DISASTER 3.

Vulnerability

-A disaster is a sudden event that causes serious • The weaknesses or conditions that make
damage to people, property, or the people or places more likely to be
environment. harmed by a hazard.

-Disaster is a harmful event like a typhoon, 4. Helps in Forecasting Disasters

earthquake, fire, or flood that hurts people,
• By knowing the type and behavior of
destroys homes, and disrupts daily life.
hazards, scientists can predict when and
Why study Disaster Risk? where disasters might occur.

Save Lives Knowing what hazards are likely (e.g., floods,

earthquakes, storms), where they might
• By understanding risks, we can prepare
happen, and who's at risk, helps:
for disasters and reduce deaths and
injuries. • Design alerts (SMS, sirens, radio)

Protect Property and Resources • Set trigger levels for evacuation

• It helps communities and governments • Warn people ahead of time to reduce

to strengthen buildings, infrastructure, harm.
and systems before disasters strike.
Key Concepts in DRRR in Science
Reduce Economic Loss
Hazard
• Disasters cause billions in damages.
• A natural or human-made event that
Studying risk helps in planning ahead to
has the potential to cause harm (e.g.,
reduce damage and recovery costs.
earthquakes, typhoons, oil spills).
Improve Emergency Response
Exposure
• It leads to better early warning systems,
• People, assets, or systems that are in
evacuation plans, and faster rescue
harm’s way (e.g., houses near a fault
operations.
line).
Why Use Science in DRRR?
Vulnerability
1. Hazard
• Conditions that make people or areas
• A potential danger or threat that can more likely to suffer harm (e.g., poverty,
cause harm to people, property, or the poor housing, lack of education).
environment. Examples: Earthquakes,
Capacity
typhoons, floods, volcanic eruptions,
landslides. • The strengths and resources of a
community to deal with hazards (e.g.,
2. Exposure
evacuation plans, trained responders).
• Refers to what is at risk or what could be
affected if a hazard occurs.
Disaster EARTHQUAKE

• Happens when a hazard actually causes . Earthquakes can occur along plate boundaries,
serious damage or loss in an exposed where tectonic plates interact, or within the
and vulnerable area. interior of tectonic plates.

HEAT WAVE

Types of Hazards A heat wave is a prolonged period of excessively

hot weather, typically accompanied by high
humidity and often characterized by high
Natural disasters refer to extreme and
temperatures during the day and limited cooling
catastrophic events caused by natural processes
at night.
or forces, resulting in significant damage,
destruction, and loss of life. These events occur TSUNAMI
without human intervention and can have
A tsunami is a series of ocean waves triggered by
severe impacts on the environment,
a significant disturbance, usually associated with
infrastructure, and communities.
underwater earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or
Example of Hazards landslides.

HURRICANE, TYPHOON, OR CYCLONE LANDSLIDE

-A hurricane is a large, powerful, and rotating A landslide refers to the downward movement
storm system characterized by strong winds and of a mass of soil, rocks, or debris along a slope.
intense rainfall. It is a tropical cyclone that forms
over warm ocean waters.
Human-Made Disaster
FLOOD OR FLASH FLOOD
Human disaster refers to a type of disaster
A flood is a natural disaster that occurs when an
caused directly by human actions rather than
area becomes inundated with an excessive
natural forces. These disasters usually result
amount of water, typically due to heavy rainfall,
from negligence, conflict, or harmful activities
snowmelt, or the overflow of rivers, lakes, or
and often have serious impacts on people,
coastal areas.
property, and the environment.
VOLCANIC ERUPTION
Example of Human Disaster is War
A volcanic eruption is a natural phenomenon in
War is a form of human-made disasters involving
which molten rock, gas, and other materials are
organized, violent struggles between groups or
ejected from a volcano's vent or fissure onto the
nations that cause massive destruction,
Earth's surface or into the atmosphere.
suffering, and long-term instability.
WILD FIRE, FOREST FIRE, OR BUSHFIRE
Effects of War:
A wildfire, also known as a forest fire or bushfire,
1. Loss of Life – Millions can die due to
refers to an uncontrolled and rapidly spreading
fighting, bombings, or famine.
fire that occurs in vegetation, such as forests,
grasslands, or brushlands. 2. Displacement – Families forced to flee
their homes (refugees).
Environmental Degradation Hazards are risks to 4. Community Members and Families
people and ecosystems resulting from the Role: Be prepared, alert, and responsible
decline in the quality of the environment, often during disasters.
due to pollution, deforestation, land
degradation, and climate change. 5. Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) and
Civil Society
The Disaster Risk Management Cycle
• Role: Support communities through
prepare for,
training, relief, and advocacy.
respond to,
recover from, and •
reduce the risks of disasters.
Areas/Locations Exposed to Hazards That May
Lead to Disasters
Stakeholders in DRRR
1. Volcanic Hazard Zones
1. Government Agencies
Areas near active volcanoes like:
Role: Create laws, lead national disaster plans,
Mayon Volcano (Albay)
provide funding and support
Taal Volcano (Batangas)
Examples: Mount Pinatubo (Zambales)
Hazards: Lava flows, ashfall, lahar.
• NDRRMC (National Disaster Risk
Reduction and Management Council) – 2. Coastal Areas
Coordinates disaster response. Near seas or oceans, such as:
• DOST-PAGASA – Provides weather Eastern Visayas, Bicol Region, Mindoro,
forecasts and warnings. Palawan
Hazards: Tsunamis, storm surges, typhoons,
• PHIVOLCS – Monitors earthquakes and coastal erosion.
volcanic activities.

• DPWH – Builds safe infrastructure. HOW TO BE READY DURING A DISASTER

1. EMERGENCY PLAN
2. Local Government Units (LGUs) 2. EMERGENCY KIT
3. STAY INFORMED
• Role: Lead community-level disaster
4. DO THE DRILL
planning and response
5. SECURE THE HOME
3. Schools and the Education Sector 6. VOLUNTEER
• Role: Educate students and staff about
disaster preparedness.

Responsibilities:
• Conduct earthquake/fire drills.
• Include DRRR in the curriculum.
• Prepare school emergency plans.
• Serve as temporary evacuation centers
(if needed).