Basic Concept of Disaster

and Disaster Risk (part 2)

OBJECTIVES
1. Describe the effects of disasters on ones
life
2. Explain how and when an event becomes
disaster
3. Identify
areas/locations
exposed
to
hazards that may lead to disasters
4. Analyse disaster from the different
perspectives
(physical,
psychological,
socio-cultural, economic political and
biological)

Hazard vs. Disaster

Earthquakes, floods, hurricanes and volcano
eruptions are all types of natural hazards, but
when do they become natural disasters?
The difference is the events effects on people.
When a typhoon strikes a populated island in
the Philippines, destroying homes and lives, it
becomes a disaster.
People living in poverty are even more
vulnerable to natural disasters because they
have fewer resources or people to turn to when
trying to rebuild their homes and livelihoods.

EFFECTS OF DISASTER IN ONES

LIFE
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, many
people have to abandon their homes and
seek shelter in other regions.
A large influx of refugees can disrupt
accessibility of health care and education,
as well as food supplies and clean water.

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 mosquitos.
Without
emergency
relief
from
international aid organizations and others,
death tolls can rise even after the
immediate danger has passed.

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 or worse.
The impacts of hunger following an earthquake,
typhoon or hurricane can be tremendous,
causing
lifelong
damage
to
childrens
development.

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 stress
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.

 The impact of a natural disaster may

also cause inequalities.
The poor, who suffer from income
fluctuations, and also have limited
access to financial services.
Moreover, in the aftermath
of a
disaster may be more prone to
reduce consumption and have a
decreasing shock in other household
indicators as a consequence.

Hazard Identification
is a process used to identify
possible situations where people may
be exposed to injury, illness or
disease,
the type of injury or illness that may
result from these and the way in
which
work
is organized and
managed.

Areas exposed to hazards that may

lead to disaster
RISK TO EARTHQUAKES
Since 1968, PHIVOLCS has recorded twelve
destructive earthquakes in the Philippines.
This record includes the infamous July
16,1990 Luzon earthquake which caused
innumerable injuries and at least 1,100
deaths.
Seismicity
(geographic
and
historical
distribution of earthquake events) is all over
the country except in the Palawan region.

The top ten provinces that are at risk

to earthquakes are:
1. Surigao Del Sur
2. La Union
3. Benguet
4. Pangasinan
5. Pampanga
6. Tarlac
7. Ifugao
8. Davao Oriental
9. Nueva Vizcaya
10.Nueva Ecija

 La Union and Pangasinan are

prone
to
earthquakes,
especially the deep-focused
ones, due to the Manila
Trench
Surigao del Sur and Davao
Oriental
have
earthquake
hazards due to Philippine
Trench and nearby active
faults.

 Frequency of shallow and left-lateral

strike-slip earthquakes in Nueva
Vizcaya,
Nueva
Ecija,
Eastern
Pangasinan, Benguet and La Union
can be attributed to its location along
the Philippine Fault Zone.
However, Ifugao, despite having less
earthquake occurrences is at risk
because
of
its
very
high
vulnerability to disasters.

RISK TO EARTHQUAKE-INDUCED
LANDSLIDES
The top ten provinces that are at risk to earthquakeinduced shallow landslides are:
1. Ifugao
2. Lanao Del Sur
3. Sarangani
4. Benguet
5. Mountain Province
6. Bukidnon
7. Aurora
8. Davao del Sur
9. Davao Oriental
10.Rizal

 Benguet, despite its low vulnerability,

ranked four because of its high
exposure
factor
or
population
density.
Aurora ranked higher than Davao del
Sur and Davao Oriental despite its
low vulnerability compared with the
other two provinces.
This is due to the fact that the whole
of Aurora is more susceptible to
landslide
than
the
other
two
provinces

RISK TO VOLCANIC
ERUPTIONS
Philippines lies within the Ring of Fire, a region
of subduction zone volcanism surrounding the
Pacific Ocean.
This explains the distribution of most volcanoes
in the Philippines.
In 1991, Mt. Pinatubo eruption was well known
to be the most violent eruption in the 20th
century.
Philippine Volcanoes are classified as Active,
Inactive and Potentially active. Twenty-two (22)
historically active volcanoes are distributed all
over the archipelago.

The top ten provinces at risk are:

1. Camiguin
2. Sulu
3. Biliran
4. Albay
5. Bataan
6. Sorsogon
7. South Cotabato
8. Laguna
9. Camarines Sur
10.Batanes

 Camiguin has the highest risk

because the land area is so small
such that a volcanic eruption can
affect the whole province.
Sulu ranked second because it has
the most number of active and
potentially active volcanoes.

RISK TO TSUNAMIS
In
November
14,1994,
a
7.1
magnitude earthquake in Mindoro
triggered a tsunami that left at least
41 persons dead, mostly children and
old people.
Most of the coastal areas have
experienced a tsunami or have a
tsunami hazard potential.

 The top ten provinces that are at risk to

tsunamis are:
1. Sulu
2. Tawi-tawi
3. Basilan
4. Batanes
5. Guimaras
6. Romblon
7. Siquijor
8. Surigao del Norte
9. Camiguin
10.Masbate.

 Sulu and Tawi-tawi took the top two seats

because of their high potential for tsunami
owing to their location between two nearby
trenches
namely,
Sulu
Trench
and
Cotabato Trench.
Moreover, both provinces are also densely
populated and have very high vulnerability.
Similarly, most areas in Basilan and Romblon
are at high risk especially because they have
been previously affected by a tsunami.

DISASTER FROM DIFFERENT

PERSPECTIVE
Disasters cause deaths, injuries,
and illnesses
Disasters
may
overwhelm
medical resources and health
services
The damage caused by disasters
is immeasurable and influences
the
mental,
socioeconomic,
political, and cultural state of
the affected area

Physical
Disasters may destroy hospitals
Disasters may disrupt routine
health services
Disasters may disrupt preventive
activities
Consequence:
long-term
increases
in
morbidity
and
mortality

Biological
Disasters may increase potential
for communicable diseases
Disasters
may
exacerbate
environmental hazards
Consequences:
increases in
morbidity and premature death,
decreased quality of life

Psychological and SocioCultural

Disasters may cause generalized
panic or paralyzing trauma
Disasters may provoke increases
in anxiety, depression and
neuroses
Disasters may lead to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
at epidemic levels

 Moreover, Psychological distress is

defined as a serious and problematic
emotional, cognitive, physical or
interpersonal reaction to difficulties.

 Emotional
Effects:
Shock,
terror,
irritability, blame, anger, guilt, grief or
sadness, emotional, numbing, helplessness,
loss of pleasure derived from familiar
activities, difficulty feeling happy, difficulty
feeling loved.
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).

 Physical
Effects:
Fatigue, exhaustion,
insomnia,
cardiovascular
strain,
startle
response, hyperarousal, increased physical
pain, reduced immune response, headaches,
gastrointestinal upset, decreased appetite,
decreased libido, vulnerability to illness.
Interpersonal Effects: Increased relational
conflict, social withdrawal, reduced relational
intimacy,
alienation,
impaired
work
performance, decreased satisfaction, distrust,
externalization of blame, externalization of
vulnerability, feeling abandoned.

Research
Analyze disaster from the political
perspective