DIFFERENT ELEMENTS
EXPOSED TO SPECIFIC
HAZARD
DRR WEEK 4
HAZARDS
are any source of potential harm to humans,
the environment, or property. They can be
natural, such as earthquakes, floods, and
hurricanes, or human-made, such as industrial
accidents, chemical spills, and cyberattacks.
Hazards themselves are not inherently
dangerous; they only become a threat when
they have the potential to cause harm.
HAZARDS
EXPOSURE
refers to the people, property, systems, or other
entities that could be affected by a hazard. For
example, a population living in a flood-prone area
is exposed to the hazard of flooding. Exposure
can be measured in various ways, such as the
number of people living in a particular area, the
value of assets located in a hazardous zone, or
the criticality of infrastructure that could be
disrupted.
EXPOSURE
VULNERABILITY
describes the characteristics and circumstances of
a community, system, or asset that increase its
susceptibility to the impacts of a hazard. It
encompasses a wide range of factors, including
social, economic, and environmental conditions. For
example, poverty, lack of access to education and
healthcare, inadequate infrastructure, and
environmental degradation can all increase
vulnerability to disasters.
VULNERABILITY
In essence:
• Hazards are the potential threats.
• Exposure describes what is at risk.
• Vulnerability explains why something is at risk.
The combination of these three factors
determines the overall risk of a disaster.
HOW THEY
RELATE TO
DISASTER RISK?
Disaster Risk
Is essentially the potential for a
hazard to cause harm. It's a function
of the interaction between these
three factors:
• HAZARD - the greater the intensity and
frequency of the hazard, the higher the risk.
• EXPOSURE - the more people, assets, and critical
infrastructure are located in hazardous areas,
the higher the risk.
• VULNERABILITY - the more vulnerable a
community or system is to the impacts of a
hazard, the higher the risk.
For Instance:
Imagine a flood (hazard). A community living in a
floodplain (exposure) with poorly constructed
houses (vulnerability) faces a significantly higher
risk of disaster than a community living on higher
ground (less exposure) with well-built, flood-
resistant homes (less vulnerability).
Understanding the interplay of hazards,
exposure, and vulnerabilities is fundamental for
effective disaster risk reduction. By identifying
and addressing these factors, communities can
take proactive steps to minimize their risk and
build resilience.
Essentially, disaster risk is a product of these
three elements, with high hazard, high exposure,
and high vulnerability leading to the greatest
potential for disaster.
Thank
You