Lesson

What is Disaster and

1 Disaster Risk?
Philippines: A Country Prone to Natural Disasters

The Philippines has experienced from an inexhaustible number of deadly earthquakes, volcano
eruptions, and other natural disasters. This is due to its location along the Ring of Fire, a large Pacific
Ocean region where many volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur.
Activity 1: “Count Me In”
Direction: Write five (5) disastrous events in the Philippines in the last five years that you could still
recall. Write your answer on a separate sheet of paper.
1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Activity 1.1 Understanding Disaster

 Instructions: Analyze the given images and answer the given questions below:
1. In two to three sentences, describe the given images.

2. List down the disasters that you can identify from the images.

IT’S A DISASTER
Disaster is "a sudden, calamitous occurrence that causes great harm, injury, destruction, and
devastation to life and property”. It disrupts the usual course of life, causing both physical and
emotional distress such as an intense feeling of helplessness and hopelessness. A preceding
definition of disaster stresses that two elements are affected – life (whether human or animal) and
property. The effects vary – it maybe a minor damage (like broken windows and doors), major
damage (like torn rooftops, collapsed walls), total destruction (like completely destroyed houses and
structures rendering them useless and inhabitable) and the worst scenario, it can lead to death.
(Asian Disaster Preparedness Center, ADPC, 2012)
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO, 2008), disaster is “a serious
disruption of the functioning of a community or a society involving widespread human, material,
economic or environmental losses and impacts, which exceeds the ability of the affected community
or society to cope using its own resources”.
Any adverse episode or phenomenon can exploit a vulnerability in the affected population or
community to create damage and this awareness will form the basis for an adequate intervention.
Meanwhile, the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction defines disaster
as a serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society involving widespread human,
material, economic or environmental losses and impacts, which exceeds the ability of the affected
community or society to cope using its own resources.
Disasters are often a result of the combination of: the exposure to a hazard; the conditions of
vulnerability that are present; and insufficient capacity or measures to reduce or cope with the
potential negative consequences.
Its impacts may include loss of life, injury, disease and other negative effects on human
physical, mental, and social wellbeing, together with damage to properties, destruction of assets, loss
of services, social and economic disruptions, and environmental degradation.
 Image 1. Different kinds of Natural Disasters
Classification of Disasters: Disasters can be divided into 2 large categories:

Natural Disasters – a natural phenomenon is caused by natural forces, such as earthquakes,

typhoon, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, fires, tornados, and extreme temperatures. They can be
classified as rapid onset disasters and those with progressive onset, such as droughts that lead to
famine. These events, usually sudden, can have tremendous effects.
Man-made - Disasters caused by man are those in which major direct causes are identifiable
intentional or non-intentional human actions.

Subdivided into three categories:

Technological/industrial disasters - Unregulated industrialization and inadequate safety
standards increase the risk for industrial disasters.

EXAMPLE: leaks of hazardous materials; accidental explosions; bridge or road collapses, or vehicle
collisions; Power cuts

Terrorism/Violence - the threat of terrorism has also increased due to the spread of technologies
involving nuclear, biological, and chemical agents used to develop weapons of mass destruction.

EXAMPLE : bombs or explosions; release of chemical materials; release of biological agents; release
of radioactive agents; multiple or massive shootings; mutinies
Complex humanitarian emergencies - the term complex emergency is usually used to describe
the humanitarian emergency resulting from an international or civil war. In such situations, large
numbers of people are displaced from their homes due to the lack of personal safety and the
disruption of basic infrastructure including food distribution, water, electricity, and sanitation, or
communities are left stranded and isolated in their own homes unable to access assistance.

EXAMPLE: conflicts or wars and Genocide the deliberate killing of a large group of people, especially
those of a particular ethnic group or nation
The damage caused by disaster cannot be measured. It also differs with the kind of geographical
location, climate, earth’s specific characteristics, and level of vulnerability. These determining factors
affect generally the psychological, socio – economic, political, and ethnical state of the affected area.

Risk and Disaster Risk

Risk has various connotations within different disciplines. In general, risk is defined as “the
combination of the probability of an event and its negative consequences” (UNISDR, 2009). The term
risk is thus multidisciplinary and is used in a variety of contexts. It is usually associated with the
degree to which humans cannot cope (lack of capacity) with a situation (e.g. natural hazard).

The term disaster risk refers to the potential (not actual and realized) disaster losses, in lives,
health status, livelihoods, assets, and services which could occur in a community or society over
some specified future time period.

Disaster risk is the product of the possible damage caused by a hazard due to the vulnerability
within a community. It should be noted that the effect of a hazard (of a particular magnitude) would
affect communities differently (Von Kotze, 1999:35).
It can also be determined by the presence of three variables: hazards (natural or anthropogenic);
vulnerability to a hazard; and coping capacity linked to the reduction, mitigation, and resilience to the
vulnerability of a community.
Activity 1.2 FIX ME!!!
Instruction: Arranged the given jumbled letters to identify the correct terminology. The definition
will help you to derive the correct answer. Answering this activity will develop your visual and
analysis skills. Write your answer in your answer sheet.
JUMBLED LETTERS DEFINITION

1. RTAIESSD A sudden calamitous event, bringing great damage, loss,

destruction, and devastation.

2. GRNI FO IEFR A path along the Pacific Ocean characterized by active

volcanoes and frequent earthquakes.
An event causing great and often sudden
3. TALAYMIC damage or distress.

4. AQRHTEKEAU Shaking of earth caused by waves moving on and below

the earth's surface.
When lava and gas are discharged from a
5. ICNLOVAC IPREOUTN volcanic vent.
Largest and deepest of Earth's oceanic
6. CFCPIAI NEAOC divisions.
7. OOYNHPT Type of tropical cyclone, or severe tropical storm.
A natural event such as a flood, earthquake,
8. LTARUNA RTAIESDS or hurricane that causes great damage or loss of life.
9. ETUTODSRCIN A sudden or great misfortune or failure.
Caused by man are those in which major direct causes
10. NMA EDMA RESTSAID are identifiable intentional or non-intentional human
actions.

Given the table, give a natural disaster you experienced within your locality or you had
heard from the news recently. What makes it a natural disaster?
1. Give a man-made disaster you experienced within your locality or you had heard from the
news recently.

Natural Disaster Man-made Disaster

 Activity 1.3 Understanding Natural and Man-Made Disaster
Direction: Identify the given set of images if it is Natural or Man Made. Put your
answer on the blank space below each picture.

Classifying Disaster
(Natural or Man-Made)

"Tacloban, Leyte, Philippines" by “Military convoy" by chelmonette is

ochacolombia is licensed under CC BY- NC- licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
ND 2.0

"Toxic Metal Barrel" by azzajess is

"File:Ezra Acayan Mayon pic.jpg" by Ezra
licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0
Acayan, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

"Motor Vehicle Accident at Clinton and "6.0 Magnitude Earthquake in the City
Lafayette Ave" by cisc1970 is licensed of Napa" by Cal OES is licensed under
under CC BY-NC 2.0 CC BY-NC 2.0
Quiz- Thursday

Direction: In this activity, you must identify the classification of disaster as well as the
disaster risk of a given disaster situations. Accomplish the table below. Write your answer
on a separate sheet of paper.

Classification of
Disaster Risks
Disasters Disaster
(Effects)
(Natural or Man-Made)

1. typhoon

2. war conflicts

3. volcanic eruption

4. chemical leakages

5. vehicular accident

6. earthquake

7. drought

8. thunderstorms

9. tuberculosis
10. rainfall-induced
landslide
11. floods in rivers and
coastal areas

12. avalanche

13. tsunami

14. bomb explosion

15. house