โDisaster risk is not just about the hazard itself, but how people, places, and systems are exposed and vulnerable to it.โย
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.
๐งฉ 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.
Risk is the probability or likelihood that a hazard will cause harm to people, property, or the environment.
๐งฎ Formula:
Risk = Hazard ร Exposure ร Vulnerability
๐ก If any of these components increase, the overall risk increases too.
Example:
Strong typhoon (hazard) + densely populated coastal area (exposure) + poor housing (vulnerability) โ high risk.
๐ 2๏ธโฃ Relationship Between Hazard, Exposure, Vulnerability, and Riskย
๐ง Reducing any one of these โ especially vulnerability โ helps reduce overall risk.ย
Disaster Risk Factors are the conditions or attributes that increase a communityโs susceptibility to damage from hazards.
They can be physical, social, economic, or institutional โ and often interconnected.
Example: A typhoon becomes disastrous when it strikes a densely populated area with weak infrastructure and poor governance.
๐ฌ Think: โWhat makes some communities more vulnerable than others?โ
๐งฑ Physical Factors
Conditions of the natural and built environment that increase damage potential.
Examples:
Poorly constructed houses and buildings ๐๏ธ
Location near fault lines or rivers ๐๏ธ
Lack of drainage or flood control systems ๐ง
Inaccessible evacuation centers ๐ซ
๐ง Psychological Factors
Attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors that affect preparedness and response.
Examples:
Underestimating disaster risk (โIt wonโt happen to us.โ)
Panic or fear during crisis situations
Lack of disaster education or awareness
Mental stress and trauma after events ๐
๐ซฑ๐ฝโ๐ซฒ๐ผ Socio-Cultural Factors
Social structures and cultural practices that influence vulnerability or resilience.
Examples:
High population density in urban areas ๐๏ธ
Traditional housing made of light materials ๐
Cultural beliefs discouraging evacuation โช
Limited community cooperation or trust
People clean their flooded homes in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Noru in San Mateo, Rizal province on September 26, 2022. - Janvic Mateo - The Philippine Starย ย
๐ฐ Economic Factors
Financial capacity of individuals and communities to prepare and recover.
Examples:
Poverty and unemployment ๐ธ
Lack of insurance or savings ๐ฆ
Dependence on local agriculture easily affected by disasters ๐พ
High cost of rebuilding and relocation
๐งฉ The poorer the community, the harder it is to recover from a disaster.
๐๏ธ Political Factors
Government systems and decision-making processes that influence preparedness and response.
Examples:
Weak implementation of building codes ๐๏ธ
Corruption or misuse of funds ๐ฐ
Lack of local disaster policies ๐
Poor coordination between agencies and LGUs ๐
๐งฌ Biological Factors
Hazards arising from living organisms or public health conditions.
Examples:
Epidemics and pandemics ๐ฆ
Poor sanitation and waste management ๐ฎ
Lack of access to health services ๐ฅ
Waterborne diseases after floods ๐ง
This activity will help you check your understanding of Lesson 2: Understanding Risks and Disaster Risk Factors.
You will answer questions about:
the meaning of risk in DRRM,
how hazard, exposure, and vulnerability are connected to risk, and
different disaster risk factors (physical, psychological, socio-cultural, economic, political, and biological).
This is a regular graded activity for Lesson 2.