Chapter 1: BASIC CONCEPT OF DISASTER AND DISASTER RISK Flashcards
processes that shape the Earth
Plate tectonics, Atmospheric processes, biological accumulation, and human activities
a natural process or phenomenon that may pose negative impacts on the economy, society, and ecology, including both natural factors and human factors that are associated with the natural ones.
What is a Hazard?
UNISDR
United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction
What is the difference between a hazard and a risk?
HAZARD is anything that has a potential to cause harm while RISK refers to the likelihood of harm.
A serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society involving widespread human, material, economic, or environmental losses and impacts which exceeds the ability of the affected community or society to cope using its own resources.
Disaster
The potential disaster losses, in lives, health status, livelihoods, assets and services, which could occur to a particular community or a society over some specified future time period.
Disaster Risk
can be naturally occurring and measured by its magnitude (how strong) and frequency (how often). Our ability of forecasting and monitoring such events is continuously improving.
Hazard
composed of physical, social, environmental or economic factors that increase susceptibility of a population or a community to a hazard.
Vulnerability
involves the people or properties directly affected by disasters.
Exposure
Risk=
hazard x exposure x vulnerability
is the ability of people, organizations and systems, using available skills and resources, to manage adverse conditions, risk or disasters.
Coping Capacity
Why does disaster risk matter?
If current global patterns of increasing exposure, high levels of inequality, rapid urban development and environment degradation grow, then disaster risk may increase to dangerous levels
In order to determine the level of risks to certain disasters, and to identify which areas to give attention to, the United Nations University - Institute for Environment and Human Security created the _______ based on 28 indicators
World Risk Index
are variables that either aggravate or mitigate the effects of hazards, affecting the degree or scope of a disaster.
Disaster Risk factors
would pertain to tangible objects or infrastructure, like the availability of fire exits, or the sturdiness of the building, or the presence or absence of objects that can harm you or help you, etc.
Physical Factors
include state of mental capacity and health (e.g. are we dealing with babies? Kids? Adults? People with special needs?), perception of self (e.g. self-assessment of capability to respond to disasters, fear), etc.
Psychological Factors
include religion, social status, traditions, perception by society, etc.
Socio-cultural factors
include assets and liabilities, income, economic class, etc.
Economic factors
include government structure, diplomatic issues, etc.
Political factors
include flora and fauna in environment, health, diseases, etc.
Biological factors
Characteristics of disaster
Forward looking, dynamic, invisible, unevenly distributed around the earth, emergent and complex
Two types of disasters
Natural and Man-made disasters
are related to natural processes that occur on Earth with or without warning.
Natural Hazards
Four main categories of natural hazards
Geologic, Hydrologic, Atmospheric and Biologic
