Hazard Types and Impacts Quiz

Hazard Types

• Hazards are dangerous phenomena, substances, or conditions that can lead to loss of life, injury, economic disruption, or environmental damage.
• Natural hazards arise from environmental processes, including earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, and volcanic eruptions.
• Man-made hazards occur due to human activities such as chemical spills, transportation accidents, and terrorism.

Biological and Geological Hazards

• Pathogens, such as viruses and bacteria, cause diseases with varying severity, referred to as virulence.
• Molds can produce harmful mycotoxins that impact health when inhaled or ingested.
• Earthquakes result from sudden crust movements, leading to ground shaking, landslides, and potential tsunamis.
• Volcanic eruptions release gases, ash, and lava, causing widespread damage to property and the environment.

Hydrometeorological Hazards

• Tropical cyclones (or typhoons) can produce extreme winds, heavy rain, and flooding, compounding risks when hazards interact.
• Flooding occurs when water exceeds the normal confines of bodies of water, disrupting systems and leading to injuries.
• Drought is characterized by prolonged periods of dry climate, causing water shortages that affect health and agriculture.

Man-Made Hazards

• Transportation accidents impact individuals operating vehicles and involve pedestrians and emergency responders.
• Terrorism involves unlawful violence that induces fear within a population to achieve political objectives.
• Human error can lead to hazardous substance spills, negatively affecting health and safety.

Exposure and Elements at Risk

• Exposure includes the presence of people, buildings, and assets at risk from natural or man-made hazards.
• Elements at risk encompass physical structures (buildings, transportation), population demographics, and environmental factors.
• Vulnerability is defined as characteristics that make communities susceptible to hazard damage, influenced by physical and socio-economic factors.

Vulnerability

• Vulnerability varies based on situational and hazard-specific contexts; not all areas in high-risk regions are equally vulnerable.
• Structures can be equipped against certain hazards; for instance, Japan's buildings are designed to withstand earthquakes.

Disaster Definition

• The Philippine DRR Law defines a disaster as significant disruption within a community involving extensive losses that outstrip local resources to cope.
• Hazards only become disasters when they affect vulnerable populations that cannot manage the event's impacts.

Disaster Risk

• Disaster risk is the expected toll in lives and property due to natural phenomena, arising from the interaction between hazards and vulnerabilities.
• Severe hazards combined with high vulnerability and exposure lead to elevated disaster risks.

Capacity

• Capacity consists of resources and strengths within a community that can mitigate disaster effects, including infrastructure, social systems, and human knowledge.
• Enhanced community capacity reduces the overall impact of disasters.

Legislation and Education

• The Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act mandates integration of disaster risk education into school curricula to improve community preparedness.
• Capacity building initiatives include drills, hazard mapping, and public awareness campaigns.

National Disaster Risk Reduction Framework

• The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan aims for safer communities through:
  • Disaster Prevention and Mitigation: Reducing vulnerabilities and enhancing community capacities.
  • Disaster Preparedness: Building community capacity for emergency anticipation and coping.
  • Disaster Response: Providing immediate assistance during disasters to save lives and ensure basic needs.
  • Disaster Rehabilitation and Recovery: Restoring and improving conditions post-disaster while considering risk reduction principles.

Disaster Risk Factors

• Various factors can influence the impact of disasters, including geographical, socio-economic, and environmental elements, affecting community resilience and response.

Test your knowledge on various hazard types, including natural and man-made hazards. This quiz covers biological, geological, and hydrometeorological hazards, exploring their causes and effects on life and the environment. Challenge yourself to understand the complexities of these dangerous phenomena.