Any situation, activity, or event that has the potential to cause harm, injury, damage to property, or adverse effects on the environment
Hazards can be natural as well as man-made
Types of Hazards
Geophysical
Environmental
Geological
Hydro-meteorological
Biological
Technological
Societal
Extraterrestrial
Exposure
The presence of people, infrastructure, or assets in hazard-prone areas, increasing their vulnerability to disasters
There is no risk linked to a hazard in an area where there is no exposure, which includes people and properties far away from the hazard site
Vulnerability
The potential danger of people and property to suffer loss or damage
Types of Vulnerability
Physical Vulnerability
Social Vulnerability
Economic Vulnerability
Environmental Vulnerability
Physical Vulnerability
Factors such as location, structural design, maintenance, and materials used for infrastructure
Social Vulnerability
Aspects such as education, healthcare, economic status, gender, age, cultural and linguistic barriers, and access to basic human rights
Economic Vulnerability
Highly dependent upon the economic status of individuals and nations. The poor are usually more vulnerable to disasters because they lack the resources to build robust structures to protect themselves from being negatively impacted by disasters. Poorer families may live in hazard-prone areas because they cannot afford to live in safer but expensive areas
Environmental Vulnerability
Environmental degradation is a key aspect. Includes aspects such as climate change, deforestation, waste management, land use practices, and energy dependence
