11
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
DISASTER READINESS
AND RISK REDUCTION
Quarter 3 – Module 2
Exposure and Vulnerability
ASIAN TECHNOLOGICAL SKILLS INSTITUTE, INC.
Purok 2, Barangay Cobangbang
Daet, Camarines Norte
1
DISASTER READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION
Quarter 3
11
Module 2
Exposure and Vulnerability
Objectives
At the end of this chapter, you should be able to:
 Explain the meaning of vulnerability; (DRR11/12-Ic-8)
 Discuss why certain sectors of society are more vulnerable to disaster
than others; (DRR11/12-Ic-9)
 Recognize vulnerabilities of different elements exposed to specific
hazards; (DRR11/12-Id-12) and
 Differentiate among hazards, exposure, and vulnerabilities and give
examples from actual situations. (DRR11/12-Id-13)
Vocabulary List
Demographic – relating to the study of changes that occur in large groups of
people over a period of time
Socio-economic – relating to, or involving a combination of social and economic
Infrastructures – the basic equipment and structures (such as roads and bridges)
that are needed for a country, region, or organization to function properly
 Pre-test
Supply the missing letters to complete the word/s. Statements are provided as
clues.
1. The elements at risk from a natural or man-made hazard event.
__ X __ __ S __ __ E
2
2. The conditions determined by physical, social, economic and environmental
factors or processes, which increase the susceptibility of a community to the
impact of hazard.
__ U __ N __ __ A __ __ L __ __ Y
3. Preparation is the key element of prevention.
E __ __ R G __ __ C __ P __ __ N __ __ N G
4. The inability of people, organizations and societies to withstand adverse
impacts to hazards due to characteristics inherent in social interactions,
institutions and systems of cultural values.
__ __ C __ A L V __ __ N E __ __ B __ __ I __ Y
5. The level of vulnerability is highly dependent upon the economic status of
individuals, communities and nations.
E __ __ N __ M __ __ __ U __ N __ __ A __ __ L __ __ Y
 Learning Activities
The severity of the impacts of disasters and other extreme weather
and climate events depends strongly on the level of vulnerability
and exposure to these events.
Elements Exposed to Hazard
Exposure refers to the ‘elements at risk’ from a natural or
man-made hazard event. Elements at risk include the following;
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Human beings;
Dwellings or households and communities;
Buildings and structures;
Public facilities and infrastructure assets;
Public and transport system;
Agricultural commodities; and
Environmental assets.
3
What Is Vulnerability?
Vulnerability is defined as “the characteristics and
circumstances of a community, system or asset that make it
susceptible to the damaging effects of a hazard”.
Reasons Why Certain Sectors of Society are More Vulnerable
to Disaster than Others
Vulnerability can be seen as the result of a process in which
various different things cause a population to be more vulnerable.
These can be split into demographic and socio-economic. They can
also be discussed through the level of community preparedness and
the ability of a community to manage the after effects of a hazard
event.
1. Demographic factors
Population density – The more dense the population, the more
efficient a response should be, considering the number of people that
might be affected by a disaster.
Age of population – Very old and very young populations are less
mobile and able to respond to hazard events well. This makes them
more vulnerable compared to others, and this requires more
attention from the government and other support agencies especially
during emergency evacuation or relocation.
Distribution of population – regardless of density, populations may
be distributed differently within the hazard area.
2. Socio-economic factors
Wealth – Low income populations are less likely to be well prepared.
Part of preparation is having a Survival Kit.
Education – Education programs such as shake drill can instruct
populations on how to deal with hazard events.
Nature of society – In highly centralized government structures,
efficient emergency response may be the result of careful planning
and training of personnel.
4
Understanding of the area – Recent migrants are likely to struggle to
cope with hazard effects compared to established population.
Understanding the area is a salient factor to be considered in
Disaster Preparedness Planning, and this will give greater
advantage to the established or original settlers in a particular area
affected by disaster.
3. Community preparedness
Building codes – Rigorous and applied building codes protect most
buildings from collapse during earthquakes. This should be seriously
considered by the government in the issuance of building permits and
licenses for land development.
Scientific monitoring and early warning systems – Established
monitoring system can prepare people for the onslaught of any kind
of disaster.
Communication networks – Countries with good quality and
widespread communication networks allow messages to be quickly
shared. Communication plays a very important and crucial role in
times of disaster. Communication Plan is a very salient component of
Emergency Planning that should not be left out.
Emergency planning – Preparation is the key element of prevention.
Preparation for a disaster is embodied in an Emergency Plan. Where
monitoring and communication are in place, the emergency planning
is likely to prepare a person or a group (family) for such events and
take action based on data, rather than prediction. .
4. Dealing with the after-effects
Insurance cover – Part of preparation, individuals purchase
insurance policies to mitigate their losses, thus preparing them
better for similar future events.
Emergency personnel – The Philippines, being a developing country
and prone to different types of disaster should take into consideration
the training of more emergency personnel as part of disaster risk
mitigation, reduction and management.
Aid request – Outside help in the form of humanitarian aid is
necessary during a disaster. However, it should be fast and efficient.
5
Inefficiency and mismanagement of aids, especially foreign aids, will
possibly result to further deaths and loss of property.
Vulnerability to Specific Hazards
According to the United Nations International Strategy for
Disaster Reduction (UNISDR), there are four (4) main types of
vulnerability:
1. Physical vulnerability may be determined by aspects such as
population density levels, remoteness of a settlement, the site,
design and materials used for critical infrastructure and for
housing UNISDR.
2. Social vulnerability refers to the inability of people,
organizations and societies to withstand adverse impacts to
hazards due to characteristics inherent in social interactions,
institutions and systems of cultural values. It is linked to the level
of well-being of individuals, communities and society. It includes
aspects related to levels of literacy and education, the existence of
peace and security, access to basic human rights, systems of good
governance, social equity, positive traditional values, customs and
ideological beliefs and overall collective organizational systems
(UNISDR).
3. Economic vulnerability the level of vulnerability is highly
dependent upon the economic status of individuals, communities
and nations. The poor are usually more vulnerable to disasters
because they lack the resources to build sturdy structures and put
other engineering measures in place to protect themselves from
being negatively impacted by disasters.
4. Environmental vulnerability Natural resource depletion and
resource degradation are key aspects of environmental
vulnerability. This is one aspect that both communities and
government must be sensitive about. Mitigation measures like
reforestation and natural resource protection and conservation
must be undertaken to reduce natural disaster risk and
vulnerability.
6
Elements at Risk and Exposed to Hazards
Persons, houses, buildings, infrastructures, transportation
systems, financial establishments, crops, environmental sources of
living, and others like societal components exposed to known hazard,
which are likely to be adversely affected by the impact of a hazard.
Risk Factors
Risk signifies the possibility of adverse effects in the future. It
is derived from the interaction of social and environmental processes,
from the combination of physical hazards and the vulnerabilities of
exposed elements.
Earthquake
Tsunami
Floods
Cyclones
Bushfires
Landslide
Volcanoes
Engineering
Economic
Social
RISK
EXPOSURE
People
Buildings
Business
Infrastructures
The left side of the Triagram shows the different natural
hazards that may occur in an area at any given period of time. The
base of the triagram indicates the different elements exposed to
hazard/disaster. On the right side, factors and elements of
vulnerability are presented.
The Philippines is known to be very vulnerable to different
kinds of disasters, hence there is a need for strategies to increase
awareness information campaign and disaster preparedness level
among the Filipinos.
7
Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction
Exposure and Vulnerability
11
Quarter 3 – Module 2
 Practice task 1
Answer the following:
1. Explain why certain sectors of society are more vulnerable to
disaster than others. (5 points)
2. Differentiate among hazards, exposure, and vulnerabilities and
give examples from actual situations. (10 points)
 Practice task 2
Classify the following phrases and sentences whether it is PHYSICAL,
SOCIOECONOMICAL OR ENVIRONMENTAL VULNERABILITY.
1. Shutdown of telecommunication tower
2. Houses built near fault lines
3. Denudation of forests
4. Rest houses near Boracay shoreline
5. Twenty-story building constructed on soil mainly made up of clay.
6. Bridges with cracks and crevices
7. Over fertilization of agricultural soil
8. Lost of job due to COVID-19 pandemic.
9. Possible retrenchment of employees due to pandemic.
10. Destruction of coral reefs that serves as barriers against storm
surge.
 Post test
Choose the letter of the best answer. Write the chosen letter on a
separate sheet of paper.
1. A community with high level of vulnerability and high hazard has
______.
a. high disaster risk
c. medium disaster risk
b. low disaster risk
d. none of the above
8
2. All of the following can increase the level of vulnerability
EXCEPT____.
a. very populated areas/community
b. insufficient fund for relief operations
c. inadequate facilities for immediate disaster response
d. community provides accessible services and facilities for
response
3. It refers to a serious disruption of the functioning community and
losses in human life, material, economic and environmental.
a. disaster
c. hazard
b. disaster risk
d. vulnerability
4. What situation has the CAPACITY to bring damages to lives,
properties, and the environment?
a. element at risk
c. risk
b. hazard
d. vulnerability
5. What element is exposed to hazard during typhoon when the
houses are destroyed?
a. economical
c. physical
b. environmental
d. social
6. What element is exposed when flood occurred due to deforestation?
a. economical
c. physical
b. environmental
d. social
7. COVID 19 pandemic affected the economy resulting to closure of
many businesses during the enhanced community quarantine.
What element is mostly affected?
a. economical
c. physical
b. environmental
d. social
8. Which among the following is considered as socio-economical
hazard?
a. volcanic eruption
b. flooding and drought
c. chemical contamination
d. environmental degradation
9. Which of the following elements is exposed to hazard?
a. human beings
d. all of the above
b. building structures
c. public transport system
10. Which belongs to the elements exposed to hazard?
a. environmental assets
c. agricultural commodities
b. dwellings of households
d. all of the above
9
References
Quebral, V. S. (2016). Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction. Metro Manila: LORIMAR PUBLISHING,
INC.
Disaster Readiness And Risk Reduction: Alternative Delivery Mode
10