chapter 4 - DRK

Strictly under embargo until Wednesday 22 September at 00:01 GMT (02:01 Geneva time)institutions. Poor people have a lot to lose when disaster strikes. Better mapping ofsmaller urban disasters would illustrate clearly the large impact they have on vulnerablehouseholds.Table 1.2 What different aspects of urban poverty imply for everyday and disaster riskAspect of urban poverty Implications for everyday risk Implications for disaster riskInadequate and often unstableincome and thus inadequateconsumption of necessities,including food and, often, safe andsufficient water. Often, problems ofindebtedness, with debt repaymentssignificantly reducing income availablefor necessities. Inability to payfor insurance.Inadequate, unstable or riskyasset base (e.g., property, skills,savings, social networks)for individuals, householdsor communities.Poor-quality and often insecure,hazardous and overcrowdedhousing (often rented) locatedon dangerous sites such as floodplains, steep slopes and soft orunstable ground.Inadequate provision of ‘public’infrastructure (piped water,sanitation, drainage, roads, footpaths,etc.), which increases the health burdenand often the work burden.Inadequate provision of basicservices – day care, schools,vocational training, healthcare,emergency services, public transport,communications, policing and goodinformation on safe building practices.Limited or no safety net to ensurebasic consumption can be maintainedwhen income falls; also to ensureaccess to housing, healthcare andother necessities when these can nolonger be paid for (or fully paid for).Lack of influence over whatgovernment does, includingwhat it does in post-disasterresponses.Limited influence over externalcivil society actors such asinternational aid agenciesduring disaster risk reductionand response.Very limited capacity to pay forhousing which in urban areasmeans living in the worst-quality andmost overcrowded homes in illegalsettlements on dangerous sites lackingprovision for infrastructure and services– so very high levels of environmentalhealth risk.Very limited capacity to cope withstresses or shocks in everyday life– including rising prices or fallingincomes, injuries and illnesses.High risk levels from physical accidents,fires, extreme weather and infectiousdiseases – with risks often increasedby overcrowding.High levels of risk from contaminatedwater, inadequate sanitation, houseflooding from lack of drainage.Unnecessarily high health burden fromdiseases and injuries because of lackof healthcare and emergency response.Very limited capacity to cope withstresses or shocks in everyday life– including rising prices or fallingincomes, injuries and diseases.Low-income survivors often notallowed to move back to their formersettlement and rebuild their homes andlivelihoods.Lack of local input can lead toinappropriate development investmentsor missed opportunities to reducerisk and to build more secure localeconomies and livelihoods.In most cities and many urban centresin low- and middle-income nations,most low-cost housing is on dangeroussites, e.g., at high risk from floodingor landslides. The lack of publicprovision for infrastructure and servicesadds to such risks, particularlyfor flooding.Very limited capacity to cope withdisaster events when they occurincluding lacking assets that are notdamaged or destroyed by the disasterand having no insurance.Housing is often of poor qualityso at risk from storms/high winds,earthquakes, landslides, floods, firesand disease transmission which maycause epidemics.Lack of protective infrastructure againstflooding. Lack of roads, footpaths anddrains inhibiting evacuation whendisaster threatens or happens.Lack of healthcare and emergencyservices that should provide rapidresponse to disaster (and should havehad a role in reducing disaster riskand in disaster preparedness).Very limited capacity to recover fromdisaster, for instance to afford foodand water, rebuild homes andlivelihoods. Lack of documentationoften means not getting post-disastersupport.Little external support for low-incomegroups and their organizations torebuild in ways that reducedisaster risk.International humanitarian actors canoverwhelm local government and civilsociety organizations alike. Lack ofpartnership inhibits good governance.World Disasters Report 2010 – Focus on urban risk21