Learning intentions:
- Identify how hazards can impact on people and property.
- Identify what makes someone vulnerable to the impacts of a natural hazard.
- Explain how a natural hazard can become a disaster.
What causes disasters?
A disaster occurs when a community is unable to protect itself from the impact of a hazard event and there is widespread destruction of property, loss of life or injury or major disruption.
Natural hazards don’t inevitably lead to a disaster. A disaster only occurs when a natural hazard impacts upon a vulnerable community.
Natural Hazard + Vulnerable Community = Disaster
Vulnerability is the diminished ability of an individual, group or community to anticipate, cope with, resist and recover from the impact of a natural hazard.
People can be vulnerable if:
- They don’t understand their local hazards or the impacts they can have.
- They have no access to information about how to protect themselves or their property.
- They don’t have the resources they need to take action to protect themselves and their property.
Activity 1: What causes a disaster?
Read the 2011 Grantham, Lockyer Valley Floods case study. In pairs or small groups, discuss and record your responses to the following questions:
- What were the impacts of the flood?
- What made people vulnerable to the impacts of the flood?
Read the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires case study. In pairs or small groups, discuss and record your responses the following questions:
- What were the impacts of the bushfire?
- What made people vulnerable to the impacts of the bushfire?
Extension activity
- When does a hazard event become a disaster?
- Can you think of people in your community who might be vulnerable to the impacts of hazard event?
- Would you or your family be vulnerable to the impacts of a hazard event? Why/why not?
- Find out as much additional information as you can about the case study events.