Module 1 (Unit 1) Disaster, Hazards, and Vulnerability

Lesson 1 Disaster and Disaster Risk

Disaster- Any occurrence that causes damage, ecological disruption, loss of human life,
deterioration of health and health services on a scale, sufficient to warrant an
extraordinary response from outside the affected community or area. (WHO)
Disaster- as an occurrence either nature or man made that causes human suffering and creates
human needs that victim cannot alleviate assistance.

Disaster risk - is “the probability of harmful consequences or expected losses 9deaths, injuries,
livelihoods, assets, services) resulting from the interactions between natural or
human-induced hazards and vulnerable conditions.”

Disaster risk reduction - “The conventional approach whenever a calamity occurs is managing
its aftermath, which is very reactive as one takes action only after the
disaster happened. The risk could be high, medium, or low, depending on
physical, environmental, and socio-economic factors,

Vulnerability - is “a condition determined by physical, social, economic, and environmental

factors or processes which increase the susceptibility of a community to the
impact of hazards.”

The following are different types of vulnerabilities.

1. Physical and environmental vulnerability
2. Social vulnerability
3. Economic vulnerability

Capacity it is the combination of a community’s strengths, characteristics, and resources that

can be utilized to achieve certain goals. Capacity is the opposite of vulnerability.

Lesson 2 Vulnerability of the Philippines to Disasters

The Philippines and Its Vulnerability to Disasters
 It is known that our country is very vulnerable to disasters and most of the recorded
events with great number of casualties were unexpected.
 Disasters like the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that hit Bohol province on October 15,
2013

Poverty and Vulnerability

The poor usually have lesser access to better homes, public facilities, and livelihood
opportunities, which makes them vulnerable to disasters.
Disaster as a Social Phenomenon
While disaster is mainly caused by natural hazards and has physical effects, it is also a
social phenomenon because natural events “have social consequences only as a result of the
actions of human beings and societies” (Dynes, 1992:15).

The social aspect comes from people’s actions before, during, and after a disease as
well as the existence of vulnerable people and communities.Some points to prove this point:

1. Harmful practices worsen vulnerability to disaster

2. Population growth and shortage of land have further pushed low-income families to
worse living conditions, which make them vulnerable to disasters.
3. The poor, the elderly, people with disabilities or special needs, indigenous people,
women, children, and communities marginalized by the exploitation of natural
resources usually end up as victims of disasters as they are the most vulnerable.
4. The aftermath of disaster paves the way for disaster prevention efforts.

Lesson 3 Hazards

1. Natural hazards are beyond human control. Examples are:

a. hydro-meterological and climatological hazards,
b. geologic hazards
c. biological hazards,and
d. astronomical hazards.

2. Hazards induced by humans may be due to accidents, carelessness, or inability to

implement protective measures. Examples are
a. fire,
b. industrial and technological hazards
c. hazards related to high-risk recreation activities such as mountain climbing; and
d. other hazardous human activities

3. Hazards are sometimes deliberately planned by people because personal or political

interests, resulting in massive loss of lives and properties. Examples are
a. arson
b. terrorism
c. Wars

HAZARD ANALYSIS
Is the “identification, study, and monitoring of any hazard to determine its potential, origin,
And behavior (UNISDR 2007).” The purpose of this analysis is to

1. provide descriptions of the hazards;

2. help in setting priorities corresponding to the need for protection; and
3. Assist in designing the appropriate DRRM system, plan, programs, and services.
1. Community hazards and disaster history construction. In this method, the existing hazards
And the disasters that the community experienced are identified.

2. Hazard and vulnerability mapping. Areas in the community that are vulnerable to a specific
hazard are identified then located in the map.

3. Factor Analysis. This tool describes the characteristics of the hazard in terms of the
Following (Heijmans and Victoria,2000):
a. Frequency - How can does the hazard occur?
b. Duration - How long does it occur?c. Speed of Onset - How fast does it occur upon
initial detection?
d. Intensity - What is the strength or magnitude?
e. Probability - what is the chance that it will occur?
f. Forewarning - Is there adequate time to prepare upon detention? Are there signals
before occurrence?
g. Manageability - How manageable are they?

Module 2 (Unit 2) Geographical Hazards and Disasters

Lesson 1 Earthquake
An earthquake - is a natural phenomenon that occurs in different parts of the world. It
can be very devastating, as it can kill thousands of people within a seconds.

From 1910 to 2010, almost 1.5 million people were killed in the most significant earthquakes
that shook the worlds. A recent study on the west Valley Fault in Metro Manila predicts a 7.2
magnitude earthquake that can result in 34,800 casualties and 118,200 injured persons.

Terms to remember:
1. Fault lines - are cracks on the earth’s surface along which smaller plates move or slip against
each other. Sometimes the slow and smooth movement stops abruptly, possibly because of a
natural obstacle.
2. Earthquake - the weak or violent shaking of the earth’s surface caused by the sudden
movement of rock materials beneath it.
3. Focus - the place where the energy is released like an explosion.
4. Epicenter- is the point that is immediately above the focus (Cramer1991).

Active Fault Line

As previously discussed,there are many active fault lines in the country. PHIVOLCS defines
active fault as a fault which have moved within the last 10,000 years. This means that there is
historical seismicity.

Magnitude
Is a measure of the total energy released at the earthquake’s point of origin which is below the
earth’s surface.

Seismograph
The instrument that measures magnitude
Richter Magnitude Scale
Is used to measure the strength of an earthquake.

Earthquake Intensity Scale

Earthquake Hazards
Ground shaking- is caused by the passage of seismic waves beneath the structures. As a result,
These structures may tilt, split, topple, or collapse. Ground shaking is affected
by how huge the earthquake is, what type of ground the earthquake waves
travel through, and how far it is from the earthquake source.
- The more destructive S-waves or secondary waves make everything as in a
spinning wheel. Thisis the movement that causes trees and buildings to sway
side to side. (Cramer, 1991).
Ground Rupture- is the displacement of the ground due to the violent shaking of the surface.
Ground rupture can cause a building to collapse if it stands right above it. Roads
can be divided if the rupture follows their path. It can also displace the pattern of
rice fields, destroying the irrigation system.
Two kinds of Displacement:
1. Vertical displacement - occurs when one side of the ground goes up or down or both sides
moved with one side going up and the other going down.
2. Horizontal displacement - happens when there is a lateral movement from side to side, one
side goes to the left or right, or both move sideways in different directions.

Liquefaction - takes place when there is an increase in water pressure in saturated soils
because of ground shaking. Sand deposits become more compact and water is squeezed
towards the surface which creates a condition similar to quick sand.

Ground Subsidence - or the lowering of the land surface occurs for many reasons, such as
the extraction of ground water and natural gas, miming, and earthquakes. As shown in the
liquefaction process,

Tsunami - is a series of large waves resulting from the disturbance of sea water commonly
due to an earthquake. The height of the waves could reach five meters or higher. The force
of some tsunamis can be enormous as large rocks, boats, and other debris can be moved
inland and hurt or kill people.

Lesson 2 VOLCANIC ERUPTION

A volcano - is a vent on the earth’s surface that opens downward to a pool of

molten rock,debris, and gases. Its formation involves the process of subduction.

Subduction - takes place when two plates converge.

The subduction zone is the place where two plates converge and the volcano is

CLASSIFICATION OF VOLCANOES
Volcano can be classified as active, potentially active (dormant), or inactive
(extinct). An active volcano is currently erupting or showing signs of volcanic eruption. It
should have also erupted within the last 600 years.

1. Potentially active volcano is one which have erupted and then entered a long period of
inactivity. Example Mt. Pinatubo dormant for 600 years and erupted explosively in 1991.

2. Inactive volcano one that has not shown any sign of activity for a long period. Example is
Mt. Cabalian in Leyte.

VOLCANIC ERUPTION HAZARD

Lava Flow
Is a mass of magma that flows down the slope of the volcano at a rate of 3
kilometers per day (slightly high viscosity) or 45 kilometers per hour (low viscosity).

Pyroclastic Flow
Refers to hot dry masses of fragmented volcanic materials that move along the
slope and in contact with ground surface at a speed greater than 60 kilometers per hour.

Pyroclastic surges are turbulent low-concentration density currents of gases, rock debris
and in some cases water.

Tephra Falls
Are showers of fine to coarse-grained volcanic materials and other airborne
products of a volcanic eruption. Diameters of particles can be less than 2millimeters (ash), 2
to 64 millimeters (lapilli), or greater than 64millimeters (blocks and bombs).

Ballistic Projectiles
are rocks that are released into the air by an erupting volcano.
These land within 2 kilometers of the vent but can travel as far as 5 kilometers or further if
the eruption is very explosive.

Volcanic Gas
is one of the basic components of magma or lava. Active and
inactive volcanoes may release gases to the atmosphere in the form of water vapor,
hydrogen sulfide,sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrogen chloride, and
hydrogen flouride.LAHAR

Lahar is a flowing mixture of volcanic debris and water. It is classified into two:
the primary or hot lahar that is associated with volcanic eruption and the secondary or
cold lahar caused by heavy rainfall.

VOLCANIC ERUPTION PREPAREDNESS

The Albay Public safety and Emergency Management Office came up with warning
system and action plan for Mayon Volcano.
 Lesson 3 LANDSLIDE AND SINKHOLES
Lesson 3 Landslide

Landslide is the downward movement of soil, rocks, and earth materials along a slope.
This can be triggered by certain geologic conditions and hazards such as typhoons,
earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. Rainfalls weaken the earth.

Types of Landslide
The Mines and Geosciences Bureau of the Department of Environmental and
Natural Resources (DENR-MGB), the agency concerned with land movement.

1. Creep - is a low or gradual movement of soil.

2. Slump - is the down slope flowage of soft and unconsolidated materials.
3. Rock and debris slide - is the slow to rapid down slope movement of unconsolidated soil and
rock debris.
4. Rock fall - is the free falling movement of massive rocks from a cliff or steep slopes.
5. Debris fall - is the rapid flowage of debris and other rock materials.
6. Mudflow - is the mass movement characterized by a flowing mass of mud along the flank of
a volcano.

SINKHOLES
are geologic formations caused by exposure to water, erosion, and ground
movement. The principle in the formation of a sinkhole is similar to the formation of caves
and underground rivers. Sinkholes can also be a result of drilling, mining, construction,
changing of the land surface, broken water or drain pipes, improperly compacted soil after
excavation work, or even heavy traffic that creates too much ground pressure.

Module 3 Climate-Related Hazards and Disasters

Lesson 1 Climate Change Phenomenon

Weather is the current condition such as the temperature, rainfall, wind, and humidity at a
given place.
Climate, on the other hand, is the average condition of the atmosphere. In the Philippines, we
often say that our climate has two general seasons: the dry and the wet seasons. Recently, the
change in climate condition has become a global
concern because it affects our lives and our survival.

Climate change is a variation in the pattern of climate properties such as temperature, wind,
and precipitation over along period of time. It is “the state of the climate that can be identified
by changes in the mean or the variability of its properties and that persists for an extended
period, typically decades or longer.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), established in 1988 by the United
Nations Environmental Programme and the World Meteorological Organizations to assess
information on the scientific and technical literature related to climate change, concluded in its
2007 report that the “warming of the climate in unequivocal and moral of the warming during
the last 50 years or so…is due to the observed increase in greenhouse gas concentration from
human activities”

Causes of climate change:

1. Concentration of carbon and greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere.
2. Water cycle, growth and death of plants and animals, decay of wood and other
biodegradable materials.
3. Volcanic activities, forest fires, and gas bubbles from oceans.
(klima Climate Change Center, manila observatory, 2006) However, there is scientific
evidence that global warming is due to anthropogenic or human activities.

GHGs emitted from human activities described by the klima Climate Change Center:
1. Carbon dioxide(CO2) from forest activities as well as machines and motors that used coal,
and natural gas.
2. Methane (CH4) primarily from agricultural activities (such as intensive livestock raising and
flooding of rice paddles), waste dumps, coal beds, and leaks from gas pipelines.
3. Nitrous oxide (N2O) from intensive agriculture and animals waste handling
4. Chloroflourocarbons (CFCs) from individual processes
5. Ozone (O3) in the lower atmosphere, indirectly from automobile exhaust fumes

How does global warming take place?

1. Greenhouse gases trap heat from the sun to keep the earth warm.
2. Increasing levels of GHGs in the atmosphere make for a warmer world leading to abrupt
changes in climate. The green gases in the atmosphere help regulate the surface temperature
of the planet. 30%of the incoming solar radiation of heat from the sun is reflected back by the
clouds and earth’s surface. The remaining 70% is absorbed by the earth’s surface but it is
radiated back to the space in the form of longwave emanating from the planet.
The problem is the increase of GHGs such as carbon in the atmosphere due to human activities.
The high concentration of GHGs increases global temperature.

What can be done to address climate change?

1. Climate Change Mitigation. This refers to measures that can reduce atmospheric
accumulation of
GHGs and thereby delay the predicted impact of GHGs on global climate.

2. Climate Change adaptation. This refers to adjustments in ecological, social,or economic

systems in
response to actual or expected climate change stimuli, their effects , or impacts to reduce
vulnerability,
moderate damages, and realize opportunities (Climate Change Commission,n.d.)

Lesson 2 HYDROMETE0ROLOGICAL HAZARDS AND DISASTER

A hydrometeorological hazard is a “process or phenomenon of atmospheric, hydrological or

oceanographic nature that may cause loss of life, injury or other health impacts, property
damage, loss
of livelihoods and services, social and economic disruption or environmental damage” (UNISDR,
2007).

Tropical cyclones, thunderstorms, tornados, storm surges, floods and drought are examples of
hydrometeoroligal hazards that we experience in our country.

HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL HAZARD
The El Nino and the La Nina Phenomenon
El Nino is associated with having no rain, the fear of drought and consequently dried-up fields
and
low water level in dams and reservoirs for domestic agricultural, and industrial uses.

La Nina is associated with heavy rainfall and hazards such as floods.

Refer on pp.91,92 for additional discussions.

Tropical Cyclones is an intense low pressure system with a minimum sustained wind velocity of
35
kilometers per hour (KPH).

Eye is 10 to 100kilometers in diameter, this is the area where the wind is light and calm and
there is no
rain.

Eye wall where the precipitation is heaviest and the wind is strongest. Spiral rain bands
surround the
eye (PAGASA-DOST 2006).

The signal numbers also indicate which classes are to be suspended automatically by the
Department of
Education. However, local government units or school authorities can suspend classes when the
local
situation warrants it.
Automatic Suspension Guidelines :

Signal No. 1 No Classes in Kindergarten

Signal No. 2 No Classes in Elementary and High School
Signal No. 3 No Classes in ALL LEVELS including tertiary level

LGU Discretion in areas where there are no storm signals

Floods

Floods - usually affect low-lying and coastal areas. This is due to the overflowing of water from
lakes, streams, and other bodies of water. The accumulation of rainwater in drainages also
causes flood, particularly in the urban areas.

The man made causes are the following:

1. Increased urbanization and coastal development.
2. Informal settlers.
3. Indiscriminate dumping of garbage.
4. Deforestation.
5. Failure of levees and dams.
6. Blasting.

Types of Floods
There are three types of floods.

1. River flood is caused by the overflowing of rivers when the run-off exceeds the capacity of
the
channels.

2. Flash flood is caused by a very short period of unusually heavy rainfall.

3. Coastal flood occurs when strong onshore winds push the water inland. The rise in the sea
level also causes flooding of the low-lying areas.
 Storm Surge

Storm surge as a sudden rise of sea level above the normal level on the coast due to a drop in
atmospheric pressure and the force of the wind as a tropical cyclone approaches the coast.

Storm surge is caused by the following:

1. Wind/pressure effect. The stronger the wind on the tropical cyclone and the lower the
atmospheric pressure, the higher the storm surge.
2. Rainfall effect. Heavy rains associated with an intense tropical cyclone add to the total sea
level near the coast.
3. Tidal effect. If surge coincides with the occurrence of high tide, water level will be higher than
when it occurs during the low tide.
4. Shape of the coastline and slope of the sea bed. The shallower the slope, the higher the surge
to the communities.

Thunderstorm

Thunderstorm is a localized storm cloud that produces lightning and thunder, and often brings
heavy rain shower or hail as well as strong gusty winds. The typical thunderstorm is 5
kilometers in diameter and lasts an average of 30 minutes, although some may last longer.

Thunderstorms has three stages:

1. Initial or cumulus stage, as the sun heats the earth’s surface, the ground warms the air above
it.
2. Mature stage, the clouds causes heavy precipitation, severe lightning, strong and gusty
winds, hail, and tornados at times.
3. Dissipating stage, the precipitation decreases its intensity and clouds begin to dissipate.
Thunderstorm cac produce dangerous weather conditions such as heavy rains, floods, tornados,
hailstones, and lightning.

Hailstones are ice crystals falling from a thunderstorm. Its size same as corn kernel when it
drops to
the ground.

Lightning the most dangerous hazard associated with thunderstorm, is a visible electrical
discharge
due to high voltage differences that build up within the clouds, between the clouds, and the
ground.
Lightning can cause deaths and injuries and can spark fires.

How do we know that there is an impending thunderstorm?

1. Towering cumulonimbus clouds
2. Darkening skies
3. Flashes of lightning
4. Sound of thunder
5. Static of your communication static

Tornado

Tornado is a localized windstorm characterized by a visible funnel-shaped, rapidly

whirling cloud
extending downward from the base of a dark cumulonimbus cloud. It is also known as twister.
In the
Philippines, it is called buhawi or ipo-ipo.It acts like vacuum cleaner, sucking and carrying aloft
objects along its path such as trees, structures, or debris. Wind speed is estimated to exceed
450 KPH and may
last for a few minutes.

While a tornado can be predicted through the use of Dopler radar, people must be on
the
lookout for precursory signs. Refer to p.101 for the following signs

Drought

Drought is the lack rainfall for normal needs. It can be attributed to the El Nino
phenomenon and the green house effect or the warming of the earth’s surface (CDRC 1992).
With climate change,
extreme atmospheric conditions could happen such as prolonged and heavy rainfall or lack of
rain,
resulting in drought.

Drought is a cyclical event so it can be predicted. It is also a slow-onset hazard, hence

there could be ample time time to prepare and reduce the risks associated with it.
Domestic water conservation is very important in responding to drought. When there is
warning on
the critical level of water supply in reservoirs that will affect domestic and industrial use, all
sectors have
to be conscious about conserving water.