Disaster Readiness and Risk

Reduction

Basic Concept of Disaster and Disaster Risk

Concept of Disaster
You probably have gotten used to hearing news about typhoons, earthquakes, or volcanic
eruptions happening every now and then. Many of us might have also experienced disasters due
to one or more of these natural events that these are no longer considered as news. Why is the
Philippines on of the world’s most disaster-prone countries? Surely, it is not simply because
natural events visit us often. The occurrence of a disaster depends on the interplay between a
natural phenomenon (that can turn into a hazard) and the vulnerability of populations exposed
(exposure and vulnerability).

When Does a Natural Event Become a Hazard?

You recall from your earth science lessons that the Philippines hosts frequent earthquakes
and volcanic eruptions because of its position within the “ring of fire” which is at the edge of the
most dynamic tectonic plates. It also lies along the western edge of the Pacific Ocean which lies
along the natural path of the planet’s fiercest typhoons. We certainly cannot prevent volcanic
activities, earthquakes, typhoons, and landslides from happening. However, natural events do not
automatically become hazards, much less cause disasters. Under what circumstances then do
natural phenomena can be considered hazards?

A natural event can be likened to a weak concrete fence that could collapse even with just
a slight push. It does not pose a threat to anything or anybody if there is nothing or no one
nearby. Once you park a car or stand right beside it, it becomes a hazard. The threat of damage,
injury, and even death now exists.

When a Hazard Does Becomes a Disaster?

A hazard becomes a disaster when it actually occurs and when it occurs in such a way
that people are harmed. For example, a hurricane is a natural hazard while it is at sea. When the
hurricane reaches land and destroys buildings and kills people, it is a disaster.

The transformation of a natural event into a disaster. A natural event such as a

tsunami becomes a hazard if it poses a threat to people. A magnitude 6.5 earthquake is usually
strong enough to generate tsunamis that could be destructive to nearby coastal areas. The
tsunami waves that are about to hit a beach area with people, animals, trees, and houses are
considered as a hazard. After the tsunami hits the populated area, it is no longer just a hazard but
a disaster with victims and destruction or damage all over the place.

1|Page .
Disaster Risk
According to the terminology of UNDRR, disaster risk is defined as “the potential loss
of life, injury, or destroyed or damaged assets which could occur to a system, society or a
community in a specific period of time, determined probabilistically as a function of hazard,
exposure, and capacity”.

Key Elements of Disaster/Emergency Planning

Preparedness, Response, Recovery & Prevention/Mitigation
Disaster/emergency planning for records and information should be a planned approach
for the prevention of records and information loss, preparedness and response to the emergency
events affecting records and information, recovery of records and information, and necessary
processes and equipment for business continuity following the event.

The recovery phase includes the implementation of short-term activities that restore vital
records and information while restoring normal business operating procedures and practices.
This phase includes assessing damage, stabilization and salvage techniques, and restoration of
records, information and equipment, and resumption of operations.

The prevention/mitigation phase involves: establishing a vital records program,

completing risk management processes, and developing a disaster prevention plan.

The four primary phases are:

1. Preparedness - First, prepare to protect yourself, others and items of great importance in
the event an emergency/disaster occurs.
2. Response - When there is an actual occurrence, administer first aid or get medical
attention for victims if necessary. Attend to other emergency procedures that must take
place in order to lessen the impact.
3. Recovery - After things are under control, begin the clean up or repair any damage and if
necessary, call in professional restoration services.
4. Mitigation - Finally, ask how this disaster, accident did or emergency happen and how
can any problems that occurred in handling the incident be lessened.
Reference: [Link]

Characteristics of Disasters
Disasters are inherently unexpected or come quickly with little or no warning. As a result,
disasters (both man-made and those resulting from natural events) cause widespread death,
injury, and property damage. There is indeed truth to the saying that those which can hurt you
are those which you do not see coming. This underscores the need for timely warnings and
quality hazard-related information issued by competent monitoring and warning agencies.

Disasters cannot be managed through normal means. These requires immediate and
effective intervention of both national government agencies (NGAs) and non-government
organizations (NGOs) to help meet the needs of the victims. Disasters create demands beyond
the capacity of a government. During a disaster, the situation is usually beyond the capabilities of
local government units (LGUs) or national government to respond and handle. When the
president declares a state of emergency, response and recovery programs should be formulated
and implemented both by public and non-government entities.

The following also characterize disasters:

 Knows no political boundary.

 Requires restructured and new responding organizations.

2|Page .
  Creates new tasks and requires more people as disaster responders.
 Renders inutile routine emergency response equipment and facilities.
 Worsens confusion in understanding roles of peoples and organizations.
 Exposes lack of disaster planning, response and coordination. Inexperienced
disaster organizations often fail to see what their proper roles are.

Types of disasters

A disaster can be defined as an event that occurs in most cases suddenly and
unexpectedly, causing severe disturbances to people or objects affected by it, and resulting in
loss of life and harm to the health of the population, the destruction or loss of community
property, and/or severe damage to the environment. Such a situation causes a disruption in the
normal pattern of life, generating misfortune, helplessness, and suffering, effects on the
socioeconomic structure of a region or a country, and/or the modification of the environment, to
such an extent that there is a need for assistance and for immediate outside intervention.

Disasters can be caused by a natural phenomenon, by man, or can be the result of a

technical failure of industrial or military systems.

Some disasters of natural cause represent threats that cannot be neutralized since their
origins can hardly be forestalled, although in some cases they can be partially controlled.
Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tidal waves (tsunamis), and hurricanes are examples of hazards
that still cannot be prevented in practice, while floods, drought, and landslides can sometimes be
controlled or mitigated by applying drainage systems and stabilization of soils.

Here is an extensive list of natural phenomena that can cause disasters or calamities:

· Earthquakes
· Tsunamis (tidal waves)
· Volcanic eruptions
· Hurricanes (storms, gales)
· Floods (slow, rapid)
· Massive land movements (landslides, collapses, mudflows)
· Droughts (desertification)
· Epidemics (biological)
· Pests

These are what might be called basic phenomena, since occasionally they generate other
effects, as is the case with avalanches or mudslides, and the ash rains or lava flows that are
directly associated with volcanic eruptions, or other kinds of phenomena that may be considered
equivalents, such as tornados, tropical cyclones, or hurricanes. Most of these phenomena are
cataclysmic, that is, they occur suddenly and affect a not very large area. However, there are
cases such as desertification and drought which occur over a long period and affect extensive
areas in an almost irreversible way.

Man-made disasters can either be deliberate or due to a technical failure, which can
trigger a series of other breakdowns and cause a major disaster

Other man-made disasters include:

· Wars (terrorism)
· Explosions
· Fires
· Accidents
· Deforestation

3|Page .
 · Contamination
· Collapses (impacts)

In general there exists a broad range of possible disasters of technological origin. At

present, urban centers and ports are highly vulnerable to this type of disaster due to the high
density of industry, building, and mass cargo and passenger transport systems.

Impacts of Disasters

Disasters often result from the failure to anticipate the timing and enormity of natural
hazards. Little lead time is left to preparedness actions such as evacuation and strengthening of
structures. Disasters do not only result in deaths and destruction or damage to homes and
buildings but also in the destruction of crops and decreased quality or quantity of water. Apart
from these effects, let us take a look at the other impacts of disasters.

Medical effects. The medical effects of disasters include traumatic injuries, emotional
stress, epidemic diseases, and indigenous diseases.

Damage to critical facilities. Widespread disasters can destroy or damage facilities that
may be critical not only in maintaining a safe environment and public order, but also in
responding to the disaster.

Disruption of transportation. During initial stages of a disaster, almost all surface means
of transportation within a community are disrupted by broken bridges and roads and streets that
are rendered impassable by landslides or floods. The restricted mobility of vehicles makes recue
and other emergency operations doubly difficult.

Economic impact. As a result of the destruction and damage to critical facilities,

especially to transportation and communication facilities, disasters disrupt economies as normal
business operations and other economic activities are curtailed. People must also leave their jobs
and devote their time to disaster-related activities, such as search and rescue, or to caring for
survivors.

Global environmental change. There is increasing evidence of global climatic change

brought about by both human activity and disasters. Although the long-range consequences are
hard to predict, more severe cyclonic storms, an increase in both flooding and drought, and a
trend towards desertification cannot be ruled out. The changes could result in a wide range of
more hazards such as wildfires and mudslides, reduced productivity in the oceans, and weakened
immune systems of people and animals.

Social and political impact. As a large segment of the population in developing countries
consists the poor, who are the most vulnerable whenever a disaster strikes, these countries are the
most affected. The poor are the most prone to disasters like earthquakes and typhoons because of
the structures they live in which are unreinforced and poorly built. These are also often located in
marginal lands. When disasters happen, social and political inequities are usually exposed, which
may lead to major political and social changes. One example is the formation of the state of
Bangladesh from Pakistan. The breakaway was triggered by a disaster from a tropical cyclone
and storm surge which exposed inequities in the treatment of East Pakistan by the more affluent
West Pakistan.

.
References:

Rimando, R., & Belen, J, Phil. (2016). Disaster Readiness And Risk Reduction: Basic Concept of Disaster and
Disaster Risk (First Edition). REX.

[Link]

4|Page .