LESSON 4

Hazards, Exposure, and

Vulnerabilities from actual
situations
1
2
 Hazard
is a harmful condition, substance, human
behavior or condition that can cause loss of
life, injury or other health effects, harm to
property, loss of livelihood and services,
social and economic disruption or damage to
the environment. Any risk which is imminent
is threat. 3
 Exposure
is the presence of elements at risk or chance of being harmed
from a natural or man-made hazard event. Elements include
the individuals, households or communities, properties,
buildings and structures, agricultural commodities,
livelihoods, and public facilities, infrastructures and
environmental assets present in an area that are subject to
potential damage or even losses. The more a community is
exposed to hazard factors, the higher is the disaster risk or
higher chance disaster occurrence. 4
 Vulnerability
means the characteristics and circumstances
of a community, system, or asset, that make
it susceptible to the damaging effects of a
hazard and inability of a community to
prevent, mitigate, prepare for and respond to
hazardous events.
5
 Risk
implies the probability of possible
adverse effects. This results from the
interaction of social and
environmental systems, from the
combination of physical danger, and
exposed item vulnerabilities.
6
 Disaster
is a serious disruption to the functioning of a
community or society which causes widespread
human, material, economic or environmental
losses that exceed the capacity of the community
or society concerned to cope with the use of their
own resources. It results from the mix of hazards,
risk conditions and inadequate capability or
measures. 7
 Exposure and Vulnerability
on the other hand, are distinct. A certain
community can be exposed but it does not
mean that it is vulnerable. Buildings and
structures in Japan are exposed to
earthquake, but they are not vulnerable since
their architectural and engineering designs
are earthquake proof or resistant. However,
to become vulnerable, it must be exposed to
hazard first. 8
 Exposure to hazard can make a community
vulnerable. But not all communities that are exposed
to hazard can be considered vulnerable. Vulnerability
depends on the preparedness and readiness to a
hazard of the community. It depends mostly on how
they mitigate, respond, and recover. If a certain
community has the ability to reduce the vulnerability
by reducing the risk, the said community is already
considered as less vulnerable or resilient.
9
 Physical elements
Buildings: Urban land use,
construction types, building height,
building age, total floor space,
replacement costs.
Monuments and cultural heritage
Essential facilities
Emergency shelters, Schools,
Hospitals, Fire Brigades
Population
Density of population, distribution in
space, distribution in time, age
distribution, gender distribution,
handicapped, income distribution
Socio-economic aspects
Organization of population, governance,
community organization, government
support, socio-economic levels. Cultural
heritage and traditions.
10
 Transportation facilities
Roads, railway, metro, public
transportation systems, harbor
facilities, airport facilities.
Life lines
Water supply, electricity supply,
gas supply, telecommunications,
mobile telephone network,
sewage system.
Economic activities
Spatial distribution of economic
activities, input-output table,
dependency, redundancy,
unemployment, economic production in
various sectors.
Environmental elements
Ecosystems, protected areas, natural
parks, environmentally sensitive areas,
forests, wetlands, aquifers, flora, fauna,
biodiversity.
Disaster mitigation measures are
those that eliminate or reduce the
impacts and risks of hazards by
means of proactive measures taken
before an emergency or disaster
takes place. Mitigation is the
action of reducing something's
severity, seriousness, or
painfulness.
Examples of mitigation measures include:

1. Hazard mapping
2. Adoption and enforcement of land use and
zoning practices
3. Implementing and enforcing building codes
4. Flood plain mapping
5. Reinforced typhoon safe rooms
6. Burying of electrical cables to prevent leak
7. Disaster mitigation public awareness programs
8. Insurance programs
THAT’S ALL
forda test na ang mga ferson
1. What does 'hazard' mean in the context of disaster management?
A. A method to manage disasters
B. A beneficial condition that enhances safety
C. A harmful condition or substance that can cause loss or damage
D. A tool used for risk assessment

2. What is meant by 'exposure' in terms of disaster risk?

A. Protective measures taken to shield against hazards
B. Presence of elements at risk from a natural or man-made hazard event
C. The act of responding to a disaster
D. Preparation and readiness for a hazard
3. Which of the following best defines vulnerability?
A) The ability to respond quickly to a hazard
B. The probability of a disaster occurring
C. The characteristics that make a community susceptible to the damaging effects
of a hazard
D. The mitigation measures in place in a community

4. What does 'risk' imply in disaster management?

A. The certainty of adverse effects occurring
B. The actions taken to recover from a disaster
C. The probability of possible adverse effects
D. The presence of safety measures
5. Which statement best describes a 'disaster'?
A. An event that temporarily disrupts community functioning
B. A minor interruption in day-to-day activities
C. A serious disruption causing losses that exceed community coping capacities
D. A manageable situation with minimal losses

6. How are exposure and vulnerability different?

A. Exposure implies susceptibility, while vulnerability implies preparedness.
B. Exposure does not necessarily mean vulnerability.
C. Only exposure leads to disasters, not vulnerability.
D. Vulnerability and exposure are synonymous in disaster management.
7. What makes a community less vulnerable?
A. High exposure to hazards
B. Increased density and diversity of buildings
C. Ability to mitigate, respond, and recover from hazards
D. Ignoring risks and focusing solely on recovery

8. Which of the following is NOT a physical element considered in disaster risk

assessments?
A. Building age and construction type
B. Income distribution of the population
C. Emergency shelters and hospitals
D. Transportation facilities like roads and railways
9. What are disaster mitigation measures?
A. Actions taken during an emergency to manage its consequences
B. Plans developed post-disaster to assist in recovery
C. Measures to reduce the impact and risk of hazards before an emergency
D. Policies to insure against losses from disasters

10. Why might a well-prepared building in Japan not be considered vulnerable in the
event of an earthquake?
A. Because buildings in Japan are not exposed to earthquakes
B. Because the architectural and engineering designs are earthquake-resistant
C. Because earthquakes do not cause significant damage
D. Because Japan does not have measures in place to deal with earthquakes