Key Concepts

Question 1

What are disasters?

Answer 1

These are the sudden calamitous occurrences that cause great harm, injury, destruction, and devastation to life and property.

Question 2

What are disaster risks?

Answer 2

These are the potential disaster losses in lives, health status, livelihoods, assets, and services

Question 3

What are hazards?

Answer 3

These are the causes of the disasters. They are the potentially damaging physical events, phenomena, or human activity that may cause the loss of life or injury, property damage, social and economic disruption, or environmental damage.

Question 4

What is vulnerability?

Answer 4

This is the state of being at risk/susceptible to hazards. These are the variables/characteristics/conditions that increase the susceptibility of people to the impact of hazards.

Question 5

What is exposure?

Answer 5

The number of people, infrastructure, housing, and other assets in an area that could be affected by a hazard.

Question 6

What is coping capacity?

Answer 6

It is the ability of people, organizations, and systems, using available skills and resources to face and manage adverse conditions, such as hazards, emergencies, or disasters.