A presentation for an Assignment of BS Psychology in Catastrophe and human adjustment.

1. Presenter:
Shafaq Zehra & Fizza Arshad
CATASTROPHE AND HUMAN
ADJUSTMENT:

2. WHAT IS CATASTROPHE?
• an event causing great and usually sudden damage or suffering.
• It is also called as a disaster.

3. DEFINITION
a sudden violent change in the earth's
surface that cause great sufferings is called
catastrophe.
Example:
• A hurricane destroying hundreds of
homes is certainly a catastrophe;
• baking a birthday cake without
following a recipe might also result in
catastrophe, if you don't know anything
about cooking.

4. DISASTERS VS CATASTROPHES
• How does a catastrophe differ from a natural disaster?
• No matter the size of an accident or disaster, it surely feels like a
catastrophe to the individuals affected. But catastrophe, as used by
the Center for Disaster Philanthropy, references a specific type of
disaster – one that is extremely large and is outside the coping ability
of a community.

5. LIST OF NATURAL DISASTERS
• Earthquakes
• Floods
• Volcanoes
• Tsunami
• Droughts
• Hurricanes

6. • Pakistan Floods:
It caused death of 412 people making
1172 injuries and additionally affected
8.2 million people.
• Floods in Rio De Janerio , Brazil:
Ninth place is for the floods that
occurred in Brazil . Heavy rains in
Brazil caused flooding and on 11th Jan,
massive mudslides & floods in the
mountainous region of the state of Rio
de Janeiro rendered 23000 homeless.
DISASTERS IN 2011

7. • Turkey Earthquakes
An earthquake with the magnitude
7.1 hit eastern turkey on 23rd
October and it was followed by
more than 200 shocks. Over 2000
buildings were destroyed in van
and Eric cities. It claimed almost
600 peoples’ lives. On 9th
November another earthquake was
experienced which took away 38
lives and collapsed 25 buildings.

8. • North Australian Floods
It started in December
2010 and continued till
January 2011, mainly
targeting the state of
Queensland. 11900 houses ,
infrastructure and crops
had worse damages. Death
casualty was of 35 people.

9. Earthquake with 6.3 magnitude
striking 10km outside
Christchurch on 22nd February
was experienced in New Zealand
and it took away 182 lives.
On 13th June an Earth quake of
6.4 magnitudes was followed
which injured 40 people and on
23rd December an earthquake with
a magnitude of 5.8 was
experienced, no serious injuries
were reported for that quake.
• NEW ZEALAND EARTHQUAKES

10. • The floods which Thailand
experienced that started from
31st of July and persisted till
December.
• More than 5th of the nation’s
population got affected by
extensive flooding.
• The death toll exceeded 600.
• THAILAND FLOODS

11. In 2011 United States witnessed
various weather disasters which
resulted in damages of about $1
billion and casualty of 600 deaths.
Mainly affected areas include
Albarma , Mississippi, Missouri,
North California and Tennessee. 362
tornados were experienced just from
25th – 27th April, which killed almost
350 people in Alabama and 6 other
states.
• US TORNADO BREAKOUT:

12. • On December 19th a storm with the
wind speed of 45.55 miles per
hour hit Mindanao in Southern
Phillipines and affected 167,000
people. It was followed by a down
pour causing landslides and flashy
floods.
• TYPHOON IN PHILLIPINES

13. ELEMENTS AT RISK
• People
• Livestock
• Rural housing stock
• Houses vulnerable
• Crops, trees, telephone, electric poles
• Boats, looms, working implements
• Personal property
• Electricity, water and food supplies
• Infrastructure support

14. • Reduce(avoid, if possible) the
potential losses from hazards.
• Assure prompt and
appropriate assistance to
victims necessary.
• Achieve rapid and durable
recovery.
AIMS OF DISASTER MANAGEMENT

16. ROLE PLAYERS IN DISASTERS
• People:
individuals, House-holds, volunteers.
• Village Elders:
caste/community/religious leaders, teachers, doctors, engineers, retired army & police personnel
• Govt . Dept . Officers:
Agriculture, Medical, Engineers (housing, roads & buildings, irrigation) Revenue department,
Public health, Police etc. NGOs.

17. • Catastrophes, whether natural or
human – induced, have
profound effects on individuals,
communities, and societies.
Environmental psychology
examines:
• How people psychologically
and emotionally respond to
catastrophes
• How they adjust and cope in the
aftermath.
CATASTROPHE & HUMAN ADJUSTMENT

18. • Psychological Responses:
Catastrophes often trigger a range of
psychological response, including shock,
anxiety, fear, grief, and trauma.
Understanding these emotional reactions is
crucial for providing appropriate support and
interventions.
SOME KEY POINTS TO CONSIDER INCLUDE

19. • Coping Mechanisms:
Individuals and communities
employ various coping
mechanisms to deal with the after
math of catastrophes.
These mechanisms can include
seeking social support, engaging
in problem-solving, practicing
resilience, and finding meaning
in the experience.

20. • Community Resilience:
Catastrophes can lead to the
development of community
resilience, where individuals
come together to support one
another and rebuild.
Strong social networks and a
sense of community can aid in
the recovery process

21. • Long-Term Effects:
Catastrophe can have long-
lasting effects on mental health,
social dynamics, and physical
well-being.
Understanding how these effects
evolve over time is essential for
providing ongoing support and
resources.

22. • PREPAREDNESS AND MITIGATION:
Environmental psychology also examines how individuals perceive risks and respond
to warnings.
Research in this area helps authorities develop effective communication strategies to
encourage preparedness and mitigate the impact of future catastrophes.

23. PREPAREDNESS:
• Vulnerability analysis and mapping to include resources.
• Assess strengthening requirements and execute.
• Funding for preparedness must be arranged.
• Peoples’ cooperation through Political leaders, elders, volunteers and NGO’s
• Create lead time by interpreting warnings.
• Plan to include movement of resources with time frame.
• Aim to reduce the destructive potential of cyclones, timely & appropriate relief to victims and
quick & durable recovery.