Unit 2: Exposure and Vulnerability — Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms from Unit 2: Exposure and Vulnerability.

Vulnerability

The susceptibility of people, places, or systems to harm from hazards, shaped by factors such as demographics, socioeconomic status, and access to resources.

Hazard

A natural or human-made process or event with potential to cause harm.

Exposure

The presence of people, property, or infrastructure in hazard-prone areas.

Disaster Readiness

Preparedness activities and measures to reduce risk and improve response to hazards.

Risk Reduction

Actions and strategies aimed at lowering vulnerability and exposure to prevent or lessen disaster impacts.

Demographic Factors

Population characteristics, such as age structure, that influence vulnerability.

Settlement Patterns

The spatial distribution of people and housing, influenced by urbanization and affecting risk.

Population Density

The number of people living per unit area, influencing risk concentration.

Socioeconomic Status

Wealth and social position that affect access to resources and vulnerability.

Migration

Movement of people from one place to another, affecting exposure and vulnerability.

Internally Displaced Persons (IDP)

People forced to leave their homes to escape hazards or conflict but who remain within their country.

Age of Population

The proportion of young people and seniors in a community, affecting care needs and vulnerability.

Marginalized or Excluded Groups

Groups often identified as vulnerable during emergencies (e.g., pregnant women, minorities, disabled individuals, tourists, migrants, prisoners).

Structural Vulnerability

Vulnerability of buildings due to location, surrounding structures, height, age, alterations, and maintenance.

Non-Structural Vulnerability

Vulnerability from walls, ceilings, fixtures, doors/windows, and electrical/plumbing systems.

Non-Engineered Building

A building designed by unlicensed individuals, built without permits and typically lacking safety standards.

Engineered Building

A building designed and built to codes by licensed professionals.

Owner-Built Structures

Structures built without permits and without following safety standards.

Elements Exposed to Hazards

Physical, social, economic, and environmental components that are at risk in hazards.

Physical Elements Exposed

Infrastructures like houses, roads, bridges, railways, and airports at risk.

Social Elements Exposed

People at risk, such as children, women, the elderly.

Economic Elements Exposed

Businesses and livelihoods, including small and medium enterprises.

Environmental Elements Exposed

Natural landscapes and bodies of water that can be affected by hazards.

Biological Hazards

Hazards involving living organisms, such as epidemics, toxins, and viruses.

Geological and Geophysical Hazards

Earth-related hazards such as earthquakes, rockslides, tsunamis, sinkholes, and volcanic eruptions.

Hydrometeorological Hazards

Weather- and climate-driven hazards like typhoons, storm surges, flash floods, and wildfires.

Technological Hazards

Hazards from industrial processes and technology, e.g., pollution, radiation, spills, dam failures, accidents.

Anthropogenic Hazards

Hazards caused by human activities and decisions.

Natural Hazards

Hazards arising from natural processes and phenomena.

Origins of Hazards

Sources of hazards: natural events (trigger events) and man-made events.

Hazards Trigger Events

Natural events that act as triggers for hazards.

Man-Made Events

Events caused by human actions that create hazards.