Disaster Risk Management

Lecture 1

Niyati Jigyasu Chitkara School of Planning and Architecture

L 3 –IMPACTS OF DISASTERS

RECAP

CLASSIFICATION OF DISASTER

FLOOD

EARTHQUAKE

TSUNAMI

TROPICAL CYCLONES

DROUGHT

Analysis of Event

Primary and secondary hazards

Primary and secondary effects

Impacts

Vulnerabilities (Social, political, geographical, climatic, economic)

L 3- Impacts of Disasters

Impacts of Disasters ( based on people)

(including social, (including social, economic, political, health, psychosocial, etc. )

Differential impacts- in terms of caste, class, gender, age, location, disability

Vulnerabilities of an individual or a group Vulnerabilities of an individual or a group or community

Economic Impact of Disasters

• Direct reported economic losses from disasters have multiplied fivefold in real terms to 629 million USD (IFRC 2003)

• Economic impact in developed countries is much higher than in the developing world.

• However developing countries bear the heaviest burden of these costs in terms of average annual damage relative to GDP and strength of their livelihoods.

• 11 Percent of the people prone to disasters live in low income developing countries, but they account for more than 53 percent of the total recorded deaths resulting from natural disasters (UNDP 2004)

Which sectors are economically vulnerable to disasters?

• Agriculture (Primary)

• Animal Husbandry (Primary)

• Inland and Marine Fishing (Primary)

• Manufacturing (Secondary)

• Trade and Hospitality (Secondary)

• Services (Tertiary sector)

Economic Impacts of Disasters

• Some of the impacts are more visible and tangible (impacts we can assign a monetary value to) than the others.

• Some impacts are short term, while others are long term.

• Some impacts are direct, while others are indirect.

What are the potential direct economic losses to various sectors?

• Destroyed or Uninhabitable Buildings

• Death/casualty of earning members

• Destroyed or damaged productive assets

• Loss of Valuable Records and Inventory

Need to consider social vulnerability along with economic vulnerability = Socio-economic Vulnerability

• Social Vulnerability is the potential impact from a particular event on people and communities that are at different levels of preparedness.

Which social groups are vulnerable to disasters?

• Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes

• Challenged and disabled (visually / orthopedically / mentally)

• Children

• Women

OLD AND YOUNG MOST AT RISK OLD AND YOUNG MOST AT RISK -Less mobility

-Less resistance to disease -More dependent -Fewer resources

Which economic groups are vulnerable to disasters?

• Non Workers / Unemployed

• Marginal / Small Farmers

So does these vulnerability affect at every phase of the Disaster cycle???

PHASES OF THE DISASTER CYCLE

1. The warning phase: indicating the possible occcurence of a catastotrophe and the threat period during which the disaster is impending.

2. The impact phase: when the disaster strikes

3. The emergency phase: when rescue, treatment and salvage activities commence

4. The rehabilitation phase: when essential services are provided on a temporary basis

5. The reconstruction phase: when a permanent return to normal is achieved.

The Warning phase

Telecommunication systems

-Awareness of people receiving,

Telecommunication systems -At international level(PTWC)

-Awareness of people receiving, understanding, educated for

warnings

Policies of the state ..who Policies of the state ..who informs whom???

Indian Ocean Tsunami, 2004

Received signals three minutes,

thirty seconds after the quake

began

Who gets affected???

The target group

The Impact Phase

Financial condition i.e. Quality of settlements... Money can buy design and engineering that minimises

Financial condition i.e. Quality of settlements... Money can buy design and engineering that minimises

Location Location -Due to choice

-Caste -Occupation, e.g. fishermen

-Gender…

ABOVE ALL ….TYPE OF HAZARD

The Emergency Phase

Awareness of help Awareness of help

Accessibility of aids due to ----

Accessibility of aids due to -Location -Hierarchy of caste/ economic status -Religion -Gender safety and equality

The Rehabilitation Phase

Awareness of rights, aids, government benefits Awareness of rights, aids, government benefits

-Hierarchy of caste/ economic status -Hierarchy of caste/ economic status

Possibility of Insurance and reserve resources

PSCYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT...very important PSCYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT...very important

Acceptance of new attitudinal changes in policies, reconstruction, re Acceptance of new attitudinal changes in policies, reconstruction, re-planning…

Psychological impact MUMBAI TERROR ATTACKS, 26TH NOVEMBER, 2008

• Level 1 – Large group meetings for morale building and provision of information.

• Level 2 – Small group meetings for ventilation, assessment, provision of support and information.

• Level 3 – Small group therapy sessions and individual counselling sessions.

Survivors Support and Rehabilitation Project

Units for Vulnerability and Risk Assessment

• Note: Vulnerability is expressed in percentage loss, while the corresponding risk is estimated in Rupees million