Basic Concepts and

Terminologies
in Disaster Management
Adopted from 8th EVRC Course Held in Feb
2009 in Bangkok
 Basic At the end of this session, you
should be able to:
Definitions
Define disaster,hazard,
& Terms risk, elements at risk,
vulnerability, capacity,
Learning response, relief,
Objectives rehabilitation,
reconstruction,
development,
mitigation,
preparedness and
prevention
HAZARD
Phenomenon or situation, which has
the potential to cause disruption or
damage to people, their property, their
services and their environment
There is a
potential for
occurrence
of an event
DISASTER
The serious disruption of the functioning of
society, causing widespread human, material
or environmental losses, which exceed the
ability of the affected people to cope using
their own resources.

An event, either man-made or natural, sudden or

progressive, causing widespread human,
material or environmental losses
Vulnerability
Is a condition or
sets of
conditions that
reduces
people’s ability
to prepare for,
withstand or
respond to a
hazard
Capacity
Those positive
condition or
abilities which
increase a
community’s
ability to deal with
hazards.
Risk
The probability that
a community’s
structure or
geographic area is to
be damaged or
disrupted by the
impact of a
particular hazard,
on account of their
nature, construction,
and proximity to a
hazardous area.
Hazard x Vulnerability Disaster Risk
=
Capacity
Hazard x Vulnerability
Disaster Risk
=
Capacity
Elements at Risk
Persons, buildings,
crops or other such like
societal components
exposed to known
Exposed Elements
hazard, which are likely
to be adversely
affected by the impact
of the hazard.
THE DISASTER MANAGEMENT CYCLE

DISASTER

PREPAREDNESS RESPONSE/RELIEF

MITIGATION REHABILITATION

PREVENTION RECONSTRUCTION

DEVELOPMENT
Response
Actions taken
immediately
following the impact
of a disaster when
exceptional
measures are
required to meet the
basic needs of the
survivors.
Relief
Measures that are
required in search and
rescue of survivors, as
well to meet the basic
needs for shelter,
water, food and health
care.
What is difference between

1. Recovery
2. Rehabilitation
3. Reconstruction
 Disaster
impact
Preparedness

Relief

Rehabilitation
Mitigation

Reconstruction

Recovery phase 19
Recovery
The process
undertaken by a
disaster affected
community to fully
restore itself to
pre-disaster level
of functioning.
21
22
Rehabilitation Actions taken in
the aftermath of a
disaster to:
• assist victims to
repair their
dwellings;
• re-establish
essential services;

• revive key economic

and social activities
Reconstruction
Permanent
measures to repair
or replace damaged
dwellings and
infrastructure and to
set the economy
back on course.
Development

Sustained
efforts intended
to improve or
maintain the
social and
economic
well-being of a
community
Prevention
Measures taken to
avert a disaster
from occurring, if
possible (to
impede a hazard
so that it does not
have any harmful
effects).
Mitigation
Measures taken prior
to the impact of a
disaster to minimize
its effects
(sometimes referred
to as structural and
non-structural
measures).
Preparedness
Measures taken in
anticipation of a disaster
to ensure that
appropriate and effective
actions are taken in the
aftermath.
Mitigation Prevention

Measures taken Measures taken

prior to the to avert a
impact of a disaster from
disaster to
occurring, if
minimize its
effects (sometimes possible (to
referred to as impede a hazard
structural and so that it does
non-structural not have any
measures).
harmful effects).
Mitigation Preparedness

Measures taken Measures taken in

prior to the anticipation of a
impact of a disaster to ensure
disaster to that appropriate and
minimize its effective actions are
effects (sometimes taken in the
referred to as aftermath.
structural and
non-structural
measures).
Mitigation

Preparedness

Preparedness

Mitigation
Sand dune fixation with bushes and trees along the
coast line as barrier against surges and strong
winds
Where feasible, Mangove forest along
the sea shore
 SRI - system of rice intensification-
reducing water demand and making
crops more resistant to extreme weather
_____________________________________________________
…..for Life to continue…….
events
Seed stores - Access to disaster- resistant seed and
plants
Cyclone shelters in coastal areas or flood
shelters along major rivers
Mock drill on emergency/first aid
Early warning: international, national and
on a community level
Seed and food stocks/storage systems
DRR Committees and communal actions
Climate Change Adaptation and DRR…
CC-adaptation…

•Does risk assessment in

the first place
Climate •Looks at slow- and
DRR Change sudden-onset disasters
Adaptation
•Has a long-term vision
•Takes the perpetrators of
CC into account
•Addresses GHG
reduction (mitigation)
What is the difference
between DM and DRM
Disaster Management
A collective term
encompassing all
aspects of planning for
preparing and
responding to disasters.
It refers to the
management of the
consequences of
disasters.
Disaster Risk Management
A broad range of
activities designed to:

 Prevent the loss of lives

 Minimize human suffering
 Inform the public and
authorities of risk
 Minimize property damage
and economic loss
 Speed up the recovery
process
 Disaster risk management - Stress on proactive
disaster management responses of prevention,
mitigation and preparedness

 Prevent, reduce, transfer or live with disaster risk

 Public safety, disaster resilience, sustainable development for all
THE DISASTER MANAGEMENT CYCLE

DISASTER
PREPAREDNESS
RESPONSE

MITIGATION REHABILITATION

PREVENTION RECONSTRUCTION

DEVELOPMENT
 Disaste
r
Disaster Risk Management

Ea rly W arning

Emer genc y
Preparedne ss Response

Awar enes s and

Capa city Building Rehabilit ation

Prev entio n/Mitigatio

n Reconstruct ion
Risk
Asse ssme nt
 Conclusion
• Clear cut distinction between different terminologies
• Difference between Preparedness, Mitigation, and
Prevention,
• Difference between Recovery, Rehabilitation and
Reconstruction
• Difference between DM and DRM
• Sharpen our knowledge about different terminologies
QUESTION &
DISCUSSION