Risk has various connotations within different disciplines. In general risk is defined as “the combination of the PROBABILITY of an event and its negative consequences” (UNISDR, 2009). The term risk is thus multidisciplinary and is used in a variety of contexts. Risk is usually associated with the DEGREE to which humans cannot cope (lack of capacity) with a particular situation (e.g. natural hazard). 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.