STO. NIÑO COLLEGE OF ORMOC INC.

Doña Feliza Mejia Village

Ormoc City

Name: ___________________________ Strand: _______________________

KEY CONCEPTS OF DISASTER, HAZARD,

VULNERABILITY, AND CAPACITY
LEARNING OUTCOMES
At end of the Chapter I, the students are expected to:
1. Define key concepts of disaster, hazard, vulnerability, and capacity.
2. Explain the meaning of disaster risk and the occurrence of disaster.
3. Assess how hazards, vulnerability, and capacity relate to disaster.

DISASTER RISK AND ELEMENTS-AT-RISK

How does a risk become a disaster? What are the elements-at-risk?
Disaster Risk
Disaster risk is the chance or likelihood of suffering harm and loss as a result of a hazardous event. It
closely depends upon the exposure of a person or a community to a hazard. For example, people living in the low-
lying mountainous areas or people living in quarrying, logging, or mining sites
Disaster risk is also defined as the probability of harmful consequences or expected losses (death, injuries,
property, livelihoods, economic activity disrupted or environment damaged) resulting from interactions between
natural or human induced hazard and vulnerable conditions. This can be expressed as:

Risk = Chance (c) x Loss (1)

The output of risk analysis is usually an estimation of the risk scenarios the potential disaster losses, in
lives, health status, livelihoods, assets and services, which could occur to a particular community or a society over
some specified future time period.
The definition of disaster risk reflects the concept of disasters as the outcome of continuously present
conditions of risk. Therefore, disaster risk comprises different types of potential losses which are often difficult
to quantify. Nevertheless, with the knowledge of the prevailing hazards and the patterns of population and
socioeconomic development, disaster risks can be assessed and mapped, in broad terms at least
(http://www.unisdr. or/we/inform/terminology).

Risk may also depend on exposure to the consequences or uncertainty or potential deviations from what
is planned or expected disruption to everyday life following the formula:

Risk = probability (p) x Loss (1)

Disaster risk can be expressed as a function of hazard x vulnerability or a function (hazard, exposure,
vulnerability). How one copes depends on capacity and readiness to respond to an emergency and crisis.
 The equation Disaster Risk = Hazard x Elements of Exposure x Vulnerability emphasizes particularly the
physical aspects of vulnerability.
Risk is the anticipated or potential consequences of a specific hazard interacting with a specific community
at a specific time. Risks are a combination of probability (the likelihood of a hazard occurring) and of the
consequences or outcomes for the community if exposed to the hazard.
Risk results from the interaction of the three functions namely hazard, vulnerability, and exposure. Beyond
expressing a possibility of physical harm, it is crucial to recognize that risks are inherent or can be created or exist
within social systems. It is important to consider the social contexts in which risks occur and that people do not
necessarily share the same perception of risk and their underlying causes.
Risk is also a function of probability while we would all be highly vulnerable when a large meteor strikes
the earth, the probability of its occurrence is so low that the relative risk is also low. This demonstrates that risk
is a combination of probability (the likelihood of a hazard occurring) and of the consequences or outcomes for
the community and families it exposed to the hazard.
The World Health Organization or WHO (2007) defines disaster risk as "the probability of harmful
consequences, or expected losses (deaths, injuries, property, livelihood, economic activity disrupted or
environmental damage) resulting from interactions between natural or human-induced hazards and
vulnerabilities." In other words, disaster risk results from the combined effects of the hazards to which a
community is exposed and the vulnerabilities of that community (WHO, 2007). Accordingly, disaster risk varies
dependent on the level of the local preparedness of the community at risk as expressed by the following notation:

Risk is proportional to Hazard x Vulnerability/Level of Preparedness

On the other hand, communities shall take into account the disaster risk assessment in order to lessen the
adverse impacts of disaster risk. According to UNISDR, disaster risk assessment is a participatory process to
assess the hazards, vulnerabilities, and capacities of a community. Through hazard assessment, the likelihood of
the occurrence, the severity, and duration of various hazards is determined.
The Asian Disaster Preparedness Center or ADP (2006) pointed out that in vulnerability assessment, the
elements at risk, the people that are most exposed to hazards and the causes of vulnerable conditions are identified.
Included in the assessment is to look into the physical, geographical, economic, social, and political factors that
make some people vulnerable to dangers of a given hazard. On the other hand, ADP (2006) said that in capacity
assessment, the community's resources and coping strategies are identified.
Upon completion of the hazard, vulnerability and capacity assessments. it is essential to conduct risk
analysis to facilitate understanding of the communities and local authorities to the potential impacts of various
hazards.
Risk analysis includes the development of risk scenarios based on the information about hazards, their
frequency and intensity and the elements at-risk (ADP, 2006). Risk scenarios are demonstrations or
representations of "one single risk or multirisk situation that leads to significant impacts (European Commission,
2010). Through risk analysis, the kind of impact a hazard will have on various at-risk elements (people, houses,
buildings, roads and others) and the extent of impact (death toll, number of injuries and extent of damage) will be
identified.
Part of the risk analysis is to prepare a visual risk map which will show the result of both hazard and
vulnerability analysis. The visual risk map is regarded as an important tool as it provides an illustration of the

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 impact of hazards. It serves as a risk profile and may be considered as a communication tool for the reason that it
reveals the potential threats and those that entails immediate attention (Williams and Saporito, n.d.).

Knowing the risks and taking actions by identifying, assessing, and monitoring risks will save lives.

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REFLECTION QUESTION

Do you think people in congested areas are prone to disaster risk? What are the necessary steps to lessen the
adverse impacts of a disaster risk?
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THE PADAYON SERIES Building Resilient Communities

Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction
Authors: Maria Isabel B. LANADA
MA. LOURDES F. MELEGRITO, PhD Cand.
Diana J. MENDOZA, PhD
Project Director: RONALDO B. MACTAL, PhD

Phoenix Publishing House

2016

Disclaimer: The School and the instructor do not claim any rights or ownership of the information found in
the learning material or module. It is a compilation from different resources which are listed in the reference
section this is solely for educational purposes only.

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 CHAPTER TEST
(Test Your Understanding)

I. Measuring your knowledge

1. What is a disaster risk? What is disaster risk assessment?
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2. What is the difference between disaster and disaster risk?
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II. Shaping Critical Thinking Skills

1. What is the given situation before we can consider it as disaster risk?
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2. Lay down all the issues related to informal settlers living in disaster risk communities. Give your
standpoint about their situation. Follow the following template provided. Write all your recommendations
or suggestions to minimize potential losses that may be encountered by informal settlers.
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Advantages of Living in Disaster Disadvantages of Living in

Informal Settlers
Risk Areas Disaster Risk Areas

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 ELEMENTS-AT-RISK

What are the elements-at-risk? Is it a right of at-risk people to know about the risks they face?

The elements of society are considered at risk when they are exposed to hazards and there is a probability that
they will be badly affected by the impact of those hazards when they happen (Kotze and Geist, 2006).
1. Physical: includes facilities and services (houses, access roads, bridges, schools, hospitals, etc.) and
community structures.
2. Social: includes people (their lives and health) and household
3. Economic: includes livelihood and economic activities (jobs, equipment, crops, livestock, etc.)
4. Environmental: includes natural environment

The people, properties, systems, or other elements present in hazard zones that are subject to potential losses can
be considered as exposed to risks or elements-at-risk. Measures of exposure can include the number of people or
types of assets in an area. These can be combined with the specific vulnerability of the exposed elements to any
particular hazard to estimate the quantitative risks associated with that hazard in the area of interest.

COMMUNITY AS AN ELEMENT-AT-RISK

In order to measure degree of exposure, it is vital to determine the elements present in hazard zones and identify
the vulnerabilities of the elements exposed to a specific hazard. Identification of certain elements and their
vulnerabilities serve as inputs in estimating the quantitative risk connected with the hazard
(unisdr.org/we/inform/terminology)
If a community is not prepared before, during, and after a disaster, members of the community will become at
risk. Disaster preparedness covers activities to enhance ability to predict, respond, and to cope with the effect of
a disaster. It includes precautionary activities by households, communities, and organizations to react
appropriately during and following the event.

REFLECTION QUESTION

What will happen if the community is low in capacity and is not well prepared?
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