DRR 3

Differentiating Risk Factors Underlying Disaster
Severity of exposure - which measures those who experience disaster firsthand which has the highest
risk of developing future mental problems, followed by those in contact with the victims such as rescue
workers and health care practitioners and the lowest risk are those most distant like those who have
awareness of the disaster only through news.
Gender and Family - the female gender suffers more adverse effects. This worsens when children are
present at home. Marital relationships are placed under strain
Age - adults in the age range of 40-60 are more stressed after disasters but in general, children exhibit
more stress after disasters than adults do.
Economic status of country - evidence indicates that severe mental problems resulting from disasters
are more prevalent in developing countries like the Philippines. Furthermore, it has been observed that
natural disasters tend to have more adverse effects in developing countries than do man caused
disasters in developed countries.
Factors which underlie disasters:
1. Climate Change - can increase disaster risk in a variety of ways – by altering the frequency and
intensity of hazards events, affecting vulnerability to hazards, and changing exposure patterns.
For most people, the expression “climate change” means the alteration of the world’s climate
that we humans are causing such as burning of fossil fuels, deforestation and other practices
that increase the carbon footprint and concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
This is in line with the official definition by the United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change (UNFCCC) that climate change is the change that can be attributed “directly or
indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere and which is in
addition to natural climate variability observed over comparable time periods”
2. Environmental Degradation - changes to the environment can influence the frequency and
intensity of hazards, as well as our exposure and vulnerability to these hazards. For instance,
deforestation of slopes often leads to an increase in landslide hazard and removal of mangroves
can increase the damage caused by storm surges (UNISDR, 2009b). It is both a driver and
consequence of disasters, reducing the capacity of the environment to meet social and
ecological needs. Over consumption of natural resources results in environmental degradation,
reducing the effectiveness of essential ecosystem services, such as the mitigation of floods and
landslides. This leads to increased risk from disasters, and in turn, natural hazards can further
degrade the environment.
3. Globalized Economic Development - It results in an increased polarization between the rich and
poor on a global scale. Currently increasing the exposure of assets in hazard prone areas,
globalized economic development provides an opportunity to build resilience if effectively
managed. By participating in risk sensitive development strategies such as investing in protective
infrastructure, environmental management, and upgrading informal settlements, risk can be
reduced. Dominance and increase of wealth in certain regions and cities are expected to have
increased hazard exposure (Gencer, 2013).
4. Poverty and Inequality - Impoverished people are more likely to live in hazard exposed areas and
are less able to invest in risk-reducing measures. The lack of access to insurance and social
protection means that people in poverty are often forced to use their already limited assets to
buffer disaster losses, which drives them into further poverty. Poverty is therefore both a cause
and consequence of disaster risk particularly extensive risk, with drought being the hazard most
closely associated with poverty The impact of disasters on the poor can, in addition to loss of
life, injury and damage, cause a total loss of livelihoods, displacement, poor health, food
insecurity, among other consequences. Vulnerability is not simply about poverty, but extensive
research over the past 30 years has revealed that it is generally the poor who tend to suffer
worst from disasters.
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.
People, poverty, and disaster risk are increasingly concentrated in cities. The growing rate of
urbanization and the increase in population density (in cities) can lead to creation of risk,
especially when urbanization is rapid, poorly planned and occurring in a context of widespread
poverty. Growing concentrations of people and economic activities in many cities are seen to
overlap with areas of high-risk exposure.
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. Disaster risk is disproportionately concentrated in
lower-income countries with weak governance (UNISDR, 2015a). Disaster risk governance refers
to the specific arrangements that societies put in place to manage their disaster risk (UNISDR,
2011a; UNDP, 2013a) within a broader context of risk governance (Renn, 2008 in UNISDR,
2015a). This reflects how risk is valued against a backdrop of broader social and economic
concerns (Holley et al., 2011).
7. Geographical Location - The Philippines is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to
natural disasters. The country's location makes it vulnerable to storms that cause flooding,
mudslides, and typhoons. Furthermore, the Philippines is vulnerable to tsunamis due to the
presence of offshore trenches such as the Manila Trench. Regrettably, the list does not stop
there. The Philippines also sits above the Ring of Fire, a path that runs through the Pacific Ocean
basin.
Certain factors are related to a survivor’s background and recovery is hampered if survivors: were not
functioning well before the disaster; have no experience dealing with disasters; must deal with other
stressors after the disaster; have low self-esteem; feel uncared for by others; think they exercise little
control over what happens to them; and unable to manage stress. More factors contributory to worse
outcomes: death of someone close; injury to self or family member; life threat; panic, horror, or similar
feelings; separation from family; massive loss of property; and displacement.

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Differentiating Risk Factors Underlying Disaster

Factors which underlie disasters:

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