COMPREHENSIVE REVIEWER IN

DISASTER READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION

I. EARTHQUAKE HAZARDS
Earthquake is occurring as part of Earth’s normal functioning. In the Philippines it happens more
frequently because of its geographical location which is near in the Pacific Ring of Fire. Philippines is one of the
countries situated near the Pacific Ring of Fire an area recognized to have frequent and active earthquakes and
volcanic eruptions. According to Earthquake-Tracking Web site, Philippines records (an average of) 200-250
earthquakes of varying magnitude every year Seismometer is the instrument used to measure movements in
Earth’s surface

Ground Shaking is caused by the passage of seismic waves, forms of energy that travel through the
different layers of Earths caused by the vibration movement. Intensity depends on the geologic makeup of the
ground (solid bed rock is far less subject to intense shaking that loose sediment)
Ground Rupture occurs when ground movement happens on a fault line and breaks through to the
surface. Most of the time, fault rupture follows preexisting faults known as Zone of Weakness
Liquefaction occurs when seismic shaking cause loose materials in the soil to mix with ground water or
soil saturated with water. The effect of this is that the ground slowly sink.
Tsunami is a destructive effect experienced by the Japanese living on low-lying coastal community. It is a
Japanese Word means Harbor Wave
Subsidence is a word which means lowering of land due to various causes
Earthquake-induced Landslide- Landslides may happen during or after an earthquake when a weakened
section of land falls off primarily due to gravity. The movement of ground during an earthquake could be
horizontal, vertical or both.

II. VOLCANIC HAZARDS

Volcanoes are openings in Earth’s crust that allows the energy from the interior of Earth to escape to the
surface. Volcanic hazards are volcano – related phenomena that pose potential threat or negative impact of life,
property and the environment in a given period of time. Volcanic hazards are volcano – related phenomena that
pose potential threat or negative impact of life, property and the environment in a given period of time

Lahar is an Indonesian term for the mixture of water, pyroclastic materials, and rock fragment flowing
down a volcano or river valley. Lahar is powerful enough to remove or carry away trees, boulders and logs.
Building, houses and other structures can be partially or completely buried by the turbulent flow of lahar.
Ash fall – This is composed of bits and pieces of pulverized rock, minerals and volcanic glass generated
from the volcanic eruption.
Pyroclastic flow - This refers to the fast-moving fluidized mass of rock fragments and gases When
pyroclastic flow travels down a volcano, it maintains a very high temperature, burning everything in its path. In
fact, in the MT Pinatubo eruption in 1991, some pyroclastic flows had temperatures of about 750 C Such high
temperatures instantly burn man-made structures and vegetation.
Ballistic projectile - This is a rock fragment that is ejected from a volcano during its explosive eruption. It
is like a cannonball that travels fast in the air. According to USGS, volcanic projectiles can be bombs and blocks.
Volcanic gas - This consists of sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide, which are poisonous and hazardous to
organisms. These are the main constituents of the magma that is spewed out during an eruption
Lava flow - This is molten rock that pour down from the slopes of the volcano. It is different from
pyroclastic flow in that lava flow is denser and hence moves more slowly.
Signs of an Impending Volcanic Eruption

 Occurrence of tremors or increase in the frequency of small earthquakes.

 Glow of volcanic crater due to the presence of Magma.
 Landslides and rock fall not due to heavy rains.

III. HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL HAZARDS

 Hydrometeorological hazards are dangers associated with the natural processes or phenomena involved
in the transfer of water and energy between the land surface and the lower atmosphere

Typhoons are actually tropical cyclones whose winds have reached more than 118 kilometers per hour,
which is why it is described as "intense”
Storm Surge is an abnormal rise in coastal waters due to a massive force from the sea or from the air
above the sea.
A flood is the presence of excessive water on a supposedly dry land. It can be caused by continuous
heavy rain or poor drainage
Tornadoes form when there are strong winds and low thunderstorm clouds.
The El Niño phenomenon refers to the large-scale warning of the ocean and atmosphere across the
central and east-central Equatorial Pacific.
The sea surface temperatures during this La Niña become lower by 3-5 degrees Celsius.

Tools for Monitoring Hydrometeorological Hazards

Doppler Radar- Doppler radar sends the energy in pules and

listens for any returned signal. The phase shift effect is similar to
the "Doppler shift" observed with sound waves. With the
"Doppler shift", the sound pitch of an object moving toward your
location is higher due to compression (a change in the phase) of
sound waves. used to measure important weather parameters
such as amount of rainfall and direction, speed, and intensity of
winds. These data are used to forecast weather conditions and
upcoming typhoon weeks before the occurrence.

Automated Rain Gauge- These gauges work by catching the

falling rain in a funnel-shaped collector that is attached to a
measuring tube. The area of the collector is 10 times that of the
tube; thus, the rain gauge works by magnifying the liquid by a
factor of 10 and transmit the collected data to PAG ASA to
analyze. usually installed in telecommunication cell sites to
observe and locate areas with excessive amount of rainfall. This
is used to detect for possible flooding and flash floods.

If you fail to plan, you plan to fail

God Bless you

-Sir Reign