Name: Briny B.

Obamos Grade & Section: BSN 4A

1. Differentiate between "disaster", "hazard", and "complex emergency". What are the
criteria used to classify the different types of disasters into categories?

Disaster
A disaster is a serious disruption of the functioning of a community or society, causing
widespread human, material, economic, or environmental losses that exceed the ability of the
affected community to cope using its own resources. Disasters can be sudden (earthquakes,
floods) or slow-onset (droughts, pandemics).

Hazard
A hazard is a potential threat or event that may cause harm, loss, or damage. Hazards can be
natural (hurricanes, tsunamis) or human-made (industrial accidents, war). A hazard only
becomes a disaster when it impacts human life, property, or the environment significantly.

Complex Emergency
A complex emergency is a severe humanitarian crisis caused by a combination of political,
social, and economic factors, often involving armed conflict, food insecurity, population
displacement, and the collapse of basic services. Examples include civil wars and refugee crises.

Criteria for Classifying Different Types of Disasters into Categories

1. Origin

o Natural Disasters: Caused by natural forces (e.g., earthquakes, hurricanes,

floods).

o Human-Made Disasters: Resulting from human activity (e.g., industrial accidents,

terrorism, nuclear disasters).

2. Duration & Onset

o Sudden-Onset Disasters: Occur with little or no warning (e.g., earthquakes,

explosions).

o Slow-Onset Disasters: Develop over time (e.g., drought, climate change impacts).

3. Impact Scope

o Local Disasters: Affect a limited geographical area (e.g., landslides, small-scale

industrial accidents).

o Regional/National Disasters: Affect multiple communities or an entire country

(e.g., hurricanes, pandemics).
 o Global Disasters: Have worldwide consequences (e.g., COVID-19 pandemic,
global financial crises).

4. Affected Sectors

o Environmental Disasters: Primarily impact ecosystems (e.g., oil spills,

deforestation).

o Health Disasters: Affect public health (e.g., pandemics, biological warfare).

o Technological Disasters: Result from failures in technology (e.g., nuclear plant

meltdowns, cyber-attacks).

5. Human Involvement

o Accidental Disasters: Unintended and unexpected events (e.g., industrial

explosions).

o Intentional Disasters: Caused by deliberate human actions (e.g., terrorism, war).

2. Differentiate Natural and Man-made Disasters and provide examples for each?

Criteria Natural Disasters Man-Made Disasters

Definition Disasters caused by natural forces or Disasters caused by human actions,
environmental processes without negligence, or technological failures.
human intervention.
Cause Occur due to natural phenomena Result from human activity, including
such as climate, geological industrial failures, conflicts, or
movements, or weather patterns. accidents.
Predictability Some can be predicted (hurricanes, Often preventable with proper safety
floods), while others occur suddenly measures, regulations, or governance.
(earthquakes, tsunamis).
Impact Can lead to large-scale loss of life, Can cause severe economic, social,
property damage, and and environmental harm, sometimes
environmental destruction. with long-term effects.

Examples of Natural and Man-Made Disasters

Natural Disasters

1. Geological Disasters

o Earthquake – 2010 Haiti Earthquake

o Tsunami – 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami

 o Volcanic Eruption – 1980 Mount St. Helens Eruption

2. Meteorological & Climatic Disasters

o Hurricane/Typhoon – Hurricane Katrina (2005)

o Tornado – 2011 Joplin, Missouri Tornado

o Floods – 2010 Pakistan Floods

o Drought – 1983-1985 Ethiopian Drought

3. Biological Disasters

o Pandemic – COVID-19 (2019-2023)

o Epidemic – Ebola outbreak (2014-2016)

Man-Made Disasters

1. Industrial & Technological Disasters

o Nuclear Accident – Chernobyl Disaster (1986)

o Chemical Spill – Bhopal Gas Tragedy (1984)

o Oil Spill – Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill (2010)

2. Environmental Disasters

o Deforestation – Amazon Rainforest Destruction

o Air Pollution – Great Smog of London (1952)

3. Conflict & Human-Induced Crises

o War & Armed Conflicts – Syrian Civil War

o Terrorist Attacks – 9/11 Attacks (2001)

o Genocide – Rwandan Genocide (1994)

4. Structural Failures

o Dam Failure – Banqiao Dam Failure (1975)

o Building Collapse – Rana Plaza Factory Collapse (2013)

3. Differentiate Internal and External Disaster and provide examples for each?

Criteria Internal Disasters External Disasters

Definition Disasters that occur within a specific Disasters that originate outside but
facility, organization, or confined impact an organization, community, or
area, impacting operations or region.
individuals directly.
Location of Origin Happens inside a facility, workplace, Occurs outside an organization or
or organization (e.g., hospitals, community but affects its functioning.
industries, offices).

Control & Often manageable with internal Requires external response teams,
Response emergency plans and protocols. government agencies, or international
aid.
Examples of Fire in a hospital, gas leak in a Earthquake affecting a city, pandemic
Impact factory, IT system failure in a disrupting global supply chains.
company.

Examples of Internal and External Disasters

Internal Disasters (Occur within an organization or facility)

1. Hospital Fire – A fire breaking out inside a healthcare facility, endangering patients and
staff.

2. Chemical Spill in a Factory – Accidental leakage of hazardous materials within an

industrial plant.

3. Cyberattack on a Company – A major data breach or ransomware attack affecting

business operations.

4. Power Outage in a Critical Facility – A blackout in a hospital or control center affecting

essential services.

5. Building Collapse – Structural failure of an office, hospital, or school.

External Disasters (Originate outside but impact a facility, organization, or community)

1. Earthquake Destroying Infrastructure – Example: The 2010 Haiti Earthquake affecting

hospitals and government buildings.

2. Hurricane Disrupting Business Operations – Example: Hurricane Katrina (2005) shutting

down industries and hospitals.
3. Pandemic Overwhelming Healthcare Systems – Example: COVID-19 straining hospitals
and disrupting economies worldwide.

4. Terrorist Attack Affecting a City – Example: 9/11 Attacks (2001) impacting businesses
and emergency services.

5. Tsunami Flooding Coastal Areas – Example: The 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami destroying
homes, ports, and roads.