Lesson 1

Disaster Risk Factors

■​ PHYSICAL ​– This includes the concrete objects in a community that can help
or harm an individual during a disaster. Examples are availability of fire exits
during a fire, sturdiness of infrastructure or the ability of a building to withstand
earthquakes.
■​ PSYCHOLOGICAL ​– It includes the mental state of an individual, like the
ability of an individual to respond to a disaster and fear.
■​ SOCIO-CULTURAL – This includes traditions, religion, and social statuses in
society. Examples include community folklore, presence of ​bayanihan​system,
etc.
■​ ECONOMIC ​– This includes resources in the community and the income
source of individuals such as farming and employment.
■​ BIOLOGICAL – This includes the flora and fauna in the environment, their
health, and its diseases.

LESSON 2

DISASTER FROM DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES

Physical and Environmental Aspect

When a disaster hits, the first line of impact is the environment. Disaster causes drastic changes
in the structure of the environment.

Example: When an earthquake occurs in an area, roads may break and crack. Landslides in the
mountains cause soil erosion, removing the arable layer needed for planting trees to prevent
future landslides. Droughts cause soil cracking in farms due to lack of water moisture, making
land unsuitable for crop growth, leading to decreased agricultural supply.

Socio-Economic Aspect

Disasters impact the social well-being and financial resources of a community. Government
agencies play a crucial role in mitigating these impacts through proper procedures.

●​ Developing countries are more vulnerable due to high vulnerability and low resistance.
●​ Urban areas with stable infrastructure are less vulnerable compared to rural areas with
poor infrastructure.
●​ Lack of education and disaster preparedness increases vulnerability, especially in rural
areas.
Educational Aspect

Access to information is essential for reducing disaster risks. Observation and data analysis help
in risk identification, education, and disaster preparedness training.

Example: Senior High School students take up Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction as part of
the K to 12 curriculum. However, when disasters strike, schools used as evacuation centers
disrupt education.

Biological Aspect

Disasters can cause health problems and lead to epidemics if emergency care is unavailable.

●​ Disaster-stricken areas may experience a drastic decrease in animal and plant

populations, disrupting ecosystems and food resources.

Political Aspect

Disasters influence public perception of the government’s response and efficiency.

Example: Donations from local and international agencies aid survivors, but slow government
rebuilding efforts can lower trust in officials.

Effects of Disaster

1.​ Population
○​ Evacuation centers become overcrowded.
○​ Limited access to food and clean water increases the risk of disease.
○​ School and church operations are suspended, delaying education.
2.​ Health
○​ Flooding increases stagnant water, promoting mosquito breeding and bacterial
growth.
○​ Diseases such as leptospirosis and epidemics spread rapidly in evacuation centers
due to poor hygiene and sanitation.
3.​ Food
○​ Farms, poultry, and aquaculture suffer damage, reducing food supply.
○​ Higher food prices lead to hunger and malnutrition, affecting children’s
development.
4.​ Psychological
○​ Disaster survivors, especially children, may suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress
Disorder (PTSD).
○​ If untreated, PTSD can cause long-term emotional and psychological distress.
LESSON 3: Exposure & Vulnerability

Vulnerability
●​ Describes the characteristics and circumstances of a community, system, or asset that make it
susceptible to the damaging effects of a hazard.
●​ Various factors contribute to vulnerability: physical, social, economic, and environmental.

Examples of Vulnerability:

●​ Poor design and construction of buildings

●​ Inadequate protection of assets
●​ Lack of public information and awareness
●​ Limited official recognition of risks and preparedness measures
●​ Disregard for wise environmental management
●​ Vulnerability can also be defined as a lack of power to be safe during disasters.
●​ Effects and impacts vary depending on wealth, education, gender, age, and social conditions.
●​ Vulnerability varies significantly within a community and over time.
●​ Vulnerability is distinct from exposure but is often used interchangeably.

Source: United Nations (UN) International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) Terminology on Disaster
Risk Reduction.

Four Main Types of Vulnerability

1. Physical Vulnerability

●​ Determined by factors such as population density, settlement remoteness, site conditions,

design, and materials used in infrastructure.
●​ Example: Wooden homes are less likely to collapse in an earthquake but are more vulnerable to
fire.

2. Social Vulnerability

●​ The inability of people, organizations, and societies to withstand hazard impacts due to social
interactions, institutions, and cultural values.
●​ Linked to wellbeing, literacy, education, security, governance, and social equity.
●​ Example: Children, the elderly, and differently-abled individuals may struggle to evacuate during
flooding.

3. Economic Vulnerability
 ●​ The level of vulnerability is highly dependent on the economic status of individuals,
communities, and nations.
●​ The poor are more vulnerable due to lack of resources for resilient infrastructure and protection
measures.
●​ Example: Poorer families may live in squatter settlements because they cannot afford safer
housing.

4. Environmental Vulnerability

●​ Natural resource depletion and environmental degradation increase vulnerability.

●​ Example: Wetlands like the Caroni Swamp are sensitive to increased salinity and pollution from
agricultural runoff.

Factors of Vulnerability
1. Socio-Economic Factors

●​ Wealth and socio-economic status determine vulnerability levels.

●​ Disasters affect food supply and essential services.
●​ Houses may not comply with the National Building Code of the Philippines (materials, structure,
ventilation, sanitation, etc.).
●​ Migration: The movement of people due to different factors affects vulnerability levels.
○​ Migrants, refugees, and internally displaced persons (IDPs) often receive less
government support.
○​ These groups are more vulnerable due to unfamiliarity with their settlement locations.

2. Demographic Factors

●​ Settlement patterns and population density increase disaster risk, especially in urban areas.
●​ Unplanned development and poor infrastructure create serious threats.
●​ Rural communities also face high vulnerability due to limited resources and lower government
budgets.
●​ Age of Population:
○​ Young and elderly individuals are more vulnerable due to limited ability to respond and
cope with disasters.

Exposure
 ●​ Refers to the presence of people, residences, infrastructure, and economic resources in
hazard-prone areas (UNISDR, 2017).
●​ Example: A typhoon with heavy rainfall can cause flooding in a residential area.
●​ Exposure depends on location and the presence of hazards.
●​ Example: Communities near the active Mayon Volcano in Legazpi, Albay have different exposure
levels compared to those in the mountains of Mindanao.

LESSON 5: Basic Concept of Hazard

COMPETENCY:

●​ Explain and cite examples of the types of hazards and their impact.

Basic Concept of Hazard

Hazards are the potentials for damage to humans and their environment resulting from natural events
such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, floods, and storm surges.

●​ An event alone does not constitute a hazard.

●​ If an event occurs without a threat to a population, it remains an event.
●​ Example: An isolated volcanic eruption is just an event, but when it happens near a populated
area, it becomes a hazard.

Types of Hazards
1.​ Natural Hazards – Result from Earth's natural processes.
○​ Example: Volcanic eruptions, earthquakes.
2.​ Secondary Hazards – Consequences of other hazards.
○​ Example: Landslides, tsunamis.
3.​ Technological Hazards – Man-made hazards.
○​ Example: Radiation leaks, land toxicity from pesticides.
4.​ Quasi-natural Hazards – Result from the interaction of natural processes and human activities.
○​ Example: Smog, desertification.
Classification of Hazards
1. Geologic Hazards

●​ Natural events originating from movements of the Earth's crust.

2. Hydrologic Hazards

●​ Floods
●​ Wave action
●​ Drought
●​ Rapid glacier avalanche

3. Atmospheric Hazards

1.​ Typhoons or Hurricanes

2.​ Thunderstorms
3.​ Excessive Rainfall
4.​ Tornadoes
5.​ Heavy Snowfalls
6.​ Hail
7.​ Blizzards
8.​ Glaze Storms
9.​ Freezing Rain
10.​High Wind Speeds
11.​Extreme Temperatures
12.​Lightning

4. Biologic Hazards

●​ Originate from living organisms.

1.​ Epidemics in Humans
2.​ Epidemics in Plants
3.​ Epidemics in Animals
4.​ Locust Infestation

5. Man-made Hazards

1.​ Transportation Accidents

2.​ Industrial Explosions and Fires
3.​ Accidental Release of Toxic Chemicals
4.​ Nuclear Accidents
5.​ Collapse of Public Buildings
6.​ Weapons of Mass Destruction
 7.​ Computer Viruses

Hazard Profiling
●​ Profiling hazards is important in predicting disasters and preparing disaster plans.
●​ Hazards can be profiled based on:
○​ Magnitude (High-scale or Low-scale)
○​ Frequency (Number of occurrences in a year)
○​ Duration (Short-term or Long-term)
○​ Causality Effects (Direct or Indirect)

Magnitude

●​ Assessed using scientific instruments.

●​ Example:
○​ Magnitude 5.0+ earthquake is considered high-scale (PHIVOLCS).
○​ 1.0-meter flood is high-scale.
○​ 150 kph typhoons are strong and powerful.

Frequency

●​ Determines the area's proneness to hazards.

●​ Example:
○​ Coastal areas in typhoon belts experience frequent storm surges.
○​ Low-lying coastal areas are prone to flooding.

Duration

●​ Short-term or long-term impact of hazards.

●​ Example:
○​ Earthquakes lasting over a minute are considered long.
○​ Volcanic eruptions can last for days.

Casualties

●​ Impact assessment based on how hazards affect populations directly or indirectly.

●​ Communities outside the hazard site may also suffer consequences.

Philippines as a Hazard-Prone Area

Philippines and the Pacific Ring of Fire

●​ The country is prone to disasters due to the Philippine Fault Zone (PFZ).
●​ PFZ is a series of faults from Luzon to Mindanao.
●​ Causes earthquakes due to the movement of Earth's crust.

Typhoon Belt

●​ Located in the Western Pacific Basin, the world's most typhoon-prone region.
●​ On average, 20 typhoons hit the Philippines annually.

Impacts of Hazards
1. Socio-Economic Impacts

●​ Positive Impacts:
○​ Introduces new habits and systems geared toward resilience.
○​ Encourages communities to develop ways of living that can withstand hazards.
●​ Negative Impacts:
○​ Areas frequently hit by hazards tend to have lower standards of living.
○​ Limited resources make it harder to compete in the market.

2. Environmental Impacts

●​ Negative Impacts:
○​ Initial effects of hazards on ecosystems can be disastrous.
●​ Positive Impacts:
○​ Some natural hazards contribute to environmental benefits.
○​ Example:
■​ Ash from Mt. Pinatubo eruption made soils in Zambales fertile.

Handout (Lesson 5)

●​ Catastrophe - an event causing great and often sudden damage or suffering; a disaster.
●​ Avalanche - a mass of snow, ice, and rocks falling rapidly down a mountainside.
●​ Migration - is a common adaptation method used to cope with various natural disasters
●​ Liquefaction - a process by which water-saturated sediment temporarily loses strength and acts
like a fluid
●​ Faults - a fracture or zone of fractures between two blocks of rock
●​ Magnitude - The magnitude of the hazard can be assessed by the measurements obtained from
scientific instruments. Sometimes, scaling can vary depending on the reference tables used per
country.
●​ Frequency - The frequency of the hazard to occur in an area is important because it tells its(area)
proneness to hazard. This is usually, but not always, associated with the area’s geographical
location.
●​ Natural hazard - which are caused because of natural phenomena
●​ Intensity - the measurable amount of a property, such as force, brightness, or a magnetic field.
●​ Climate - the weather conditions prevailing in an area in general or over a long period.
●​ Landslide - the movement of a mass of rock, debris, or earth down a slope
●​ Exposure - The situation of people, infrastructure, housing, production capacities and other
tangible human assets located in hazard-prone areas.​
●​ Vulnerability - It describes the characteristics and circumstances of a community, system or asset
that make it susceptible to the damaging effects of a hazard.
●​ Volcanic eruption - the expulsion of gases, rock fragments, and/or molten lava from within the
Earth through a vent onto the Earth's surface or into the atmosphere.
●​ Hazards - A dangerous condition or event, that threat or have the potential for causing injury to
life or damage to property or the environment.​
●​ Haiyan – name of the super typhoon