Global hazards

Hazard

poses a threat to human life or property

natural hazard

caused by natural processes

hydro-meteological

climate processes (e.g. droughts, floods)

geophysical

land processes (e.g. earthquakes, volcanic eruptions )

disaster

hazard that seriously affects humans

risk

likelihood that humans will be seriously affected

vulnerability

how susceptible a population is to damage caused by a hazard

disaster risk equation

risk = hazard x vulnerability = capacity to cope

What cause the risk of a disaster to increase?

• frequency or severity of hazard increase

• people’s vulnerability increase

• people’s capacity to cope decreases

example of disaster risk

• Kashmir, Pakistan earthquake, 75000 deaths, remote mountainous location

• Izmit, Turkey, 18000 deaths, poorly constructed buildings due to poverty

relative financial cost

amount of money lost relative to how much people have to start with