THE ELEMENTS OF DISASTER

Basic Concept of Disaster an Disaster Risk

A disaster waiting to happen. Path of

super typhoon Yolanda taken days
before eventually making a landfall in
Leyte and Samar from the east.
Hazard
 A dangerous phenomenon, substance,
human activity or condition that may
cause loss of life, injury or other health
impacts, property damage, loss of
livelihoods and services, social and
economic disruption, or environmental
change.
Disaster
A serious disruption of the functioning of
a community or a society involving
widespread human, material, economic,
or environmental losses and impacts
which exceeds the ability of the affected
community or society to cope using its
own resources.
Disasters
A result of the combination of: the
exposure to a hazard; the combinations of
vulnerability that are present; and
insufficient capacity or measures to
reduce or cope with the potential negative
consequences.
Can we prevent disaster from
happening?

“We cannot eliminate disasters but we can mitigate risk.

We can reduce damage and we can save more lives.” Ban
Ki-Moon, United Nations Secretary General

Why is the Philippines one of the world’s

most disaster-prone countries?
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?
If you were the owner of one of the
cars, how would you have to avoid
this scenario from happening?
A natural event can be likened to a
weak concrete fence that could
collapse even with just a slight push.
It does not pose a threat to anything
or anybody if there is nothing or no
one nearby. Once you park a car or
stand right beside it , it becomes a
hazard.
ACTIVITY 1

Objective: This activity lets one

discover various natural phenomena
and when thee be considered
hazards.
List some natural phenomena
(ex. earthquakes, volcanic eruptions,
or typhoons) that you can think of.
Explore the websites of the following
to add to your list:
PHIVOLCS
PAGASA
MGB
Each group with at least five members
shall discuss one natural phenomenon.
Create a profile for each event using the
following questions:
1. Where does this kind of event occur?
2. What causes natural phenomenon?
3. How much warning is there?
4. Can it cause damage to people and the
environment? If so what sort of damage
can it cause?
5.How are different people affected when
natural event strikes your community? Who
would be most affected?
6. Does a reported natural phenomena
affect people all the time?
7. How strong are the most damaging
events? List five examples.
8.How big should a natural phenomenon be
for it to be considered a hazard? Does size
even matter?
9. Why do people live in areas affected by a
natural hazard?
10. How could people prevent disasters
when a natural hazard strikes?
Each group’s profile shall be shared to
the whole class.
When does a Hazard Becomes
a Disaster?
The transformation of a Natural Event
into a Disaster. A natural event such as
tsunami becomes a hazard if it poses a
threat to people. A magnitude 6.5
earthquake is usually strong enough to
generate tsunamis that could be destructive
to nearby coastal areas.
Exposure
Refers to people and property
Vulnerability
Refers to factors, such as
physical , social , economic and
environmental , that increase the
susceptibility to the impact of a
hazard.
Activity 2
Objective: Review disaster concepts and
distinguish between the various types of
hazards.
Indicate on the space provided for answer a
whether each of the following item is a hazard
or disaster. For answer b, choose whether it is
hydrological, atmospheric, geologic, biological,
or man-made.
1. A super typhoon with storm surge affecting
Leyte.
a.______________ b._____________
2. At typhoon passing over a remote and
unpopulated island
a.______________ b._____________
3. A flood in a rural area which floods the
roads but does not affect any houses
a.______________ b._____________
4. A volcano erupting in isolation in the
middle of the Pacific Ocean.
a.______________ b._____________
5. An avalanche in a ski resort
a.______________ b._____________
6. An avalanche high on the mountain and
slopes remote from any settlement
a.______________ b._____________
7. A tsunami wave 5m high off the coast of Japan.
a.______________ b._____________
8. An earthquake in Kashmir, Northern
Pakistan.
a.______________ b._____________
9. A drought in Australia’s Outback (vast, remote,
interior of Australia)
a.______________ b._____________
10. A landslide in a favela in Rio de Janeiro
a.______________ b._____________
Nature and Effects of
Disasters

OBJECTIVES:
1. Characterize disasters and the conditions by
which disasters happen.
2. Enumerate and describe the effects of
disasters.
3. Determine the best policies and strategies to
mitigate the effects of disaster.
Characteristics of Disasters
Disasters are inherently unexpected or
come quickly with little or no warning. As
a result, disasters cause widespread
death, injury, and property damage

These requires immediate and effective

intervention of both NGAs and NGOs to
help meet the needs of the victims.
Disasters create demands beyond the
capacity of a government.
During a disaster, the situation is usually
beyond the capabilities of local
government units( LGUs), or national
government to respond and handle.
The following also characterize
Disasters:

Knows no political boundary.

Requires restructured and new responding
organizations.
Creates new tasks and requires more people
as disaster responders
Renders inutile routine emergency response
equipment and facilities.
Worsens confusion in understanding roles
of peoples and organizations.

 Exposes lack of disaster planning,

response and coordination. Inexperienced
disaster organizations often fail to see
what their proper roles are.
Impacts of Disaster
Impacts of Disaster
Medical Effects
Includes traumatic injuries, emotional
stress, epidemic diseases, and indigenous
diseases.
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
disaster.
 Disruption of Transportation
means of transportation within a
community are disrupted by broken bridges
and roads and streets that are rendered by
landslides or floods.
Economic impact
Disasters disrupt economies as normal
business operations and other economic
activities are curtailed.
Global Environmental Change
The changes could result in a wide range of
more hazards such as wildfires and mudslides,
reduced productivity in the oceans, and
weakened immune systems of people and
animals.
Social and Political Impact
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. Social inequities are usually
exposed.
ASSESSMENT:
1. Do more unpredictable natural
hazards cause damage and casualties?
Why or why not?
2. What would you consider as the worst
impact of disaster?
3. Can you consider spending to make a
school or an office building earthquake
proof as good investment? Why?
VARIOUS ELEMENTS THAT MAY
BE EXPOSED TO HAZARDS:

ENVIRONMENTAL , SOCIAL, AND

ECONOMIC
Social, Environmental, And Economic
Dimensions Of Exposure And Vulnerability

SOCIAL. The social dimensions of

exposure and vulnerability covers a wide
range of concerns.( migration, social
groups, health and well-being, education,
culture, institutions and governance
aspects)
ENVIRONMENTAL. The physical aspects
of exposure and vulnerability refer to
location and built structures.
Ex. Tacloban City (Leyte)
Detailed list of the physical elements
exposed to various hazards:
1. Essential Facilities
• Educational facilities
• Medical and healthcare facilities
• Emergency response facilities
• Government offices
• Recreational or tourist facilities
• Places of worship
• Banks and financial centers
• Markets and shopping centers
• cemeteries
2. Industrial and High Potential Loss
Facilities and Facilities Containing
Hazardous Materials
• Dams and ponds
• Fuel reservoirs, pipelines, and pumps
• Power generating plants and lines
• Multi-purpose hydropower plants, water
tanks, and lines
• Food processing facilities
3. Transportation Lifelines
• Highways, bridges, railway tracks, and
tunnels
• Bus facilities
• Port and harbor facilities
• Airport facilities and runways
4. Utility Lifelines
• Potable water facilities, waste water
facilities, pipelines and distribution lines
• Oil and natural gas systems facilities,
pipelines and distribution lines
• Electric power facilities and distribution
lines
• Communication facilities( stations) and
distribution lines ( cables and networks)
Assessment:
1. If your choice of applying protective
measures is limited, which five specific
physical elements at risk would you
prioritize? Explain
2. How different are the exposure to flood
hazard of people from cities in
developed countries and people who live
in cities in less- developed countries?
Cite examples.
 ECONOMIC
Among the economic effects of a
hazard event include business
interruptions due to accessibility
problems, loss of jobs and access
to work and loss of government
income.
Social, Environmental, and
Economic Factors of Vulnerability
SOCIAL – certain population groups may be
more vulnerable than others. Can you tell
why? Below is the list of most vulnerable
populations:
• People with disabilities
• Children
• Seniors
• Medication dependent individuals
• Women, especially those who are single,
single parents, or the unemployed
• Ethnic minorities
• Homeless or “ street people”
• Schoolchildren
Hazards and Hazard
Types
Types of Hazard and Examples
for Each
GEOLOGIC
1. Earthquakes
• Vibration
• Ground rupture
• Liquefaction
• Earthquake-induced landslides
• tsunami
2. Volcanic eruption
• Lava flow
• Volcanic gas
• Pyroclastic flow
• Tephra fall
• Lahar
• Volcanic debris
• avalanche
3. Rainfall-induced landslides
4. Rapid Sediment movement
5. Subsidence
6. Sinkhole formation
7. Impacts with space objects
HYDROLOGIC

1. Floods-river and Coastal

2. Wave action
3. Drought
4. Rapid glacier advance
ATMOSPHERIC
1. Typhoons or hurricanes
2. Thunderstorms
3. Excessive rainfall
4. Tornadoes
5. Heavy snowfalls
6. Hail
7. Blizzards
8. High wind speeds
9. Lightning
10.Extreme temperature
BIOLOGIC

1. Epidemic in humans
2. Epidemic in plants
3. Epidemic in animals
4. Locusts
Man-Made
1. Transport Accidents
2. Industrial explosions and
fires