Basic Concept of Disaster and Disaster Risk
Hazard – potentially damaging event that may cause
the loss of life or injury, property damage, social and
economic disruption, or environmental degradation
Example of Hazards
•
Slippery floors
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Objects in hallways
•
Excessive noise
•
Poor lighting
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Fire
•
Poor design of equipment
•
Gases
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Mobile phones in gas station
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Broken materials
Disaster – sudden calamitous event bringing great
damage loss, destruction and devastation to life and
property
Environmental/Biological
-Global Warming, Climate Change, Ozone Depletion,
WildFire, Solar Flare, Epidemic, Plagues
MAN-MADE DISASTERS
Technological
-Transport Accidents, Structural Failures, Explosion, Fire
Industrial
- Chemical Spills, Radiation, Poisoning, Gas Leaks
Warfare
- War, Terrorism, Internal Conflicts, Civil Unrest
Disaster risk – measure of losses-deaths, injuries and
damage to property due to a particular or combination
of hazards
ELEMENTS OF DISASTER RISK
Hazard
Exposure


People/properties directly affected by hazards
Situation of people/infrastructure located in
hazard-prone areas
Disaster – serious disruption of the functioning of a
community or a society causing widespread human,
material, economic or environmental losses, which
exceed the ability of the affected community or society
to cope using its own resources
Vulnerability
Vulnerability – physical, social, economic and
environmental factors which increase susceptibility to
hazards
*DISASTER IS THE RESULT OF THE COMBINATION OF
THESE THREE*
- United Nations International Strategy for Disaster
Reduction (UNISDR)
EFFECTS OF DISASTER
TYPES OF DISASTER
NATURAL DISASTERS
Meteorological
- Floods, Cyclone, Hurricane, Typhoon,
Thunderstorm/Tornado, Snow storm, Droughts,
Hot/Cold Waves
Geological
- Earthquake, Volcanic Eruption, Landslides, Tsunami,
Debris/Mudflows

The extent to which a community , structure,
service or geographic area is likely to be
damaged or disrupted by the impact of a
particular disaster hazard.
Primary Effect


Are those coming directly from the incident
itself
E.G. Water damage due to floods, collapsed
structures due to earthquakes
Secondary Effect


Stems from the primary effects
An earthquake can have collapsed structures as
a primary effect but fires can break out,
electrical lines and water pipes can be damaged
as well.

Fires can break out, electrical lines and water
pipes can be damaged in a collapsed structure
due to earthquakes
Tertiary Effect

Long term effect of hazard

e.g. permanent relocation of a community
due to an earthquake and reshaping of a
river channel
IMPACTS

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

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
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Medical Effects
Damage to Critical Facilities
Economic Impact
Disruption of Transportation
Psychological Effects
global environmental change
social and political impact