DEFINITIONS
DISASTER
As stated by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR),
a disaster can be defined as "a serious disruption of the functioning
of a community or society involving widespread human, material, economic
or environmental losses and impacts, which exceeds the ability of the
affected community or society to cope with using its own resources."
HAZARD
A hazard can be defined as any source of potential damage, harm or adverse effects to life, health, property or the environment. In their dormant state, hazards just pose a threat to life and property. These hazards are termed as disasters when they cause widespread destruction of property and human lives. Once a hazard becomes active and is no longer just a threat, it becomes a disaster.A Hazard is a threat. A future source of danger.Hazard becomes a disaster only when human life is impacted. A hazard like a volcano or earthquake is considered only disaster when it adversely impacts a community.
A hazard can be defined as any source of potential damage, harm or adverse effects to life, health, property or the environment. In their dormant state, hazards just pose a threat to life and property. These hazards are termed as disasters when they cause widespread destruction of property and human lives. Once a hazard becomes active and is no longer just a threat, it becomes a disaster.A Hazard is a threat. A future source of danger.Hazard becomes a disaster only when human life is impacted. A hazard like a volcano or earthquake is considered only disaster when it adversely impacts a community.
VULNERABILITY
Vulnerability is the extent to which an individual, community, sub group, structure,
service or geographical area is likely to be damaged by the impact of a
particular disaster. The factors that influence vulnerability include
physical, economical, social, political, technical, idealogical,
cultural, ecological, institutional and organisational. Vulnerability is
the potential for experiencing loss.
Vulnerability is comprised of three elements:
Vulnerability is comprised of three elements:
- Exposure: It is the degree of risk of an event experienced in daily life from the probability of a hazard to actual occurrences of events of all sizes.
- Resilience: It is the ability to recover, ranging in degree from simply achieving stability at any level of functioning to recovering the full range of resources and positive momentum that existed prior to the event
- Resistance: It is the ability to withstand the impacts and continue to function.
RESILIENCE
Resilience is defined as the ability to recover, ranging in degree
from simply achieving stability at any level of functioning to
recovering the full range of resources and positive momentum that
existed prior to the event
RISK
Risk is generally defined as the expected impact caused by a particular phenomenon. It combines the likelihood or possibility of a disaster happening and the negative effects that result if the disaster occurs. Risk is hazard multiplied by vulnerability less the capacity of the population to cope. Risk is defined as the probability of a damaging event or circumstance.
Risk is hazard multiplied by vulnerability less the capacity of the population to cope.
Risk is generally defined as the expected impact caused by a particular phenomenon. It combines the likelihood or possibility of a disaster happening and the negative effects that result if the disaster occurs. Risk is hazard multiplied by vulnerability less the capacity of the population to cope. Risk is defined as the probability of a damaging event or circumstance.
Risk is hazard multiplied by vulnerability less the capacity of the population to cope.
