Effect of
Disasters
on one’s
Life
By: WILLY ALBERT BRAZA, LPT
After going through this module, you are expected to:
1. Identify the effects of disasters to human and to
the society.
2. Determine ways to lessen the impact of a disaster.
3. Cite personal values that can help one overcome
the effects of disasters.
4. Help the community in reducing the effects of
Natural and Human-made disasters
Learning Task 1:
Think of five (5) disasters
that you had experienced,
watched, or read in the past
two years. Then, write how
you feel while experiencing,
watching, or reading it. Do
this on your answer sheet.
Natural disasters can destroy a
whole community in an instant.
Examples of natural disasters
are volcanic eruptions,
tsunamis, earthquakes, and
typhoons which are destructive
to people's lives.
CALAMITY / DISASTER YOUR FEELING
MAN-MADE
DISASTERS
These are caused by human beings.
Some of the man-made disasters are
bomb explosions, terrorism, wars,
leakage of poisonous chemicals,
pollutions, industrial accidents, and
epidemics. They are identified as
man- made disasters because they
happen due to human actions and not
by natural forces.
What is the difference between
hazard and disaster?
HAZARD DISASTER
A hazard is a dangerous A disaster is an event that harms
situation or event that carries a humans and disrupts the
threat to humans. Hazards can operations of society. If a
only be considered disasters disaster happened in an
once it affected humans. unpopulated area, it is still a
hazard.
The Human
Effect of Natural
Disasters
DISPLACED
POPULATION
●One of the most immediate
effects of natural disasters is
population displacement. When
countries are ravaged by
earthquakes or other powerful
forces of nature, many people
need to abandon their homes and
seek shelter in other regions. A
large influx of refugees can
disrupt accessibility of health
care and education, as well as
food supplies and clean water.
Health Risks
Aside from the obvious immediate danger
that natural disasters present, the secondary
effect can be just as damaging. Severe
flooding can result in stagnant water that
allows breeding of waterborne bacteria and
malaria-carrying mosquitoes. Without
emergency relief from international aid
organizations and others, death tolls can rise
even after the immediate danger has passed.
FOOD SCARCITY
Thousands of people around the
world are hungry because of
destroyed crops and loss of
agricultural supplies, whether it
happens suddenly in a storm or
gradually in a drought. As a 16
result, food prices rise reducing
families’ purchasing power and
increasing the risk of severe
malnutrition or worse.
EMOTIONAL AFTERSHOCKS
● Natural disasters can be particularly
traumatic for young children. Confronted
with scenes of destruction and the deaths
of friends and loved ones, many children
develop post-traumatic stress disordAer
(PTSD), a serious psychological condition
resulting from extreme trauma. Left
untreated, children suffering from PTSD
can be prone to lasting psychological
damage and emotional distress.
Great damage caused by a disaster can be reduced if everyone will take
responsibility in anticipating its effects.
1 2 3 4 5
Identify safe Educate Have Disaster . Develop an
Check for yourself and kits/supplies on emergency
place indoors
hazards at home family members hand. communication
and outdoors
plan.
Great damage caused by a disaster can be reduced if everyone will take
responsibility in anticipating its effects.
6 7
Practice the
Help your
Disaster
community get
Preparedness
ready.
Cycle
WHAT’S MORE?
Consider yourself to be a friend to the following people.
Given their situations and the fact that they are
suffering from the effects of a previous disaster, what
tips, pieces of advice or empowering words can you
give them to help them recover?
1. Dale Marc is a 16 years old student. He, together
with his family, is currently staying in a basketball court
which serves as the evacuation center for affected
families who lost their homes due to the eruption of
Taal Volcano. He decided to stop schooling and instead
find a job to be able to help his parents for their basic
needs. I would tell him ….
We cannot stop natural disasters but we can arm ourselves with
knowledge: so many lives wouldn't have to be lost if there was enough
disaster preparedness."" - Petra Nemcova
