CURRENT AFFAIRS

Disaster Management

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Notes

Contents

Heat Waves

Landslides

Earthquake

Stampede

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Notes

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Heat Waves
1.

A heat wave is declared when the maximum temperature crosses 45 degrees

Celsius, or if it rises more than 4 degrees Celsius above normal. If it rises
more than 6 degrees above normal, a severe heat wave is declared.

2.

Indian scenario
a.

b.

3.

4.

Notes

Present
i.

According to a may 31, 2015 article, over 2,000 deaths due to

heat wave have been reported across the country, most of them
from the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, where summer
has peaked with temperatures rising four to five degrees above
normal.

ii.

The poultry industry in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh has

reported high bird mortality and losses amounting to over Rs
100 crore until mid-May.

Earlier
i.

This is not the first time that India is witnessing deaths due to
heat waves. The heat waves in 2003 in Andhra Pradesh, in
1998 in Odisha and the 2010 heat wave which was a global
phenomenon and affected Ahmedabad badly and took thousands
of lives.

ii.

While these years saw exceptionally high fatalities, almost every

year the heat waves kill people all over the country, even if in
smaller numbers.

Reasons for heat waves

a.

Extreme weather conditions have become such a part of life all

across the world over the last decade and more, that ways and means
to understand and cope with them have become an essential element
of survival strategies. Heat waves in summer, cold waves in winter
and extreme rainfall when it is least expected have almost become
the norm. For those in denial of climate change, there are clear
pointers that cannot be ignored.

b.

Some climatic reasons probably make heat waves on the east coast
deadlier. In May and June, the Bay of Bengal often witnesses anticyclonic circulations which work towards trapping the heat in the
lower atmosphere. This kind of anti-cyclonic feature seen this
year from May 16 to May 28 can explain frequent and prolonged
heat waves in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Odisha, and also in
West Bengal, which too has witnessed a significant number of heatwave deaths in the past.

Reasons for heat wave deaths

a.

Long summers, punctuated with periods of intense heat, are not a

new phenomenon in AP, telanaga region. Though not quite a desert,
its landscape is one for which the term semi-arid could easily have
been invented shades of brown predominating over endless fields
dotted sometimes with the hardest varieties of trees. That summer

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is harsh is no surprise, but the stories of heat-related deaths form a

depressingly similar pattern.why inspite of this there are deaths?
b.

Most heat wave deaths are a result of direct and sustained exposure
to the sun and hot winds and the resultant dehydration. High
temperatures combined with high humidity aggravates the situation.

c.

Poverty
i.

As the disaster management authorities have admitted that the

poor, the ill and the oldthe most vulnerable section, is the
worst affected.

ii.

In such circumstances, it is rather odd and verging on mockery

for the authorities to urge people to stay indoors for several
hours, drink plenty of water (and buttermilk), wear only cotton
clothes and so on.

iii. It is difficult to expect daily wage labourers, drivers of non-airconditioned vehicles, delivery services personnels, workers in
industrial units where high temperatures are a constant, the
homeless and the destitute to follow this well-intentioned
advice.
d.

Power shortage
To add to the heat waves, power outages and breakdowns are such
a common feature in so many parts of the country that staying
indoors hardly helps.

e.

Lack of heat wave action plans

Many of these deaths could have been avoided if the state
governments and the municipal bodies had contingency plans to face
the summer heat. Barring Ahmedabad, no Indian city or state
has a heat wave action plan (HWAP), or a system of protocols and
procedures to initiate administrative action in the event of a heat
wave as well as to facilitate long-term planning.
1.

Building public awareness and community outreach,

2.

Initiating early warning systems and

3.

Training healthcare workers to deal with the emergencies.

In India, the Met department releases advance data on weather, but

in the absence of an action plan, the importance of the data is lost.
Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, where over 1,300 died, did not have
such a plan.

f.

Impacts tend to be much more severe in developing countries due to

a range of contributory factors like social/economic inequality, lack
of public infrastructure and public bodies to address the symptoms.
Added to this, there are issues of poor sanitation and a larger disease
load for the majority of the population. For people who are unable
to get enough nutrition, cannot access medicines and doctors, are
without shelter and are unaware of government schemes, the heat
spikes lead to spikes in morbidity and mortality.

g.

Most of the clinics dont have ice-packs.

Notes

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5.

6.

Solution
a.

Instead of bland and useless instructions, what is needed are wellcoordinated measures that range from the preventive to the curative.

b.

Perhaps the first step must be the recognition of heat waves as a

disaster that affects public health. In 2013, the National Disaster
Management Authority had written to the Prime Minister of the
need to include heat waves in the list of natural disasters. However,
the group of ministers entrusted with the task of taking a decision
on the matter did not reach any conclusion.

c.

Coordination of different government agenciesthe most critical

aspect of implementation, that seems to be a perennially problematic
areais another urgent feature. Studies specifically designed for Indian
cities and towns that are dedicated to looking at the impact of heat
waves and other data collection measures ought also to receive serious
attention.

d.

For the long term, the problems related to increasing and haphazard
urbanisation, industrial and vehicular pollution and the lack of housing
will also need to be the focus of attention. Work schedules, particularly
in work which involves physical labour, also need to be changed so
that afternoons are kept work free.

e.

We need adaptation measures which address not only the long-term

pattern of intense summer heat, which has been a traditional killer
of the poor and destitute, but also keep in mind the unexpected
manner in which these heat waves will come and go. It is a tall task
and one which seems herculean for our callous and inept governments.
The lack of importance given to these issues and the absense of
urgency brought to bear on them can be read to be commensurate
with the value placed on the life of the poor, working-class Indians.

f.

Taking basic precautions during heat wave conditions keeping

away from the sun and drinking water or liquids like butter milk
and ORS treatment in the event of a crisis, would help.

g.

A more organised effort is needed to reach out to vulnerable groups,

mostly the elderly, the malnourished, children and manual labourers.

h.

Need to enact a heat wave action plan.

i.

Public announcements must be made on radio, TV, newspapers and

social networking sites as soon as the Met department predicts the
onset of a heat wave.

j.

Police patrols and hospitals must be put on alert to handle emergencies.

Long-term planning aimed at mitigating the impact of climate change
by building green belts, better designed buildings and transport policies
should be worked on. In the interim, high risk areas should be mapped
and monitored, and uninterrupted power and water provided to
sensitive zones like hospitals.

Notes

Case studies : Steps by Indian cities

a.

The city of Ahmedabad and its municipal corporation have been

hailed for being the only one in the country to design an action plan
and implement it from 2013 onwards. The plan was drawn up by the
Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, the Indian Institute of Public

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Health, the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Georgia

Institute of Technology, last two of the United States. It involves
disseminating public information about risks and mitigating measures,
using social media, establishing a warning system including what-todo measures for gover nmental agencies, training of health
professionals to respond quickly and effectively, and adapting the
citys infrastructure to deal with the extreme temperatures.
The Ahmedabad Heat Action Plan is a four-pronged strategy, the
first step of which is to inform people about the risk of heat illnesses
and the preventive measures they should take.The second is to map
out actionables for various government agencies. The third involves
training healthcare professionals to deal better with heat-related
illnesses. In the last step, the corporation ensures that drinking water
is easily accessible in several places, and temporary cool spaces are
built during periods of extreme heat. In May this year, the
Maharashtra government held a two-day workshop in Nagpur to
develop a similar heat action plan for the city.
b.

Odisha In 1998, over 2,000 heat wave-related deaths were reported

from Odisha. Since that year, by about end-February, the State
government prepares each year for the possibility of another heat
wave striking. Schools and colleges shift to early morning sessions
between 6.30 a.m. and 12 noon as do government offices. Public
transport does not operate between 12 noon and 3.30 p.m., while
public wage programmes like Mahatma Gandhi National Rural
Employment Guarantee Act, etc. are stopped during these times. In
May this year, when reports broke of an approaching heat wave, the
State Special Relief Commissioner ordered all district collectors to
ensure that no labourer was allowed to be in the sun between 11 a.m.
and 3 p.m. In addition, as part of its guidelines, the State government
ensures that public health centres are equipped with ice slabs to treat
patients, it also puts out a series of advertisements advising people
on the precautions.

Landslides
1.

At least 30 persons were killed after a series of landslides, triggered by

overnight torrential rain, hit different parts of the Darjeeling Hills.

2.

According to State Government data, 22 persons died in popular tourist

destination Mirik, while 6 in Kalimpong and 1 each in Sukhia and
Gorubathan and 8 persons were missing after the landslide.

3.

Following heavy torrential rain, the loose land mass washed away and
came down along the steep, rocky walls. In the process the rocky land
mass had either swamped the wooden houses on the slope or fell on areas
with human habitation. Mirik block and Kalimpong subdivision bore the
brunt.

4.

Nepal quake impact The Landslides in Darjeeling hills are not uncommon
during monsoon but the recent earthquake in Nepal had affected the
internal rock structure of the hilly region. The increased magnitude of the
landslides and the large region it covered is a reflection of what the
experts conclude. In the plains also heavy rainfall resulted in parts of
Jalpaiguri district being inundated. The water released from the Teesta
barrage added to the woes of people.The Jalpaiguri district administration
has sounded a red alert as the Teesta and Torsa rivers touched danger
levels.

Notes

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Landslide - Meaning:

Notes

Landslide is the rapid sliding of large mass of bedrocks.

Unlike other disasters that are sudden, unpredictable and are largely controlled
by macro or regional factors, landslides are largely controlled by highly localised
factors. Hence, gathering information and monitoring the possibilities of landslide
is not only difficult but also immensely cost-intensive.

Indian Scenario:
India has been divided into a number of Landslide Vulnerability Zones
Very High Vulnerability Zone

Highly unstable, relatively young

mountainous areas in the Himalayas and
Andaman and Nicobar, high rainfall
regions with steep slopes in the Western
Ghats and Nilgiris, the north-eastern
regions, along with areas that experience
frequent ground-shaking due to
earthquakes, etc. and areas of intense
human activities, particularly those related
to construction of roads, dams, etc. are
included in this zone.

High Vulnerability Zone

Areas that have almost similar conditions

to those included in the very high
vulnerability zone are also included in this
category. The only difference between
these two is the combination, intensity
and frequency of the controlling factors.
All the Himalayan states and the states
from the north-eastern regions except the
plains of Assam are included in the high
vulnerability zones.

Moderate to Low Vulnerability

Zone

Areas that receive less precipitation such

as Trans-Himalayan areas of Ladakh and
Spiti (Himachal Pradesh), undulated yet
stable relief and low precipitation areas
in the Aravali, rain shadow areas in the
Western and Eastern Ghats and Deccan
plateau also experience occasional
landslides. Landslides due to mining and
subsidence are the most common in states
like Jharkhand, Orissa, Chhattisgarh,
Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra
Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Goa and
Kerala.

Other Areas

The remaining parts of India, particularly

states like Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar
Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal (except
district Darjiling), Assam (except district
Karbi Anglong) and Coastal regions of
the southern States are safe as far as
landslides are concerned.

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Reasons:
a.

Notes
In our country, debris avalanche and landslides occur very frequently
in the Himalayas. There are many reasons for this.
i.

One, the Himalayas are tectonically active.

ii.

They are mostly made up of sedimentary rocks and

unconsolidated and semi-consolidated deposits.

iii. The slopes are very steep.

b.

Compared to the Himalayas, the Nilgiris bordering Tamilnadu,

Karnataka, Kerala and the Western Ghats along the west coast are
relatively tectonically stable and are mostly made up of very hard
rocks; but, still, debris avalanches and landslides occur here though
not as frequently as in the Himalayas because
i.

Many slopes are steeper with almost vertical cliffs and

escarpments in the Western Ghats and Nilgiris.

ii.

Mechanical weathering due to temperature changes and ranges

is pronounced.

iii. They receive heavy amounts of rainfall over short periods.

iv.

So, there is almost direct rock fall quite frequently in these

places along with landslides and debris avalanches.

Consequences
1.

Disasters due to landslides, are in general, far less dramatic than due
to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis and cyclones but their
impact on the natural environment and national economy is in no
way less severe.

2.

Landslides have relatively small and localized area of direct influence,

but roadblock, destruction of railway lines and channel blocking due
to rock-falls have far-reaching consequences.

3.

Diversion of river courses due to landslides can also lead to flood

and loss of life and property.

4.

It also make spatial interaction difficult, risky as well as a costly

affair, which, in turn, adversely affect the developmental activities in
these areas.

What should be done?

1.

It is always advisable to adopt area-specific measures to deal with

landslides.

2.

Restriction on the construction and other developmental activities

such as roads and dams, limiting agriculture to valleys and areas with
moderate slopes, and control on the development of large settlements
in the high vulnerability zones, should be enforced.

3.

This should be supplemented by some positive actions like promoting

large-scale afforestation programs and construction of bunds to reduce
the flow of water.

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4.

Terrace farming should be encouraged in the northeastern hill states

where Jhumming (Slash and Burn/Shifting Cultivation) is still
prevalent.

Notes

Earthquake
Overview of an Earthquake Technical Aspects
What is it?
a.

An earthquake in simple words is shaking of the earth.

b.

All natural earthquakes take place in the lithosphere.

Causes
a.

It is caused due to release of energy, which generates waves that

travel in all directions.

b.

The release of energy occurs along a fault.

i.

Rocks along a fault tend to move in opposite directions.

ii.

But the overlying rock strata press them, the friction locks
them together and thus usually they dont move in opposite
directions.

iii. However, their tendency to move apart at some point of time

overcomes the friction which releases energy waves travel in all
directions.

Indian Scenario
1.

Zones India divided into the

following earthquake zones:
i.

Very high damage risk zone

ii.

High damage risk zone

iii. Moderate damage risk zone

2.

iv.

Low damage risk zone

v.

Very low damage risk zone.

Why in the Himalayan region?

a.

Indian plate is moving at a

speed of one centimetre per
year towards the north and
northeastern direction and this
movement of plates is being
constantly obstructed by the
Eurasian plate from the north.

b.

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

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energy results in building up of stress, which ultimately leads to the

breaking up of the lock and the sudden release of energy causes
earthquakes along the Himalayan arch.
c.

3.

4.

Some of the most vulnerable states are Jammu and Kashmir,

Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Sikkim, and the Darjiling and
subdivision of West Bengal and all the seven states of the northeast.

Why in Penisular india Bhima fault

a.

Apart from these regions, the central-western parts of India,

particularly Gujarat (in 1819, 1956 and 2001) and Maharashtra (in
1967 and 1993) have also experienced some severe earthquakes.

b.

Earth scientists have found it difficult to explain the occurrence of

earthquakes in one of the oldest, most stable and mature landmass
of Peninsular block for a long time.

c.

Recently, some earth scientists have come up with a theory of

emergence of a fault line and energy build-up along the fault line
represented by the river Bhima (Krishna) near Latur and Osmanabad
(Maharashtra) and the possible breaking down of the Indian plate.

India has been divided into the following five earthquake zones:
Very high damage risk zone North-east states, areas to the north of
Darbhanga and Araria along the IndoNepal border in Bihar, Uttaranchal,
Western Himachal Pradesh (around
Dharamshala) and Kashmir Valley in the
Himalayan region and the Kuchchh
(Gujarat).
High damage risk zone

Remaining parts of Jammu and Kashmir,

Himachal Pradesh, Northern parts of
Punjab, Eastern parts of Haryana, Delhi,
Western Uttar Pradesh, and Northern
Bihar fall under the High Damage Risk
Zone.

Moderate damage risk zone Remaining parts of the country fall under
moderate to very Low Damage Risk
Zone. Most of the areas that can be
considered safe are from the stable
landmass covered under the Deccan
plateau.
Low damage risk zone
Other regions of India.
Very low damage risk zone

2) Consequences Socio-environmental Consequences

Unlike other disasters, the damages caused by earthquakes are more devastating.
i.

Impact depending on origin

a.

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Earthquakes that are of tectonic origin have proved to be the most

devastating and their area of influence is also quite large. These
earthquakes result from a series of earth movements brought about

Notes

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by a sudden release of energy during the tectonic activities in the

earths crust.
b.

ii.

Notes

As compared to these, the earthquakes associated with volcanic

eruption, rock fall, landslides, subsidence, particularly in the mining
areas, impounding of dams and reservoirs, etc. have limited area of
influence and the scale of damage.

The idea of an earthquake is often associated with fear and horror due to
the scale, magnitude and suddenness at which it spreads disasters on the
surface of the earth without discrimination. It becomes a calamity when
it strikes the areas of high density of population. It not only damages and
destroys the settlements, infrastructure, transport and communication
network, industries and other developmental activities but also robs the
population of their material and socio-cultural gains that they have preserved
over generations. It renders them homeless, which puts an extra-pressure
and stress, particularly on the weak economy of the developing countries.

iii. Earthquakes have all encompassing disastrous effects on the area of their
occurrence. Some of the imptortant ones are listed in table below:4.

5.

Environmental Consequences
a.

Apart from these, earthquakes also have some serious and far-reaching
environmental consequences.

b.

Surface seismic waves produce fissures on the upper layers of the

earths crust through which water and other volatile materials gush
out, inundating the neighbouring areas.

c.

Earthquakes are also responsible for landslides and often these cause
obstructions in the flow of rivers and channels resulting in the
formation of reservoirs.

d.

Sometimes, rivers also change their courses causing floods and other
calamities in the affected areas.

Since it also destroys most of the transport and communication links,

providing timely relief to the victims becomes difficult.

What should be done?

It is not possible to prevent the occurrence of an earthquake; hence, the next
best option is to emphasis on disaster preparedness and mitigation rather than
curative measures such as:
1.

Establishing earthquake monitoring centres (seismological centres)

for regular monitoring and fast dissemination of information among
the people in the vulnerable areas. Use of Geographical Positioning
System (GPS) can be of great help in monitoring the movement of
tectonic plates.

2.

Preparing a vulnerability map of the country and dissemination of

vulnerability risk information among the people and educating them
about the ways and means minimising the adverse impacts of
disasters.

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3.

Modifying the house types and building designs in the vulnerable

areas and discouraging construction of high-rise buildings, large
industrial establishments and big urban centres in such areas.

4.

Finally, making it mandatory to adopt earthquake-resistant designs

and use light materials in major construction activities in the vulnerable
areas.

Nepal Earthquake
Introduction
1.

On April 25, a devastatingearthquake measuring 7.8(on the moment

magnitude) struck Nepal. Its epicentre was Barpak, in the historic Gorkha
district, about 76 kilometres northwest of Kathmandu. Though an
earthquake prone country, Nepal had not suffered an earthquake of similar
magnitude for 80 years. Since then, there have been more than 300
aftershocks including one of 7.3 magnitude on May 12, with its epicentre
near Mt. Everest 3,000 landslides were also reported.

2.

Status as of June 2015 :

a.

The tragedy has claimed 9,000 lives with hundreds still missing, making
it difficult to gauge the extent of damage in some of the remote areas.

b.

Fourteen out of Nepals 75 districts have been declared crisis hit with
another neighbouring 17 categorised as partially affected.The widespread
destructioncovers private and public buildings (nearly 5,00,000 buildings
destroyed and 3,00,000 damaged), heritage sites (Kathmandu valley has
seven UNESCO World Heritage sites), rural roads and bridges, trekking
routes which form the backbone of the tourist industry, hydel plants and
agricultural land.

Steps by Indian Government

1.

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Help by India in Nepal

disaster
a.

The rapidity with

which the Indian
g o v e r n m e n t
responded to the
earthquake in Nepal
and the extent of
help provided can
only be welcomed.

b.

Within a few hours

of the earthquake
striking north-west of
Kathmandu and with
initial reports coming
in
of
massive
devastation
to
property, the Indian
g o v e r n m e n t
mobilised both the
National Disaster

Notes

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Response Force (NDRF) and the armed forces to send relief as well
as specialised rescue teams to help its northern neighbour.
c.

2.

Notes

From all accounts it does seem that Indian rescue workers, doctors,
relief supplies and medicines have been an important part of the
Nepal governments efforts.

Way forward
a.

As the people of Nepal pick up the pieces from the devastation of

this earthquake, they will need all the help to rebuild and improve
their infrastructure. This provides Nepals friends, India foremost, an
opportunity to partner with the Nepali Government and people, and
also, in the process, improve our own capabilities in the job of
rehabilitation and reconstruction.

b.

Geologists warn us that more earthquakes, perhaps more devastating

than the present one, are expected in the Himalayas. Moreover,
unexpected weather events are only increasing and the number of
people who would be exposed to danger will only grow. We need to
draw on our success to build our capacities in both loss prevention/
minimisation as well as in rehabilitation.

Operation Maitri
It is the name of Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) tasks
carried out in the quake hit Nepal by the IAF and Indian Army from 25 Apr
2015 wound up on 04 Jun 2015.
Details
a.

The Indian Air Force and the Army flew 2223 sorties, rescued/
evacuated about 11,200 people (including 780 casualties) to safer
places and transported and dropped about 1700 tonnes of relief
materials.

b.

The Indian armed forces Rapid Action Medical Teams extended

medical assistance to 4762 injured, including 300 surgeries, 216
hospital admissions and 4174 OPD cases.

c.

Within four hours of the earthquake that struck Nepal, IAF swung
into action and routed one C-130J aircraft, two C-17, one IL-76,
airlifting 295 NDRF personnel, 46.5 tonnes of load and five sniffer
dogs.

d.

Lots of relief material for over a month were airlifted like water,
field hospitals, blankets, tents, Paramedics, stretchers, medicines,
prepared food, milk, utensils, vegetables, Meals Ready to Eat (MRE),
RO Plants, Oxygen Regenerators, Air Force Communication Centre
Vehicles, Rapid Action Medical Team (RAMT) with its transportable
Operation Theatre, X-ray, Laboratory & patient beds etc.

e.

Large scale relief & rescue operations were carried out by Mi-17 V5
and Mi-17 helicopters from detachments at Pokhara and Kathmandu.
These operations were carried out to far flung inaccessible areas at
earthquake affected places that included Lukla, Dhading, Millanchi,
Gorkha, Chautara, Charikot, Melum, Aroghat, Dhunche, Trishuli,
Ramechhap, Barpak, Narayan Chor, Namchi Bazar, Tatopani,
Lamabagar and other remote villages.

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f.

The Engineer Task Force (ETF) of the Indian Army have cleared and
constructed tracks in difficult and inaccessible areas to facilitate the
relief work in Barpak, Gorkha and Kathmandu.

h.

The Indian Armys Everest Expedition team which was located at

the Everest Base Camp when the earthquake struck did yeoman
service to rescue a number of mountaineers who were affected by an
avalanche that was triggered due to the quake. They helped in
recovering 18 dead bodies and the team doctor rendered critical medical
aid to several mountaineers before they were evacuated by air.

Critical Evaluation of Crisis Management

Massive Improvement in disaster response a.

Indias disaster and emergency response seems to have matured and

is now dependable when any such event strikes.

b.

One only has to discern the professionalism of the response to the

present earthquake and compare it with the reaction in 2001 to the
Bhuj earthquake to realise how much of an improvement there has
been; or compare the response to the 1999 cyclone in Odisha with
the reaction to Cyclone Phailin.

c.

Post 2004 The watershed event for Indias disaster response seems
to have been the tsunami of December 2004. Some lessons
institutional as well as policywere learnt and implemented by both
the government as well as non-governmental actors.
i.

The National Disaster Management Authority was formed,

ii.

Protocols for responding to disasters were drawn up,

iii. And a range of non-governmental actors were involved in

consultation and formulation of policies.
iv.

Later, the NDRF was drawn up with contributions from the

central police and security forces.

v.

The Navy and the Air Force too have built capacities to deal
with civilian emergencies in coordination with the NDRF.

vi. Indias attempts at building a blue water Navy and its larger
policy of projecting its emerging power status have together
also contributed to its enhanced capabilities. This has been
evident during the process of evacuation from war zones like
Iraq, Libya and, most recently, Yemen.
4.

Challenges
a.

14

This enhancement in capabilities of meeting disasters seems, at

present, to be restricted to sudden destruction and damage of war,
earthquakes and cyclones. It has not been in evidence with equal
efficiency and professionalism in facing floods, nor in dealing with
situations of terrorist attacks, riots or mob violence. India confronts
a continuing, and growing, disaster of road accidents and even the
relatively minor matter of reaching first aid to victims and
transporting them to hospitals remains grossly inefficient. Nor has
there been any perceptible improvement in dealing with fire accidents.

Notes

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b.

Further, while the rescue and immediate relief measures have seen
improvements, there has not been a parallel advance in preparing for
disasters (perhaps Cyclone Phailin was an exception).

c.

The building code for earthquake-prone areas is poorly enforced;

safety drills and civil defence measures are poor and there has been
little investment of time, money or attention to fulfilling any of
these standards and courses of action.

d.

The longer, more difficult, work of rehabilitation too remains patchy

and haphazard at best and grossly neglected at most times. Victims
of disaster are left, after the first flush of rescue and relief, to fend
for themselves as they try to rebuild their lives. Matters of class,
caste and gender discrimination, bureaucratic sloth and callousness,
political one-upmanship and such other venalities have, more often
than not, blighted whatever feeble attempts made at rehabilitation.
The few success stories can be traced either to the ability of local
communities to come together to help themselves or to the individual
initiative of some administrator or politician. Unfortunately, these
have not been codified into standard operating procedures, or
institutionalised into protocols.

Notes

Role of Media in Disaster Management (Nepals Earthquake Coverage by

Indian Media)
1.

Role of the media during disasters

a.

Before a catastrophe, they can warn the people and prepare for it.

b.

During disaster
i.

During the disaster, they can be effective in conduct of

information about help lines, aid-distribution camps, emergency
phone numbers, or the kind of supplies required.

ii.

They can help scotch rumours and prevent panic by quickly

disseminating the right facts and figures.

iii. Their coverage helps mobilise help from outside the disaster
area, in the form of money, supplies and volunteers.
iv.

c.
2

And finally, the focus of the media on a disaster helps increase

its visibility, thus forcing governments to upgrade it on their
agenda.

Afterwards, with continued reportage, they can ensure that no survivor

is forgotten or left out of the aid network.

Way forward
a.

Media should realize that it is to wring an emotional response from

audiences, they must refrain from sticking microphones in the faces
of survivors who may have just lost everything. Peoples right to
know just does not apply here. Nobody has a right to know how
much anyone else is grieving. Instead, it is the survivor who has an
absolute right to privacy. The only right way to get a human angle
to the reporting is to ask for consent, make a full disclosure of how
and where it will be aired, keep the questions brief, and not push for
emotional outbursts.

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b.

It is better that television revisits the basic rules of journalistic ethics

during disaster reporting.

c.

Ethical journalism must place humanity above professional urgency.

Stampede
1.

The term stampede is applied to a sudden rush of a crowd of people,

usually resulting in many injuries and death from suffocation and trampling.
In stampede, the term mob or crowd is used to refer to a congregated,
active, polarized aggregate of people, which is basically heterogeneous and
complex. Its most salient features include homogeneity of thought and
action among its participants and their impulsive and irrational actions.
Stampedes during religious festivals are quite common in India. Over a
dozen instances of pilgrims being trampled to death have been recorded
in independent India, and the common thread running through every such
tragedy is the utter failure of the authorities and the public alike to learn
any lesson from previous disasters.

2.

3.

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Causes: Incidents of stampedes can occur in numerous socio-cultural

situations. These stampede incidents can be categorized into the following
types, where the causes and the impact are described in the incident.
Though the list is not exhaustive, it provides a fair idea about various
types of situations where stampedes can occur.
a.

Entertainment events

b.

Escalator and moving walkways

c.

Food distribution

d.

Processions

e.

Natural disasters

f.

Power failure

g.

Religious events

h.

Fire incidents during religious/other events

i.

Riots

j.

Sports events

k.

Weather related

Stampede of Godavari Maha Pushkaram at Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh

a.

At the Godavari Maha Pushkaram at Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh

on July 14, every ingredient needed for a tragedy was present a
rarely occurring religious festival attended by millions of people, the
edge of a crowded bathing ghat, and the presence of VIPs causing
waiting devotees to lose their patience.

b.

Several factors appear to have contributed to the Godavari tragedy.

These include lack of proper barricading to enable pilgrims to move

Notes

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in single file towards the river, the failure of the authorities to

guide devotees, especially those unfamiliar with the town, to more
spacious ghats elsewhere, and the absence of planning for crowd
management. All these indicate that even a good deal of advance
preparation and elaborate security arrangements are not enough
to guarantee safety at mass events unless some elementary
safeguards are in place. After the Maha Kumbh Mela tragedy in
1954, Jawaharlal Nehru had asked VIPs to stay away from such
events. It was recognised even then that the presence of VIPs puts
needless pressure and strain on the administrative machinery and
severely compromises optimal measures to control milling crowds.
The authorities must take every precaution to prevent a repeat. While
VIPs do have a right to participate in such events, it should be
ensured that their presence does not compromise the safety of the
public.

Notes

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