o volcanic eruptions o hurricanes o fires o tornados o extreme temperature a) rapid onset disaster b) progressive onset (drought) DISASTER a sudden, calamitous occurrence that causes great harm, injury, destruction, and devastation to life and property disrupts the usual course of life causing physical and emotional distress intense feeling of helplessness and hopelessness B. Man-made Disasters Major direct causes are identifiable intentional or non-intentional human actions (Asian Disaster Preparedness Center, ADPC, 2012) 1. Technological/ industrial disasters Unregulated industrialization and inadequate safety standards increase the risk for industrial disasters 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 2. Terrorism/ violence threat has also increased due to the spread of technologies involving nuclear, biological, and chemical agents used to develop weapons of mass destruction (Food and Agriculture Organization, FAO, 2008) a result of combination of: 1. exposure to hazard 2. conditions of vulnerability present 3. insufficient capacity or measures to reduce or cope with the potential negative consequences Impacts: loss of life injury disease and other negative effects of human physical, mental, and social wellbeing, damage to properties destruction of assets loss of services social and economic disruptions environmental degradation CLASSIFICATION OF DISASTERS A. Natural Disasters – natural phenomenon caused by natural forces o earthquakes o typhoons 3. Complex humanitarian emergencies Large number of people are displaced from their homes due to lack of personal safety and disruption of basic infrastructures RISK the combination of the probability of an event and its negative consequences potential disaster losses over specified future time period DISASTER RISK product of the possible damage caused by a hazard due to the vulnerability within a community Disaster – sudden calamitous event, bringing great damage, loss, destruction, and devastation Ring of Fire – path along the Pacific Ocean o Victims highest risk of developing future mental problems o Rescue workers o Health care practitioners characterized by active volcanoes and frequent earthquakes Calamity – an event causing great and often sudden damage or distress Earthquake – shaking of earth caused by waves moving on and below the earth’s surface 2) Gender and Family o female genders suffers more adverse effects Volcanic eruption – when lava and gas are discharged from a volcanic vent 3) Age o 40-60 years old more stressed after disasters o Children more stressed after disasters Pacific Ocean - largest and deepest of Earth’s oceanic divisions Typhoon – type of tropical cyclone, or severe tropical storm Natural Disaster- natural event that causes great damage or loss of life 4) Economic status of country o severe mental health problems resulting from disasters are more prevalent in developing countries Destruction – a sudden or great misfortune or failure Man made disaster – caused by man are those in which major direct causes are identifiable intentional or non-intentional human actions FACTORS UNDERLYING DISASTERS 1. Climate change – increase disaster risk by: a) altering the frequency and intensity of hazard events b) changing exposure patterns THREE ELEMENTS OF DISASTER RISK 1. Exposure- elements at risk from a natural or manmade hazard event 2. Hazard – a potentially dangerous physical occurrence, phenomenon or human activity that may result in: - loss of life - injury - property damage - social and economic disruption - environmental degradation 3. Vulnerability – condition determined by physical, social, economic and environmental factors or processes - Increases the susceptibility of a community to the impact of a hazard Change that can be attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere and which is in addition to natural climate variability observed over comparable time periods 2. Environmental Degradation – changes to the environment can influence: a) frequency and intensity of hazards b) exposure and vulnerability to hazard CONSIDERATIONS WHEN RISK FACTORS UNDERLYING DISASTER ARE INVOLVED 1) Severity of Exposure Deforestation of slopes increase of landslide hazard Removal of mangroves increase the damage caused by storm surges Overconsumption of resources reduces the effectiveness of essential ecosystem services (mitigation of flood and landslides) Driver and consequence of disaster, reducing the capacity of the environment to meet social and ecological needs 3. Globalized Economic Development Increased polarization between the rich and poor on a global scale Increases exposure of assets in hazard prone areas Examples of sensitive development strategies: - Protective infrastructure - Environmental management - Upgrading informal settlements dominance and increase of health Lack of access to insurance People are forced to use their limited assets to buffer disaster losses 5. Poorly Planned and Managed Urban Development Urbanization = new opportunities for resilient investment Urbanization and increase in population density Factors contributing to worse outcomes o Death of someone close o Injury to self or family members o Life threat o Panic/ horror o Separation from family o Massive loss of property o Displacement Natural - Volcanic eruption - Tsunamis - Earthquakes - typhoons increase hazard exposure 4. Poverty and Inequality Impoverished people are more likely to live in a hazard-exposed areas and are less able to invest in risk-deducing measures Disaster risk governance – specific arrangements that societies put in place to manage their disaster risk Creation of risk 6. Weak Governance weak governance zone – investment environments in which public sector actors are unable or unwilling to assume their roles and responsibilities Man-made - Bomb explosion - Terrorism - Wars - Leakage of poisonous chemicals - Pollutions - Industrial accidents - epidemics HAZARD dangerous situation or event that carries a threat to humans DISASTER event that harms humans and disrupts the operations of society HUMAN EFFECT OF NATURAL AND MAN-MADE DISASTER 1. Displaced Populations People need to abandon their homes and seek shelter in other regions 2. Health Risks Ex. Severe flooding can result in stagnant water that allows breeding of waterborne bacteria and malaria-carrying mosquitos 3. Food scarcity Destroyed crops and loss of agricultural supplies resulting to hunger and malnutrition 4. Emotional Aftershocks Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) a serious psychological condition resulting from extreme trauma DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE OF DISASTER 1. Physical Perspective Effects of physical disasters - Injuries - Physical disabilities or illness - Sanitation - Damage in infrastructure 2. Psychological Perspective Psychological Effects of a Disaster - Distress - Intrusion/avoidance - Hatred/ revenge - Dependence/ insecurities - Grief/ withdrawn/ isolation - Guilt feeling - Lack of trust - Hopelessness - Emotional effects - Cognitive effects - Physical effects - Interpersonal effect - Helplessness 3. Socio-cultural Perspective o “Matiisin” – families rely on government’s help o “Malalampasan din natin ‘to” – contentment with what they have o “bahala na ang Diyos” – gives hope Socio-Cultural Effects of a Disaster - Change in individual roles - Disruption of social relationships and personal connections 4. Economic Perspective Economic Effects of a Disaster - Loss of life - Unemployment - Loss of property - Loss of household articles - Loss of crops - Loss of public infrastructure 5. Political Perspective Political Effects of a Disaster - People who have trust in political institution will assess the government’s risk assessments as credible and accept their hazard policies - Low level of trust in public institutions therefore means that citizens may ignore the recommendations and disregard the information provided by these institutions - If individual are confident that they will receive sufficient aid from the government when a disaster occurs, they might not be motivated to take measures on their own 6. Biological Perspective Biological disaster – disturbing effects caused by a prevalent kind of diseases or virus in an epidemic or pandemic Epidemic – within a community or are Pandemic – affects large regions/ entire continent or globe Biological Effects of a Disaster - Loss of lives - Public demobilization - Negative economic effect - Unemployment - Hunger VULNERABILITY state of being at risk the characteristics and circumstances of a community, system or resource that make it susceptible to the damaging effects of a hazard Vulnerability is Situation Specific ● If a specific province is prone to earthquake, it does not mean that all localities on that province is vulnerable to it. As vulnerability increases, the population is at greater risk of suffering from a severe natural danger. Vulnerability differ in the way community: a) prepare for the hazard b) amount and type of resources they have Vulnerability is Hazard Specific ● A community that is vulnerable to earthquake does not necessarily mean that it is also vulnerable to typhoons.
