Disaster Management Notes
Sample Note
Classification of Disasters
Disaster Management in India
National Policy on Disaster Management, 2009
National Disaster Management Plan, 2016
NDMA Guidelines (Summary)
Biological Disaster Management
Crowd Disaster Management
National Disaster Response Force
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Classification of Disasters and Disaster
Management
Disaster
The United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) (2009)
defines disaster as:
“A serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society involving widespread
human, material, economic or environmental losses and impacts, which exceeds the
ability of the affected community or society to cope using its own resources.”
As per the Disaster Management Act 2005, “Disaster” means a catastrophe, mishap,
calamity or grave
occurrence in any area, arising from natural or manmadẹ causes, or by accident or
negligence which results in substantial loss of life or human suffering or damage to, and
destruction of, property, or damage to, or degradation of, environment, and is of such a
nature or magnitude as to be beyond the coping capacity of the community of the
affected area. UNISDR considers disaster to be a result of the combination of many
factors such as
• exposure to hazards;
• conditions of vulnerability that are present, and
• insufficient capacity or measures to reduce or cope with the potential negative
consequences.
Disaster impacts everyone differently. Some of the them are as under:
Psychological and emotional trauma. Injuries, disease and other negative
Individual
effects on human physical, mental and social well-being
Physical Infrasturctural Damage to property and destruction of assets
Human Infrasturctural Loss of life.
Governance Loss of services and administration problems
Social and economic disruption – Worst hit are Women, Children and
Social
old age as they are most vulnerable groups.
Environmental Environmental degradation
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Disaster Matrix
Identification and classification of disaster is being considered as an effective and
scientific step to deal
promptly and efficiently with the disaster. Primarily disasters are triggered by natural
hazards or human induced, or result from a combination of both. In particular, human-
induced factors can greatly aggravate the adverse impacts of a natural disaster. These
disaster situations and their specific features are captured in a ‘Disaster management
matrix’ shown in Table.
Classification of Natural Hazards
The widely accepted classification system classifies disasters arising from natural
hazards into five major categories:
1. Geophysical: Geological process that may cause loss of life, injury or other
health impacts, property damage, loss of livelihoods and services, social and
economic disruption, or environmental damage. Hydrometeorological factors are
important contributors to some of these processes.
2. Hydrological: Events caused by deviations in the normal water cycle and/or
overflow of bodies of water caused by wind set-up.
3. Meteorological: Events caused by short-lived/small to meso-scale atmospheric
processes.
4. Climatological: Events caused by long-lived meso to macro-scale processes.
5. Biological: Process or phenomenon of organic origin or conveyed by biological
vectors,including exposure to pathogenic micro-organisms, toxins and bioactive
substances that may cause loss of life, injury, illness or other health impacts,
property damage, loss of livelihoods and services, social and economic
disruption, or environmental damage.
A brief description of the five major categories of the disasters arising from
natural factors with the subcategories is given in the table.
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Classification of Disasters and its Consequences
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Geophysical
Earthquake/Mass movement of earth materials
• Landslide following earthquake;
• Urban fires triggered by earthquakes;
• Liquefaction – the transformation of (partially)water-saturated soil from a solid
state to a liquid state caused by an earthquake.
• Mass movement of earth materials, usually down slopes.
• Surface displacement of earthen materials due to ground shaking triggered by
earthquakes.
Volcano
• Surface displacement of earthen materials due to ground shaking triggered by
volcanic eruptions
• A type of geological event near an opening/vent in the Earth’s surface including
volcanic eruptions of lava, ash, hot vapour, gas, and pyroclastic material.
• Ash fall; Lahar – Hot or cold mixture of earthen material flowing on the slope of a
volcano either during or between volcanic eruptions;
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• Lava Flow
• Pyroclastic Flow – Extremely hot gases, ash, and other materials of more than
1,000 degrees Celsius that rapidly flow down the flank of a volcano (more than
700 km/h) during an eruption.
Tsunami
• A series of waves (with long wavelengths when traveling across the deep ocean)
that are generated by a displacement of massive amounts of water through
underwater earthquakes, volcanic eruptions or landslides.
• Tsunami waves travel at very high speed across the ocean but as they begin to
reach shallow water, they slow down and the wave grows steeper .
Limnic eruption / lake overturn
• Dissolved CO2 suddenly erupts from deep lake waters, forming a gas cloud
suffocating wildlife, livestock, and humans.
• Scientists believe earthquakes, volcanic activity, and other explosive events can
serve as triggers for limnic eruptions. Lakes in which such activity occurs are
referred to as limnically active lakes or exploding lakes. Some features of
limnically active lakes include:
• CO2-saturated incoming water
• A cool lake bottom indicating an absence of direct volcanic interaction with
lake waters
• An upper and lower thermal layer with differing CO 2 saturations
• Proximity to areas with volcanic activity
• Lanke Monoun (Cameroon)
• Now there is concern about lake Kivu (Border of Rwanda in Congo)
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Hydrological
Floods, Landslides, Wave action
• Avalanche: A large mass of loosened earth material,snow, or ice that slides,
flows or falls rapidly down a mountainside under the force of gravity.
• Coastal Erosion: The temporary or permanent loss of sediments or landmass in
coastal margins due to the action of waves, winds, tides, or anthropogenic
activities
• Coastal flood: Higher-than-normal water levels along the coast caused by tidal
changes or thunderstorms that result in flooding, which can last from days to
weeks
• Debris Flow, Mud Flow, Rock Fall: Types of landslides that occur when heavy
rain or rapid snow/ice melt send large amounts of vegetation, mud, or rock down
slope by gravitational forces.
• Flash Flood Hydrological: Heavy or excessive rainfall in a short period of time
that produce immediate runoff, creating flooding conditions within minutes or a
few hours during or after the rainfall
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• Flood Hydrological: A general term for the overflow of water from a stream
channel onto normally dry land in the floodplain (riverine flooding), higher-than
normal levels along the coast and in lakes or reservoirs (coastal flooding) as well
as pending of water at or near the point where the rain fell (flash floods).
• Wave Action: Wind-generated surface waves that can occur on the surface of
any open body of water such as oceans, rivers and lakes, etc. The size of the
wave depends on the strength of the wind and the travelled distance (fetch).
Meteorological
Hazard caused by short-lived, micro- to meso-scale extreme weather and atmospheric
conditions that may last for minutes to days:
• Cyclone, Storm Surge, Tornado, Convective Storm, Extratropical Storm, Wind
• Cold Wave, Derecho
• Extreme Temperature, Fog, Frost, Freeze, Hail, Heat-wave
• Lightning, Heavy Rain
• Sand-Storm, Dust-Storm
• Snow, Ice, Winter Storm, Blizzard.
Climatological
Unusual, extreme Weather conditions related to longlived, meso- to macro-scale
atmospheric processes ranging from intra-seasonal to multidecadal (long-term) climate
variability
• Drought
• Extreme hot/cold conditions Forest/Wildfire Fires Glacial Lake Outburst
Subsidence
Biologcal
Exposure to germs and toxic substances:
• Epidemics: viral, bacterial, parasitic, fungal, or prion infections
• Insect infestations
• Animal stampedes
Natural Disasters and Hazards in India
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Earthquake
Earthquake is the shaking of the earth’s crust caused by sudden release of energy in its
interior. Its sudden impact provide very less response time and make its prediction
impossible.
Causes: It is a well known fact that Indian Plate is moving at a speed of 1 cm per year
towards the north and North Eastern direction and this movement of plates is being
constantly obstructed by The Eurasian plate from the north. As a result of this, both the
plates are said to be locked with each other resulting in accumulation of energy at
different points of time. Excessive accumulation of energy results in building up of stress
which ultimately leads to the breaking up of the lock and sudden release of energy
causing earthquakes along the Himalayan arch.
The emergence of a fault line and energy buildup along the fault line represented by the
river Bhima and the possible breaking down of the Indian Plate is also one of the reason
for some of the recent earthquakes.
Regions of Earthquake Zones
Nearly 60 percent of India’s territory is vulnerable to earthquakes. Some of the most
vulnerable states are Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and
Darjeeling and subdivision of West Bengal and all the seven states of the northeast.
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However for a better understanding, they are divided into following earthquake zones
which is represented by the map given below:
Consequences of Earthquakes
• Surfaces seismic waves produce fissures on the upper layer of the earth’s crust
through which water and other volatile materials gush out, inundating the
neighbouring areas.
• Earthquakes are also responsible for landslides.
• The earthquakes cause obstructions in the flow of rivers and channels resulting in
the formation of reservoir.
• Sometimes rivers also change their course causing floods and other calamities in
the affected areas.
Earthquake Hazard Mitigation
It is not possible to prevent the occurrence of an earthquake and hence the better option
is to prepare for the disaster and have some mitigation strategy rather than curative
measures such as:
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• Establishing earthquake monitoring centres for regular monitoring and fast
dissemination of information among the people in the vulnerable areas.
• Preparing a vulnerability map of the country and dissemination of vulnerability
risk information among the people.
• Educating people about the ways and means minimising the adverse impact of
disasters.
• Modifying the house types and building designs in the vulnerable areas. Also
discouraging construction of high rise buildings, large Industrial establishments
and big urban centre.
• Making it mandatory to adopt earthquake resistant design and use light materials
in major construction activities in the vulnerable areas.
• Making use of indigenous technical knowledge and locally available materials in
the construction of
earthquake -resistant houses like the Bhongas in the Kutch (Gujarat), Dhajji
Diwari (Jammu & Kashmir) and Ekra constructions made of bamboo in Assam.
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Tsunami
Tsunamis can be triggered off by an underwater earthquake, a volcanic eruption, a
submarine rock slide, or rarely by an asteroid or meteorite crashing into water from
space. Most Tsunamis are caused by underwater earthquakes, but not all underwater
earthquakes cause tsunamis.
Tsunami is a series of ocean waves that sends surges of water, sometimes reaching
height over 30 meters on the land. These walls of water can cause widespread
destruction when they crash ashore.
Tsunami Vulnerable Areas
Tsunamis are frequently observed along the Pacific Ring of Fire, particularly along the
coast of Alaska, Japan, Philippines, and other islands of Southeast Asia, Indonesia,
Malaysia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and India. The tsunami that occurred on 26th December
2004 caused great damage to India especially in the regions of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry,
Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Areas of Tsunami
Tsunamis are frequently observed along the Pacific Ring of Fire , particularly along the
coast of Alaska, Japan, Philippines, and other island of Southeast Asia Indonesia
,Malaysia .Myanmar, Sri Lanka and India. India has been greatly affected by tsunami
specially in the region of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and
Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Impact of Tsunami
On reaching the coast ,the tsunami waves release enormous energy stored in them and
water flows turbulently on to the land destroying port cities and towns, structures,
buildings, and other settlements Since the coastal areas are densely populated the
world over and are also centres of intense human activity ,the loss of life and property is
likely to be much higher by Tsunami as compared to other natural Hazard in the coastal
areas.
Tsunami Hazard Mitigation
It is not possible to prevent a the occurrence of tsunami. However some measures can
be taken to reduce the damage caused by Tsunami. Some of the measures are :
1. Provide a shelf of comprehensive solutions for improving the vulnerability
reduction of coastal areas like development of bioshield, like mangrooves and
shelter belt plantation.
2. Chalk out strategies for strengthening education, research and documentation for
strengthening tsunami risk management preparedness measures by academic
and professional institutes.
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3. Early warning accompanied by thorough evaluation of risk zones. The Indian
Tsunami Early Warming Centre (ITEWC), which is based at and operated by
Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), Hyderabad has
all necessary advisories to India as well as to Indian Ocean Countries (24
countries).
4. Land use zoning can be made a function of hazard maps which report expected
heights of tsunami likely to occur. Houses and other buildings can be moved to
higher ground and new construction banned in the principal risk areas.
5. Breakwaters can be constructed to weaken the approaching waves. There is not
a single method to control and mitigate the Tsunamis. Tsunamis can be predicted
and even after that they can damage the habitation. Environmental methods and
means are the best and the most sustainable. But the best strategy for protecting
a coast against Tsunamis is to use an appropriate mixture of the various
measures and methods of Tsunami control.
Tropical Cyclones
Tropical cyclones are intense low pressure areas confined to the area lying between 30
degree north and 30 degrees South latitude. Tropical cyclone and Hurricane is like a
heat engine that is energized by the release of latent heat on account of the
condensation of moisture that the wind gathers after moving over the oceans and seas.
Initial Conditions for Emergence of Tropical Cyclone
• Large and continuous supply of warm and moist air that can release enormous
latent heat.
• Strong coriolis force that can prevent filling of low pressure at the centre.
• Unstable condition through the troposphere that creates local disturbances
around which cyclone develops.
• Finally absence of strong vertical wind wedge which disturbs the vertical transport
of latent heat.
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Consequence of Tropical Cyclone
The coastal areas are often struck by severe cyclonic Storms with an average velocity of
180 km per hour. Often this results in the abnormal rise in the sea level known as storm
surge. This results in inundation of human settlements, agricultural fields, damaging
crops and destruction of structures created by human beings.
Tropical Cyclone Hazard Mitigation
• Green belt plantation along the coastal line in a scientific interweaving pattern
can reduce the effect of the hazard.
• Land use control should be designed so that least critical activities are placed in
vulnerable areas.
• Structures need to be built to withstand wind forces.
• Torrential rains, strong wind and storm range leads to flooding in the cyclone
affected areas. There are possibilities of landslides too. Flood mitigation
measures could be incorporated.
• Cyclone shelter: are buildings or safe shelter in the coastal villages, which could
withstand, the intensity of the cyclone and storm surges.
• Efficient cyclone forecast and warning services. Over the years because of
efficient forecasting and administration there is reduction in the loss of property
and lives caused by cyclones in India.
Year Cyclone Deaths Damage (in$)
1999 BOB 06 10000 400 crore
2013 Phalin 45 70 crore
Floods
Flooding is a condition of inundation of land and human settlements by the rise of water
in the channels and its spillover is present. Floods are relatively slow in occurrence and
often occur in well identified regions and within expected time in a year.
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Causes of Floods
Floods occur when
• Water in the form of a surface runoff exceeds the carrying capacity of the river
channels and streams and flows into neighbouring low-lying floodplains.
• Storm surges.
• There is High intensity rainfall for a considerably longer time period.
• Melting of ice and snow.
• Reduction in the infiltration rate and presence of eroded material in the water due
to higher rate of soil erosion.
Role of Human being in Causing Floods
Unlike other natural disasters, human beings play an important role in causing
floods. This may be attributed to:
• Indiscriminate deforestation;
• Unscientific agricultural practice
• Disturbances along the natural drainage channel
• Colonization of floodplains and river beds etc.
Flood Prone Areas in India
The states that are usually affected by the floods include Assam, West Bengal, Bihar,
Andhra Pradesh, Punjab , Haryana, and Gujarat along with north eastern states.
Sometimes Tamil Nadu experiences flooding during November to January due to the
retreating monsoon.
Consequences of Floods
• Serious damage to physical infrastructure such as roads, rails, bridges and
human settlements along with the agricultural land have serious consequences
on the national economy and Society
• Millions of people are rendered homeless and spread of disease like cholera,
gastroenteritis Hepatitis and other water borne diseases spread in the flood
affected areas.
Control Measures of Floods
Following are the few measures which shall be taken to control floods:
• Construction of flood protection embankments in the flood prone areas.
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