Natural Hazards and Disasters in the Caribbean
NATURAL HAZARDS AND DISASTERS IN THE CARIBBEAN Definitions
A hazard can be defined as, “A potentially damaging physical event, phenomenon or human activity that may cause the loss of life or injury, property damage, social and economic disruption or environmental degradation”. Hazards can include latent conditions that may represent future threats and can have different origins: natural (geological, hydrometeorological and biological); or induced by human processes (environmental degradation and technological hazards). Hazards can be single, sequential or combined in their origin and effects. Each hazard is characterized by its location, intensity, frequency and probability. International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (2004, 16). A disaster can be defined as, “A serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society causing widespread human, material, economic or environmental losses which exceed the ability of the affected community or society to cope using its own resources”. International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, (2004, 17). A natural hazard can be defined as, “…a potentially dangerous environmental event which impacts on a human population. Moreover natural hazards emerges from environmental activities which are uncontrollable such as Internal Geodynamics (earthquakes and volcanoes), External Geodynamics (Landslides, erosion and flooding), and Hydrometeorology (cyclones, drought, and hurricanes)”. (Good Practices: Natural Hazard Risk Management in the Caribbean Tourism Sector) A natural disaster can be defined as, “…a hazardous event that causes large-scale morbidity/mortality or socioeconomic damage”. Natural disasters arise for the impacts of natural hazards with a specific context and as a result cause serious disruption to the socioeconomic system”. (Good Practices: Natural Hazard Risk Management in the Caribbean Tourism Sector) Vulnerability can be defined as the, “The conditions determined by physical, social, economic, and
A hazard can be defined as, “A potentially damaging physical event, phenomenon or human activity that may cause the loss of life or injury, property damage, social and economic disruption or environmental degradation”. Hazards can include latent conditions that may represent future threats and can have different origins: natural (geological, hydrometeorological and biological); or induced by human processes (environmental degradation and technological hazards). Hazards can be single, sequential or combined in their origin and effects. Each hazard is characterized by its location, intensity, frequency and probability. International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (2004, 16). A disaster can be defined as, “A serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society causing widespread human, material, economic or environmental losses which exceed the ability of the affected community or society to cope using its own resources”. International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, (2004, 17). A natural hazard can be defined as, “…a potentially dangerous environmental event which impacts on a human population. Moreover natural hazards emerges from environmental activities which are uncontrollable such as Internal Geodynamics (earthquakes and volcanoes), External Geodynamics (Landslides, erosion and flooding), and Hydrometeorology (cyclones, drought, and hurricanes)”. (Good Practices: Natural Hazard Risk Management in the Caribbean Tourism Sector) A natural disaster can be defined as, “…a hazardous event that causes large-scale morbidity/mortality or socioeconomic damage”. Natural disasters arise for the impacts of natural hazards with a specific context and as a result cause serious disruption to the socioeconomic system”. (Good Practices: Natural Hazard Risk Management in the Caribbean Tourism Sector) Vulnerability can be defined as the, “The conditions determined by physical, social, economic, and
Bibliography: International Strategy for Disaster Reduction. 2004. “Living with Risk: A Global Review of Disaster Reduction Initiatives”. United Nations. Vol 1. Caribbean Development Bank. “Sourcebook on the Integration of Natural Hazards into the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Process”. (Unpublished) Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO). “Good Practicies: Natural Hazard Risk Management in the Caribbean Tourism Sector”. Carl Bro Intelligent Solutions. (Unpublished). World Bank. 2020. Grenada Hurricane Ivan Preliminary Assessment of Damages. World Bank. Gibbs, Tony. 2001. Natural Hazards in the Caribbean. Paper was presented at the USAID/OAS PGDM building inspector training workshop, held in Antigua in January 200. http://www.oas.org/pgdm/document/BITC/papers/gibbs/gibbs_02.htm 9 | P a g e