2.6. Urban Risk Dynamics

In this lecture, we will talk about disaster risk considering 3 components; one is hazard, exposure, and vulnerability.

Disaster risk is made up of three key components: hazards, exposure, and vulnerability. A hazard refers to a potential event that could cause harm, such as earthquakes, floods, or landslides. Exposure indicates who or what is at risk when a hazard occurs, such as people living in or near hazardous areas. Vulnerability reflects the weakness of individuals or communities to cope with the effects of hazards, considering factors such as socioeconomic status, location, and preparedness.

Think of a house sitting on the edge of a cliff. The cliff is the hazard because it poses a risk of landslides. If there's a storm, the house is exposed to the risk of being swept away. If the house is built poorly and the residents aren't prepared for such events, they are considered vulnerable. This example highlights the interaction of all three components of disaster risk.

Let us imagine that this is a place near Roorkee in Uttarakhand; it could be a tourist spot,... should you consider this is as disaster or disaster risk?

The location of a potential hazard significantly affects the level of risk associated with it. In the given example of a tourist spot in Uttarakhand, even though the area may look risky due to natural features like stones or steep inclines, the risk increases when people are present. This highlights how risk is not just about the existence of a hazard but also how many people are around and what they are doing.

Imagine a picnic at a scenic hillside. When people are present, the risk of accidents increases significantly—like someone slipping on loose stones—compared to an empty hillside where no one is present. The presence of people amplifies the risk during a potentially hazardous event.

If there is a rain then, there is a possibility that this stone would hit this person so yes, we consider this as risky.

Environmental factors can change the level of risk associated with natural hazards. For example, rain can increase the likelihood of stones detaching from a cliff and falling on people below. This shows that the risk level is dynamic and can elevate due to weather conditions, which can lead to dangerous situations.

Consider a forest path where it has just rained. While walking, the wet ground might cause tree branches to fall. If you were walking there before the rain, the risk was lower compared to when it's raining, showing how environmental changes directly affect risk.

If we have avalanches, landslides in Himalayas, do we consider these events as disasters?

Events like avalanches and landslides are categorized as disasters particularly when they affect populated areas. The assessment of whether an event is a disaster depends on its impact on human life and property. In remote areas, the same events might not be classified as disasters simply because fewer people are affected.

Think of an avalanche in a remote part of the Himalayas that only affects animal habitats. While devastating for the ecosystem, it is not classified as a disaster since human life is not involved. However, if the same avalanche were to occur in a populated village, it can be termed a disaster due to its widespread impact on people.

Maybe, we are more concerned, when there are more settlements are there... this landslide at night time.

The timing of a hazard’s occurrence also plays a crucial role in risk assessment. A landslide at night might pose a greater risk than during the day since many people are asleep and unaware of the danger. This illustrates how time, alongside location and situation, contributes to the overall risk faced by a community.

Consider a residential area near the mountains. If a landslide occurs late at night, families asleep in their homes are at greater risk than if the same landslide happened during the day when residents are awake and alert. This demonstrates how the time of day can influence the seriousness of a disaster event.

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