Hazards and Vulnerabilities Quiz

Study Notes

Hazards are threats that can lead to loss of life, injury, property damage, social and economic disruption, or environmental degradation.

Natural Hazards: Result from natural processes (e.g., earthquakes, floods).
Human-Induced Hazards: Arise from human actions (e.g., industrial accidents).
Geological Hazards: Include earthquakes, landslides, and volcanic activity.
Hydrometeorological Hazards: Involve weather and climate-related events (e.g., hurricanes, droughts).
Biological Hazards: Refer to harmful organisms (e.g., bacteria, viruses).
Technological Hazards: Associated with industrial processes (e.g., chemical spills).
Socio-Natural Hazards: Result from environmental changes influenced by human activity, such as deforestation leading to landslides.

People: Includes vulnerable groups such as children, elderly, and disabled individuals.
Buildings and Infrastructure: Residential and commercial structures, critical infrastructures (hospitals, schools), utility networks, and transportation systems.
Economic Activities: Agriculture, businesses, and tourism that can suffer due to hazards.
Natural Environment: Ecosystems and wildlife impacted by hazardous events.
Cultural Heritage: Historical sites and cultural practices at risk from hazards.
Social Systems: Healthcare and education services can be disrupted by hazards.
Livelihoods: Job loss and economic hardship stemming from environmental disruptions.
Public Services: Emergency services and social support programs under strain during disasters.

Exposure represents the total value of elements at risk from hazards, quantified by human lives and property value.
Vulnerability varies based on physical, social, economic, and environmental factors that increase susceptibility to hazards.
Factors contributing to vulnerability include environmental mismanagement, poorly designed communities, inadequate infrastructure, and lack of public awareness.

A severe typhoon can inundate low-lying coastal communities with poor infrastructure, resulting in significant flooding and damage.
Industrial accidents, such as chemical explosions, can pose serious health risks to workers lacking proper training and safety equipment.

Natural Disaster: A coastal community in a vulnerable low-lying area faces flooding from a severe typhoon, exacerbated by inadequate drainage and poorly constructed homes.
Industrial Accident: In a chemical plant, inadequate safety protocols lead to heightened vulnerability among workers during a malfunction, culminating in an explosion that releases toxic substances.

The Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) targets increasing exposure and vulnerability in relation to regional challenges, as highlighted in the Asia-Pacific Disaster Report 2023, predicting more frequent and intense disasters across existing and new risk hotspots.