WEEKLY LEARNING ACTIVITY SHEETS

Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction 11/12, Quarter 1, Week

1

BASIC CONCEPTS OF DISASTER AND RISK

FACTORS UNDERLYING DISASTERS

Name: _______________________________________ Section: _________________

Most Essential Learning Competencies:

1. Explain the meaning of disaster. (DRR11/12-Ia-b-1)
2. Differentiate the risk factors underlying disasters. (DRR11/12-Ia-b-2)

Learning Objectives:

After going through this learning activity, learners are expected to:

1. Discuss the two types of disaster; and

2. Distinguish the risk factors underlying the given disaster situation.

Time Allotment: 4 hours

Key Concepts:

• Disaster is ―a sudden, calamitous occurrence that causes great harm, injury,

destruction, and devastation to life and property‖. It disrupts the usual course of
life, causing both physical and emotional distress such as an intense feeling of
helplessness and hopelessness.
• A preceding definitions of disaster stresses that two elements are affected – life
(whether human or animal) and property. The effects vary – it may a minor
damage (like broken windows and doors), major damage (like torn rooftops,
collapsed walls), total destruction (like completely destroyed houses and
structures rendering them useless and inhabitable) and worst scenario, it can
lead to death. (Asian Disaster Preparedness, ADPC, 2012)
• According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO, 2008), disaster is 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 to society to cope using
its own resources‖.
• Disasters can be divided into large categories:
A. Natural Disasters – a natural phenomenon is caused by natural
forces, such as earthquakes, typhoon, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, fires,
tornados, and extreme temperatures. They can be classified as rapid
onset disasters and those with progressive onset, such as droughts that
lead to famine. These events, usually sudden, can have tremendous
effects.
B. Man-made Disasters – caused by man or in which major direct
causes are identifiable intentions or non-intentional human actions.
 • Disaster risk is the product of the possible damage caused by a hazard due to
the vulnerability within a community. It should be noted that the effect of a
hazard (of a particular magnitude) would affect communities differently (Von
Kotze, 1999:35).
• Risk factors are processes or conditions, often development-related that
influence the level of disaster risk by increasing levels of exposure and
vulnerability or reducing capacity.
• Risk factors which underlie disasters:
1. Climate Change – can increase disaster risk in a variety of ways –
by altering the frequency and intensity of hazards events, affecting
vulnerability to hazards, and changing exposure patterns. For most
people, the expression ―climate change‖ means the alteration of the
world’s climate that we humans are causing such as burning of fossil fuels,
deforestation and other practices that increase the carbon footprint and
concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
2. Environmental Degradation – changes to the environment can
influence the frequency and intensity of hazards, as well as our exposure
and vulnerability to these hazards. For instance, deforestation of slopes
often leads to an increase in landslide hazard and removal of mangroves
can increase the damage caused by storm surges (UNISDR, 2009b). It is
both a driver and consequence of disasters, reducing the capacity of the
environment to meet social and ecological needs. Over consumption of
natural resources results in environmental degradation, reducing the
effectiveness of essential ecosystem services, such as the mitigation of
floods and landslides. This leads increased risk from disasters, and in turn,
natural hazards can further degrade the environment.
3. Globalized Economic Development – It results in an increased
polarization between the rich and poor on a global scale. Currently
increasing the exposure of assets in hazard prone areas, globalized
economic development provides an opportunity to build resilience if
effectively managed. By participating in risk-sensitive development
strategies such as investing in protective infrastructure, environmental
management, and upgrading informal settlements, risk can be reduced.
Dominance and increased of wealth in certain regions and cities are
expected to have increased hazard exposure (Gencer, 2013).
4. Poverty and Inequality – Impoverished people are more likely to
live in hazard-exposed areas and are less able to invest in risk-reducing
measures. The lack of access to insurance and social protection means
that people in poverty are often forced to use their already limited assets
to buffers disaster losses, which drives them into further poverty. Poverty
is therefore both a cause and consequence of disaster risk (Wisner et al.,
2004), particularly extensive risk, with drought being the hazard most
closely associated with poverty (Shepard et al., 2013). The impact of
disasters on the poor can, in addition to loss of life, injury and damage,
cause a total loss of livelihoods, displacement, poor health, food
insecurity, among other consequences. Vulnerability is not simply about
poverty, but extensive research over the past 30 years has revealed that
is generally the poor who tend to suffers worst from disasters (DFID, 2004;
Wisner et al., 2044; UNISDR, 2009b).

Author: Melvin C. Cabonegro 1

School/Station: Taligaman National High School
Division: Butuan City email address:
[email protected]
 5. Poorly planned and Managed Urban Development – A new
wave or urbanization is unfolding in hazard-exposed countries and with it,
new opportunities for resilient investment emerge. People, poverty, and
disaster risk are increasingly concentrated in cities. The growing rate of
urbanization and the increase in population density (in cities) can lead to
creation of risk, especially when urbanization is rapid, poorly planned and
occurring in a context of widespread poverty. Growing concentrations of
people and economic activities in many cities are seen to overlap with
areas of high-risk exposure.
6. Weak Governance – weak governance zones are investment
environments in which public sector actors are unable or unwilling to
assume their roles and responsibilities in protecting rights, providing basic
services and public services. Disaster risk is disproportionately
concentrated in lower-income countries with weak governance (UNISDR,
2015a). Disaster risk governance refers to the specific arrangements that
societies put in place to manage their disaster risk (UNISDR, 2011a; UNDP,
2013a) within a broader context of risk governance (Renn, 2008 in
UNISDR, 2015a).

Activity 1. Understanding Disaster

Objective: Discuss the two types of disaster.

What you need: paper and pen What to do:
1. In this activity, you must identify the classification of disaster as well
as its effect in the given disaster situations.
2. Accomplish the table below and write your answer on a separate
sheet of paper.

Classification of
Disaster Disaster Effect of Disaster
(Natural or Man-
Made)
1. typhoon
2. war
3. volcanic eruption
4. earthquake
5. vehicular accident
6. floods in rivers and Coastal areas
7. tsunami
8. bomb explosion
9. chemical leakages
10. plane crash

Author: Melvin C. Cabonegro 2

School/Station: Taligaman National High School
Division: Butuan City email address:
[email protected]
Guide Questions:

Q1. What are the two types of disaster?

_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________

Q2. What is the difference between natural from man-made disaster?

________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________

Q3. In your own words, how you would define disaster?

_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________

Scoring Rubric for Q3

Points Description
3 Student answers the question correctly with reasoning.
2 Student answers the question and explanation is
somewhat accurately stated.
1 Student gives a wrong answer and many
misconceptions are identified in the explanation.

Activity 2. What is the Risk Factor?

Objective: Distinguish the risk factor underlying the given disaster situation.
What you need: paper and pen What to do:
1. Complete the table by identifying the risk factors underlying disaster in each
situation.
2. Write your answer on a separate sheet of paper.

Risk
Situation Factors
Underlying
Disaster
1. unwillingness to assume their roles and responsibilities
in governing disaster risk department
2. rising sea levels
3. cities located in low-altitude such as Butuan City are
exposed to sea-level rise and flooding
4. houses are built with lightweight materials
5. deforestation that can lead to landslide

Author: Melvin C. Cabonegro 3

School/Station: Taligaman National High School
Division: Butuan City email address:
[email protected]
Guide Questions:

Q1. How does each risk factors different from one another?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________

Q2. How would you lessen the impact of risk factors underlying disaster?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________

Scoring Rubric for Q1 and Q2

Points Description
3 Student answers the question correctly with reasoning.
2 Student answers the question and explanation is somewhat accurately stated.
Student gives a wrong answer and many misconceptions are identified in the
1 explanation.

Reflection:

Suppose you are invited by the SK Chairman in your barangay as a resource speaker
to your fellow age group during an Environmental Awareness Activity and you were asked
to give emphasis on the risk factors underlying disasters so that young people will be
equipped with knowledge on how to mitigate the effects of a disaster. Have a concept in
mind of how you are going to deliver the information. Write down what you want to deliver
to the audience on a separate sheet of paper.

Scoring Rubric
Points Description
Practical application is scientifically explained consistent with
3
the concepts and has no misconception.
Practical application is scientifically explained consistent with
2
the concepts, but with minimal misconception.
Practical application is scientifically explained consistent with
1
the concepts, but with misconceptions.
0 No discussion.

References:

Aquino, Ginalyn H., Barairo, Rodgem A. Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction Quarter 1 -
Module 1: Basic Concept of Disater and Disaster Risk. Edited by Vanessa R. Ambas,
Anne Marielle R. Del Mundo and Josefina M. Fabra. Department of Education, 2020.
Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction Quarter 1 - Module 2: Risk Factors Underlying
Disasters. Edited by Vanessa R. Ambas, Ma. Fe Lorelie E. Amon and Anne Marielle R.
Del Mundo. Department of Education, 2020.

Author: Melvin C. Cabonegro 4

School/Station: Taligaman National High School
Division: Butuan City email address:
[email protected]