EXPOSURE Vulnerability

Exposure and Vulnerability
❖The severity of the impacts of disasters and other

extreme weather climate events depends strongly on
the level of vulnerability and exposure to these events.
❖Understanding the multi-faceted nature of

vulnerability and exposure is a prerequisite for
determining how natural hazards and climate events
contribute to the occurrence of disasters, and for
designing and implementing effective adaptation and
disaster risk management strategies.
ELEMENTS EXPOSED TO HAZARD
Exposure refers to the ‘elements at risk’ from a natural or
man-made hazard event. Elements at risk include:
1. human beings;
2. dwelling or households and communities;
3. buildings and structures;
4. public facilities and infrastructure assets;
5. public and transport system;
6. agricultural commodities; and
7. environmental assets
8. economic activities (intangible element)
What is vulnerability?
• Vulnerability is defined as “the characteristics and

circumstances of a community, system or asset that
make it susceptible to the damaging effects of a
hazard”.
Vulnerability to Specific Hazards
There are many aspects of vulnerability, arising from
various physical, social, economic, and environmental
factors. Examples may include:
• poor design and construction of buildings;
• inadequate protection of assets;
• lack of public information and awareness;
• limited official recognition of risks and preparedness
measures; and
• disregard for wise environmental management.
Four Main Types of Vulnerability (UNISDR)
1. Physical vulnerability may be determined by

aspects such as population density levels,
remoteness of a settlement, the site, design and
materials used for critical infrastructure and for
housing
2. Social vulnerability refers to the inability of people,
organizations and societies to withstand adverse
impacts to hazards due to characteristics inherent in
social interactions, institutions and systems of cultural
values.
3. Economic vulnerability. The level of vulnerability is
highly dependent upon the economic status of
individuals, communities and nations.
4. Environmental vulnerability. Natural resource
depletion and resource degradation are key aspects
of environmental vulnerability. This is one aspect
that both communities and government must be
sensitive about.
Basic Concept of Hazard
• One important key to safety is understanding a
particular incident or phenomenon that may affect
people’s life.
• An ordinary incident or natural phenomenon may
turn into a hazard once it becomes active and poses
harm or danger to life and property
• This is the basic concept of hazard everyone should
be aware of.
Definitions of Hazards
• Hazards are “those elements of physical
environment, harmful to man and caused by forces
extraneous to him.” (Burton et al 1978)
• A source of potential harm or a situation with a
potential to cause loss. (Standards Australia 2000)
• A natural event that has the potential to cause harm
or loss. (Asian Disaster Preparedness Center)
General Classification of Hazards
1. Natural hazards such as earthquakes and floods arise
from purely natural processes in the environment.
2. Quasi-natural hazards such as smog or desertification
that arise through the interaction of natural
processes and human activities
3. Technological or human-made hazards such as the
toxicity of pesticides to agricultural lands, accidental
leaks of chemicals from chemical laboratories or
radiation from a nuclear plant
Types of Hazards
Hewitt and Burton (1971) provided a typology of
hazards as follows:
1. Atmospheric (Single Element)
• Excess rainfall
• Freezing rain (glaze)
• Hail
• Heavy snow falls
• High wind speed
• Extreme temperature
Atmospheric (Combined Elements/Events)
• Hurricanes
• ‘Glaze storm’
• Thunderstorms
• Blizzards
• Tornadoes
• Heat/Cold Stress
2. Hydrologic
• Floods – river and coastal area
• Wave action
• Drought
• Rapid glacier advance
3. Geologic
• Mass movement
• Landslide
• Mudslide
• Avalanches
• Earthquake
• Volcanic Eruption
• Rapid sediment movement
4. Biologic
• Epidemic in humans
• Epidemic in plants
• Epidemic in animals
• Locusts
5. Technologic
• Transportation accident
• Industrial explosions and fire
• Accidental release of toxic elements
• Nuclear accidents
• Collapse of public buildings
• Cyber terrorism
Impacts of Various Hazards on Different Exposed Elements
• Physical impact
• Death of people
• Destruction and loss of vital infrastructure like
transportation system, communication lines
• Widespread loss of housing
• Psychological impact
• PTSD Depression
• Marital conflict Chronic anxiety
• Socio-cultural impact
• Displacement of population
• Loss of cultural identity
• Forced adoption of new sets of culture
• Ethnic conflict
• Economic impact
• Loss of job due to displacement
• Loss of harvest and livestock
• Loss of farms, fish cages, and other sources of
living
• Disturbance of biodiversity
• Loss of natural rivers and other tributaries
• Biological impact
• Epidemic to people, flora and fauna
• Chronic and permanent illnesses due to
nuclear radiation
• Mental disorder developed from consumption
of contaminated foods
• Disturbance of biodiversity
• Proliferation of different viral and bacterial
diseases
ASSIGNMENT
Direction: Since being safe and protected is the
number one GOAL of every family, let us conduct an
ocular inspection of your house and backyard to
ensure your family’s safety against hazards and
disasters.
Follow the steps below:
1. Tour around your house including the backyard and
assess if there is/ are hazards observed in your house.
2. As much as possible, make a list of all the hazards that
you have observed.
3. Using all the hazards that you listed, determine what
could be the possible events that may put you and your
family at risks.
4. Who among the family members are prone or
susceptible to the listed hazards?
5. Identify the reasons why that member of that family is
vulnerable.
Guide Questions:
1. If you are going to consider all the hazards that you
identified in the activity, do you think your place can
be considered safe or not? If yes explain why. If not,
what else could be done to make your place less
vulnerable?
2. With all the hazards that you have identified, who do
you think among your family members will be most
affected? Explain your answer.
3. As a family, do you think all members have same level
of vulnerability in the hazards present in your house?
4. Give at least three factors that can affect the
vulnerability of your family and your residence.

EXPOSURE Vulnerability

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Exposure and Vulnerability

❖The severity of the impacts of disasters and other

❖Understanding the multi-faceted nature of

• Vulnerability is defined as “the characteristics and

1. Physical vulnerability may be determined by

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