Unit 1: Disasters, Hazards and Vulnerability

Lesson 1: Disaster and Disaster Risk

Disaster, Risk, and Vulnerability

• Disaster is a serious disruption of the

functioning of a community or society causing
widespread human, material, economic, and
environmental losses which exceeds tha
ability of the affectd community to cope using
its own resources.
Lesson 1: Disaster and Disaster Risk

Disaster risk - is the probability of a harmful

consequences or expected losses (deaths, injuries,
livelihood, assets and services) resulting from the
interactions between natural or human-induced
hazards and vulnerable conditions.
Lesson 1: Disaster and Disaster Risk

• The conventional approach whenever a calamity occurs is managing its

aftermath, which is very reactive as one takes action only after the disaster
happens.

• The proactive approach being adopted is disaster risk reduction, where

risk are reduced and managed. The risk could be high, medium, or low,
depending on the physical environment, and socio-economic factors.
Lesson 1: Disaster and Disaster Risk

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”.
Lesson 1: Disaster and Disaster Risk
Vulnerability
• It is the extent to which community, structure, services, or
geographical area is likely to be damaged or disrupted by the impact
of a particular hazard, on acount of its nature, construction, and
proximity to hazardous terrain or disaster-prone area.

• Elements at risk include person, building, crops, and other

components exposed to known disaster hazards and which are likely
to be adversely affected by impact of these hazards.
Lesson 1: Disaster and Disaster Risk
The Different Types of Vulnerabilities
1. Physical and environmental vulnerability refers to the “human-made
environment” of buildings and infrastructures, and the “natural
environment” of agriculture, forestry, and aquaculture. The factors that
determine the magnitude of physical vulnerability are the following:

 Geographical pattern of the severity of hazards

 Exposure of elements to hazards
 Geological and environmental characteristics of the community
 Effects of local conditions
Lesson 1: Disaster and Disaster Risk

The Different Types of Vulnerabilities

2. Social vulnerability refers to the suceptibility of the population, the social

instituions or organizations that ensure the sustenance of families, communities,
and society The factors affecting social vulnerability are the following:

 Special categories of vulnerable groups of people

 Educational attainment
 Knowledge and awareness
 Population density
 Perception of risk
 Values and tradition
 Absence of local institution
Lesson 1: Disaster and Disaster Risk

The different types of vulnerabilities

3. Economic vulnerability pertains to the assets and resources of the community that are
suceptible to disasters, including the production, distribution, and utilization of goods and
services that ensure the well-being of the people. The factors affecting economic
vulnerability are the following:

 Sources of livelihood
 Community resources
 Household income and savings
 Markets and access to goods and services.
Lesson 1: Disaster and Disaster Risk

• The opposite of vulnerability is capacity. It is the

combination of a community’s strengths, characteristics,
and resources that can be utilized to achieve certain goals.
There are capacities which can be mobilized to aid
recovery from disasters.
Lesson 1: Disaster and Disaster Risk

Disaster, Risk, and Vulnerability