Scribd
Upload
1 views

Drrr Module 2

Uploaded by

Natasha Necio
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
1 views

Drrr Module 2

Uploaded by

Natasha Necio
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 33

DISASTER READINESS AND RISK

REDUCTION LESSON 2

UNDERSTANDING THE
EFFECTS OF DISASTER
Prepared by: Ma'am Gine
DISASTER
- Is a sudden, calamitous event, bringing great damage, loss,
destruction and devastation to life and property. The damage caused
by disasters is immeasurable and influences the mental,
socioeconomic, political, and cultural state of the affected area.

- Can cause a full range of mental and physical reactions. Those


affected may also react to problems that occur after the event, as
well as to triggers or reminds them of the trauma
EFFECTS OF DISASTERS ON ONE’S LIFE
The following are the common effects of disaster identified
by some studies on disaster risk and management:

1. Displaced Populations. 
One of the most immediate effects of natural disasters is
population displacement. When countries are ravaged by
earthquakes or other powerful forces of nature like flood
and super typhoons, many people have to abandon their
homes and seek shelter in other regions.
Ex.
2. Health Risks. 
Aside from the obvious immediate danger that
natural disasters present, the secondary effects can
be just as damaging. Severe flooding can result in
stagnant water that allows breeding of waterborne
bacteria and malaria-carrying mosquitoes. Dengue
fever is another serious health problem caused by
mosquitoes (Aedis egypti).
Ex.
3. Food Scarcity. 
After natural disasters, food often becomes scarce.
Thousands of people around the world go hungry as
a result of destroyed crops and loss of agricultural
supplies, whether it happens suddenly in a storm or
gradually in a drought. As a result, food prices rise,
reducing families’ purchasing power and increasing
the risk of severe malnutrition.
Ex.
4. Emotional Aftershocks. 
Natural disasters can be particularly traumatic for
young children. Confronted with scenes of
destruction and the deaths of friends and loved
ones, many children develop post-traumatic disorder
(PTSD), a serious psychological condition resulting
from extreme trauma. Left untreated, children
suffering from PTSD can be prone to lasting
psychological damage and emotional distress.
Ex.
THE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES OF
DISASTER
A disaster is a result of a vast ecological
breakdown in the relation between humans and
their environment; a serious or sudden event on
such a scale that the stricken community needs
extraordinary efforts to cope with it, often with
outside help or international aid.
Disaster is analyzed from different
perspectives as follows:
1. Physical Perspective

 From this view, disaster is defined as a


phenomenon that cause damage to physical
elements such as buildings, infrastructures, including
people and their properties, e.g., houses and
environmental sources of living. Physical effects are
the most visible and quantifiable effects of a disaster.
Assessment of disaster is focused on the
following common questions:
a) How many families are affected? (displacement,
injury, death)
b) How many houses are damaged or washed out?
(in case of super typhoons)
c) How many buildings collapsed or are damaged?
(in case of an earthquake)
d) How many roads, bridges, dams, and other
infrastructures are damaged? (in case of floods, lahar
flows and earthquakes)
e) What is the extent of damage in agricultural
industry? (crop losses, damaged fish cages, washed
out rice fields, etc.)
2. Psychological Perspective

- Psychological research has shown that


disasters can cause serious mental health
consequences for victims. These consequences
take the form of posttraumatic stress disorder
(PTSD) and a variety of other disorders and
symptoms which have been less investigated.
- In psychological context a disaster is regarded
as an occurrence involving an unexpected or
uncontrollable event rather than a long-term
experience. In other words, a disaster is
something that could happen within a hazard
rather than the hazard itself.
- In psychological context a disaster is regarded
as an occurrence involving an unexpected or
uncontrollable event rather than a long-term
experience. In other words, a disaster is
something that could happen within a hazard
rather than the hazard itself.
Other psychological effects of a
disaster are the following:

a) Emotional effects: Shock, terror,


irritability, blame, anger, guilt, grief or
sadness, numbing, helplessness, loss of
pleasure derived from familiar activities,
difficulty feeling happy, difficulty feeling
loved.
b) Cognitive effects: Impaired
concentration, impaired decision-making
ability, memory impairment, disbelief,
confusion, nightmares, decreased self-
esteem, decreased self- efficacy, self-
blame, intrusive thoughts, memories,
dissociation (e.g., tunnel vision, dreamlike
or ‘spacey’ feeling).
c) Physical effects: Fatigue, exhaustion,
insomnia, cardiovascular strain, startle
response, hyper arousal, increased physical
pain, reduced immune response,
headaches, gastrointestinal upset,
decreased appetite, decreased libido,
vulnerability to illness.
d) Interpersonal effects: Increased
relational

conflict social withdrawal, reduced


relational

intimacy, alienation, impaired work


performance, decreased satisfaction,
Ex.
3. Socio-Cultural Perspective

What the people living at risk know and do about


natural hazards and disaster risks is mediated by a
range of factors including social conditions (such as
age, gender, wealth, ethnicity) and cultural settings
(language, beliefs, traditions, customs). In most
places people are also more or less exposed by
information and ideas coming from the “outside” –
the world outside their own cultural setting.
Ex.
4. Economic Perspective

- From an economic perspective, a natural


disaster can be defined as a natural event that
causes a perturbation to the functioning of the
economic system, with a significant negative
impact on assets, production factors, output,
employment, and consumption.
- Direct economic cost is the value of what has
been damaged or destroyed by the disaster.
This should be seriously considered in disaster
risk management and assessment. However, to
get the whole picture indirect losses is crucial in
assessing disaster seriousness. This is done by
evaluating the main indirect consequences of a
disaster.
Ex.
5. Political Perspective

From this view, natural disasters are commonly


thought to be less politically contentious than
armed conflicts. Yet, a closer look reveals that
politics are deeply wedded to both the impact of
a natural disaster and the subsequent delivery
of humanitarian assistance.
Ex.
Governmentality or deliverance of government
services to constituents can be a plus or minus
factor in disaster risk reduction and management.
Government interventions should be present in
following phases of Disaster Risk Reduction and
Management: (1) Prevention, (2) Mitigation, (3)
Preparedness, and (4) Recovery. Failure to do so
adversely affects the capacity and opportunities of
those affected to cope with and recover from the
impacts of disaster.
6. Environmental Perspective

Disasters are not random and do not occur by accident.


They are the convergence of hazards and vulnerable
conditions. Disasters not only reveal underlying social,
economic, political, and environmental problems, but
unfortunately contribute to

worsening them. Such events pose serious challenges to


development, as they erode hard-earned gains in terms of
political, social, and educational progress, as well as
Ex.

You might also like