Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction PDF

Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction  Chapter 1 Basic Concept of Disaster and Disaster Risk  Learning Objectives To describe how hazard becomes a disaster To differentiate hazard, vulnerability, exposure, disaster, and disaster risk To analyze the impacts of disasters...

Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction  Chapter 1 Basic Concept of Disaster and Disaster Risk  Learning Objectives To describe how hazard becomes a disaster To differentiate hazard, vulnerability, exposure, disaster, and disaster risk To analyze the impacts of disasters To list ways to reduce the impact of disasters  Section 1.1 Concept of Disaster Why is the Philippines one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries?  1. Warm Ocean Water Located just above the equator, the Philippines faces the western Pacific without much else in the way to take the force of storms before they make landfall. Those warm, equatorial waters power storms, about 20 typhoons a year.  "It has the warmest ocean temperatures in the world. We call it the warm pool around Indonesia and the Philippines," says atmospheric scientist Colin Price of Israel's Tel Aviv University. "You need temperatures above 28°C (82.4°F) for typhoons to form. In the western Pacific, the water's normally above 28 degrees," Price says.  2. Coastal Homes A lot of people live on low-lying coastal islands in the Philippines, with more than 60 percent of the population living in coastal zones, according to World Bank estimates.  3. Deforestation In past typhoons, mudslides have killed many storm survivors in the Philippines, notes meteorologist Jeff Masters of the Weather Underground website. Hillsides denuded of trees have fewer roots to hold them together, which can lead to mudslides when they are hit by sudden huge outbursts of rain.  4. Ring of Fire On top of everything else, the Philippines rests on the Pacific’s earthquake and volcano Ring of Fire. Driven by the Pacific's Ocean's crust diving underneath the continents, the result is earthquakes and tsunamis striking the Philippines with regularity  5. Underdevelopment The young, poor population of the Philippines has increasingly shifted to coastal regions, where rapidly constructed housing and inadequate evacuation plans Over the long term, the Manila Observatory says that the combination of poverty and population shifts puts the Philippines among the Top 10 worldwide nations at risk of coastal flooding. The Occurrence of a Disaster The occurrence of a disaster depends on the interplay between a natural phenomenon or event (that can turn into a hazard) and the vulnerability of populations exposed (exposure and vulnerability).  When Does a Natural Event Become a Hazard? Natural events do not automatically become hazards, much less cause disasters. Under what circumstances then do natural phenomena can be considered hazards?  Natural phenomena can be considered hazards when the threat of damage, injury, and even death exists.  Activity 1 OBJECTIVE: This activity will let the students discover various natural phenomena and when these can be considered hazards.  When Does a Hazard Become a Disaster? A disaster happens when the probable destructive agent, known as the hazard, hits a vulnerable populated area. Therefore, a natural event like a volcanic eruption or tsunami becomes a disaster only if it hits vulnerable populations and properties. The Relationship between Hazard, Disaster, and Vulnerability  Main concept: An event like a volcanic eruption or typhoon remains a natural event if it does not pose a threat to defined elements at risk (people, property, animals or crops) A natural event becomes a hazard if it poses a threat with respect to elements at risk because these are along the potential path or within areas which can be affected  Main concept: A disaster happens when the probable destructive agent, the hazard, hits a vulnerable populated area. A natural event like a volcanic eruption or tsunami that hits an uninhabited area does not qualify as a disaster. Why? It becomes a disaster only if it hits vulnerable populations and properties; in short, if there are victims.  Activity 2 OBJECTIVE: This activity will let the students review disaster concepts and distinguish between the various types of hazards.  Section 1.2 Disaster Risk  Disaster risk refers to the expectation value of deaths, injuries, and property losses that would be caused by a hazard.  Recognizing the Differences of Disasters No two disasters are alike. And although some are definitely similar, appreciating their differences in terms of their nature and magnitude of triggering hazards, exposed elements at risk, and vulnerabilities will help us deal with potential disasters.  Factors That Determine the Magnitude of Disaster 1. The severity of the natural event 2. The quantity of exposure of the elements at risk which includes lives and properties 3. Vulnerability level or quality of exposure  The Elements of Risk  Thus, Disaster Risk can be expressed as a function of hazard, exposure, and vulnerability or Disaster Risk = Hazard x Exposure x Vulnerability According to this formula, if there is no hazard, then the risk is null. Disaster Risk Reduction through Reduction of Exposure and Vulnerability Hazard: earthquakes, storms… Exposure: People, property Vulnerability: Resistance against natural hazards  The diagram shows that the occurrence of natural disasters like earthquakes and volcanic eruptions cannot be prevented, but reducing exposure and vulnerability can minimize their impact. It explains that mitigation and preparedness measures will result in the reduction of vulnerability and thus, in disaster risk.  Risk Assessment estimates the impact that a hazard would have on people, services, facilities, and structures. Individual map layers are superimposed to come up with a risk map. A risk map thus tells you the hazards, effects (physical, social and economic), vulnerabilities of areas, and costs of damage.  The level of vulnerability and exposure can be reduced by keeping people and property away as far as possible away from hazards. Relocation must come hand in hand with other mitigation and preparedness measures.  Activity 3 OBJECTIVE: This activity will let the students formulate a qualitative risk map from analysis of hazard, exposure, and vulnerability.  Section 1.3 Nature and Effects of Disasters  It Pays to Be Aware Being aware of the nature of hazards and what these can do to people and other elements at risk is the first step in every effort to minimize the effects of disasters.  Characteristics of Disasters Disasters are inherently unexpected or come quickly with little or no warning, resulting in, widespread death, injury, and property damage. Disasters cannot be managed through normal means, thus, they often require immediate and effective intervention of both national government agencies (NGAs) and non- government organizations (NGOs) to help meet the needs of the victims.  Characteristics of Disasters They know no political boundary. They require restructured and new responding organizations. They create new tasks and requires more people as disaster responders. They render emergency response equipment and facilities.  Impacts of Disasters Deaths Destruction or damage to homes and buildings Destruction of crops and decreased quality or quantity of water  Impacts of Disasters Medical effects - include traumatic injuries, emotional stress, epidemic diseases, and indigenous diseases affected by the disaster.  Damage to critical facilities- Widespread disasters can destroy or damage facilities that may be critical not only in maintaining a safe environment and public order, but also in responding to the disaster. Among these are communication installations, electrical generating and transmission facilities, hospitals, water facilities (storage, purifications, and pumping), and other public and private buildings.  Disruption of transportation - During the initial stages of a disaster, almost all surface means of transportation within a community are disrupted by broken bridges and roads and streets that are rendered impassable by landslides or floods. The restricted mobility of vehicles makes rescue and other emergency operations doubly difficult.  Wider economic impact: As a result of the destruction and damage to critical facilities, especially to transportation and communication facilities, disasters disrupt economies as normal business operations and other economic activities are curtailed. People must also leave their jobs and devote their time to disaster-related activities, such as search and rescue, or to caring for survivors.  Global environmental change: There is increasing evidence of global climatic change brought about by both by human activity and disasters. Although the long- range consequences are hard to predict, more severe cyclonic storms, an increase in both flooding and drought, and a trend towards desertification cannot be ruled out. The changes could result in a wide range of more hazards such as mudslides, reduced productivity in the oceans, and weakened immune systems of people and animals.  social and political impact: As a large segment of the population in developing countries consist the poor, who are the most vulnerable whenever a disaster strikes, these countries are the most affected. The poor are the most prone to disasters like earthquakes and typhoons because of the structures they live in which are unreinforced and poorly built. These are also often located in marginal lands. When disasters happen, social and political inequities are usually exposed, which may lead to major political and social changes.