Shocks are sudden (and sometimes seasonal) events that have a negative impact and could lead to a disaster, such as floods, droughts or outbreaks of disease or violence.
Stresses are changes that happen over a longer time that increases a community’s vulnerability. For example, the loss of ground water, polluted soil, climate change or political instability.
Disasters occur when people are unable to cope with the impact of such shocks and stresses.
This activity helps groups to reflect on the different types of events that can cause a disaster, the impact they can have, and to start planning what the community might do to prevent disasters.
