About Disasters

Disaster

A disaster is a function of the risk process. It results from the combination of hazards, conditions of vulnerability and insufficient capacity or measures to reduce the potential negative consequences of risk.

 

 

Types of Disasters

 

 

Natural Disasters

Natural processes or phenomena occurring in the biosphere that may constitute a damaging event. Natural disasters can be classified according to their (1) hydro meteorological, (2)geological or (3)biological origins.

 

Origin

Phenomena / Examples

(1)Hydrometer logical hazards

Natural processes or phenomena of atmospheric hydrological or oceanographic nature.

  • Floods, debris and mudflows
  • Tropical cyclones, storm surges, wind, rain and other severe storms, lighting
  • Drought, desertification, wild line fires, temperature extreme sand and dust storm.
  • Permafrost, snow avalanches.    

(2)Geographical Hazard

Natural earth processes or phenomena that include processes of endogenous origin or tectonic or exogenous origin such as mass movements. 

  • Earthquake, tsunami
  • Volcanic activity and emissions
  • Mass movements landslides, rockslides, liquefactions, sub-marine slides.
  • Surface collapse, geographical fault activities.

(3)Biological Hazards

Processes of organic organs or those conveyed by biological vectors, including exposure to pathogenic, micro organism, toxins and bioactive substances.  

  • Outbreaks of epidemics diseases, plant or animal contagion and extensive infestation.   

 

 

 Man made disasters

 

Disastrous event caused directly and principally by one or more identifiable deliberate or negligent human actions.

 

 

Technological disasters

 

Danger originating from technological or industrial accidents, dangerous procedures, infrastructure failures or certain human activities, which may cause the loss of life or injury, property damage, social and economic disruption or environmental degradation. Some examples: industrial pollution, nuclear activities and radioactivity, toxic wastes, dam failures; transport, industrial or technological accidents (explosions, fires, spills).

 

 

 

Disaster

            “a serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society causing widespread human, material, economic or environmental losses which exceed the ability of the affected community or society to cope using its own resources.”

            Source: Reducing Disaster Risk, UNDP 2004.

 

Capacity

 

A combination of all the strengths and resources available within a community, society or organization that can reduce the level of risk, or the effects of a disaster

Capacity may include physical, institutional, social or economic means as well as skilled personal or collective attributes such as leadership and management. Capacity may also be described as capability.

 

Hazard

 

A potentially damaging physical event, phenomenon or human activity that may cause the loss of life or injury, property damage, social and economic disruption or environmental degradation

 

Hazards can include latent conditions that may represent future threats and can have different origins: natural (geological, hydrometeorological and biological) or induced by human processes (environmental degradation and technological hazards). Hazards can be single, sequential or combined in their origin and effects. Each hazard is characterised by its location, intensity, frequency and probability.

 

Risk

 

The probability of harmful consequences, or expected losses (deaths, injuries, property, livelihoods, economic activity disrupted or environment damaged) resulting from interactions between natural or human-induced hazards and vulnerable conditions.

Conventionally risk is expressed by the notation

 
Risk = Hazards x Vulnerability.

Some disciplines also include the concept of exposure to refer particularly to the physical aspects of vulnerability.

Beyond expressing a possibility of physical harm, it is crucial to recognize that risks are inherent or can be created or exist within social systems. It is important to consider the social contexts in which risks occur and that people therefore do not necessarily share the same perceptions of risk and their underlying causes

 

 

Vulnerability

 

The conditions determined by physical, social, economic, and environmental factors or processes, which increase the susceptibility of a community to the impact of hazards.

 

Visit this link  

http://www.meteo.gov.lk/Non_%20Up_Date/pages/safty_home.htm