Disaster Management Questions – Previous Year UPSC Civil Services Mains

Q.1) Dam failures are always catastrophic, especially on the downstream side, resulting in a colossal
loss of life and property. Analyse the various causes of dam failures. Give two examples of large dam
failures. [150 Words] [10 Marks] [2023]

Q.2) Explain the mechanism and occurrence of cloudburst in the context of the Indian subcontinent.
Discuss two recent examples. [150 Words] [10 Marks] [2022]

Q.3) Explain the causes and effects of coastal erosion in India. What are the available coastal
management techniques for combating the hazard? [250 words] [15 Marks] [2022]

Q.4) Describe the various causes and the effects of landslides. Mention components of the important
components of National Landslide Risk Management strategy. [250 Words] [15 Marks] [2021]

Q.5) Discuss about the vulnerability of India to earthquake related hazards. Give examples including
the salient features of major disasters caused by earthquakes in different parts of India during the
last three decades. [150 Words] [10 Marks] [2021]

Q.6) Discuss the recent measures initiated in disaster management by the Government of India
departing from the earlier reactive approach. [250 Words] [15 Marks] [2020]

Q.7) Vulnerability is an essential element for defining disaster impacts and its threat to people. How
and in what ways can vulnerability to disasters be characterized? Discuss different types of
vulnerability with reference to disasters. [150 Words] [10 Marks] [2019]

Q.8) Disaster preparedness is the first step in any disaster management process. Explain how hazard
zonation mapping will help disaster mitigation in the case of landslides. [250 Words] [15 marks]
[2019]

Q.9) Describe various measures taken in India for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) before and after
signing ‘Sendai Framework for DRR (2015-2030)’. How is this framework different from ‘Hyogo
Framework for Action, 2005’? [250 Words] [15 marks] [2018]

Q.10) On December 2004, tsunami brought havoc on 14 countries including India. Discuss the factors
responsible for occurrence of Tsunami and its effects on life and economy. In the light of guidelines
of NDMA (2010) describe the mechanisms for preparedness to reduce the risk during such events.
[250 Words] [15 marks] [2017]

Q.11) The frequency of urban floods due to high intensity rainfall is increasing over the years.
Discussing the reasons for urban floods, highlight the mechanisms for preparedness to reduce the
risk during such events. [200 Words] [12.5 Marks] [2016]

Q.12) With reference to National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) guidelines, discuss the
measures to be adopted to mitigate the impact of the recent incidents of cloudbursts in many places
of Uttarakhand. [200 Words] [12.5 Marks] [2016]

Q.13) The frequency of earthquakes appears to have increased in the Indian subcontinent. However,
India’s preparedness for mitigating their impact has significant gaps. Discuss various aspects. [200
Words] [12.5 Marks] [2015]

Q.14) Drought has been recognized as a disaster in view of its spatial expanse, temporal duration,
slow onset and lasting effects on vulnerable sections. With a focus on the September 2010
guidelines from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), discuss the mechanisms for
preparedness to deal with likely El Nino and La Nina fall outs in India. [200 Words] [12.5 Marks]
[2014]

Q.15) How important are vulnerability and risk assessment for pre-disaster management? As an
administrator, what are key areas that you would focus on in a Disaster Management System? [200
Words] [10 Marks] [2013]

Q.16) What is disaster resilience? How is it determined? Describe various elements of resilience
framework. Also mention the global targets of Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-
2030). [250 Words] [15 Marks] [2024]

Q.17) Flooding in urban areas is an emerging climate-induced disaster. Discuss the causes of this
disaster. Mention the features of two such major floods in the last two decades in India. Describe
the polices and frameworks in India that aim at tackling such floods. [250 Words] [15 Marks] [2024]

Disaster: A catastrophe, mishap, calamity or grave occurrence in any area, arising from natural or
man-made 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, and 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.
 Vulnerability Profile of India
India, due to its unique geo-climatic and socio-economic conditions, is vulnerable, in varying
degrees, to floods, droughts, cyclones, tsunamis, earthquakes, urban flooding, landslides,
avalanches and forest fire.
Out of 36 States and Union Territories (UTs) in the country, 27 are disaster prone.
58.6% landmass is prone to earthquakes of moderate to very high intensity;
12% land is prone to flood and river erosion;
out of 7,516 km coastline, 5,700 km is prone to cyclones and tsunamis;
68% of the cultivable land is vulnerable to drought,
hilly areas are at risk from landslides and avalanches, and
15% of landmass is prone to landslides.
A total of 5,161 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) are prone to urban flooding.
Fire incidents, industrial accidents and other manmade disasters involving chemical, biological and
radioactive materials are additional hazards, which have underscored the need for strengthening
mitigation, preparedness and response measures.
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.

Change in the approach to disaster management from a relief-centric to a holistic and integrated
approach covering the entire gamut of disaster management (prevention, mitigation, preparedness,
response, relief, reconstruction and rehabilitation). The approach is based on the conviction that
development cannot be sustainable unless disaster mitigation is built in the development process.

Disaster management is no longer just about survival. It is about ensuring that tragedies lead to
learning and transformation. By honouring the memory of those lost, we can build a future where
resilience and preparedness are the cornerstones of every community.

Tsunami

On 26 December 2004, 9.1 magnitude earthquake below the seabed off the coastline of Indonesia
triggered tsunami waves.
The tsunami struck the A&N Islands within 20 minutes of the undersea earthquake and travelled
1200 km to Chennai and Sri Lanka in just two hours.

The Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre (ITEWC) at INCOIS, Hyderabad:

 Operational since 2007
 Comprises a real time seismic monitoring and sea-level network
 Capable of detecting Tsunamigenic earthquakes in the Indian ocean as well as global
oceans within 10 minutes of their occurrence and disseminate advisories to the
concerned authorities
 Provides Tsunami related and sea surge-based information to 26 countries as part of
International Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO framework.

Odisha:
Currently, 24 coastal villages in Odisha have been recognised as “tsunami ready”. The later implies
a certain threshold in preparedness to include response and evacuation plans, mock exercises,
community awareness with signages indicating escape routes. Odisha is working towards
extending this to all coastal villages.

Dissemination system is maturing with a Common Alerting Protocol: Information received from
ITEWC can be appropriately drafted into warnings and advisories and disseminated to millions of
mobile phones whose numbers are captured through a polygon drawn through a GIS map.
 Earthquake

An earthquake is a series of vibrations on the earth’s surface caused by the generation of elastic
(seismic) waves due to sudden rupture within the earth during release of accumulated strain
energy.

Earthquake risk

 58.6% landmass is prone to earthquakes of moderate to very high intensity.

 The entire Himalayan Region is considered to be vulnerable to high intensity earthquakes of
a magnitude exceeding 8.0 on the Richter Scale.

Types of Earthquakes
1. Tectonic earthquakes – generated due to sliding of rocks along a fault plane
2. Volcanic earthquakes – special class of tectonic earthquakes; generated due to violent
volcanic eruptions; however confined to areas of active volcanoes
 3. Collapse earthquakes – roofs of underground mines collapse causing minor tremors
4. Explosion earthquakes – ground shaking because of explosion of chemical or nuclear
devices
5. Reservoir- induced earthquakes – occur in areas of large reservoirs

Notable earthquakes

the Uttarkashi earthquake of 1991,

the Latur earthquake of 1993,

the Jabalpur earthquake of 1997,

the Chamoli earthquake of 1999,

the Bhuj earthquake of 26 January 2001,

the Jammu & Kashmir earthquake of 2005,

the Sikkim earthquake of 2011,

the Assam earthquake of 2021.

Six pillars of Earthquake management

1. Ensure the incorporation of earthquake resistant design features for the construction of new
structures.
2. Facilitate selective strengthening and seismic retrofitting of existing priority and lifeline
structures in earthquake-prone areas.
3. Improve the compliance regime through appropriate regulation and enforcement.
4. Improve the awareness and preparedness of all stakeholders.
5. Introduce appropriate capacity development interventions for effective earthquake
management (including education, training, R&D, and documentation).
6. Strengthen the emergency response capability in earthquake-prone areas.
Indigenous earthquake-resistant houses like the bhongas in the Kutch Region of Gujarat, dhajji
diwari buildings in Jammu & Kashmir, brick-nogged wood frame constructions in Himachal Pradesh
and ekra constructions made of bamboo in Assam are increasingly being replaced with modern
Reinforced Cement Concrete (RCC) buildings, often without incorporating earthquake resistant
features and without compliance to building codes and bye-laws.
 Quotes:

“Disasters are not natural, but human-made; it is our actions that make them so.” - Mary Comerio

“The goal of disaster response is not to simply respond, but to build resilience.” – Unknown

“Disaster management is not just about saving lives, but also about reducing suffering.” - UNISDR

International Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief

Operation Disaster Countries provided Assistance provided

Support
Operation “Sadbhav” Typhoon Yagi Vietnam, Laos, and
(September 2024) Myanmar

The rationale for India providing HADR support:

1. Promoting regional stability and cohesion.

2. Fostering amicable relations and diplomatic ties.
3. Leveraging soft power for global recognition.
4. Direct government-to-government aid-enhancing bilateral relations.
5. Strategic use of aid as a political and economic tool (while being cautious in its approach,
recognising that unsuitable assistance can have unintended negative consequences).
 6. Respecting the dignity of recipients – avoiding unconditional aid.
7. Building capacity (by sharing its expertise, resources and technology in disaster
management) and enhancing global cooperation.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is mandated to provide HADR support to
other countries affected by major disasters, as per the provisions of the Disaster Management Act,
2005. In line with this mandate, NDMA, in coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA),
Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Headquarters Integrated
Defence Staff (HQ IDS) under the Ministry of Defence (MoD), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
(MOH&FW), and other relevant ministries and agencies have been actively involved in providing
HADR support to other countries.

Building capabilities, ensuring interoperability, and formulating a conceptual framework for

participation in HADR operations are critical in today’s geopolitical landscape.
DEIB- Diversity, Equity, Inclusiveness and Belonging
Disaster Management Exercises

Disaster Management Exercises(DMEx) are exercisesin which a hypothetical disastersituation is

projected to the participants depicting real life emergencies. The participants are expected to take
decisions or actions based on the information given to them within the constraints of existing DM
policies, plans and procedures. The purpose of DMEx isto help prepare Communities and
organisationsto respond effectively to real disasters and emergencies. They help test and improve
existing policies, plans, procedures and response capabilities. The DMEx also improves coordination
amongst DM Authorities, responders and the community for better response during any disaster.
International DMEx:

The South Asian Annual Disaster Management Exercise, 2015

BIMSTEC DMEx 2017

Shanghai Cooperation Organization Joint Exercise on Urban Earthquake Search & Rescue, 2019

BIMSTEC DMEx 2020

 Community Based Disaster Risk Reduction

Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2030)