Understanding Disasters and Risks

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Questions and Answers

What defines a natural event as a hazard?

  • It has the potential to cause harm to people and property. (correct)
  • It occurs frequently in a specific region.
  • It is exclusively related to weather phenomena.
  • It has already resulted in significant damage.

When does a hazard become classified as a disaster?

  • When it leads to widespread damage or loss. (correct)
  • When the community overreacts.
  • When resources for recovery are available.
  • When only minor injuries occur.

What does vulnerability refer to in the context of hazards?

  • The capacity to recover from a disaster.
  • The historical occurrence of natural disasters.
  • The susceptibility of a community to harm from a hazard. (correct)
  • The quality of infrastructure in a region.

Which of the following factors can increase exposure to hazards?

<p>Proximity to the hazard. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which group of individuals is categorized as socially vulnerable during disasters?

<p>Those who are poor, elderly, or disabled. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes 'exposure' in relation to natural hazards?

<p>The presence of people or assets near hazards. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What role does infrastructure quality play in vulnerability?

<p>It affects the ability to respond and recover from disasters. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Natural resources can be exposed to hazards such as:

<p>Pests and droughts. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a major factor contributing to economic vulnerability in businesses?

<p>Regulatory changes (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which group is likely to lose their livelihoods more easily during a disaster?

<p>Individuals relying on agriculture or low-paying jobs (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What type of vulnerability refers to disasters impacting communities accessed to basic resources?

<p>Access to Resources Vulnerability (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following can contribute to health vulnerability during a disaster?

<p>Having ongoing health conditions (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a result of weak government or emergency services during a disaster?

<p>Delayed response to emergencies (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What kind of infrastructure is more likely to be damaged during natural disasters?

<p>Poorly built homes and roads (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How can insurance and government support affect vulnerability after a disaster?

<p>They make recovery easier (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'hazards' refer to in relation to disasters?

<p>Potential damage from natural events (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What term describes the ability to forecast when a hazard will occur and its potential severity?

<p>Predictability (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What type of waves are responsible for the most damage during an earthquake?

<p>Surface Waves (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which type of hazard impact pertains to loss of life and injuries?

<p>Social Impact (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the focus of an earthquake?

<p>The center of the earthquake where it originates (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the complexity of a hazard?

<p>The variety of interacting components involved in a hazard (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the spatial extent of a hazard?

<p>The area affected by a hazard (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Aftershocks occur in relation to which of the following?

<p>The most intense earthquake event (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What type of impact includes damage to ecosystems and natural resources?

<p>Environmental Impact (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Natural Event

A natural occurrence such as volcanic eruptions or typhoons.

Hazard

A natural event becomes a hazard when it can cause harm or damage.

Disaster

A hazard turns into a disaster when it causes widespread destruction.

Vulnerability

The susceptibility of a community to harm from a hazard.

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Capacity

The ability of a community to prepare, respond to, and recover from disasters.

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Exposure

The proximity of people or things to a hazard.

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Social Vulnerability

Factors like poverty or disability that increase risk in disasters.

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Natural Resource Exposure

Natural resources like farms and forests can be threatened by hazards.

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Economic Vulnerability

The susceptibility of companies to market fluctuations and economic downturns.

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Supply Chain Hazards

Risks that disrupt the flow of goods, like natural disasters and port strikes.

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Resource Access

Availability of essential resources like money, food, and healthcare impacts vulnerability.

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Health Vulnerability

The increased risk of health problems for communities during disasters.

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Physical Vulnerability

The risk of damage to poorly built structures during disasters.

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Institutional Vulnerability

The inability of government or emergency services to respond effectively during crises.

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Health Conditions

Ongoing health issues that make individuals more vulnerable to disasters.

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Climatic Vulnerability

The susceptibility of areas to extreme weather events due to local climate conditions.

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Predictability of Hazards

The ability to forecast the occurrence and severity of hazardous events.

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Spatial/Temporal Extent

The geographic area affected by a hazard and the duration of its impact.

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Complexity of Hazards

The extent to which a hazard involves multiple interacting factors.

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Epicenter

The point on the Earth's surface directly above an earthquake's focus.

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Seismic Waves

Waves of energy that travel through the Earth, causing its shaking during an earthquake.

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Aftershocks

Smaller earthquakes that occur after the main earthquake event.

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Types of Hazard Impacts

The various effects hazards can have, including physical, economic, social, environmental, and psychological.

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Study Notes

Understanding Disasters and Hazards

  • A disaster is an event causing widespread destruction, damage, or loss of life, disrupting normal community functioning.
  • A disaster is defined as a significant disruption of community/society, involving widespread human, material, economic, or environmental losses, exceeding the affected community's ability to cope using its own resources.
  • Disasters can be natural (earthquakes, hurricanes) or man-made (industrial accidents, chemical spills).

Disaster Risk

  • Disaster risk is the probability of a natural or man-made disaster happening in a specific location, and the potential impact on people, property, and the environment.
  • Disaster risk is evaluated by frequency (how often hazards occur), severity (level of damage), vulnerability (susceptibility of people, infrastructure, and systems to a hazard), and resilience (ability of a community to respond and recover).
  • Elements of disaster risk include hazard (natural or human-induced event), exposure (presence of people, property, infrastructure in a hazardous area), vulnerability (susceptibility of a community/region to harm), and capacity (ability of a community/region to prepare, respond, and recover from disasters).

When Does a Natural Event Become a Hazard?

  • A natural event becomes a hazard when it has the potential to harm people, property, and the environment.

When Does a Hazard Become a Disaster?

  • A hazard becomes a disaster when it results in widespread destruction, damage, loss of life, and disrupts the normal functioning of a community or society.

The Philippines and Natural Disasters

  • The Philippines is highly prone to natural disasters due to its location in the Pacific Ring of Fire (high seismic and volcanic activity), frequent typhoons, floods, and landslides.
  • The country experiences regular earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and typhoons, damaging communities and infrastructure.

Deeper Understanding of Exposure

  • Exposure refers to the proximity or presence of people or things to a hazard.
  • Various elements can be exposed to hazards (people, infrastructure, natural resources, electronic systems, business operations, supply chains).

Key Factors of Vulnerability

  • Physical Vulnerability: Poorly built homes/infrastructure, areas near coasts or floodplains are more vulnerable to disasters.
  • Environmental Vulnerability: Damage to natural resources makes areas more vulnerable to disasters (floods, landslides).
  • Social Vulnerability: Population density, inequality, community support, and lack of economic resources increase vulnerability.
  • Economic Vulnerability: Reliance on agriculture or low-paying jobs, limited resources (money/food/healthcare), lack of insurance/support.
  • Health Vulnerability: Areas with limited healthcare access, people with existing health conditions are more vulnerable to disasters.
  • Institutional Vulnerability: Weak Government/Emergency services, lack of preparedness.
  • Cultural/Psychological Vulnerability: Cultural beliefs/practices, psychological readiness, dependence on technology.

Basic Concepts of Hazards

  • Hazards are events (volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, floods) with potential to damage humans and their environment.
  • Hazards become hazards when they threaten people and their environments.
  • Types of hazards include geological, hydro-meteorological, biological, and societal.

Characteristics of Hazards

  • Frequency: How often a hazard occurs (rare, occasional, frequent).
  • Severity: Extent of damage/harm (minor, moderate, severe).
  • Predictability: Ability to forecast when and how severe a hazard will be.
  • Spatial/Temporal Extent: How wide/long a hazard impacts (local, regional, global).

Impacts of Hazards

  • Hazards have various impacts—physical (damage to infrastructure), economic (loss of income), social (loss of life), environmental (damage to resources), psychological (trauma/stress), public health (illnesses), technological (damage to systems), political (changes in policies).

Parts of an Earthquake

  • Focus: The spot inside the Earth where the earthquake starts.
  • Epicenter: The point on the Earth's surface directly above the focus.
  • Fault: A crack in the Earth's surface where the earthquake happens.
  • Seismic Waves: Waves that carry energy through the Earth causing shaking.
  • P-waves: Fast waves that move in a back-and-forth motion.
  • S-waves: Slower waves that move side-to-side.
  • Surface Waves: Slower waves that cause the most damage on the Earth's surface.
  • Aftershocks: Smaller earthquakes after the main earthquake.
  • Tectonic Plates: Large pieces of the Earth's surface that move, causing earthquakes at their edges.
  • Magnitude: How strong an earthquake is based on energy release—same everywhere.
  • Intensity: How much shaking is felt (and damage caused), and varies by location.

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