HVRCA is a foundational and participatory process within CBDM that helps communities understand:
Hazards (H): Identifying potential natural (e.g., floods, earthquakes, cyclones) or human-induced threats (e.g., industrial accidents, fires) that could affect the community. This involves understanding their characteristics, likelihood, and potential intensity.
Vulnerabilities (V): Assessing the weaknesses and susceptibility of the community to these identified hazards. This includes physical vulnerabilities (e.g., weak infrastructure, unsafe housing), social vulnerabilities (e.g., age, disability, poverty, lack of awareness), economic vulnerabilities (e.g., reliance on single livelihoods), and environmental vulnerabilities (e.g., deforestation, degraded ecosystems).
Risks (R): Combining the information from hazards and vulnerabilities to determine the likelihood and potential impact of a disaster. Risk is essentially the probability of harm occurring and the severity of that harm.
Capacities (C): Identifying the existing strengths, resources, and abilities within the community that can be used to prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters. This includes local knowledge, social networks, traditional coping mechanisms, available resources, and skills among residents.
