Casa del Niño Schools System Incorporated

Region 02
CASA DEL NIÑO MONTESSORI SCHOOL OF ILAGAN
Guinatan, City of Ilagan, Isabela

DRRR
Disaster Readiness and Risk reduction
Risk Factors Underlying Disasters
Module 2

I.Topic: Risk Factors Underlying Disasters

II.Scope:
The content of the modules are activities that focus in providing concrete understanding and application
of scientific knowledge on Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction and the solution of practical problems
in a physical environment. It is designed to bridge the gap between theoretical science and daily living,
where the learners can answer the activities at their own pace within the specified time allotment to
complete a specific section of self-learning material on a particular content.

III.Objectives

1. identify the risk factors underlying disasters.

2. describe each Risk factors underlying disasters.

3. utilize the gained knowledge in real life situations to avoid harm and assure safety.

4. appreciate the importance of understanding the risk factors underlying disasters to mitigate the
effects of disaster and practice mitigation measures as early as necessary

IV. Overview

In this module, the learner will understand that disaster can bring about many devastating effects.
Upon identifying the risk factors underlying disaster, this will provide ideas to mitigate the effects of
disasters that can lead to death, destruction of infrastructures, loss of livelihoods, and even non-physical
events like emotional and psychological aspects.

V Discussion of the topic.

At Risk…

Disaster can affect everyone. It does not discriminate between and among social classes, gender, creed,
race, and nationality. But certain risk factors put those affected in a position where they will have graver
or longer-lasting post-disaster stress reactions. These aggravating factors contribute to evident
differences in the stress reactions of certain individuals with certain characteristics.

RISK FACTORS Disaster risk as defined in the first module, has three important elements such as:

1. Exposure - the “elements at risk from a natural or man-made hazard event (Quebral, 2016).
 2. 2. Hazard-a potentially dangerous physical occurrence, phenomenon or human activity that may
result in loss of life or injury, property damage, social and economic disruption, or environmental
degradation.

3. Vulnerability - the condition determined by physical, social, economic and environmental factors or
processes, which increase the susceptibility of a community to the impact of hazard (Food and
Agriculture Organization of the United nation, FAO 2008).

Reduction of the level of vulnerability and exposure is possible by keeping people and property as
distant as possible from hazards. We can not avoid natural events from occurring, but we can
concentrate on addressing the reduction of risk and exposure by determining the factors causing
disasters.

Risk Factors are processes or conditions, often development-related, that influence the level of disaster
risk by increasing levels of exposure and vulnerability or reducing capacity.

The following are also taken into consideration when risk factors underlying disaster are involved:

⚫ 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 4 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. Magbool, Irfan, Asian Disaster Preparedness Center, ADPC, 31
December 2012, https://www.adpc.net/igo/contents/adpcpage.asp?pid=1266&dep=RIG

⚫ 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 mancaused
disasters in developed countries. Magbool, Irfan, Asian Disaster Preparedness Center, ADPC, 31
December 2012, https://www.adpc.net/igo/contents/adpcpage.asp?pid=1266&dep=RIG

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” International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, “Climate Change and
Disaster Risk Reduction”, September 2008
https://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/dra/vcp/documents/7607_Climate-Change-DRR.pdf
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. Prevention Web. Editor, “Environmental Degradation”,
Prevention Web. The Knowledge Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, 12 November 2015
https://www.preventionweb.net/risk/environmental-degradation

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
risksensitive 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).
Prevention Web. Editor, “Globalized Economic Development”, Prevention Web. The Knowledge Platform
for Disaster Risk Reduction, 12 November 2015 https://www.preventionweb.net/risk/globalized-
economic-development

4. Poverty and Inequality - Impoverished people are more likely to live in hazardexposed 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
(Wisner et al., 2004), particularly extensive risk, with drought being the hazard most closely associated
with poverty (Shepard et al., 2013). 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 (DFID, 2004;
Twigg, 2004; Wisner et al., 2004; UNISDR, 2009b). Prevention Web. Editor, “Poverty and inequality”,
Prevention Web. The Knowledge Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, 12 November 2015
https://www.preventionweb.net/risk/poverty-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. 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 6 of
people and economic activities in many cities are seen to overlap with areas of high-risk exposure.
Prevention Web editor, “Poorly planned and managed urban development “, Prevention Web. The
Knowledge Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, 12 November 2015
https://www.preventionweb.net/risk/poorly-planned-managed-urban-development
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). Prevention
Web. Editor, “ ”Prevention Web. The Knowledge Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction. Nov. 12, 2015
https://www.preventionweb.net/risk/weak-governance

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.

Self check

Activity 1.3: What is the Risk Factor? Direction: Analyze the given situation by identifying the correct risk
factor. Write only the letter that corresponds to your answer. To facilitate your task, accomplish the
given table below:

A. Climate Change

B. Environmental Degradation

C. Globalized Economic Development

D. Poverty and Inequality

E. Poorly planned and Managed Urban Development

Situation Factor Underlying Disaster

unwillingness to assume their roles and
responsibilities in governing disaster risk
department
rising sea levels
cities located in low-altitude estuaries such as
Marikina City, Philippines are exposed to sea-level
rise and flooding.
houses are built with lightweight materials
effects in developing countries
deforestation that can lead to landslide
global Warming
garbage slide killed that over 200 people in an
informal settlement in Manila, the Philippines,
fragmented responsibilities for drought risk
management

Assessment

Choose the letter of the best answer. Write the chosen letter on a separate sheet of paper.

1. Which of the following is the process or condition, often development-related, that influence the level
of disaster risk by increasing levels of exposure and vulnerability or reducing capacity?

a. risk factor

b. disaster risk

c. natural hazard

d. man-made hazard

2. Which of the following is NOT an element which causes disaster?

a. exposure

b. hazard

c. risk

d. vulnerability

3. Which of the following BEST describes hazard?

a. loss of life or injury naturally

b. a phenomenon or human activity

c. potentially damaging physical event

d. reduction of vulnerability and exposure

4. Which of the following risk factors BEST describes the cause of COVID-19 pandemic?

a. climate change

b. weak governance

c. globalized economic development

d. poorly- planned and managed urban development

5. How will reduction of the level of vulnerability and exposure be possible?

a. proper knowledge on disaster risk

b. potentially damaging physical even

c. increase the susceptibility of a community to the impact of hazard

d. by keeping people and property as distant as possible from hazards

6. Which of the following risk factors affect with inequality?

a. poverty

b. climate change

c. weak governance

d. globalized economic development

7. Unwillingness to assume their roles and responsibilities in governing disaster risk unit, falls under
which of the following risk factors?

a. climate change

b. weak governance

c. poverty and inequality

d. environmental degradation

8. Which among the groups suffer more adverse effects when an earthquake causing disaster occurs?

a. men and women

b. children and women

c. old persons and women

d. old persons and children