The term disaster risk therefore refers to the potential (not actual and realised)
disaster losses, in lives, health status, livelihoods, assets and services, which could
occur in a particular community or society over some specified future time period.
Disaster risk is the product of the possible damage caused by a hazard due to the
vulnerability within a community. It should be noted that the effect of a hazard (of a
particular magnitude) would affect communities differently (Von Kotze, 1999:35).
This is true because of the level of the coping mechanisms within that particular
community. Poorer communities are therefore more at risk than communities that do
have the capacity to cope.
Risks exist or are created within social systems. The social context in which risk
occurs is an important consideration. It should also be noted that people therefore do
not share the same perceptions of risk and their underlying causes due to their social
circumstances. To determine disaster risk three aspects need to be present: a
hazard, vulnerability to the hazard and some form of coping capacity. These terms
will now enjoy greater attention.