Module 1: Significance of Disaster Concepts to

Future Health Professionals

Created @September 23, 2023 7:56 AM

Task Review

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Lesson -1 History and Nature of Disaster events in the Philippines

According to Wingard & Brändlin (2013) published article in ASIA Journal entitled, Philippines: A country prone to natural disasters,
the Philippines has suffered from an inexhaustible number of deadly typhoons, earthquakes, volcano eruptions and other natural
disasters. This is due to its location along the Ring of Fire, or typhoon belt – a large Pacific Ocean region where many of Earth’s
volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur.
Remember the following disasters that hit the Philippines:

1. Bohol earthquake, October 2013

In the early morning hours of October 15, 2013, the island province of Bohol, located in Central Visayas in the Philippines, was
disrupted by the deadliest earthquake in the Philippines in 23 years. The earthquake lasted 34 seconds and had a magnitude
size of 7.2. The Bohol earthquake had an impact on the entire Central Visayas region. According to the National Disaster Risk
Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) 222 people died, 976 were injured, and more than 73,000 houses were
damaged or destroyed. It has been estimated that the energy the quake released was equivalent to 32 Hiroshima bombs.

2. Typhoon Bopha,(Typhoon Pablo) November – December 2012

Super typhoon Bopha also known as Typhoon Pablo made landfall on December 4, 2012, on the Philippines' southern island of
Mindanao, which had been destroyed by the Washi storm a year before. Pablo caused widespread destruction on the island
with more than 600 fatalities. The super typhoon reached an unusually minimal latitude, coming extremely close to the equator
and is in fact the second-most southerly super typhoon labelled “category 5” – the highest level when it comes to a typhoon's
maximum wind force and the scale of the potential damage it can inflict.

3. Pantukan landslide, January 2012

All the conditions were present in making the mining community of Pantukan town on the southern Philippine Island of
Mindanao vulnerable to landslides – steep slopes, rugged land and poor vegetation, the director of the Philippine Institute of
Volcanology and Seismology, Renato Solidum, said following the January 5, 2012 disaster. Twenty-five people were killed when
the landslide struck a gold mine site near the town. Following the landslide, a 30-day suspension of all mining operations in the
town was ordered.

4. Tropical Storm Washi, (Storm Sendong) December 2011

One of few storm cells to hit the southern Philippines, tropical storm Washi also known as storm “Sendong” triggered flash
flooding that surged down mountain sides, uprooting trees and swelling rivers - all while residents slept. The storm left 1,080
people dead and destroyed the coastal cities of Cagayan de Oro and nearby Iligan, turning them in rubbish dumps filled with
overturned cars, debris and animal carcasses. Houses with families sleeping inside were swept into the sea in an area of the
Philippines ill-equipped to cope with storms. It took months for power and clean water to be restored again to the region.

5. Super Typhoon Haiyan “Yolanda” (Nov.8, 2013)

Typhoon Haiyan, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Yolanda, was one of the most powerful tropical cyclones ever
recorded. On making landfall, Haiyan devastated portions of Southeast Asia, particularly the Philippines. It is one of the
deadliest Philippine typhoons on record, killing at least 6,300 people in that country alone. In terms of JTWC-estimated 1-
minute sustained winds, Haiyan is tied with Meranti in 2016 for being the second strongest landfalling tropical cyclone on record
only behind Goni of 2020. In January 2014, bodies were still being found. According to Asian Disaster Preparedness Center
(ADPC), the Philippines is an archipelago state, consisting of some 7,100 islands and islets, and covering a land area of
approximately 300,000 km2. The country comprises three groups or large islands: (1) the Luzon group in the north and west,
consisting of Luzon, Mindoro, and Palawan, (2) the Visayas group in the center, consisting of Bohol, Cebu, Leyte, Masbate,
Negros, Panay and Samar, and (3) Mindanao in the South.

Lesson 2: Significant Concepts Disaster Events (Natural, Man –made and other classification of Disaster

The term Disaster is a Latin word which literally means ill-starred. It is made of two words, namely, des and aster. Des means
without and aster means star. The term itself stands “bad star” or for all sudden and calamitous events producing material and
damage to properties and environment, loss of lives, psychological and mental distress (De Guzman, 2016).

Module 1: Significance of Disaster Concepts to Future Health Professionals 1

 DISASTER- is any event that causes a level of destruction, death, or injury that affects the abilities of the community to respond to
the incident using available resources.

Disaster also happens when communities lack the capacity to adapt to disruptions due to inadequate resources.

Natural Disaster- is one that induced by a natural event (e.g., earthquake, flood, and volcano), whereas.

Man-made Disaster- is one resulting from the breakdown of regular process within a social system (e.g., war, recession,
riots, and technological failures).

Synergistic Disaster- A natural disaster that triggers a secondary disaster is called, Synergistic Disaster. This is due to the
result of the weakness in the human environment. Examples of this classification are; a strong typhoon (natural)
which results into landslides or mudflows, or a strong earthquake that triggers the occurrence of tsunamis in other
location.

Mass Casualty- event is one in which 100 or more individuals are involved.
Multiple Casualty- event is one in which more than 2 but fewer than 100 individuals are involved.

Direct Victim- is an individual who is immediately affected by the event.

Displaced Persons- are those who have to evacuate their home, school, or business as a result of mostly natural disaster.

Refugees- are a group of people who have fled their home or even their country as a result of famine, drought, war, or civil unrest
(both natural and man -made disasters).
Indirect Victim- is maybe a family member or friend of the victim or a first responder.

Difference between Emergency Situation and Disaster Events

Emergency is a sudden, urgent, unexpected, unforeseen incidence to a particular
individual or group of people requiring immediate action. This can be responded using
already available resources in the health clinic, primary, secondary and textually level
hospitals.
Emergency situations include the following:

Workplace hazards- chemical spills, car accidents, faulty and dangerous equipment, debris fall inside the building and the
likes

Environmental hazards- dog and snake bites, falling branches, drowning, slippery floors, debris fall from outside, air & noise
pollution and the likes

Catering hazards- food poisoning, water poisoning, bacterial infestation and the likes

Road hazards- car accidents causing trauma-fractures-wound-concussion, traffic hazards, bombing, heat strokes incidence
and the likes, riots, mass actions and the likes.

Domestic hazards- domestic violence & district fighting causing wound laceration, fractures and other injuries.

Disaster, although some of its types are still considered as sudden, unexpected,
unforeseen events, needs more resources since it affects more than one individual and
the effects are far more devastating that includes the whole community. Furthermore, the
prepared resources are not sufficient enough to really cater and suffice the significant
needs of the people.
Summary of Common Disaster Events affecting the country

1. Geophysical hazards include:

a. Earthquake,
b. Landslides,
c. Surface rupture,
d. Sinkholes
e. Rock flow

2. Hydro-meteorological hazards include:

a. Lightning
b. Hail
c. Tornado (Buhawi)
d. Flood
e. Flash flood

Module 1: Significance of Disaster Concepts to Future Health Professionals 2

 f. Storm Surge
g. Snowmelts
h. Desertification
i. Sand storm

3. Volcanic Hazards (Types are Active, Erupting, Dormant, Extinct)

It will produce the following hazards:

a. Lava flow
b. Pyroclastic flow
c. Ash fall
d. Gas emission
e. Tephra
f. Lahar
g. Debris avalanche

1. Biological hazards (Infectious Disease Outbreak /Pandemic)

2. Climatological hazards (Climate Change & Greenhouse Effect)

3. Fire (Urban Fire, Forest Fire and its corresponding hazards)

Lesson 3: DIFFERENT EFFECTS OF DISASTER EVENTS TO INDIVIDUAL, FAMILY AND COMMUNITY

1. ENVIRONMENTAL & PHYSICAL EFFECTS:

2. ECONOMIC EFFECTS:

3. HUMAN LOSSES:

4. EMOTIONAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL TOLL:

5. INDIRECT EFFECTS:

Lesson-4 The Need for Mental Health & Psycho-social support during the Recovery Phase of Disaster Management

GOALS of Mental Health interventions: (CDC, 2004)

› To foster and stimulate natural mental healing process, after the disaster, within the community
› To decrease resistance to treatment among individuals whose emotional suffering exceeded natural healing capacity of the group.
Since Resistance & denial to interventions are the main barriers in achieving mental health after the disaster.

Mental Health and Wellness

Positive mental health allows people to:

Realize their full potential

Cope with the stresses of life

Work productively

Make meaningful contributions to their communities

Ways to maintain positive mental health include:

Getting professional help if you need it

Connecting with others

Staying positive

Getting physically active

Helping others

Getting enough sleep and developing coping skills

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