Hazards vs Disasters 1.

Biological Hazard
Hazards are dangerous phenomenon, substance, a. Process or phenomenon of organic
human activity or condition that may cause loss of life, origin or conveyed by biological
injury or other health impacts, property damage, loss vectors/ agents, including exposure
of livelihoods and services, social and economic to pathogenic microorganisms,
disruption, or environmental damage. In simpler toxins and bioactive substances.
words, hazards are events that pose threat, danger, b. Examples include…
or risk to any elements or populations exposed to i. Outbreaks of epidemic
them. They are also possibilities and can strike diseases
ii. Plant or animal contagion
anywhere and anytime.
iii. Insect or other animal
On the other hand, disasters are a sudden, plagues and infestations
calamitous occurrence that causes great harm, injury, 2. Geological Hazard
destruction, and devastation to life and property and a. A natural, geological process or
disrupts the usual course of life, causing both physical phenomenon originating from the
and emotional distress such as an intense feeling of solid-earth geosphere.
helplessness and hopelessness. b. Examples include…
i. Earthquakes
While according to Food and Agriculture Organization ii. Volcanic activity and
FAO, 2008 and United Nations International Strategy emissions
for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR), it is a a serious iii. Related geophysical
disruption of the functioning of a community or a movements such as mass
society involving widespread human, material, movements
economic or environmental losses and impacts, which iv. Landslides
exceeds the ability of the affected community or v. Rockslides
society to cope using its own resources. vi. Surface collapses
vii. Debris or mudflows
There are two elements affected by a disaster: life 3. Hydrometeorological Hazard
(human and animal) and property (Asian Disaster a. A phenomenon of atmospheric,
Preparedness Center, ADPC, 2012) hydrological or oceanographic
nature.
b. Examples include…
Two Categories of Hazards i. tropical cyclones
Natural Hazards are a naturally occurring physical ii. Thunderstorms
phenomena caused either by rapid or slow onset iii. Hailstorms
events which can be geophysical, hydrological, iv. Tornados
climatological, meteorological or biological. v. Blizzards
Furthermore, these are natural, inevitable events that vi. heavy snowfall
may not be controlled by humans. vii. Avalanches
viii. coastal storm surges
It can be categorized into three types: ix. floods including flash floods
x. Drought
xi. heatwaves
xii. cold spells
 a. Describe the humanitarian
emergency resulting from an
Human-induced (man-made) Hazards are events that international or civil war.
are caused by humans and occur in or close to b. Large numbers of people are
human settlements. They are caused by factors that displaced from their homes due to:
are generally traced to human errors, intent or i. The lack of personal safety
negligence, or glitches in technology. ii. The disruption of basic
infrastructure like…
It may be categorized into one of three types: 1. Food distribution
2. Water
1. Technological/Industrial
3. Electricity
a. May be defined as any condition
4. Sanitation
produced by industries that may c. Communities are left stranded and
cause injury or death to personnel isolated in their own homes unable to
or loss of product or property. access assistance.
b. Unregulated industrialization and d. Examples include…
inadequate safety standards i. Conflicts or wars
increase the risk for industrial ii. Genocide—the deliberate
disasters. killing of a large group of
c. Examples include… people, especially those of
i. Leaks of hazardous a particular ethnic group or
materials nation.
ii. Accidental explosions
iii. Bridge or road collapses, or
vehicle collisions
iv. Power cuts
2. Terrorism/Violence
a. The threat of terrorism has also
increased due to the spread of
technologies involving nuclear,
biological, and chemical agents used
to develop weapons of mass
destruction.
b. Examples include…
i. bombs or explosions
ii. release of chemical
materials
iii. release of biological agents
iv. release of radioactive
agents
v. multiple or massive
shootings
vi. mutinies
3. Complex Humanitarian Emergencies