcanoes and frequent earthquakes
• Majority of Earth’s volcanoes and earthquakes take place along the Ring of Fire
• 75% of Earth’s volcanoes (more than 450) are located along the Ring of Fire
• 90% of Earth’s earthquakes occur along its path, including the planet’s most violent and dramatic seismic events.

Pacific Typhoon Belt

• The Philippines is located within the Pacific Typhoon Belt and is frequently impacted by Typhoons.

Climate Change Effects

• Climate change is exacerbating the frequency and intensity of natural disasters in the Philippines.
• Increased risk to coastal communities from sea-level rise and storm surge
• More frequent and intense droughts
• Increased risk of landslides and floods

Factors Affecting Social Vulnerability

• Population Density / Demographic Characteristics

  • Higher population density increases the risk of injury and vulnerability
  • Population growth and low income lead to higher vulnerability
  • Vulnerable groups (children and elderly) are more susceptible to disasters.

• Literacy and Illiteracy

  • Literacy is crucial for obtaining information on disaster prevention and reduction strategies
  • Illiteracy can hinder access to information and effective coping mechanisms

• Employment and Unemployment

  • High income earners have better resources to reduce disaster risk through engineering and resistant materials
  • High income can facilitate moving to low-risk areas
  • Unemployment and low income increase vulnerability

• Place of Residence and its Quality

  • Location and quality of housing impact exposure to hazards
  • Access to essential services after a disaster is important

• Infrastructure Status

  • The presence or absence of adequate infrastructure affects social vulnerability, preparedness, and disaster response.

Test your knowledge on various types of hazards including geophysical, hydrological, meteorological, climatological, biological, and anthropogenic hazards. This quiz also covers factors affecting vulnerability and characteristics of disasters. See how well you can identify and assess the risks associated with these hazards.