Module

Basic Concepts of Disaster and Disaster Risk

2

Learning Objectives:
At the end of this module, the learner should be able to:
 Explain disaster and disaster risk
 Discuss the nature of disaster and effects on human life is the risk factors
 Describe how and when an event becomes disaster

Introduction
The goal of this module is to educate students on the basic concepts of disaster and disaster
risk. This knowledge will help us to prepare for and adapt to the effects of disaster on humans,
animals and the environment.
After completing the module, you should be able to answer the following:
1. What is disaster and disaster risk?
2. What are the causes of disaster?
3. How and why an event becomes disaster?
4. How to prevent, control and mitigate disasters?

Warm-up!

Identification. Answer the following questions.

1. It is a methodology that determines the nature and extent of risk by

analyzing potential hazards and evaluating existing conditions of
vulnerability that together could potentially harm exposed people, property,
services, livelihoods and the environment on which they depend.
2. It is said to be ‘at risk’ when it is exposed to hazards and is likely to be
adversely affected by the impact of those hazards when they occur.
3. It is the chance of likelihood of suffering harm and loss as a result of a
hazardous event. It closely depends upon the exposure of something to a
hazard.
4. It is the disaster risk that remains even when effective disaster risk
reduction measures are in place, and for which emergency response and
recovery capacities must be maintained.
5. It leads to an increase in temperature of oceans, which in turn leads to
more and stronger hurricanes and tropical storms since hurricanes get
their energy from the seawater.
6. These are large-scale geological or meteorological events that have the
potential to cause loss of life or property.

7. This nuclear disaster occurred at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant,

which was one of the largest power plants in the Ukrainian Republic of
erstwhile USSR, on April 26, 1986.

8. It happens when a hazard impacts upon a vulnerable population and

causes damage, casualties and disruption.

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 Lesson 1 Disaster and Disaster Risk
Learning Content

Disaster
A serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society involving
widespread human, material, economic or environmental losses and impacts,
which exceeds the ability of the affected community or society to cope using its
own resources.

A disaster happens when a hazard impacts upon a vulnerable population and causes damage,
casualties and disruption. An earthquake in an uninhabited desert cannot be considered a
disaster, no matter how strong the intensity may be. An earthquake is only disastrous when it
affects people, their properties and activities.

Disaster Risk

The potential disaster losses, in lives, health status, livelihoods, assets and
services, which could occur to a particular community or a society over some
specified future time period. The definition of disaster risk reflects the concept of
disasters as the outcome of continuously present conditions of risk. Disaster risk
comprises different types of potential losses which are often difficult to quantify.

Disaster risk is the chance of likelihood of suffering harm and loss as a result of a hazardous
event. It closely depends upon the exposure of something to a hazard. This can be expressed as:

Risk = Chance (C) x Loss (L)

The output of risk analysis is usually an estimation of the risk scenarios.

It is important to consider the social and economic contexts in which disaster risks occur and
that people do not necessarily share the same perceptions of risk and their underlying risk factors.
 Acceptable risk, or tolerable risk, is therefore an important subterm; the extent to which a
disaster risk is deemed acceptable or tolerable depends on existing social, economic, political,
cultural, technical and environmental conditions. In engineering terms, acceptable risk is also
used to assess and define the structural and non-structural measures that are needed in order
to reduce possible harm to people, property, services and systems to a chosen tolerated level,
according to codes or “accepted practice” which are based on known probabilities of hazards
and other factors.
 Residual risk is the disaster risk that remains even when effective disaster risk reduction
measures are in place, and for which emergency response and recovery capacities must be
maintained. The presence of residual risk implies a continuing need to develop and support
effective capacities for emergency services, preparedness, response and recovery, together
with socioeconomic policies such as safety nets and risk transfer mechanisms, as part of a
holistic approach

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 Lesson 2 Nature and Effects of Disaster
Learning Content

Natural and human-caused disasters affect thousands of people each year. Major adverse
events such as these have the potential to cause catastrophic loss of life and physical destruction.
They are often unexpected and can leave whole communities in shock.
People who live through a disaster can experience emotional distress. Feelings of anxiety,
constant worrying, trouble sleeping, and other depression-like symptoms are common responses
to disasters before, during, and after the event. Many people are able to “bounce back” from
disasters with help from family and the community, but others may need additional support to cope
and move forward on the path of recovery. Anyone can be at risk, including survivors living in the
impacted areas and first responders and recovery workers.

Natural Disasters
Natural disasters are large-scale geological or meteorological events that have the potential to
cause loss of life or property. These types of disasters include:

 Tornadoes and Severe Storms

 Hurricanes and Tropical Storms
 Floods
 Wildfires
 Earthquakes
 Drought
These meteorological events are occasionally preceded by presidential “emergency
declarations” requiring state and local planning prior to the event, such as evacuations and
protection of public assets.

Factors of Natural Disaster

probability of droughts increases since the

1. Global warming
planet’s average temperature increases. It is
Global warming is a
quite difficult to prove the causal connection
great cause of natural
between climate change and natural disasters
disasters since it affects
since there are many other variables, but the
our planet in several
increase of natural disasters over the last
different ways.
decades likely leads to the conclusion that
Global warming leads
global warming is a major contributor to natural
to an increase in temperature of oceans, which
disasters.
in turn leads to more and stronger hurricanes
and tropical storms since hurricanes get their
energy from the seawater. Moreover, the

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 usually prevent floods and droughts since they
2. Natural activities in the earth’ crust
balance and hold back
Natural disasters are
natural groundwater
also caused by natural
resources. By
activities in the crust of
deforestation, the
the earth. Natural
ground is no longer
processes can cause
covered and thus the
tension inside the earth’s
probability for floods and droughts increases
crust which are
dramatically.
sometimes released through earthquakes.

7. Soil erosion
3. Tectonic movement
Soil erosion can lead to a high level of
Since the earth
degradation of land, which in turn can lead to a
is not made up of
loss in fertility and thus to famine for local
one single surface
populations. Soil erosion can also cause
but instead of many
landslides which can cause serious damage to
plates sliding on our
nature as well as to humans.
planet’s underlying
mantle, a shift or
collision of these plates can have severe 8. Seismic activity
adverse effects.This can lead to earthquakes, The seismic activities inside our earth can
volcanic eruptions and tsunamis. cause earthquakes. These earthquakes can
cause death and injuries for many people as
well as for animals and other life forms. It also
4. Moon activity
leads to a loss of many homes so that people
The moon is known to
who survived often have to leave their home
have a strong influence on
countries in order to find a better future.
the natural processes on
earth. According to latest
studies, researchers found 9. Air pressure
that the moon has the There is a connection between the air
potential to cause huge earthquakes which pressure and some natural disasters like
may cause huge amounts of destruction and hurricanes, heavy rains and thunderstorms.
death. Thus, air pressure naturally contributes to
natural disasters in a certain way.
5. Mining
It is controversial
whether mining activities 10. Ocean currents
can cause natural Changing ocean currents can lead to a
disasters. Some scientists change in the ocean temperature which in turn
blame mining for can harm or even kill large populations of fish
landslides and soil and and other sea animals and plants. Moreover,
mountain erosion. Others changing currents and therefore a possible
argue that landslides occur naturally due to local increase in water temperature can lead to
heavy rainfalls and flash floods. Mining can a higher probability for hurricanes or tropical
thus potentially contribute to the emergence of storms.
natural disasters, although it is not a main
driver. 11. Pollution
Since our nature is a quite sensitive
6. Deforestation organism, pollution of all sorts may lead to an
Deforestation can contribute to an imbalance of the earth which in turn may
increase in natural disasters since forests create natural disasters of several sorts.

Effects of Natural Disasters

1. Environmental issues other storms can destroy the lives and also the
livelihood of many people, especially of those
There are severe
who live near the coast since they are also in
effects of natural disasters
danger of tsunamis.
on the whole
Moreover, droughts may lead to a
environmental system.
migration of many people who just will no
Hurricanes and
longer be able to make their living in their

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home countries since there is not enough destructed by natural disasters, farmers will no
water left to grow plants or to raise cattle. longer be able to harvest enough crops or to
Natural disasters not only have dramatic raise enough cattle in order to meet the
effects on humans, but they also destroy the demand. Thus, the local population is likely to
habitat of many animals and plants which may suffer from starvation.
in the worst case even become extinct.

6. Water scarcity
2. Humanitarian crisis
Another related issue is the topic of water
Natural crises lead
scarcity. Due to natural disasters, natural water
to humanitarian
sources like rivers or lakes may be polluted
catastrophes all over the
and thus the water supply will be decreased
world. This includes an
dramatically. A scarcity of water supply will be
increase of famine and
especially severe when droughts hit areas for
also the spread of
a long period of
diseases, especially in
time. Farmers will
poor developing countries since they will often
no longer be able to
not be able to fight the consequences of
raise enough crops.
natural disasters in an effective way due to a
Moreover, even the
shortage and resources and also due to a lack
drinking water will
of technological knowledge.
become a scarce
Natural disasters may force many people
resource which may
to migrate to other countries since their
eventually lead to
livelihood has been destroyed and thus, they
migration since water is essential for all life on
will strive to search for a better life in other
earth.
places on earth.
7. Displaced population
Due to natural disasters, people often
3. Damages to infrastructure
lose all their belongings, including their houses
Natural disasters usually also imply great
and their livelihood. If this happens, they have
damage to the affected infrastructure. This
to decide if they will be able to rebuild all of it
includes the destruction of important buildings
or if they instead see a better chance to move
like hospitals or airports.
to other countries in order to be able to find a
Moreover, roads may be blocked through
better future there.
trees and thus the transportation system may
There will be an increasing number of
collapse as a result of natural disasters.
migrants in the future due to the fact that
global warming will greatly reduce the fertility
4. Public health issues and diseases make many areas since there will not be
Natural disasters often destroy many enough water left to grow crops or to raise
important facilities that are meant to keep living cattle. Thus, many people will be forced to
conditions stable.If these facilities are leave their homes and to migrate to other
destroyed, there will likely be an increase in countries.
diseases since the hygienic conditions
dropped as a consequence of the natural
disaster. 8. Injuries
Making things worse, natural disasters Many people will suffer from injuries
often also destroy hospitals and other medical caused by natural disasters. Making things
facilities. This means not only the likelihood of worse, medical
diseases increases due to lower hygienical treatment in the
standards, also the supply of medicines will be affected areas will
more difficult. As a result, it is more likely that be quite limited
people will not be able to recover from their since many medical
diseases. facilities may have
been destructed as
well. It will therefore
5. Food scarcity not be possible to treat many injuries in an
Another effect of effective way which may cause adverse
natural disasters can be a long-term health effects.
scarcity of resources,
which is especially severe
when it comes to the
supply of food. If large
areas of land have been

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 consequences of natural disasters
9. Fatalities
appropriately.
Many people lose their lives as a
Many people lose their children or other
consequence of natural disasters. Natural
family members to natural disasters which will
forces are simply too strong to save all people.
shock them emotionally for quite a long time or
Moreover, especially in developing countries,
even for their whole life. It will take a long time
warning systems are often not good enough to
for many people to recover from these kinds of
be able to save the lives of many people. In
emotional horrible events.
addition, medical facilities are often not
advanced enough and will not be able to deal
with a large number of heavily injured people 11. Economic impact
at once, which may result in increased To make things worse, there are usually
mortality. great adverse economic effects from natural
disasters.
For example, an earthquake can lead to a
10. Emotional shocks
devastation of large areas of land.People will
Apart from physical injuries, many people
no longer be able to make their living from
will also suffer from mental conditions since
farming in these areas.Thus, they will lose their
they will not be able to process and handle the
livelihood because of the result of this disaster.
.

Prevention, Control and Mitigation of Common Natural Disasters

1. Earthquake
Despite the advances made by modem science, the exact time and place where an
earthquake may strike cannot be predicted. Hence, the occurrence of an
earthquake cannot be prevented. However, there are certain regions that
are earthquakes prone and so the administration must work before hand to
minimize the damages due to occurrence of earthquakes in such areas. The
control and mitigation measures in earthquake prone regions include hazard
reduction programmes, development of critical facilities and proper land use planning.

Hazard reduction programmes: Development of critical facilities:

i. Earthquake education and evacuation i. Establishment of earthquake regulatory

plans. agencies for fast relief.

ii. Use of proper construction material that ii. Establishment of specific health care
is not injurious even if the structures collapse. units for treating earthquake injuries Proper
land use planning.
iii. Construction of quake resistant
buildings having proper structural design. iii. Mapping of faults and weak zones in
earthquake prone areas.

iv. Buildings such as schools, hospitals,

offices, etc. should be in areas away from
active faults.

2. Floods
Though floods are a natural hazard, it is sometimes
intensified due to undesirable human activities. The measures
that can be taken to control the extent of flood damage include
land use planning, building of physical barriers, preventing human
encroachment and use of technology for relief.

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Land use planning: Preventing human encroachment:

Proper land use planning in flood prone Human encroachment should be avoided in
areas includes: the following areas:

1. Demarcation of the flood-prone areas 1. Floodplains and catchment areas.

that are first inundated during floods.
2. This would control deforestation and
2. Construction work and concentration of soil erosion which would prevent excessive
human population should be avoided in the runoff.
floodplains.
Use of technology for relief:
3. Afforestation on the upper reaches of
the river (catchment areas) to control soil Advanced technology can be used in the
erosion and excessive runoff. following ways:

Building of physical barriers: 1. Advanced communication techniques

for flood forecasting and warning.
Flood can be prevented by building certain
structures, such as: 2. Fast evacuation of people.

1. Embankments along the banks of rivers 3. To provide relief in temporary shelters.

in densely populated areas.
4. Immediate supply of medicines,
2. Building of reservoirs to collect excess drinking water, food and clothes.
water during floods.
5. Epidemic diseases must be controlled
3. The construction of channels that divert through spraying, vaccination, etc.
floodwater.

3. Drought

Rains are caused by a number of natural factors like air

currents, wind direction, etc. Thus, droughts are a natural
phenomenon, beyond human control and prevention. Though,
global warming may have changed the pattern of rainfall in the
recent times. In modem times, by the use of satellites, we can
predict the weather pattern over a particular area.

Drought-like conditions can be overcome by better water harvesting techniques. Certain

precautions can be taken in drought prone areas, which relate to management of water resources,
proper agricultural techniques and relief by different agencies.

Management of water resources:

1. Conservation of water through rainwater harvesting, building check dams, bunds, etc.

2. Construction of reservoirs to hold emergency water supplies.

Proper agricultural techniques:

1. Increased use of drought resistant crops.

Proper irrigation techniques, such as drip and trickle irrigation that minimize the use of water.

3. Over-cropping and overgrazing should be avoided.

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Relief measures:

Immediate relief to the drought-affected people should be provided in the form of:

1. Employment generation programmes, like ‘food for work’ in the drought affected areas.

2. To provide fodder for domestic animals.

4. Cyclones

The occurrence of cyclones is a natural phenomenon, over which humans have no control,
hence it cannot be prevented. However, some scientists have speculated
that rise in global warming may cause an increased occurrence of
cyclones. The devastating effects of cyclones can only be controlled and
mitigated through some effective policies such as use of advanced
technology, hazard reduction initiatives and relief measures

Use of Advanced Technology:

1. Satellites can easily forecast the origin of cyclones in advance.

2. Satellite images can track the movement and intensity of cyclones.

3. Installation of early warning systems in the coastal areas.

Hazard reduction initiatives:

1. Increasing public awareness regarding cyclones.

2. Increasing the public response to cyclone warnings through training.

3. Development of underground shelter belts in the cyclone prone areas.

Relief measures:

1. Rushing relief to the affected areas in the form of medicines, food, clothes, etc.

2. Checking the spread of epidemic water borne diseases as cyclones are generally
accompanied by flooding.

5. Landslides

Though landslides are a natural phenomenon and may occur without

human interference, in certain cases human activities like deforestation,
mining, etc. can also induce landslides. Landslides can be controlled, to
some extent, by adopting initiatives, such as providing slope support and
minimizing human encroachment.

Providing slope support:

i. By building retaining walls made of ii. By providing drainage control measures

concrete, gabions (stone filled wire blocks) and so that water may not infiltrate into the slope
wooden and steel beams, etc.

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Minimizing human encroachment: ii. Plantation of trees should be
undertaken on the unstable hilly slopes.
i. Mining activities should be monitored in
the hilly, unstable regions. iii. By preventing human encroachment in
the form of buildings, roads, agriculture,
grazing, etc. on unstable slopes.

Human-Caused Disasters

Human-made disaster is disaster resulting from man-made hazards as opposed to natural

disasters resulting from natural hazards. It means a disaster or emergency situation that result in
civilian population’s casualties, loss of property, loss of basic services, and means of livelihood as
a result of war or civil strife.
The cause of a human-made disaster can be either intentional or unintentional human actions.
Human-made disasters or emergencies can be fast or of slow attack. Human-made disaster admits
that all disasters are caused by humans. Human-made disaster involves an element of human
intent, negligence, or error; or involving a failure of a man-made system. It is also called as
man-made disaster.

Man-made disasters are mainly of two types:

1. Local disasters:
These are small-scale disasters such as train accidents, plane crashes and shipwrecks.

2. Industrial and technological disasters:

These are much larger in scale and are the result of technology failures or industrial accidents.
Such disasters affect both local population and may even cover a much larger area. Industrial
disasters result due to accidental leakage of water or air pollutants. Many of the chemicals are
extremely toxic and carcinogenic which affect the human population in an adverse way. Some
people die instantly while others are crippled for whole life in the form of blindness, paralysis and
many other chronic diseases.

Impact on the environment:

Leakage of toxic chemicals from the industries and accidents in the nuclear reactors has
short-term and long-term effects on the environment and human health. Short-term effects on
human health relate to casualties and diseases like blindness, cancer, paralysis, heart trouble,
gastric and respiratory abnormalities. Long-term effects include genetic imbalances in humans and
its impact on the future generations. Soil and water sources also remain polluted for long duration
of time.

 Bhopal Gas Tragedy (BGT): It leaked from the factory and

The most serious industrial formed the deadly cloud over Bhopal.
disaster People living in slums in the vicinity
occurred of the factory were the most affected
on and more than 5000 people were
December killed, half of them due to direct
3, 1984 at exposure and other half due to after
Bhopal, India, which is known as the affects. MIC is a colourless gas
Bhopal Gas Tragedy (BGT). The which causes severe irritation, violent
Bhopal gas tragedy occurred due to coughing, swelling of the lungs,
leakage of methyl isocyanide (MIC) bleeding and death due to direct
gas from the factory of Union inhalation. It also caused loss of
Carbide of India Ltd. MIC gas is used eye-sight in more than 1000 people.
as an ingredient in pesticides. More than 50,000 people were

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 affected with respiratory, eye, gastric, neurological and gynaecological
problems.

Another technological disaster is due to the potential damages of nuclear fallout. An

example is the Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster.

 Chernobyl Accident
This nuclear disaster occurred isotopes of iodine and caesium)
at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power escaped into the atmosphere. To
Plant, reduce emissions, the rescue team
which bombarded the reactor with 5,000
was one metric tonnes of shielding material
of the consisting of lead, boron, sand and
largest clay. Soviet officials placed the toll of
power human lives to 31.
plants in
the Ukrainian Republic of erstwhile However, according to western
USSR, on April 26, 1986. It is the estimates, 2000 people were killed.
worst nuclear disaster recorded in a Large areas of the Ukrainian,
nuclear power plant. This nuclear Byelorussia Republics of the USSR
power plant had four reactors of and even parts of Poland, Denmark
1000 megawatt each for electricity and Sweden were contaminated.
generation. A sudden power surge Around 200,000 people had to be
resulted in two explosions, which evacuated and resettled. The after
destroyed the reactor core and affects lasted for many years and a
blasted a large hole in the roof of the rise in the incidence of thyroid and
reactor building. blood cancer has been observed in a
wide group of people. Other affects
The Radioactive debris moved on the human health included skin
up through that hole to heights of 1 diseases, hair loss, nausea, anemia,
km. Approximately 100 to 150 million respiratory and reproductive
curies of radiation (radioactive diseases.

Prevention, Control and Mitigation:

Man-made disasters can be minimized to a large extent by adopting the following measures:

1. Proper training of personnel working in the hazardous industries.

2. Proper maintenance and care of safety measures.

3. Removing human encroachments around hazardous industries.

4. Making the people aware about the first-aid methods in case of accidents.

5. Applying wet cloth over the mouth and nose in case of gas leakages minimizes the health
hazards.

6. Remaining indoors in case of radioactive accidents.

7. Providing the people with proper medical care, in some cases throughout their life.

8. Providing adequate compensation to the affected people by way of money and

employment.

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 Lesson 3 How and When an Event Becomes Disaster

Learning Content

Elements at Risk

A societal element is said to be ‘at risk’ when it is exposed to hazards and is likely to be
adversely affected by the impact of those hazards when they occur. People (their lives and
health), households and community structures, facilities and services (houses, access
roads, bridges, schools, hospitals, etc.), livelihood and economic activities (jobs,
equipment, crops, livestock, etc.) are described as “elements at risk”. In many cases, the
natural environment is also an element at risk.

Disaster Risk Assessment

A methodology to determine the nature and extent of risk by analysing potential hazards
and evaluating existing conditions of vulnerability that together could potentially harm
exposed people, property, services, livelihoods and the environment on which they
depend. Risk assessments (and associated risk mapping) include, a review of the
technical characteristics of hazards (location, intensity, frequency and probability), th e
analysis of exposure and vulnerability (physical, social, health, economic and
environmental dimensions) and the evaluation of the effectiveness of prevailing and
alternative coping.

How and when does an event become a disaster?

An event, whether natural or man-made, becomes a disaster if the event

become uncontrollable in a relatively short time. It is deemed disaster once a serious disruption is
noted. Moreover, minor to significant losses, which can either be life or economic in
nature, become evident once an event becomes a disaster.

Also question is, how and when an event or situation becomes a disaster?
A natural event only becomes a disaster when it impacts human life, property, or livelihood. By
identifying at-risk populations through a social vulnerability assessment, more lives can be
protected by preparing specific emergency response efforts and performing targeted risk
communication during the event.

Likewise, what are the general effects of disaster? Disasters may be explosions, earthquakes,
floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, or fires. In a disaster, you face the danger of death or physical injury.
You may also lose your home, possessions, and community. Such stressors place you at risk for
emotional and physical health problems.

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 Accordingly, what makes an event a disaster?

A disaster is a sudden, calamitous event that seriously disrupts the functioning of a

community or society and causes human, material, and economic or environmental losses that
exceed the community's or society's ability to cope using its own resources. Though often caused
by nature, disasters can have human origins.

When can you say that an event is a disaster?

An event, whether natural or man-made, becomes a disaster if the event become

uncontrollable in a relatively short time. It is deemed disaster once a serious disruption is noted.
Moreover, minor to significant losses, which can either be life or economic in nature, become
evident once an event becomes a disaster.

Examples of man-made events comprise:

 Airline accidents
 Gas leakages
 Oil spillages
 Atomic meltdowns and industrial explosions
 Biological or/and chemical threats
 Interruptions in Services like communications, water, travel, sewer, etc.
 Perilous materials on trucks, rails, and pipelines
 Mass meetings can cause disorder, war, or threats
 Transit on trucks and rails
 Weapons of mass disruption
 Crime, civil disturbance, terrorism, arson, cyber-attacks, etc.
All the events listed above are all human creations, and in case there is a human error or
carelessness and destruction occurs, it becomes a tragedy.

Examples of natural disasters include:

 Thunderstorms and lighting.
 Cyclones
 Hurricanes
 Ice storms
 Landslides & debris flow.
 Tsunamis
 Earthquakes
 Wildfire
 Floods
 Winter storms
A result of any of the above natural disasters is caused by nature’s forces, which man does
not influence. But man can prepare measures to help protect the community around the area.
Accidents occur when you least expect them. Natural disasters like floods, storms, tornadoes,
landslides, and earthquakes have been happening since way back before the recording time, and
at least they can be prepared for, and some lives and property saved.
Over the years, preparing, handling, dealing, and managing such disasters have been
discussed, and the community around the areas informed and prepared. Man-made disasters are
influenced by human events that people can control and manage. In contrast, natural disasters are
dictated by natural forces that people have no control over.
Human-made disasters can be prevented if attention and proper management are put in place
but are also very difficult to predict. And when most of them occur, they often turn out disastrous.
Situations, where oil spills, gas leaks, or industrial fire occurs are preventable, but when such
incidents fall, they take over and become destructive. Many natural disasters have been happening
and reoccurring, but man-made events are continually increasing with an increment in the number
of disasters worldwide.

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Learning Activities

Activity 1 Essay

1. What is the most unforgettable natural disaster that you have ever experienced?

2. What type of man-made disaster you don’t want to happen in your community? Discuss briefly.

3. In this time of pandemic, how would you respond to natural and man-made disasters that might
occur in your community? Expand your answer.

Rubrics for Essay

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Activity 2 Word Hunt:
Find and describe some basic concepts of disaster and disaster risk

S B D I S A S T E R
O M G R A Q W E A I
I A P O I U Y T R S
L N A T U R A L T K
E M D A S D F G H J
R A R U O N M L Q K
O D O A S V A E U C
S E U B C T F B A F
I X G G C E R H K D
O V H H Y A C I E O
N G T M C L K M A O
A E D I L S D N A L
E B T N O Z X C I F
R S T I N A J V K I
D C F N E E I O I M
C B N G S S F F G N
P O L L U T I O N P
C H E R N O B Y L O

Activity 3 Cause and Effect

Using the tree diagram, show the causes of disasters and its effect on human, animals and the
environment.

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Rubrics for Cause and Effect- Tree Diagram

Self-Assessment

Wrap-up!
In this module, I have learned that…

References:

 Akintomiwa, A. 2018.Matric number: 200644.CLIMATE CHANGE: Causes, Effects and

Solutions
 Watershed Academy Web, (n.d). The Effect of Climate Change on Water Resources and
Programs
 Climate Change Information Kit published by UNEP and UNFCCC
 Parkash Surya, Irfana Begum, and Rita (2013). Activity Book on Disaster Management for
School Students. National Institute of Disaster Management, New Delhi - 110002, Pages 51.
 Shah, S.H.2013. The Disaster Risk Management Handbook : A learning experience of DRM
Model Mansehra. Published by:Support to Governance in Pakistan Programme funded by the
German Ministry of Economic Development and Cooperation and implemented through
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH

“Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management

”
References

 Parkash Surya, Irfana Begum, and Rita (2013). Activity Book on Disaster Management for
School Students. National Institute of Disaster Management, New Delhi - 110002, Pages 51.
 Shah, S.H.2013. The Disaster Risk Management Handbook : A learning experience of DRM
Model Mansehra. Published by:Support to Governance in Pakistan Programme funded by the
German Ministry of Economic Development and Cooperation and implemented through
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH

“Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management

”