Disaster Readiness

& Risk Reduction

ALMINA JOY MENDOZA
 CHAPTER 1
Definition of Disaster and Effect of Natural Disaster on
Disaster Risk Human Life

Nature of Disaster How and When an Event

Becomes A Disaster

Areas and Location Exposed to

Type of Disaster
Hazard

Risk Factors Underlying Disaster from Different

Disaster Perspectives
DEFINITION
OF DISASTER
AND DISASTER
RISK
Definition of Disaster and
Disaster Risk
A sudden calamitous event, bring great
damage, loss, destruction and devastation
to life and property
Its origin can be natural (earthquakes,
floods and hurricanes) or of human origin
(explosions, nuclear accidents and
terrorist acts).
Disaster Risk is define as the probability
that a community’s structure or
geographic area is to be damage or
disrupted by the impact of particular
hazard.
NATURE OF
DISASTERS
 Nature of Disaster
NATURAL DISASTER
Originated from different “forces” of
nature (Geological, Meteorological,
Hydrometeorological, and Biological)
• Earthquake
• Volcanic Eruptions
• Typhoons
• Cyclones
HUMAN-MADE DISASTER
Due to people’s actions against human,
materials and environment.
• Transport and industrial accidents
• Chemical spill
• Building collapses
• Terrorism
TYPES OF
DISASTER
Natural Types of Disaster
• Agricultural diseases and pests • Tsunami
• Storm surge • Wildfire
• Drought and water shortages (El • Sinkholes
Niño) • Emergency Diseases (Pandemic)
• Earthquakes • Extreme Heat
• Hurricanes and Tropical Storms • Flood and Flash floods
• Landslides and debris flow • La Niña
• Thunderstorm and lightning
• Tornados
Human-Made and Technological Types of Disaster
• Hazardous Materials
• Power service disruptions and blackouts
• Nuclear Power plants and Nuclear Blast
• Radiological emergencies
• Chemical threats and Biological Weapons
• Cyber Attacks
• Explosions
• Civil unrest
RISK FACTORS
UNDERLYING
DISASTER
 Risk Factors Underlying Disaster
This was based on the study of ADPC, 2012
• Severity of exposure – the amount of exposure to the disaster is
highly related to risk of future mental health (Trauma)

• Gender and Family – disaster recovery is more stressful when

children are present in the home. Marital stress has been found to
increase after disaster. Conflict between family members or lack of
support in the home make it harder to recover from disaster.

• Age – adults who are in the age ranges of 40-60 are likely to be more
distressed after disaster. Also children show more distressed after
disaster, which can affect the parents also
 Risk Factors Underlying Disaster
Other factors that for the survivors
Recovery is worse if survivors:
• Were not functioning well before the disaster
• Have no experience dealing with disasters
• Have poor self-esteem
• Think the have little control over what happen to them
• Lack the capacity to manage stress
Worst outcome
• Death of someone
• injury of someone or other member of the family
•Panic, Horror or feeling like that during the disaster
•Being separated to the family
•Great loss of property or displacement (being force to leave home)
 Risk Factors Underlying Disaster
• Developing Countries – there is a strong body of evidence that these
risk factors can be made worse if the disaster occurs in a developing
country.

• Low or Negative Social Support – this can be weaken after the

disaster, this may due to the stress and the need for members of the
support to get on with their own lives.
 EFFECT OF
NATURAL
DISASTER ON
HUMAN LIFE
Effect of Natural Disaster on Human Life
• Displaced Population – when countries are ravaged by some disaster
many people have to abandon their homes and seek shelter in other
regions. A large influx of refugees can disrupt accessibility of health
and education as well as food supplies and clean water.

• Health Risks - after the disaster, their will be a change to have a

secondary effect. For example a flood that can cause a stagnant
water. Will serves as the breeding of other waterborne bacteria.
Effect of Natural Disaster on Human Life
• Food Scarcity - thousand of people around the world go hungry
as a result of destroyed crops and loss of agricultural supplies. As
a result food price rise, reducing families’ purchasing power and
increasing the risk of malnutrition.

• Emotional Aftershock – natural disaster can be particularly

traumatic for young children, many children develop post-traumatic
stress disorder(PTSD) a serious psychological condition resulting
from extreme trauma. Left untreated, children suffering from PTSD
can be prone to lasting psychological damage and emotional
distress.
 HOW AND
WHEN AN EVENT BECOMES A
DISASTER
When it is sudden or progressive,
causing widespread human,
material or environmental losses.
 AREAS/LOCATION EXPOSED TO
HAZARD
Areas / Location Exposed to:
Exposed
Coastal Area
to Natural Hazards
Strom surge, tsunami or tidal wave
Reclaimed Areas Flooding, sinkhole
Near Fault Lines Earthquakes
On foot of denuded mountains Mudslides / Landslides
Volcanic eruption – pyroclastic materials,
Near volcanoes (danger zone)
lahar flow, lava flow and ash flow.
River Banks and Esteros Flooding, flash floods
Open Fields Thunderstorm
 AREAS/LOCATION EXPOSED TO
HAZARD
Areas / Location Exposed to:
Exposed
Near Oil Depots
to Man-Made Hazards
Oil spill, pollutions
Toxic waste – heavy metal, lead, mercury, nitric
Near Mining Projects
acids
Near Chemical Plants Chemical fumes, chemical waste
Nuclear waste, possible technical failures. Leaks
Near Nuclear Plants
or worse accidental explosions
Near Factories Factory waste, pollutions
Unsafe building structures Fire
Public Places in Mega Cities Terrorism
DISASTER FROM DIFFERENT
PERSPECTIVES
 Disaster is analyzed from different
perspectives as follows:
• Physical Perspective- visible and quantifiable effect.
- how many family are affected? (injury and death)
- how many houses or buildings are damaged or washed out?
• Psychological Perspectives
- Emotional effect (shock, irritability, blame, anger)
- Cognitive Effect (decision-making ability, impaired
concentration)
- Physical Effect (fatigue, insomnia, decreased appetite )
- Interpersonal effects (social withdrawal, impaired work
performance)
 Disaster is analyzed from different
perspectives as follows:
• Socio-Cultural Perspective-

• Economic Perspectives

• Political Perspectives

• Environmental Perspectives