LESSON 1

• Disaster

  A sudden, calamitous occurrence causing harm
• What are the impacts of a disaster?

  Loss of life, injury, disease, and property damage
• What are the classifications of disasters?

  • Natural Disasters
  • Man-Made Disasters
• What is a natural disaster?


  A major adverse event from natural processes
• What are examples of geophysical disasters?

  Earthquakes, Volcanic Activity, Landslides
• What are examples of hydrological disasters?

  Flooding, Tsunamis, Avalanche
• What are examples of meteorological disasters?

  Lightning, Winds, Tornadoes, Cyclones, Storms
• What are examples of biological disasters?

  Diseases Epidemics
• What are examples of climatological disasters?

  Drought, Wildfire, Extreme Temperature
• What are man-made disasters caused by?

  Negligence, errors, or intention of humans
• What are examples of technological/industrial disasters?

  Hazardous material leaks, explosions
• What are examples of terrorism or violence disasters?

  Bombs, chemical releases, shootings
• What is a complex humanitarian disaster?

  A humanitarian emergency from civil war
• What are the primary risk factors underlying disasters?

  • Severity of Exposure
  • Gender and Family
  • Age
  • Economic Status of Country
• How does severity of exposure affect disaster risk?

  Those experiencing disaster firsthand have highest risk
• Why do women suffer more in disasters?

  Adverse effects worsen with children present
• Which age group experiences more stress after disasters?

  Children exhibit more stress than adults
• How does economic status affect disaster impact?

  Developing countries face more severe mental problems
• What are the secondary risk factors underlying disasters?

  • Climate Change
  • Environmental Degradation
  • Global Economic Development
  • Poverty and Inequality
  • Poorly Planned and Managed Urban Development
  • Weak Governance
• How does climate change affect disaster risk?

  Alters frequency and intensity of hazards
• How does environmental degradation influence hazards?

  Increases frequency and intensity of hazards
• What is the impact of poverty on disaster risk?

  Poor people live in hazard-exposed areas
• How does poorly planned urban development affect disaster risk?

  Increases concentration of poverty and disaster risk
• What is weak governance's effect on disaster risk?

  Public sector fails to protect rights and services
• What is the definition of risk?

  • Combination of probability of an event
  • Negative consequences of that event
• What is disaster risk?


  Potential disaster losses in a community
• What are the elements of disaster risk?

  • Exposure
  • Hazard
  • Vulnerability
• What is exposure in disaster risk?

  Elements at risk from a hazard event
• What is a hazard?

  A potentially dangerous physical occurrence
• What is vulnerability in disaster risk?

  Condition increasing susceptibility to hazards
• What are the factors that increase vulnerability?

  • Physical factors
  • Social factors
  • Economic factors
  • Environmental factors
• How does poverty increase vulnerability?

  Poor people cannot invest in risk-reducing measures
• How does poorly planned urban development increase vulnerability?

  Increases concentration of people in hazard-exposed areas
• How does weak governance increase vulnerability?

  Public sector fails to provide basic services
• Natural Disasters Categories

  Geophysical

  Hydrological

  Meteorological

  Biological

  Climatological
• Man-Made Disasters


  Technological/Industrial Disasters

  Terrorism or Violence

  Complex Humanitarian
• Elements of Disaster Risk

  Hazard

  Vulnerability

  Exposure
• Primary Risk Factors Underlying Disasters

  Severity of Exposure

  Gender and Family

  Age

  Economic Status of Country
• Examples of Technological/Industrial Disasters


  Leaks of Hazardous Materials, Accidental Explosions, Bridge or Road Collapses of Vehicle Collisions, Power Cuts
• Geophysical


  Earthquakes

  Volcanic Activity

  Landslide