DRRM and CC Terminologies

A process, phenomenon or human activity that may cause loss of life, injury or other health impacts, property damage, social and economic disruption or environmental degradation.

• disaster

• risk

• vulnerability

• hazard

A serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society due to hazardous events interacting with conditions of exposure, vulnerability and capacity, leading to widespread human, material, economic and environmental losses and impacts.

• risk

• disaster

• hazard

• climate change

The conditions determined by physical, social, economic and environmental factors or processes which increase the susceptibility of an individual, a community, assets or systems to the impacts of hazards.

• risk

• disaster

• vulnerability

• hazard

The combination of all the strengths, attributes and resources available within an organization, community or society to manage and reduce disaster risks and strengthen resilience. 

• capacity

• vulnerability

• prevention

• mitigation

The potential loss of life, injury, or destroyed or damaged assets which could occur to a system, society or a community in a specific period of time, determined probabilistically as a function of hazard, exposure, vulnerability and capacity.

• risk

• hazard

• disaster risk

• mitigation

Activities and measures to avoid existing and new disaster risks. 

• preparedness

• mitigation

• prevention

• response

The lessening or minimizing of the adverse impacts of a hazardous event.

• preparedness

• mitigation

• response

• recovery and rehabilitation

The knowledge and capacities developed by governments, response and recovery organizations, communities and individuals to effectively anticipate, respond to and recover from the impacts of likely, imminent or current disasters. 

• preparedness

• response

• rehabilitation

• recovery

Actions taken directly before, during or immediately after a disaster in order to save lives, reduce health impacts, ensure public safety and meet the basic subsistence needs of the people affected.

• preparedness

• response

• mitigation

• recovery

The restoration of basic services and facilities for the functioning of a community or a society affected by a disaster.

• recovery

• response

• mitigation

• rehabilitation