lesson 2 vulnerability concept of VULNERABILITY

• The ??? or IFRC defines vulnerability as the

  diminished capacity of an individual or group to anticipate, cope with, resist, and recover from the impact of a natural or man-made hazard.


  International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
• Vulnerability is situation and hazard specific
• according to the ???, vulnerability is the characteristics and circumstances of a community, system, or asset that make it susceptible to the damaging effects of a hazard.


  United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction
• Vulnerability is situation specific.

  If earthquakes are frequent in a particular region, it does not mean that all the provinces in that region are vulnerable.
• Vulnerability is also hazard specific.

  This means that a community that is vulnerable to earthquakes does not necessarily mean that it is also vulnerable to typhoons.
• There are various factors that must be considered to assess the level of vulnerability of an area or community.


  1.proximity to a hazard event

  2.population density near a hazard event

  3.capacity and efficiency to reduce disaster risk

  4.building codes and disaster policies
• An area frequented by a certain hazard predisposes it to high vulnerability.


  Proximity to a hazard event.
• Population differs from population density. Population refers to the number of individuals inhabiting a particular space at the same time.


  Population density near a hazard event.
• refers to the number of individuals living in an area in

  relation to the size of that area.

  population

  density
• The capacity of a community to reduce disaster risk includes the accessibility and availability of services and facilities that help in preparing for or during disasters.


  Capacity and efficiency to reduce disaster risk.
• Buildings and other structures may increase disaster risk. When they fall or collapse due to a hazard such as an earthquake, they can cause injury and even loss of lives. Thus, in the design and construction of buildings, possible hazards should be considered.


  Building codes and disaster policies.
• Geoscience Australia defines exposure as


  the elements at risk from a natural or man-made hazard event."
• Geoscience Australia defines exposure as "the elements at risk from a natural or man-made hazard event. These elements include the


  individuals; households or communities: properties, buildings and structures; agricultural commodities;

  livelihoods; and public facilities, infrastructure, and environmental assets
• The concepts of exposure and vulnerability are distinct.
• A community can be exposed but is not necessarily vulnerable.
• However, to be vulnerable to earthquakes, the buildings in Japan also have to be exposed to them.
• Elements Exposed to Hazards

  physical elements

  socioeconomic elements

  environmental elements
• These are the elements that are tangible or can be visually seen. Examples are landscapes, inhabitants, buildings, and other structures that make up the environment. Some are measurable, such as population density.


  Physical elements
• These comprise the institutional and government systems that dictate the kind of well-being

  and lifestyles of communities.

  Socioeconomic elements
• refer to the manner of social interactions and not the individuals or structures that are involved in

  the system.

  Socioeconomic elements
• These include the ecosystems and the natural processes that are exposed to hazard events.


  Environmental elements
• A hazard can lead to a disaster in a community if

  (a) the community is exposed to it and (b) the community circumstance or situation make it vulnerable to the hazard.
• The combination of exposure and vulnerability determines the level of disaster that a community will most likely experience.
• About how many people live in the

  community? What bodies of water

  and/or landforms can be found near the

  community? Are there structures (e.g.,

  breakwater, seawall) found in the

  community that may collapse or fall

  due to a typhoon?

  Physical Elements
• Does the community interact with

  other communities? How will this

  interaction be affected if a typhoon

  hits the community? What products

  and services may be affected? What

  is the major livelihood of the

  community?

  Socioeconomic Elements
• Are the community members

  dependent solely on the natural

  resource they get from their

  surroundings? What would happen

  to plants and animals when a

  typhoon destroys their habitats?

  Environmental Elements
• If the community is directly and frequently hit by typhoons, then its vulnerability to disasters

  associated with them is high.

  Proximity to disaster
• If the community has a large number of populations in exposed areas, the impact of the hazards

  will be more severe.


  Population density
• If the community does not have any community disaster preparedness plans in place, it becomes more difficult to face the hazard without expecting any disaster.


  Capacity and efficiency to minimize disaster risk
• Houses built on coastal areas are usually made of light materials.

  Building codes and disaster policies: