2.9. Vulnerability Framework

First, I started looking at hazard and disaster, its a very fundamental difference it is hazard is simply a natural phenomenon it could be a flood, it could be a cyclone or you know, it could be earthquake, it could be a landslide but then what makes hazard a disaster, so here, one has to understand in Japan you are getting 9 Richter scale. In San Francisco, you are getting eight Richter scale but still, you are not losing lives over there but in India countries like India or Pakistan or Sri Lanka even a 7.5 scale is creating a huge impact. So, it is not just a natural phenomenon which is making an impact it is the vulnerability, which is the people’s vulnerability, the society, the community, who are unable to face, that who cope up with that particular hazard and its impact.

This chunk explains the difference between hazards and disasters. Hazards are natural events like floods, cyclones, or earthquakes. Disasters occur when these hazards cause significant harm to people and communities. The difference lies in the ability of a society to withstand or recover from these hazards. For instance, Japan can handle high-magnitude earthquakes without substantial loss of life due to better infrastructure and preparedness. In contrast, countries like India might suffer significantly from lower-magnitude quakes due to higher vulnerability, showcasing how human, social, and infrastructural factors play a crucial role.

Think of a strong tree in a storm. While the storm (the hazard) blows with great force, the tree may withstand it because it is deeply rooted and strong (representing a resilient community). If a weaker tree stands in the same storm, it may topple, leading to disaster. This illustrates how vulnerability in communities can determine the level of disaster following a natural hazard.

So that is where the hazard plus vulnerability is going to disaster risk. In fact, Rohit Jigyasu’s, when I referred with that Rohit Jigyasu’s work, I am mean that is an again and eye-opener for my study where, he have given me a direction that a lot of literature from Blaikie’s work, Canon and Ian Davis work and how these vulnerability disaster and hazard have been worked out.

This chunk introduces the idea that disaster risk is a combination of hazards and vulnerabilities. Scholars like Rohit Jigyasu and others have examined the interaction between these factors, emphasizing that disasters result from how hazards affect vulnerable communities. It suggests that understanding vulnerability is vital in disaster management and recovery efforts. The literature referenced provides frameworks for analyzing these relationships, which help improve disaster readiness and response.

Consider a city prone to flooding (hazard) and the nearby neighborhoods with poorly built houses (vulnerability). If a flood occurs, the impact is devastating because the houses cannot withstand the water. This scenario encapsulates the theory that risk arises not only from the flood but also from the underlying weaknesses in housing and community preparedness.

Similarly, as I defined to as a development, the pre-disaster development, during disaster and the post-disaster. In vulnerability also, I have classified into pre-disaster vulnerabilities which are because, this is a photograph which I have taken in the early stage of Tsunami recovery in the relief stage where they have an existing water resources issues, you have, people used to gather, to get water from the small municipal taps and around the corners and they have service issues so, there are already an existing vulnerable situations it could be they are prone to the hazards.

This section breaks down the concept of vulnerability into three stages: pre-disaster, during disaster, and post-disaster. Pre-disaster vulnerabilities include pre-existing issues like inadequate water supply or weak infrastructure that leave communities more susceptible to disasters. During disaster vulnerabilities can increase as immediate impacts are felt, and post-disaster vulnerabilities may persist if recovery efforts do not adequately address the needs of affected communities, resulting in long-term challenges.

Imagine a neighborhood with poor drainage systems (pre-disaster vulnerability). When heavy rains occur, these aging systems cannot handle the water, leading to flooding (during disaster vulnerability). Even after the storm passes, if the community cannot rebuild or improve the drainage quickly, they may continue facing water issues (post-disaster vulnerability). This illustrates how vulnerabilities evolve through different phases of disaster.

When we talk about vulnerability there are, I will introduce you to four different types of vulnerability analysis, the first one is techno-centric analysis. Earlier, when a disaster happens whether it is a flood or earthquake, the engineer’s team use to visit these site and they also identify where the cracks coming where the joints where the reinforcement defects.

This chunk outlines four different analyses for assessing vulnerability. The first, techno-centric analysis, focuses on the physical vulnerabilities of structures assessed by engineers post-disaster. It includes checking for structural failures. The other analyses consider social aspects, daily life changes, and community awareness about vulnerabilities. Each type captures different dimensions of vulnerability, necessary for comprehensive disaster planning and recovery.

Using a significant building as an example, after an earthquake, engineers examine for visible damage (techno-centric) while social scientists may survey teachers about how school closures affect students' learning (social vulnerability analysis). Meanwhile, community discussions might reveal unmet needs for disaster education. Each perspective provides valuable insights for improving overall resilience.

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