Hazard Assessment 1. Hazards can be divided as follows:

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1 Hazard Assessment 1 Hazards are usually referred to by many people as disaster. Hazards can only be called a disaster when it hits a community which is unable to cope with its effects. This paper will look at definition of a hazard and its categories. It will also discuss elements to characterize hazards and move towards discussing hazard assessment. According to Glossary of Terms of UN-ISDR, a hazard is A potentially damaging physical event, phenomenon or human activity that may cause loss of life or injury, property damage, social and economic disruption or environmental degradation. Hazards can be divided as follows: Communities face a wide array of hazards because of unsustainable development practices. Anor view of categorizing hazardous events are following: Those based in nature: earthquakes, droughts, floods, avalanches, etc. Those based in violence: war, armed conflict, physical assault, etc. Those based in deterioration: declining health, education and or social services; environmental degradation, etc. Those based in failing of industrialized society: technological failures, oil spillage, factory explosions, fires, gas leakages, transport collisions. Source: Bellers, 1999 To furr understand behavior and nature of a hazard, it is necessary to do a hazard profiling. The following questions will lead us to profiling: What is it? When will it hit me and how will I know that it will hit me? Character Nature and behavior What is it? I will be hit by what? Force When will it hit me and how will I know that it will hit me? warning signs and signals, forewarning, speed of onset, frequency, period of occurrence and duration What is Hazard force? The one that will hit me! 1 Prepared by: Rusty Binas, Director, Regional Center for Latin America, IIRR. oticbabes@yahoo.com 1

2 What is hazard force? The one that will hit me! Hazards Force power that is produced when something moves Natural Hazards Typhoon, hurricane, cyclone Volcanic eruption Earthquake Fires (settlement/forest) Drought Water-flash floods, storm surge, tidal waves Wind flying objects, uprooting material objects Land land slides, mud flow Ash falls, rocks, lava Falling hard objects, tsunami, liquefaction Water epidemics, Heat burns, Heat, shortage of potable water, shortage of water (irrigation) for plants and animals, pest and diseases, famine Human Related Actions Violence War and Conflict Arms, pistol, machetes, Deterioration of Basic Services- Obstacles to Realization of Human Rights Declining health, Malnutrition- inadequate food intake, inadequate access education and or to food, illness, diseases and death social services; environmental Bird flu epidemics degradation, etc. (Government inaction) Harsh environmental to changes - heat waves Famine Famine Inadequate food intake, inadequate access to food, illness, diseases and death HIV-Aids Virus infectious, epidemics Failing of Industrialize Societies Transport Collisions Physical / hard object Industrial Explosions Pollution, radio-activity, biological weapon 2

3 Oil Spillage Technological Failures Pollution, chemical contamination of air, land and water Mechanical accidents, fires, gas leakage, contamination in air, land and water. There are hazards that affect wider communities and some that affects individuals. There are hazards that produce secondary hazards. Every hazard has its own distinct behavior. This behavior can be characterized by warning signs and signals, forewarning, speed of onset, frequency, period of occurrence and duration. Warning Signs and Signals Scientific and indigenous indicators that hazard is likely to happen Forewarning Time between warning and impact Speed of onset Frequency Period of occurrence Duration Rapidity of arrival and impact we can distinguish between hazards that occur without almost any warning (earthquake), and a hazard that can be predicted three to four days in advance (typhoon) to a very slow-onset hazard like drought and famine Does hazard occur seasonally, one a year or every five years Does it occur in a particular time of year (wet or dry season) How long is hazard felt - earthquake and aftershocks; days/weeks/months that area is flooded, length of military operations Community Hazard Assessment defines threats and understands nature and behavior of particular hazards. The assessment brings out information on characteristics of hazards, specifically, hazard force, warning signs and signals, forewarning, speed of onset, frequency, period of occurrence and duration. 3

4 Exercise on how hazard will affect me and my community? 2 Hazard Characteristics Force Elements Description of Hazard How will it affect me? Exposure Variables How will it affect my community? Warning signs and signal Forewarning Speed of onset Frequency Period of occurrence 2 Prepared by: Rusty Binas, Director, Regional Center for Latin America, International Institute of Rural Reconstruction. -oticbabes@yahoo.com 4

5 Duration Vulnerability Assessment 3 Vulnerability is a very complex term. It can be defined in so many ways. It is a very controversial term that many people end up more confused after reading a lot of definitions. This paper attempts to present an interpretation to furr simplify term and provide two opposing perspectives. It will also define meaning of vulnerability assessment after making an assumption on term vulnerability. There are two schools of thoughts that define vulnerability. These are following: 1. Vulnerability = Unsafe Location of Element at Risk The degree to which an area, people, physical structures or economic assets are exposed to loss, injury or damage caused by impact of a hazard Disaster Management: A Disaster Manager's Handbook, Chapter 2 and Appendix A. Disaster Mitigation in Asia and Pacific, p The above definition can be interpreted in this mamatical formula: Vulnerability = location of element at risk to hazard Degree of Vulnerability = The location of element at risks Distance and Time The drawing below demonstrate this assumption. 3 Prepared by: Rusty Binas, Director, Regional Center for Latin America, International Institute of Rural Reconstruction. -oticbabes@yahoo.com 5

6 Rich Poor River Highly vulnerable to zone Highly vulnerable to Medium vulnerable to Low vulnerable to The location of element at risk ( rich and poor house) determines degree of exposures to hazard or degree of vulnerability. This shows that wher you are rich or poor, if you are living in same location, you are equally having same degree of vulnerability to impact of hazard. This assumption clearly shows that your capacity which refers to your socio-economic status does not determine your degree of vulnerability. Thus, in this assumption vulnerability mainly refers to location of element at risk. The location of element at risk determines degree of exposures to impact of hazards. In measuring disaster risk based in above assumption, mamatical presentation is: Disaster Risk = Hazard x Vulnerability Capacity Here it shows that capacity is a separate variable and does is not subsumed by both hazard and vulnerability. 2. The conditions of element at risk The or schools of thoughts defines vulnerability as a set of prevailing or consequencial conditions, which adversly affect community's ability to prevent, mitigate, prepare for or respond to hazard events Anderson and Woodrow (1989). The or related definition of vulnerability which is being promoted by International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UN-ISDR), is conditions determined by physical, social, economic and environemtal factors or process, which increase susceptibility of a community to impact of a hazard. 6

7 The above definition can be interpreted in this mamatical formula: Vulnerability = unsafe conditions it could be physical, economic, social, behavioral and environmental Degree of Vulnerability = ideal safe conditions (minus) existing unsafe conditions The drawing below demonstrate this assumption. Rich Poor River High vulnerable to zone Low vulnerable to The gaps between ideal and unsafe condition of element at risk determines degree of exposures to hazard or degree of vulnerability. This shows also if you are rich, living in same location with poor, degree of vulnerability to impact of hazard is different. This assumption clearly shows that that capacity which refers to socio-economic status determines degree of vulnerability. Thus, in this assumption vulnerability refers to ideal conditions minus actual unsafe conditions of element at risk. The gaps between ideal conditions and existing unsafe conditions of element at risk determine degree of exposures to impact of hazards. In measuring disaster risk based in above assumption, mamatical presentation is: Disaster Risk = Hazard x Vulnerability Here it shows that capacity is integral part of vulnerability. Categorizing or grouping vulnerability came about because of assumption that vulnerability is conditions of element at risk. Maskrey (1998) group vulnerabilities into following categories: 7

8 Categories Physical Vulnerability Technical Vulnerability Economic Vulnerability Environmental Vulnerability Social Vulnerability Political Vulnerability Cultural Vulnerability Educational Vulnerability Institutional Vulnerability Examples communities is hazard prone locations (in flood plain or a coastal location exposed to cyclones) structures and infrastructures (houses roads, bridges, irrigation channels, etc) unable to withstand and resist hazard events insufficient assets and reserves to withstand loss; lack of economic diversification lack of biodiversity; incapacity of ecosystem to resist and recover family size, existence of community organizations and social support mechanisms; age structure of community; gender differences; racial, ethnic, religious discrimination etc level of participation in decision making, existence of authoritarianism and corruption, political violence, justice and conflict resolution mechanisms systems of beliefs regarding hazards, vulnerabilities and disasters lack of information or misinformation regarding risk scenarios -lack of public services, planning, emergency preparedness and response, etc. Anderson and Woodrow (1989) group vulnerabilities into three broad interrelated categories, following are: Physical/material Vulnerability Social/organizational Motivational/attitudinal 8

9 Categories Physical/material vulnerability Social/organizational vulnerability Motivational/attitudinal vulnerability Examples Disaster-prone location of community, houses, farmlands, infrastructure, basic services, etc. insecure sources of livelihood risky sources of livelihood lack of access and control over means of production (land, farm inputs, animals, capital, etc.) dependent on moneylenders, usurers, etc. inadequate economic fall-back mechanisms occurrence of acute or chronic food shortage lack of adequate skills and educational background lack of basic services: education, health, safe drinking water, shelter, sanitation, roads, electricity, communication, etc. high mortality rates, malnutrition, occurrence of diseases, insufficient caring capacity overexploited natural resources exposure to violence (domestic, community conflicts, or war) weak family/kinship structures lack of leadership, initiative, organizational structures to solve problems or conflicts ineffective decision-making, people/groups are left out, etc. unequal participation in community affairs rumors, divisions, conflicts: ethnic, class, religion, caste, ideology, etc. injustice practices, lack of access to political processes absence or weak community organizations ((in)formal, governmental, indigenous) no or neglected relationship with government, administrative structures isolated from outside world negative attitude towards change passivity, fatalism, hopelessness, dependent lack of initiative, no fighting spirit lack of unity, cooperation, solidarity negative beliefs/ideologies unawareness about hazards and consequences dependence on external support/dole-out mentality Two Opposing Perspectives: It s Importance in Measuring Disaster Risks Vulnerability is one of variables needed to measure degree of disaster risks aside from hazard as anor variable. Vulnerability is closely related to a hazard and it is determined based on a clear understanding of a hazard. Thus, vulnerability is hazard specific. Capacity is anor variable that make up entire formula in measuring disaster risks. 9

10 The only difference in two opposing perspectives is how y treat capacity which have a have implications in determining disaster risk. Community Vulnerability Assessment This assessment is to understand why a person or a property is at risk? Vulnerability analysis is process of estimating susceptibility of 'elements at risk' in community to various hazards. The Vulnerability Exercise Hazard Profile Describe Grades Why your High Medium Low Location prepared by Rusty Biñas, Director, Regional Center for Latin America, International Institute of Rural Reconstruction. oticbabes@yahoo.com 10

11 Living with Vulnerability Decisions Made Needs and Action at what level? prepared by Rusty Biñas, Director, Regional Center for Latin America, International Institute of Rural Reconstruction 11

12 The degree of Vulnerability is G O V E R Not Accepted N M E N T Evade hazard by transferring into or Do something with your Individual needs and Action P O L I C Y Do something to Do Community prevent or mitigate something with your needs and Action impact of support 12

13 Survivability is to manage to stay alive or continue to exist, especially in hazard event. Readiness - group/community organization functioning as a system prepared for any hazard that is going to happen. Capacities Assessment 4 Mary Fotina Katopala, a Relief and Rehabilitation Coordinator of CADECOM, Malawi claimed a song ease up situation minimizing adverse consequences that could lead to a disaster. This is a song to win back heart of his husband after fighting all night long. Come all and witness what has befallen me. This man who used to love me so much has now turned his back against me. I vowed, and repeat my vows, he is my husband and nothing will separate us. The song is being sung by woman as a powerful tool to reconcile conflict. She explains that before conflict turns into a disaster, many can be done such as increasing community capacities and one of this is her song as a tool for reconciliation. This paper will define capacities, coping capacities and capacity assessment. Chia ndi ine chiri ndi ine gyad gyad. Chiri ndi ine eeee (2X) Amuna anga amene ndimawakonda awaa Chiri ndi ineeee Ayamba Kundimenya usiku onseeee Chiri ndi, ineeeeee ISDR refers to Capacities as a combination of all strength and resources available within community, society or organization that can reduce level of risks or effects of a disaster. Capacity may include physical, social, institutional or economic means as well as skilled personal or collective attributes such as leadership and management. Similar definition of capacities are strengths and resources, which exist or are present in individuals, households and community, which enable m to cope with, withstand, prepare for, prevent, mitigate, or quickly recover from a disaster. Anor way of looking at Capacities and how y differ from capabilities is shown below: Capacities Capabilities Physical/ Material 4 Prepared by: Rusty Binas, Director, Regional Center for Latin Amer ica, IKnowledge Financial nternational Institute of Rural Reconstruction. - Oticbabes@ yahoo.com Attitude Technology Skills Financial Human resources 13

14 Capacities and capabilities are directly related. Capabilities are embedded under human resource of capacities. Capacities Physical/ Material Financial Technology Financial Human resources Capabilities Knowledge Attitude Skills Capability to manage capacities is tantamount to coping capacity. ISDR secretariat defines coping capacity as means by which people or organizations use available resources and abilities to face (to cope with) adverse consequences that could lead to a disaster. They added that in general, this involves managing resources, both in normal times as well as during crises or adverse conditions. Coping capacities can be developed overtime. Some coping capacities are acquired through experiences in adverse situations and proper specialized training and some could be fully utilized if resources are within access of individual, community or organizations. Coping capacities can be categorized as follows: Categories Survivability (activities that deal with individual vulnerabilities) Readiness (activities that deals with community vulnerabilities) Refers to: to manage to stay alive or continue to exist, especially in difficult situations group/community organization functioning as a system prepared for any hazard that is going to happen 14

15 Prevention and Mitigation (activities that deals squarely with Hazard) Mitigation covers measures, which can be taken to minimize destructive and disruptive effects of hazards and thus lessen magnitude of a disaster. Mitigation measures can range from physical measures such as flood defenses or safe building design, to legislation and nonstructural measures such as training, organizing disaster volunteers, public awareness, food security programs and advocacy on development issues. Prevention covers activities designed to impede occurrence of a disaster event and/or prevent such an occurrence from having harmful effects on communities and facilities. Usual examples are safety standards for industries, flood control measures and land use regulations. Poverty alleviation and assets redistribution schemes such as land reform, provision of basic needs and services such as preventive health care, education are or non-structural measures. Anderson and Woodrow (1989) categorizes capacities on following: Physical/material: People with economic and material resources can survive better. These may come in form of cash, land, tools, food, jobs, or access to credit. The appropriateness and abundance of people's resources make a difference as to wher y can handle or control any kind of threat (resilience) and wher y can lead a satisfying and dignified life. For example, people with access to food and clean water have better health to withstand disease; those with means can afford materials and skills to make ir homes strong against cyclones. Social/organizational: People have social resources that help m cope with, resist and handle threats y may face. For example, communities that are close-knit and have social networks for support are stronger. Communities where good leadership, caring local and national institutions are in place, and where people share physical resources y have in times of need are more likely to survive. These communities may be economically poor but can be socially strong. Attitudinal/motivational: People, who are aware of ir abilities and have confidence in mselves, are better able to cope with a crisis. When y are having a sense of control over events and power to change ir condition, y are less vulnerable to threats. 15

16 Coping capacities are hazard and vulnerability specifics. Below is to demonstrate coping capacities that are specific to degree of vulnerability. Rich Poor River Highly vulnerable to zone Highly vulnerable to Medium vulnerable to Low vulnerable to Categories Survivability Readiness Time Element During Hazard event Before Hazard Event During Hazard event Highly Vulnerable to Swimming skills, first aid Strengning livelihood, health, education and governance activities. Community Search and rescue, Evacuation system, Early warning, Logistics such as food and medical supply, transport and communication system Medium Vulnerable to Swimming skills, first aid Strengning livelihood, health, education and governance activities. Community Search and rescue, Evacuation system, Early warning, Logistics such as food and medical supply, transport and communication system Low Vulnerable to First aid Strengning livelihood, health, education and governance activities. Community Search and rescue, Evacuation system, Early warning, Logistics such as food and medical supply, transport and communication system 16

17 Before Hazard Event Strengning community systems and structures for resilient and resistant livelihood, health, education and governance Strengning community systems and structures for resilient and resistant livelihood, health, education and governance Strengning community systems and structures for resilient and resistant livelihood, health, education and governance Coping capacities that mainly directed to eliminate or reduce impact of hazards. Example below is on flood as a hazard. Mitigation Prevention spill way system, planting trees, soil and water conservation Building dams, deepening flood canals, watershed management BUILD FROM WHAT THE PEOPLE HAVE: Each individual, community, society or a nation have a latent capacity and it needs to be release to realized resiliency. Efforts should aim to develop coping capacities within individual, communities, society, nations or organizations to reach level of resiliency from any hazards. Community Capacity Assessment Identify strengths and resources present in individuals, households and community to cope with, withstand, prevent, prepare for, mitigate or quickly recover from a disaster. Coping means managing resources in adverse situations. 17

18 Capacity Assessment Exercise 5 Hazard Profile Element At Risk Individual Survivability 6 Consider Age and Gender Community Readiness 7 Time Element During hazard event Before hazard event During hazard event Existing Capacities 5 Prepared by : Rusty Binas, Director, Regional Center for Latin America, International Institute of Rural Reconstruction Oticbabes@yahoo.com 6 to manage to stay alive or continue to exist, especially in difficult situations 7 group/community organization functioning as a system prepared for any hazard that is going to happen 18

19 Before hazard event Existing Hazard Prevent Measures? Existing Hazard Mitigation Measures? 19

20 Risk Assessment and Analysis 8 Hazard Profile Element At Risk Individual Survivability 9 Consider Age and Gender Community Readiness 10 Time Element During hazard event Before hazard event During hazard event Capacities Needed 8 Prepared by : Rusty Binas, Director, Regional Center for Latin America, International Institute of Rural Reconstruction Oticbabes@yahoo.com 9 to manage to stay alive or continue to exist, especially in difficult situations 10 group/community organization functioning as a system prepared for any hazard that is going to happen 20

21 Before hazard event How to Prevent Hazard? How to Mitigate Hazard? 21