• Disaster Risk: The likelihood of loss of life, injury, or destruction and damage from a disaster in a given period of time.
• Disaster Risk Management (DRM): The capacity of a community, organization or society to anticipate, cope with, resist, and recover from disasters.
• Prevention: The avoidance of adverse impacts of hazards.
• Mitigation: The reduction of the adverse impacts of hazards.
• Preparedness: The knowledge and capacities to anticipate, respond to, and recover from hazard events or conditions.
• Hazard: A potential source of harm or adverse health effect on a person or persons.
• Vulnerability: The characteristics of a person or group in terms of their capacity to anticipate, cope with, resist and recover from the impact of a natural hazard.

• The increasing global patterns of inequality, rapid urban development, and environmental degradation may increase disaster risk to dangerous levels.

• Management of risk is a shared responsibility, including sectors such as insurance, construction, land-use, urban planning, and community preparedness.

  • Example: Insurance can aid firms in recovering from disaster losses, while strong building codes can make sure buildings are resilient against disasters.

Haiti's Earthquake, 2010

• Hazard: Earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale, just 25km west of Port-au-Prince.

• Impact: Affected a third of the population. Approximately 230,000 killed, 250,000 injured, and around a million were left homeless.

• Vulnerability Factors: Overcrowded shanty settlements, weak institutional capacity, and poor building standards.

  • For instance, the area had just two fire stations, no army, and a feeble health service. Also, 60% of the buildings were deemed unsafe under normal conditions.

• Response: Aid was pledged from countries around the world, with food, medical help, and infrastructure support. However, most aid arrived too late for those trapped in rubble or waiting for treatment.

The Christchurch, New Zealand, Earthquakes, 2010-2012

• Hazard: Series of earthquakes and aftershocks with magnitudes up to 7.1.
• Impact: The most destructive earthquake was a 6.3 magnitude in February 2011, which led to the death of 185 people. Significant property damage and impact on the economy.
• Vulnerability Factors: The city is located in a region with around 100 fault lines. The 2010 quake occurred on a previously unknown fault. Additionally, buildings were weakened by the previous earthquake.
• Response: Emergency services managed the early stages of response. Significant investment for rebuilding, with estimates up to NZD40 billion.