WHAT IS A DISASTER
A disaster is a natural or manmade event which
results in widespread human loss, loss of livelihood,
property and life.
Natural
Disaster can be classified as follows:
▪ Atmospheric
▪ Terrestrial
▪ Aquatic
▪ Biological
Kerala flood 2018
EARTHQUAKE
In India, more than 1200 earthquakes have
occurred. Based on this, India is divided into five
earthquake zones :
❖Very high damage risk zone
❖High damage risk zone
❖Moderate damage risk zone
❖Low damage risk zone
❖Very low damage risk zone
EARTH QUAKE RISK ZONE IN INDIA
EARTH QUAKE HAZARD MITIGATION
Establishing earthquake monitoring centres (seismological
centre) for regular monitoring. Use GPS (Geographical
Positioning System) for monitoring the movement of tectonic
plates.
Prepare vulnerability map of country and educate the people of
that area on minimizing the impact of disaster management.
Discouraging constructions of high rise building
Adopt earthquake resistant designs and use light material for
construction.
Tsunami
The biggest tsunami ever happened at lituya bay, Alaska
on July 9,1958. The mega tsunami was around 150
meters tall.
The tsunami caused by 2004 Indian ocean earthquake,
is the 6th deadliest natural disaster in recorded history
with a death toll of 2,30,210 – 2,80,000
National tsunami hazard mitigation program
(NTHMP)
The National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program
(NTHMP) is a Federal and State program designed to
protect people and reduce property losses in the event
of a tsunami.
Led by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA), the NTHMP consists of
other primary participants , including the Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
TSUNAMI MITIGATION
PROGRAM
Guidance for producing consistent and accurate tsunami
inundation and evacuation zones
Tsunami hazard guidance/products for maritime, land-use, and recovery
planning
Annual national tsunami exercises to test and update response plans and
improve the effectiveness of the warning system
National Tsunami Education and Outreach Action Plan
NATIONAL CYCLONE RISK MITIGATION
PROJECT
(NCRMP)
(i) improved early warning dissemination systems
(ii) enhanced capacity of local communities to
respond to disasters
(iii) improved access to emergency shelter,
evacuation, and protection against wind storms,
flooding and storm surge in high areas
(iv) strengthening DRM capacity at central, state and
local levels
EXISTING FLOOD MANAGEMENT MECHANISMS IN INDIA
Central Water Commission (CWC)
Brahmaputra Board
Ganga Flood Control Commission
Farakka Barrage Project Authority
National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)
Government’s policies on floods
Policy Statement – 1954
High Level Committee On Floods – 1957 & Policy
Statement of 1958
National Flood Commission (Rashtriya Barh Ayog) – 1980.
Expert Committee to Review the Implementation of the
Recommendations of National Flood Commission-2003 (Rangachari
Committee)
National Water Policy ( 1987/ 2002/2012)
GENERAL FLOOD MANAGEMENT MEASURES PRACTICED
IN INDIA
An artificially created reservoir behind a dam across a river
Channelization of river.
Artificially raised embankments that reduce spilling
Channel and drainage improvement works, which artificially
reduce the flood water level
GUIDELINES ON MANAGEMENT OF
DROUGHT
Creation of Drought Monitoring Cells (DMCs) cells at
state level
Preparation of vulnerability maps for each state
Development of real-time drought related information by
using information and communication technology.
The watershed development approach would be taken up
for drought management
MEASURES TO PREVENT
LANDSLIDE
Improving surface and subsurface drainage
Excavating the head
Buttressing the toe
Constructing piles and retaining walls
AVALANCHE PREVENTIVE MEASURES
Afforestation of avalanche prone area.
Trapping the avalanche by control measures.
Disposing the avalanche potential snow packs by artificial
triggering
Predicting the occurrence of avalanches and issuing
warning.
Guiding the residents about the emergency evacuation shelters.
Man-made Disasters
➢ The events which are caused by human, either intentionally or
by accident, which that can directly or indirectly cause severe
threats, either directly or indirectly, to public health and/or well-
being.
➢ Man made disaster is a threat having an element of human
intent, negligence or error or involving a failure.
➢ Because their occurrence is unpredictable, man-made disasters
pose an especially challenging threat which that must be dealt
with through vigilance, and proper preparedness and response.
➢ Information on the major sources of man-made disasters have
been provided here to help educate the public on their cause and
effects as they relate to emergency planning.
Types of Man-made Disasters
Nuclear disasters
Chemical /Industrial disasters
Terrorism
Warfare
Technological Hazard
Epidemic
Nuclear Accidents
It is a type of explosion
deriving its force from
nuclear reaction of fission
and fusion.
Chemical Disasters
Disasters that are caused by the
excessive use and misuse of chemicals in
industries are called chemical disasters
The irresponsible handling of powerful
chemicals can cause widespread
devastation
Industrial accidents resulting in releases
of hazardous materials usually occur in a
commercial context, such as mining
accidents.
The Bhopal Gas tragedy ( Dec 3, 1984)
the release of methyl isocyanate into the
environment seriously affected many
people
Terrorism
Terrorism is a controversial term with multiple
definitions. One definition means a violent action
targeting civilians exclusively.
Another definition is the use or threatened use of
violence for the purpose of creating fear in order to
achieve a political, religious, or ideological goal.
Under the second definition, the targets of terrorist
acts can be anyone, including civilians, government
officials, military personnel, or people serving the
interests of governments.
9/11 is the big act of terrorism on USA.
War
War is conflict, between relatively large groups of people, which involves
physical force inflicted by the use of weapons.
Warfare has destroyed entire cultures, countries, economies and inflicted
great suffering on humanity.
Other terms for war can include armed conflict, hostilities, and police action.
Acts of war are normally excluded from insurance contracts and disaster
planning
Atomic Bombing
The first two atomic bomb were used by the USA to end the war against
Japan in 1945.
Hirosima & Nagasaki bomb Attack.
Technological Hazards
Structure Collapse
Structure collapses are often caused by engineering failures. Bridge failures may be caused in several
ways, such as under-design etc.
Power Outage
A power outage is an interruption of normal sources of electrical power. Short-term power outages
(up to a few hours) are common and have minor adverse effect, since most businesses and health
facilities are prepared to deal with them. Extended power outages, however, can disrupt personal and
business activities as well as medical and rescue services, leading to business losses and medical
emergencies.
Fire
Bush fires, forest fires and mine fires are generally started by lightning, but also by human negligence
or arson. They can burn thousands of square kilometers. If a fire intensifies enough to produce its
own winds and "weather", it will form into a firestorm
Waste Disposal
In managing waste many hazardous materials are
put in the domestic and commercial waste
stream.
In part this is because modern technological living
uses certain toxic or poisonous materials in the
electronics and chemical industries.
Which, when they are in use or transported, are
usually safely contained or encapsulated and
packaged to avoid any exposure.
Hazardous Materials
Radiation contamination
When nuclear weapons are detonated or nuclear containment systems are
otherwise compromised, airborne radioactive particles Nuclear fallout can scatter
and irradiate large areas. Not only is it deadly, but it is also a long-term effect on
the next-generation for those who are contaminated. Ionizing radiation is
hazardous to living things, and in such a case much of the affected area could be
unsafe for human habitation
CBRNs
A catch-all initialism meaning Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear. The
term is used to describe a non-conventional terror threat that, if used by a nation,
would be considered use of a weapon of mass destruction.
Epidemics
Epidemic occurs when a disease attacks a
large no if people at one time.
It spreads at rapid rate among human
population.
Most disease are spread after natural
disaster like tsunami flood etc.
Disaster Management
This comprises of all forms of activities, including structural and non-
structural measures to avoid (prevention) or to limit (mitigation and
preparedness) adverse effects of hazards.
The organization, planning and application of measures preparing for,
responding to and , initial recovery from disasters.
As per this definition, ‘Disaster Management’ focuses on creating and
implementing preparedness and others plans to decrease the impact of
disasters and build back better. Failure to create/apply a plan could
result in damage to life, assets and lost revenue. However, it may not
completely avert or eliminate the threats.
Disaster Risk Reduction
(Mitigation)
Disaster Risk Reduction, as per UNISDR, consists of a
framework of elements that will help to minimize
vulnerabilities and disaster risks throughout a society, to
avoid (prevention) or to limit(mitigation and preparedness)
the adverse impacts of hazards, within the broad context of
sustainable development.
Levels of Disasters
The disaster management and its planning at various tiers must take into account the
vulnerability of disaster-affected area, and the capacity of the authorities to deal with the
situation. Using this approach, the High-Power Committee on Disaster Management5, in its
report of 2001, categorized disaster situations into three 'levels': L1, L2, and L3. The period of
normalcy, L0, should be utilized for disaster risk reduction.
Level-L1: The level of disaster that can be managed within the capabilities and resources at the
District level. However, the state authorities will remain in readiness to provide assistance if
needed.
Level-L2: This signifies the disaster situations that require assistance and active mobilization of
resources at the state level and deployment of state level agencies for disaster management. The
central agencies must remain vigilant for immediate deployment if required by the state.
Level-L3: This corresponds to a nearly catastrophic situation or a very large-scale disaster that
overwhelms the State and District authorities.
The categorization of disaster situations into levels L0 to L3 finds no mention in DM Act 2005.
Further, the DM Act does not have any provision for notifying any disaster as a ‘national
calamity’ or a ‘national disaster’
Institutional Framework
National Level
The overall coordination of disaster management vests with the Ministry of
Home Affairs (MHA). The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) and the
National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) are the key committees
involved in the top-level decision-making with regard to disaster management.
In most cases, state governments will be carrying out disaster management with
the central government playing a supporting role. The central agencies will
participate only on the request from the state government. Within each state,
there is a separate institutional framework for disaster management at the state-
level.
Key national-
level decision-
making
bodies for
disaster
management
National-level disaster management - basic institutional framework
DISASTER MANAGEMENT
ROLE OF DISTRICT
COLLECTOR
Collector has the responsibility for the over all
management of disaster in the district
All departments work under the leadership of the
collector except metropolitan areas
He also enjoys the authority to request for assistance
from the armed force.
Vulnerability Profile of India
➢ India is vulnerable, in varying degrees, to a large number of disasters. Around 59%
of the landmass is prone to earthquakes of moderate to very high intensity.
➢ About 12% (over 40 million hectares) of its land is prone to floods and river erosion.
➢ Close to 5,700 kms, out of the 7,516 kms long coastline is prone to cyclones and
tsunamis.
➢ 68% of its cultivable area is vulnerable to droughts; and, the hilly areas are at risk
from landslides and avalanches.
➢ Moreover, India is also vulnerable to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear
(CBRN) emergencies and other man-made disasters.
➢ Disaster risks in India are further compounded by increasing vulnerabilities related
to changing demographics and socio-economic conditions, unplanned urbanization,
development within high-risk zones, environmental degradation, climate change,
geological hazards, epidemics and pandemics.
➢ Clearly, all these contribute to a situation where disasters seriously threaten India’s
economy, its population and sustainable development.
