🎯 Learning Objectives

• Cognitive: Differentiate the various risk factors that contribute to disasters.

• Affective: Value the importance of recognizing risk factors in reducing disaster impact.

• Psychomotor: Categorize examples of risk factors found in the local community.

🧩 At the end of this lesson, you should be able to explain what risk means, how it connects to hazard, exposure, and vulnerability, and identify key factors that increase or decrease disaster risk.

🧭 1️⃣ Concept and Definition of Risk

Risk is the probability or likelihood that a hazard will cause harm to people, property, or the environment.

🧮 Formula:
Risk = Hazard × Exposure × Vulnerability

💡 If any of these components increase, the overall risk increases too.
Example:

• Strong typhoon (hazard) + densely populated coastal area (exposure) + poor housing (vulnerability) → high risk.

🧠 Reducing any one of these – especially vulnerability – helps reduce overall risk. 

🧩 3️⃣ Meaning of Disaster Risk Factors

Disaster Risk Factors are the conditions or attributes that increase a community’s susceptibility to damage from hazards.

They can be physical, social, economic, or institutional – and often interconnected.
Example: A typhoon becomes disastrous when it strikes a densely populated area with weak infrastructure and poor governance.

💬 Think: “What makes some communities more vulnerable than others?”

💡 4️⃣ Types of Disaster Risk Factors

🧱 Physical Factors

Conditions of the natural and built environment that increase damage potential.

Examples:

• Poorly constructed houses and buildings 🏚️

• Location near fault lines or rivers 🏞️

• Lack of drainage or flood control systems 🚧

• Inaccessible evacuation centers 🚫

🧠 Psychological Factors

Attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors that affect preparedness and response.

Examples:

• Underestimating disaster risk (“It won’t happen to us.”)

• Panic or fear during crisis situations

• Lack of disaster education or awareness

• Mental stress and trauma after events 😔

🫱🏽‍🫲🏼 Socio-Cultural Factors

Social structures and cultural practices that influence vulnerability or resilience.

Examples:

• High population density in urban areas 🏙️

• Traditional housing made of light materials 🏠

• Cultural beliefs discouraging evacuation ⛪

• Limited community cooperation or trust

💰 Economic Factors

Financial capacity of individuals and communities to prepare and recover.

Examples:

• Poverty and unemployment 💸

• Lack of insurance or savings 🏦

• Dependence on local agriculture easily affected by disasters 🌾

• High cost of rebuilding and relocation

🧩 The poorer the community, the harder it is to recover from a disaster.

🏛️ Political Factors

Government systems and decision-making processes that influence preparedness and response.

Examples:

• Weak implementation of building codes 🏗️

• Corruption or misuse of funds 💰

• Lack of local disaster policies 📄

• Poor coordination between agencies and LGUs 📞

🧬 Biological Factors

Hazards arising from living organisms or public health conditions.

Examples:

• Epidemics and pandemics 🦠

• Poor sanitation and waste management 🚮

• Lack of access to health services 🏥

• Waterborne diseases after floods 💧