Chapter 1
BASIC CONCEPTS OF DISASTER
CONTENT:
Basic conceptof disaster and disaster risk
CONTENT STANDARD
The learners demonstrate the understanding of the:
1. Conceptof disaster
2. Conceptof disasterrisk
3. Nature of disasters
4. Effectsof disasters
PERFORMANCE STANDARD
The learners relate the conceptof disaster with daily life.
LEARNING COMPETENCIES
The learners will be able to:
COMPETENCIES CODE
1. Explain the meaning of
disaster;
DRR11/12-Ia-b-1
2. Differentiate the risk factors
underlying disasters;
DRR11/12-Ia-b-2
3. Describe the effectsof
disasters on one’s life;
DRR11/12-Ia-b-3
4. Explain how and when an
event becomes a disaster;
DRR11/12-Ia-b-4
5. Identifyareas / locations
exposed to hazards that may
lead to disasters;and
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6. Analyze disasterfrom the
differentperspectives (physical
/ psychological/ socio-cultural
/ political / and biological)
DRR11/12-Ia-b-6

WHAT IS A DISASTER?
This is described as a result of the combination of several things:
1. The exposure to a hazard;
2. The conditions of vulnerability that are present; and
3. Insufficient capacity or measures to reduce or cope with the
potential negative consequences.
DISASTER RISK
RISK
The word risk, in general terms, it means the concept of chance or
possibility on an event and its negative consequence, example “the risk of
an accident.”While its technical implication is placed on the consequences,
in terms of “potential losses” for some particular cause, place and period.
Therefore, the term disaster risk refers to the potential (not actual)
disaster losses, in lives, health status, livelihoods, assets and services,
which could occur in a particular community or society over some specified
future time period.
Disaster risk reduction (DRR) is a term used for reducing and
preventing disaster risks. It is founded on the principle that while hazards
are inevitable, its adverse effects like lost lives and/or destruction of
property are not. There are steps that we can do to ensure reduction of
risks. DRR actions can be political, technical, social and economic.
Disaster Risk factors are variables that either aggravate or mitigate the
effects of hazards, affecting the degree or scope of a disaster.

(1) Physical factors would pertain to tangible objects or infrastructure, like
the availability of fire exits, or the sturdiness of the building, or the presence
or absence of objects that can harm you or help you, etc.
(2) Psychological factors include state of mental capacity and health (e.g.
are we dealing with babies? Kids? Adults? People with special needs?),
perception of self (e.g. self-assessment of capability to respond to
disasters, fear), etc.
(3) Socio-cultural factors include religion, social status, traditions,
perception by society, etc.
(4) Economic factors include assets and liabilities, income, economic class,
etc.
(5) Political factors include government structure, diplomatic issues, etc.
(6) Biological factors include flora and fauna in environment, health,
diseases, etc.
RISK FACTORS UNDERLYING DISASTER
1. Climate Change
- Can increase disaster risk in a variety of ways – by altering the
frequencyand intensity of hazards events, affecting vulnerability to
hazards, and changing exposure patterns.
2. Environmental Degradation
- It is both a driver and consequence of disasters, reducing the
capacity of the environment to meet social and ecological needs.
3. Globalized Economic Development
- It is the result in increased polarization between the rich and poot
is the result in increased polarization between the rich and poor on
a global scale.
4. Poverty and inequality
- It is both a driver and consequence of disaster, and the processes
that further disaster risk related poverty are permeated with
inequality.
5. Poorly-planned and Managed Urban development
- A new wave of urbanization is unfolding in hazard-exposed
countries and with it, new opportunities for resilient investment
emerge.
6. Weak Governance

- Weak governance zones are investment environments in which
public sector actors are unable or unwilling to assume their roles
and responsibilities in protecting rights, providing basic services
and public services.
EFFECTS OF DISASTERS
 loss of life
 injury
 disease
 other negative effects on human, physical, mental and social well-
being,
 damage to property
 destruction of assets
 loss of services,
 social agony
 economic disruption;and
 environmental degradation
HOW CAN AN EVENT BECOME A DISASTER
An event becomes a disaster when all of its including nearby
residents and even environments are in danger and will later results in
tragedies claiming lives and health of the victims. As a result, this event
will caught the attention of national authorities and will then be investigated,
how and when that particular event become a disaster.
This is due when:
1. there is poor planning;
2. there is poor coordination of the governing authorities in the area;
3. there is too complacent attitude of organizers / goers and
delegates;
TERMS
The following key concepts are defined by the “United Nations International
Strategy for Disaster Reduction: Terminology on Disaster Risk Reduction
(2009)” as follows:

Hazards are any activity that may cause harm resulting in human injury,
and destruction to propertyand the environment. Hazards can be classified
as natural, manmade and biological.
Natural hazards are natural phenomena that could harm people and cause
destruction to property. Natural phenomena that can potentially be
hazardous are the following: atmospheric, seismic, and other geological/
hydrologic, volcanic and wildfire.
Anthropogenic hazards refer to threats having an element of human intent,
negligence, or error; or involving a failure of a man-made system. It
involves incidents that can arise from human activities such as the
manufacture, transport, storage, and use of hazardous materials, terrorism
or war/conflict.
Man-made hazards can be categorized as sociological, technological and
transportation. Such hazards result in huge loss of life and property.
Biological hazards, also known as biohazards, refer to biological
substances that pose a threat to the health of living organisms, primarily
that of humans. Examples are bacterial, viral infections and other infectious
diseases.
Disaster management refers to the range or set of activities related to the
different phases of the disaster cycle. There are two major classes of
activities: pre-disaster and post-disaster. Pre-disaster phase is related to
risk reduction, and post-disasterconsists of relief (short-term) and recovery
(long-term) management. Disaster risk management incorporates all
activities in the pre-disaster phase, which include, among others,
preparedness and mitigation. It can be further divided into two parts:
structural (building infrastructure) and non-structural measures (raising
awareness, education). Disaster risk reduction involves the systematic
development and application of policies, strategies and practices to
minimize vulnerabilities and disaster risks throughout a society.
Early warning system refers to a set of capacities needed to generate and
disseminate timely and meaningful warning information to enable
individuals, communities and organizations threatened by a hazard to
prepare and to act appropriately and in sufficient time to reduce the
possibility of harm or loss.
Emergency management refers to the organization and management of
resources and responsibilitiesforaddressing all aspects of emergencies, in
particular preparedness, response and initial recovery steps.
Emergency services involves a set of specialized agencies that have
specificresponsibilities and objectives in serving and protecting people and
property in emergency situations.

Exposure may be people, property, systems or other elements present in
hazard zones that are thereby subject to potential losses.
Land-use planning is the process undertaken by public authorities to
identify, evaluate and decide on different options for the use of land,
including consideration of long-term economic, social and environmental
objectives and the implications for different communities and interest
groups, and the subsequent formulation and promulgation of plans that
describe the permitted or acceptable uses.
Mitigation refers to the lessening or limiting of adverse impacts of hazards
and related disasters. National platform for disaster risk reduction is a
generic term for national mechanisms for coordination and policy guidance
on disaster risk reduction that are multi-sectoral and inter-disciplinary in
character, with public, private and civil society participation involving all
concerned entities within a country.
Preparedness refers to the knowledge and capacities developed by
governments, professional response and recovery organizations,
communities and individuals to effectively anticipate the impacts of likely,
imminent or current hazard events or conditions.
Prevention is the outright avoidance of adverse impacts of hazards and
related disasters.
Recovery refers to the restoration, and improvement where appropriate, of
facilities, livelihoods and living conditions of disaster-affected communities,
including efforts to reduce disaster risk factors.
Resilience refers to the ability of a system, community or society exposed
to hazards to resist, absorb, accommodate and recover from the effects of
a hazard in a timely and efficient manner, including through the
preservation and restoration of its essential basic structures and functions.

DISASTER RISK REDUCTION EDUCATION
Quiz #1
Name: ____________________________ Section: ________________
______ 1. It is the concept of chance on an event and its negative consequence.
a. Disaster b. DRR c. risk d. a and b e. none
______ 2. Which of the following is not included in the group?
a. The conditions of vulnerability are present;
b. Exposure to hazard;
c. Insufficient capacity to cope with the negative consequences;
d. Potential and not actual
e. None
______ 3. Which of the following is not included in the group?
a. Biological
b. Economic
c. Psychological
d. Physical
e. None
______ 4. It is the result in increased polarization between rich and poor on a global scale.
a. Climate change
b. Environmental degradation
c. Globalized economic development
d. Poverty and inequality
e. Weak governance
______ 5. It is both a driver and consequence of disasters, reducing the capacity of the environment to
meet social and ecological needs.
a. Climate change
b. Environmental degradation
c. Globalized economic development
d. Poverty and inequality
e. Weak governance
______ 6. Which of the following is not included in the group?
a. Loss of life
b. Injury
c. Social agony
d. Economic disruption
e. None
______ 7. Which of the following is not included in the group?
a. There is poor planning
b. Poor coordination of governing authorities
c. Too complacent attitude of organizers
d. Damage to property
e. None
______ 8. Refers to the range of activities related to the diff. phases of the disaster cycle.
a. Emergency management
b. Emergency services
c. Disaster management
d. Early warning system
e. None
______ 9. Refers to the organization and management of resources and responsibilities for addressing
all aspects of emergencies.
a. Emergency management
b. Emergency services
c. Disaster management
d. Early warning system
e. None
______ 10. Refers to the set of specialized agencies that have specific responsibilities and objectives in
serving and protecting people.
a. Emergency management
b. Emergency services
c. Disaster management
d. Early warning system
e. None