This document defines key concepts related to disasters and disaster risk. It begins by defining a natural hazard as a natural event that poses a threat to people, structures, or economic assets. A hazard only becomes a disaster when it affects a vulnerable populated area. Disaster risk is defined as the potential losses caused by a hazard and is a function of hazard, exposure, and vulnerability. The magnitude of a disaster depends on the severity of the hazard, the quantity of exposure of elements at risk, and the vulnerability level. Minimizing disaster risk involves reducing exposure and vulnerability through measures like keeping people and property away from hazards and relocating communities.

1. BASIC CONCEPT OF DISASTER
AND DISASTER RISK
ALWAYS FIRST ALWAYS READY ALWAYS THERE

2. Module I: Basic Concepts of DRR
• Concept of disaster
• Concept of disaster risk
• Nature of disasters
• Effects of disasters

9. All of these are natural events.

10. When Does a Natural Event
Become a Hazard?

11. is a phenomenon that poses threat to people,
structure or economic assets

12. WHAT IS A NATURAL HAZARD?
• A natural hazard is a natural event or process
which affects people causing loss of life or
injury, economic damage, disruption to
peoples’ lives or environmental degradation

13. HOW DOES A HAZARD
BECOME A DISASTER?

14. How a hazard becomes a disaster?
– Dregg’s model

15. WHEN DOES A HAZARD
BECOME A DISASTER?
A disaster happens when
the probable destructive
agent, the hazard, hits a
vulnerable populated area

16. WHEN DOES A HAZARD
BECOME A DISASTER?

17. WHEN DOES A HAZARD
BECOME A DISASTER?

18. Natural hazards are part and parcel of
the Philippine environment, but
disasters happen because human
settlements, infrastructures, people
and economic activities are placed
where hazards happen

19. WHAT IS DISASTER RISK?
Disaster risk refers to the
expectation value of deaths,
injuries, and property losses
that would be caused by a
hazard.

20. DISASTER RISK = HAZARD x EXPOSURE x VULNERABILITY
ELEMENTS OF DISASTER RISK
• Disaster risk is expressed as a function of
hazard, exposure, and vulnerability
• It seeks to
 express chance of the disaster happening
 quantify the impact

21. Disaster Risk Model
Magnitude of the disaster depends on:
• the severity of the natural event (hazard)
• the quantity of exposure of the elements at risk (lives and properties)
• vulnerability level or quality of exposure

22. Minimizing Disaster Risk
Risk Reduction Through Reduction of Exposure
and Vulnerability

23. Minimizing Disaster Risk
Risk Reduction Through Reduction of
Exposure and Vulnerability
Level of vulnerability and
exposure can be reduced by:
• Keeping people and property away
from hazards
• Relocation must come hand in hand
with mitigation and prevention
measures

24. Minimizing Disaster Risk
Why people are resistive to relocation?
• This would mean giving up their homes,
land, and even jobs;
• People tend to turn a blind eye;
• People remain in places previously hit by a
disaster thinking that after a large
magnitude event occurs comes a period
that is safe from another event
• The most vulnerable are the poor who are
forced to live in unsafe places

25. …A serious disruption in the functioning of a
society, causing widespread human, material
or environmental losses which exceeds the
ability of the affected society to cope within its’
own resources…
RA 10121 Definition of Disaster

26. A condition involving mass casualty
and/or major damages to property,
disruption of means of livelihoods, roads
and normal way of life of people in the
affected areas as a result of the
occurrence of natural or human-induced
hazard
State of Calamity

27. Characteristics of Disasters
• Disasters are inherently unexpected
• Disasters cannot be managed through
normal means
• Disasters create demands beyond the
capacity of a government
• Knows no political boundary
• Requires structured and new responding
organizations

28. Characteristics of Disasters
• Creates new tasks and more people as
disaster responders
• Renders inutile routine emergency response
equipment and facilities
• Worsens confusion in understanding roles
of peoples and organizations
• Exposes lack of disaster planning, response
and coordination.

29. Impacts of Disasters
• Medical effects
• Damage to critical facilities
• Disruption of transportation
• Economic impact
• Global environmental change
• Social and political impact

30. The Philippine National Red Cross
Among the effects:
Loss of life
Loss of livelihoods
Damage to property
Destruction of infrastructure
Damage to the environment
Financial loss
Diversion of resources
Epidemics
Migration
Displaced people or refugees
Food shortages
Insecurity

31. End of Module