World Disasters Report 2010 - International Federation of Red Cross ...

institutions. Poor people have a lot to lose when disaster strikes. Better mapping of
smaller urban disasters would illustrate clearly the large impact they have on vulnerable
households.
Table 1.2 What different aspects of urban poverty imply for everyday and disaster risk
Aspect of urban poverty Implications for everyday risk Implications for disaster risk
Inadequate and often unstable
income and thus inadequate
consumption of necessities,
including food and, often, safe and
sufficient water. Often, problems of
indebtedness, with debt repayments
significantly reducing income available
for necessities. Inability to pay
for insurance.
Inadequate, unstable or risky
asset base (e.g., property, skills,
savings, social networks)
for individuals, households
or communities.
Poor-quality and often insecure,
hazardous and overcrowded
housing (often rented) located
on dangerous sites such as flood
plains, steep slopes and soft or
unstable ground.
Inadequate provision of ‘public’
infrastructure (piped water,
sanitation, drainage, roads, footpaths,
etc.), which increases the health burden
and often the work burden.
Inadequate provision of basic
services – day care, schools,
vocational training, healthcare,
emergency services, public transport,
communications, policing and good
information on safe building practices.
Limited or no safety net to ensure
basic consumption can be maintained
when income falls; also to ensure
access to housing, healthcare and
other necessities when these can no
longer be paid for (or fully paid for).
Lack of influence over what
government does, including
what it does in post-disaster
responses.
Limited influence over external
civil society actors such as
international aid agencies
during disaster risk reduction
and response.
Very limited capacity to pay for
housing which in urban areas
means living in the worst-quality and
most overcrowded homes in illegal
settlements on dangerous sites lacking
provision for infrastructure and services
– so very high levels of environmental
health risk.
Very limited capacity to cope with
stresses or shocks in everyday life
– including rising prices or falling
incomes, injuries and illnesses.
High risk levels from physical accidents,
fires, extreme weather and infectious
diseases – with risks often increased
by overcrowding.
High levels of risk from contaminated
water, inadequate sanitation, house
flooding from lack of drainage.
Unnecessarily high health burden from
diseases and injuries because of lack
of healthcare and emergency response.
Very limited capacity to cope with
stresses or shocks in everyday life
– including rising prices or falling
incomes, injuries and diseases.
Low-income survivors often not
allowed to move back to their former
settlement and rebuild their homes and
livelihoods.
Lack of local input can lead to
inappropriate development investments
or missed opportunities to reduce
risk and to build more secure local
economies and livelihoods.
World Disasters Report 2010 – Focus on urban risk
In most cities and many urban centres
in low- and middle-income nations,
most low-cost housing is on dangerous
sites, e.g., at high risk from flooding
or landslides. The lack of public
provision for infrastructure and services
adds to such risks, particularly
for flooding.
Very limited capacity to cope with
disaster events when they occur
including lacking assets that are not
damaged or destroyed by the disaster
and having no insurance.
Housing is often of poor quality
so at risk from storms/high winds,
earthquakes, landslides, floods, fires
and disease transmission which may
cause epidemics.
Lack of protective infrastructure against
flooding. Lack of roads, footpaths and
drains inhibiting evacuation when
disaster threatens or happens.
Lack of healthcare and emergency
services that should provide rapid
response to disaster (and should have
had a role in reducing disaster risk
and in disaster preparedness).
Very limited capacity to recover from
disaster, for instance to afford food
and water, rebuild homes and
livelihoods. Lack of documentation
often means not getting post-disaster
support.
Little external support for low-income
groups and their organizations to
rebuild in ways that reduce
disaster risk.
International humanitarian actors can
overwhelm local government and civil
society organizations alike. Lack of
partnership inhibits good governance.
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