Disaster Management
Government of Tamil Nadu constituted the State Disaster Management Authority as
early in 2003 with Chief Secretary of the State, as the Chairperson
December 2005, the Government of India enacted the Disaster Management Act 2005,
with the Chief Minister of the State as the Chairperson of the respective SDMA
State Helpline 1070
District Helpline 1077
State Relief Commissioner
1. The Commissioner of Revenue Administration is the State Relief
Commissioner
2. He implements the tasks assigned by the TNSDMA and State Executive
Committee relating to the different phases of Disaster Management.
3. The CRA/State Relief Commissioner guides the mitigation, preparedness and
capacity building, response and relief, recovery and reconstruction measures and
formulation of policies relating to disaster management in the State.
Rajesh Lakhoni, IAS., State Relief Commissioner
Tamil Nadu State Disaster Management Authority, headed by the Hon’ble Chief
Minister.
Chief minister as the Chairperson with the following Members.
1. Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management,
2. Chief Secretary to Government,
3. Secretary, Revenue and Disaster Management Department,
4. Secretary, Finance Department,
5. Secretary, Home Department,
6. Secretary, School Education Department,
7. Secretary, Higher Education Department,
8. State Relief Commissioner and Commissioner of Revenue Administration,
9. Director, Centre for Disaster Management & Mitigation, Anna University, Chennai
and
10. Head of Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Madras.
State Executive Committee
The State Executive Committee functions under the Chairmanship of the Chief
Secretary
with Secretaries of
1. Revenue Department,
2. Public Works Department,
3. Highways Department
4. Home Department as members
State Advisory Committee
The State Advisory Committee has been constituted under the Chairmanship of the
Additional Chief Secretary / Commissioner of Revenue Administration
the Additional Chief Secretary, Revenue and Disaster Management Department is the
Co-Chairman.
District Disaster Management Authority
The District Disaster Management Authorities have been constituted under the
Chairmanship of respective District Collector in all the 38 Districts.
Tamil Nadu Disaster Risk Reduction Agency (TNDRRA)
1. Tamil Nadu Disaster Risk Reduction Agency (TNDRRA) is the executive agency
of the Tamil Nadu State Disaster Management Authority.
2. The Governing Council of the agency is chaired by the Minister for Revenue
and Disaster Management
3. The Chief Secretary of the State is the Vice-Chairperson.
4. The Commissioner of Revenue Administration/ State Relief Commissioner is
the chairman of the Executive Council.
5. The Director, Disaster Management is the Member Secretary of the
Executive Council.
State Emergency Operation Center (SEOC) is the communication centre functioning
at Chennai round the clock.
During disaster period, the centre will function as command-and-control centre round
the clock
The centre is accessed by the people in distress by calling toll free number 1070.
World Meteorological Organization declared 2023 as the hottest year on record,
Heat wave:
1. Tamil Nadu government has gazette notified heat waves as a state-specific
disaster
2. provide relief for the affected population under the State Disaster Response
Fund (SDRF)
3. Now, if a person dies of heat-related causes, their family will be provided with an
ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh
4. Heat wave is considered only after maximum temperature of a station reaches
at least 40o C for plains and at least 30o C for hilly regions
5. A departure of 4.50 C to 6.4o C from the Normal Temperature is considered as
Heat Wave.
6. When the temperature is more than 6.4o C the conditions are considered as
Severe Heat Wave
7. Other State-specific disasters in TN: Sea erosion, lightning, thunder,
whirlwinds, and gale winds.
TN - Reconstituting the State Crisis Group for Chemical Accidents
Chief secretary - chairman
Secretary of Labour welfare dept and skill dev dept - Member secretary.
Hyogo Framework for action was the global blue print for Disaster Risk Reduction
efforts between 2005–2015.
Tamil Nadu came up with a State Disaster Management Perspective Plan 2018-2030
Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015–2030)
Tamil Nadu receives an annual average rainfall of 937.5 mm. Approximately 36% of
the rainfall is from the Southwest Monsoon and 47% from the Northeast Monsoon
rainfall during October to December plays an important role in deciding the fate of
the agricultural economy of the State.
The predominant soils of Tamil Nadu are red loam, laterite, black, alluvial and saline
soils.
The State has 7 agro climatic zones
Cauvery Delta Zone, being the granary of Tamil Nadu, comprising the whole of
Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Myladuthurai and parts of Karur, Perambalur,
Pudukottai, Cuddalore and Tiruchirapalli districts
Cauvery Delta region in the state as a Protected Special Agriculture Zone
Tamil Nadu has an area of 22,877 sq.km under forests,
which constitute 17.59 percent of the geographical area of the State
as against 33.33 percent required under the National Forest Policy, 1988.
The Western Ghats bordering Tamil Nadu acts as a barrier for the Southwest Monsoon,
leaving a large rain shadow area with water stress.
The hilly regions of the State are vulnerable to landslides, earthquakes, cloud burst and
flash floods
Heat wave, thunderstorm and lightning, sea erosion, sea water incursion,
whirlwind, gale wind and Pest attacks have also become a serious concern.
Fanoos 2005,
Thane (2011),
Nilam (2012),
Vardha (2016),
Ockhi (2017),
Gaja (2018),
Burevi (2020),
Nivar (2020),
Mandous (2022)
Michaung (2023)
Fengal (2024)
In Tamil Nadu, the NDRF is located at Arakonam, Ranipet District and Chennai,
The Coast Guard is the central co- ordinating Authority for managing Oil Spills as per
the Coast Guard Act, 1978.
Nodal Agencies for Disaster Early Warning Dissemination
Cyclone /Hydro Meteorological - India Meteorological Department
Earthquake - India Meteorological Department and National Center for Seismology
Floods - Central Water Commission
Drought - Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
Landslides - Geological Survey of India
Tsunami - Indian National Centre of Ocean Information Services
Yellow alert - Second Stage warning known as “CYCLONE ALERT” is issued at least
48 hrs in advance
Orange alert - Third Stage warning known as “CYCLONE WARNING” issued at least
24 hours in advance
Red alert - Fourth Stage of warning known as “POST LANDFALL OUTLOOK” is issued
at least 12 hours in advance of expected time of landfall
Drought types:
1. Meteorological drought: When actual rainfall over an area is significantly less
than the climatological mean.
2. Hydrological drought: When there is marked depletion of surface water causing
very low stream flow and drying of lakes, reservoirs and rivers.
3. Agricultural drought: When inadequate soil moisture produces acute crop
stress and affects productivity.
4. Soil Moisture drought: Inadequate soil moisture particularly in rain fed areas
which may not support crop growth.
5. Socio economic drought: The reduction of availability of fund and income loss
on account of crop failures endangering food and social security of the people in
the affected areas.
6. Famine: When large scale of collapse of access to food occurs which without
intervention, can lead to mass starvation.
7. Ecological drought: When the productivity of a natural eco system fails
significantly as a consequence of distress induced environmental damage
The major landslides in Tamil Nadu occur mostly in the Nilgiris, parts of Eastern Ghats,
Yelagiri and Shervory hills. 4 category warnings.
Earthquake:
In Tamil Nadu, three seismological network stations are located
1. Chennai
2. Kodaikanal
3. Salem
Chemical Industrial Disaster - Level 0,1,2,3
TNSMART:
Tamil Nadu System for Multi-hazard potential impact Assessment, Alert, emergency
Response planning and Tracking (TNSMART),
1. developed in collaboration with the Africa – Asia’s Regional Integrated
Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (RIMES)
2. with funding from the World Bank
3. The users have the option of sending distress messages or alerts seeking
support from authorities
Floods of 2015
In the month of November 2015, Chennai has reported 1,024 mm
The World Meteorological Organization observed that this is the wettest December day
in more than 100 years of records in Chennai with 300 mm of rainfall.
Drought 2017
the State Government declared Drought in all 32 districts of Tamil Nadu.
Vardah Cyclone 2016
On December 12th 2016 a severe cyclonic storm Vardah struck Tamil Nadu leaving
behind a trail of severe destruction in the coastal districts of Chennai, Thiruvallur and
Kancheepuram.
Ockhi Cyclone 2017
1. The cyclone “OCKHI”, crossed 70 km southwest of Kanniyakumari on
30.11.2017.
2. The impact was enormous in Kanniyakumari District as well as in pockets of
neighbouring Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli districts.
Kurangani Forest Fire, 2018
1. Totally 36 trekkers from the various districts of Tamil Nadu ventured into the
forests in the Kurangini range from Kurangini to Kozhukumalai in Kottakkudi
Village, Bodinayaganur Taluk in Theni distric
2. 10 persons lost their lives
Gaja Cyclone – November 2018
The Cyclone “Gaja” crossed the Tamil Nadu coast between Nagapattinam and
Vedaranyam
Nagapattinam, Pudukottai, Tiruvarur, Thanjavur and pockets of Dindigul districts. The
Cyclone has also caused damages in Tiruchirapalli, Sivaganga, Cuddalore, Karur,
Madurai, Theni and Ramanathapuram Districts.
Landslides 2019
The Nilgiris District witnessed heavy rainfall during August 2019.
Cyclone ‘Nivar’ 26.11.2020.
The severe cyclonic storm ‘Nivar’ crossed the Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coast near
Puducherry
As a result, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Cuddalore, Chennai, Kanchipuram,
Chengalpattu, Myladuthirai, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Kallakurchi, Villupuram,
Tiruvannamalai Districts received rainfall
Burevi Cyclone 2020
The cyclonic storm, ‘Burevi’ originated as a Low-Pressure area over South Andaman
Sea
many pockets in Chennai, Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Pudukkottai, Ramanathapuram,
Sivaganga, Thanjavur, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli and Tiruvarur Districts.
COVID 19
The Government of Tamil Nadu have released a sum of Rs.9,171.23 Crore from State
Disaster Response Fund during the year 2021-22.
Heavy Rains in Mayiladuthurai District – November 2022
Mandous Cyclone, December 2022
A remnant upper air cyclonic circulation from south China Sea developed over south
Andaman Sea,
Lightning :
1. Lightning in Tamil Nadu is common during the Pre-monsoon season (March /
April) and during the South West monsoon and North East Monsoon with
intense thunderstorm
2. the loss of life due to lightning have increased and it is more pronounced in
the central part of Tamil Nadu
3. In Tamil Nadu as many as 29 persons lost their lives due to lightning and
thunderstorm during the year 2021-22.
4. provide ex-gratia assistance of Rs.4,00,000/- per victim to the next of kins of the
deceased from SDRF.
Gale Wind
1. Gale wind is stronger than a breeze, specifically a wind of 50–102 km per hour
as issued by the meteorological Department.
2. In Tamil Nadu mostly in the months of April and May gale wind incidents have
occurred.
3. The Government of Tamil Nadu has provided input subsidy to the farmers whose
agriculture / horticulture crops were damaged due to the Gale wind
Tsunami:
1. An earthquake of magnitude 9.00 on the Richter scale struck the seabed off the
Sumatra Coast, Indonesia at 6.28 AM on 26.12.2004.
2. Cyclonic activities on the east coast are more severe than on the west coast and
occur mainly during October-December
Seismic Vulnerability
Tamil Nadu is one of the 13 identified seismotectonic zones of Peninsular India.
1. The East – West Cauvery fault
2. Tirukkovilur – Pondicherry fault,
3. Vaigai River fault
4. North-Southern trending
5. Comorin – Point Calimere Fault
6. Rajapatnam– Devipatnam Fault
are some of them which run close to the urban centers like Coimbatore, Madurai,
Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, and Pondicherry
Tamil Nadu experienced moderate earthquakes in the past earthquake history of 200
years as is evident from the published literature.
1. BIS classifies Tamil Nadu into two categories - Zone II and Zone III
(representing an area of 73% and 27% respectively),
2. Chennai, Coimbatore and Salem fall under seismic zone III.
3. The landslide hazard zonation atlas of India published by Building Materials
and Technology Promotion Council (BMTPC),
4. Government of India, categorized the Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu state as
one of the severe to very high landslide hazard prone areas of India.
Hazard due to Fire and Explosives
based on fire risk ranking by specialized groups and the analysis reveals that six
districts namely Chennai, Coimbatore, Dindigul, Kancheepuram, Madurai, and
Tiruvallur are under the ‘very high risk’ category
Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Vulnerability
1. Madras Atomic Power Station at Kalpakam two units of 220 MW each
2. the Koodankulam nuclear power station with a 1000 MW unit in Tirunelveli
district.
3. Koodankulam has one 1000 MW reactor and operations of the second 1000
MW reactor commenced in the year 2017
4. Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Cuddalore, Madurai, Vellore, Thoothukudi, Thanjavur
and Ramanathapuram districts have industries that are dealing with potentially
hazardous materials and hence have the vulnerability factor.
