DISASTER, READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION
Examples: nuclear explosions, industrial pollution,
QUARTER 1: LESSON 3. BASIC CONCEPT OF vehicular accidents, industrial explosions and fires, and
HAZARD the collapse of buildings.
What is Hazard? 3. Environmental degradation is a process caused or
The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk induced by humans, activities or in combination with
Reduction (UNDRR), formerly known as the United natural hazards.
Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction. Examples: deforestation, land degradation, and loss of
(UNISDR) defines a hazard as a dangerous phenomenon, biodiversity land, water, and air pollution, climate change,
substance, human activity, or condition that may cause ozone depletion.
loss of life, injury, or other health impacts, property
damage, loss of livelihood and services, social and TYPES OF HAZARD
economic disruption, or environmental damage. 1. Slow-onset hazards – are hazards that have early
signs or indicators before its occurrence.
2. Rapid or sudden-onset hazards – are hazards that
What is the difference between a hazard and a occur or strike without any prior signs or warnings.
disaster?
A hazard has only the potential to cause destruction IMPACTS OF VARIOUS HAZARDS
or negative impacts on life and property, whereas a 1. Physical Impact – death and injuries (casualties) of
disaster is a hazard that has already occurred and been people, and destruction or damage to properties and
caused. Destruction and devastating impacts. In other infrastructure.
words, a disaster is a hazard that affected a vulnerable
population or assets. 2. Psychological Impact – psychological trauma,
chronic anxiety, depression, and other emotional and
CLASSIFICATION OF HAZARDS mental disorders.
Hazards can be classified into three main categories:
natural, quasi-natural, and man-made hazards. 3. Socio-cultural impact - migration, alteration of
1. Natural hazards are naturally occurring phenomena traditional social status, loss of cultural identity, ethnic
or processes. conflicts, sexual abuse, and domestic violence, and
changes in lifestyle.
2. Quasi-natural hazards are hazards that are
outcomes of the interaction of natural phenomena and 4. Economic Impact – loss of employment, livelihood,
man-made activities. and property/land.
Example: smog or desertification
5. Environmental Impact – environmental
3. Man-made, human-induced, and anthropogenic contamination, loss of forests and natural rivers.
hazards are those that result from human activities and
actions.
In other references, hazards can be classified into these
three categories:
Natural, technological, and environmental
degradation.
1. Natural hazards are naturally occurring phenomena
or processes. Natural
Hazards can be classified into three categories:
A. Geologic hazards are natural phenomena or
processes that occur in the Earth’s Crust.
Examples: earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions,
mass movement such as landslides and rockslides,
subsidence, and liquefaction.
B. Hydro meteorological hazards are atmospheric,
hydrological, and oceanographic natural processes or
phenomena.
Examples: tropical cyclones: tropical depression, storms,
typhoons, and super typhoons, hurricane, floods and flash
floods, tornado, hailstorm, thunderstorms, drought,
blizzards.
C. Biological Hazards - living things or substances from
living things that can cause illnesses, diseases, or any
harm.
Examples: Outbreaks of epidemic diseases in humans,
animals, and plants, infestations.
2. Technological hazards are man-made hazards
caused by technological infrastructure, or industrial
accidents or failures.
PREPARED BY: SIR DELFINO
