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DISASTER MANAGEMENT
INTRODUCTION
India has been traditionally vulnerable to natural disasters on account of its unique geo-climatic
conditions. Floods, droughts, cyclones, earthquakes and landslides have been a recurrent
phenomena. About 60% of the landmass is prone to earthquakes of various intensities; over 40
million hectares is prone to floods; about 8% of the total area is prone to cyclones and 68% of the
area is susceptible to drought. In the decade 1990-2000, an average of about 4344 people lost their
lives and about 30 million people were affected by disasters every year.
At the global level, there has been considerable concern over natural disasters. Even as substantial
scientific and material progress is made, the loss of lives and property due to disasters has not
decreased. In fact, the human toll and economic losses have mounted. It was in this background
that the United Nations General Assembly, in 1989, declared the decade 1990-2000 as the
International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction with the objective to reduce loss of lives and
property and restrict socio-economic damage through concerted international action, especially in
developing countries.
The super cyclone in Odissa in October, 1999 and the Bhuj earthquake in Gujarat in January, 2001
underscored the need to adopt a multi dimensional endeavour involving diverse scientific,
engineering, financial and social processes, the need to adopt multi disciplinary and multi sectoral
approach and incorporation of risk reduction in the developmental plans and strategies.
Over the past couple of years, the Government of India have brought about a paradigm shift in the
approach to disaster management. The new approach proceeds from the conviction that
development cannot be sustainable unless disaster mitigation is built into the development process.
Another corner stone of the approach is that mitigation has to be multi-disciplinary spanning across
all sectors of development. The new policy also emanates from the belief that investments in
mitigation are much more cost effective than expenditure on relief and rehabilitation.
What is Disaster?
The term disaster owes its origin to the French word Desastre o i atio of t o o ds des
meaning BAD a d aste ea i g STAR the term refers to Bad or Evil Star. A disaster can be defined
as A serious disruption in the functioning of the community or a society causing wide spread
material, economic, social or environmental losses which exceed the ability of the affected society to
cope using its own resources .
A disaster is a result from the combination of hazard, vulnerability and insufficient capacity or
measures to reduce the potential chances of risk.
What is Hazard?
Hazard a e defi ed as a da ge ous o ditio o e e t, that th eat o ha e the pote tial fo
causing injury to life or damage to p ope t o the e i o e t. The o d haza d o es its o igi to
the word hazard in old French a d az-zahr in Arabic meaning chance or luck.
For example, flooding may be caused because of heavy rains, landslide or blocking of drains with
human waste.
Types Hazards
1 Earthquake 4. Landslide
Geological Hazards 2 Tsunami 5. Dam burst
3 Volcanic eruption 6. Mine Fire
1. Tropical Cyclone 6. Cloudburst
2. Tornado and Hurricane 7. Landslide
Water & Climatic Hazards 3. Floods 8. Heat & Cold wave
4. Drought 9. Snow Avalanche
5. Hailstorm 10. Sea erosion
1. Environmental pollutions 3. Desertification
Environmental Hazards 2. Deforestation 4. Pest infestation
Hazards are always prevalent, but the hazard becomes a disaster only when there is greater
vulnerability and less of capacity to cope with it. In other words the frequency or likelihood of
a hazard and the vulnerability of the community increases the risk of being severely affected.
What is Vulnerability?
Vul e a ilit a e defi ed as The e te t to hi h a o u it st u tu e, se i es o
geographic area is likely to be damaged or disrupted by the impact of particular hazard, on account
of thei atu e, o st u tio a d p o i it to haza dous te ai s o a disaste p o e a ea.
Categories of Vulnerabilities
a. Physical Vulnerability
b. Socio-economic Vulnerability
a. Physical Vulnerability
It includes notions of who and what may be damaged or destroyed by natural hazard such as
earth-quakes or floods. It is based on the physical conditions of people and elements at risk, such as
buildings, infrastructure etc; and their proximity, location and nature of the hazard. It also relates to
the technical capability of buildings and structures to resist the forces acting upon them during a
hazard event. Unchecked growth of settlements in unsafe areas exposes the people to the hazard. In
case of an earthquake or landslide the ground may fail and the houses on the top may topple or slide
and affect the settlements at the lower level even if they are designed well for earthquake forces.
b. Socio-economic Vulnerability
The degree to which a population is affected by a hazard will not merely lie in the physical
components of vulnerability but also on the socio-economic conditions. The socio economic
condition of the people also determines the intensity of the impact. For example, people who are
poor and living in the sea coast don't have the money to construct strong concrete houses. They are
generally at risk and loss their shelters whenever there is strong wind or cyclone. Because of their
poverty they are not able to rebuild their houses.
What is Capacity?
Capa it a e defi ed as esou es, ea s a d st e gths hi h e ist i households a d
communities and which enable them to cope with, withstand, prepare for, prevent, mitigate or
ui kl e o e f o a disaste . People s apa it a also e take i to account.
Categories of Capacities
a. Physical Capacity
b. Socio-economic Capacity
a. Physical Capacity
People whose houses have been destroyed by the cyclone or crops have been destroyed by the
flood can salvage things from their homes and from their farms. Some family members have skills,
which enable them to find employment if they mitigate, either temporarily or permanently.
b. Socio-economic Capacity
In most of the disasters, people suffer their greatest losses in the physical and material realm.
Rich people have the capacity to recover soon because of their wealth. In fact, they are seldom hit
by disasters because they live in safe areas and their houses are built with stronger materials.
However, even when everything is destroyed they have the capacity to cope up with it.
What is Risk?
‘isk is a easu e of the e pe ted losses due to a haza d e e t o u i g i a gi e a ea o e a
specific time period. Risk is a function of the probability of particular hazardous event and the losses
each would cause . The le el of isk depe ds o :
1. Nature of the hazard
2. Vulnerability of the elements which are affected
3. Economic value of those elements.
A community/locality is said to be at risk when it is exposed to hazards and is likely to be
adversely affected by its impact. Whenever we discuss ' disaster management it is basically disaster
risk management. Disaster risk management includes all measures which reduce disaster related
losses of life, property or assets by either reducing the hazard or vulnerability of the elements at risk.
Mechanism of Disaster Risk reduction can take place in the following ways:
1. Preparedness:
This protective process embraces measures which enable government communities and
individuals to respond rapidly to disaster situations to cope with them effectively. Preparedness
includes the formulation of viable emergency plans, the development of warning systems, the
maintenance of inventories and the training of personnel. It may also embrace search and rescue
measures as well as evacuation plans for areas that may be at risk from a recurring disaster.
Preparedness therefore encompasses those measures taken before a disaster event which are
aimed at minimizing loss of life, disruption of critical services, and damage when the disaster occurs.
2. Mitigation:
Mitigation embraces measures taken to reduce both the effect of the hazard and the vulnerable
conditions to it in order to reduce the scale of a future disaster. Therefore mitigation activities can
be focused on the hazard itself or the elements exposed to the threat. Examples of mitigation
measures which are hazard specific include water management in drought prone areas, relocating
people away from the hazard prone areas and by .strengthening structures to reduce damage when
a hazard occurs
In addition to these physical measures, mitigation should also aim at reducing the economic and
social vulnerabilities of potential disasters.
Disaster Management Cycle
Disaster Risk Management includes sum total of all activities, programmes and measures which
can be taken up before during and after a disaster with the purpose to avoid a disaster, reduce its
impact or recover from its losses. The three key stages of activities that are taken up within disaster
risk management are:
a) Before a disaster (pre-disaster): Activities taken to reduce human and property losses caused
by a potential hazard. For example carrying out awareness campaigns, strengthening the
existing weak structures, preparation of the disaster management plans at household and
community level etc. Such risk reduction measures taken under this stage are termed as
mitigation and preparedness activities.
b) During a disaster (disaster occurrence): Initiatives taken to ensure that the needs and
provisions of victims are met and suffering is minimized. Activities taken under this stage are
called emergency response activities.
According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), data major natural disasters/
extremes that occurred around the world during the period 1963-2002, indicates, that floods and
droughts cause the maximum damage.
Indian Scenario
The scenario in India is no different from the global context. The super cyclone of Orissa (1999),
the Gujarat earthquake (2001) and the recent Tsunami (2004) affected millions across the country
leaving behind a trail of heavy loss of life, property and livelihood.
8 July 1991, Assam- Landslide 300 people killed. Heavy loss to roads and
infrastructure
9. August 1993, Nagaland- Landslide 500 killed and more than 200 houses destroyed and
about 5 Km Road damaged.
10. 1978 Floods in North East India 3,800 people killed and heavy loss to property.
11. 1994 Floods in Assam, Arunachal More than 2000 people killed and
Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Thousands of people affected.
Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Uttar
Pradesh, Goa, Kerala and Gujarat.
252 Districts in 10
3. Drought 2009 -----
States
Andhra Pradesh,
Karnataka, Orissa,
4. Floods 2009 300 people died
Kerala, Delhi,
Maharashtra
1094 deaths
Maharashtra
7. 2005 Maharashtra State 167 injured
Floods
54 missing
Orissa Super
11. 1999 Orissa Over 10,000 deaths
Cyclone
10,000 deaths
hundreds of thousands
17. Cyclone 1977 Andhra Pradesh
homeless
40,000 cattle deaths
In India,
o 59% of the land mass is susceptible to Earthquakes,
o 12% of the total geographical area is prone to floods,
o 8% of the total landmass is prone to cyclones,
o 70% of the cultivable area is vulnerable to drought.
Apart from this the hilly regions are vulnerable to avalanches/landslides /hailstorms/
cloudbursts. Apart from the natural hazards, we also affected with Man-made/Human induced
disasters.
Worldwide view of damage caused by Natural disasters around the world is as follows:
o Floods : 32%
o Tropical cyclones : 30%
o Droughts : 22%
o Earthquakes : 10%
o Other disasters : 6%
29th October is National Day for Disaster Reduction.
EARTHQUAKE
Earthquake is one of the most destructive natural hazard. They may occur at any time of the
year, day or night, with sudden impact and little warning. They can destroy buildings and
infrastructure in seconds, killing or injuring the inhabitants. Earthquakes not only destroy the entire
habitation but may de-stabilize the government economy and social structure of the country. But
what is an earthquake? It is the sudden shaking of the earth crust. The impact of an earthquake is
sudden and there is hardly any warning, making it impossible to predict.
Causes of Earthquake:
The ea th s ust is a rocky layer of varying thickness ranging from a depth of about 10 km
under the sea to 65 km under the continents. The crust is not one piece but consists of
portions called plates which vary in size from a few hundred to thousands of kms. The
theory of plate tectonics holds that the plates ride up on the more mobile mantle, and are
driven by some yet unconfirmed mechanisms, perhaps thermal convection currents. When
these plates contact each other, stress arises in the crust.
Moderate
August 21, 13:41 Kangra, Himachal tremors in
33.1°N 76.4°E 0 5.0
2014 IST Pradesh Himachal,
felt in Delhi
Aftershock of
March 21, 19:55 Andaman and Nicobar 6.7
7.6°N 94.4°E 0 5.2
2014 IST Islands magnitude
earthquake
Aftershock of
March 21, 19:40 Andaman and Nicobar 6.7
7.9°N 94.0°E 0 5.3
2014 IST Islands magnitude
earthquake
Moderate
March 21, 18:41 Andaman and Nicobar earthquake
7.6°N 94.4°E 0 6.7
2014 IST Islands in Andaman
Islands
December 23:41
Jammu and Kashmir 36.7°N 77.4°E 0 4.7
5, 2013 IST
Tremors felt
December 18:35 in Gangtok,
Northern West Bengal 26.1°N 89.5°E 0 4.7
4, 2013 IST Patna and
Cooch Behar
Earthquake
November 03:45
New Delhi 28.4°N 77.4°E 0 swarm in 2.8
12, 2013 IST
Indian capital
Earthquake
November 01:56
New Delhi 28.4°N 77.4°E 0 swarm in 2.5
12, 2013 IST
Indian capital
Earthquake
November 01:41
New Delhi 28.4°N 77.4°E 0 swarm in 3.3
12, 2013 IST
Indian capital
Earthquake
November 00:41
New Delhi 28.4°N 77.5°E 0 swarm in 3.1
12, 2013 IST
Indian capital
October 3, 11:30
Gangtok, Sikkim 26.1°N 88.7°E 0 5.2
2013 IST
Tremors felt
across North
May 1, 12:27
Jammu and Kashmir [2] 33.1°N 75.8°E 2 India 5.8
2013 IST
including
Delhi
Mild tremors
April 10, 17:10
New Delhi 28.6°N 77.4°E 0 felt in Indian 3.4
2013 IST
capital
Another
earthquake
May 17, 19:09
New Delhi 28.6°N 77.2°E 0 jolts Delhi, 3.5
2012 IST
tremors felt
in Rohtak,
Agra and
Meerut
Low-intensity
earthquake
in Delhi,
May 2, 04:12
New Delhi 28.3°N 77.3°E 0 tremors felt 3.5
2012 IST
in Sonepat,
Agra and
Hisar
Aftershock of
April 30, 06:44 Andaman and Nicobar 6.2
8.6°N 94.0°E 0 5.2
2012 IST Islands magnitude
earthquake
Aftershock of
April 25, 22:45 Andaman and Nicobar 6.2
9.1°N 94.0°E 0 5.3
2012 IST Islands magnitude
earthquake
Aftershock of
April 25, 17:53 Andaman and Nicobar 6.2
7.9°N 93.4°E 0 5.7
2012 IST Islands magnitude
earthquake
Aftershock of
April 25, 10:57 Andaman and Nicobar 6.2
9.1°N 94.1°E 0 5.5
2012 IST Islands magnitude
earthquake
Big
earthquake
April 25, 08:45 Andaman and Nicobar
9.9°N 94.0°E 0 in Andaman 6.2
2012 IST Islands
and Niocbar
Islands
Third
April 14, 11:30 earthquake
Ratnagiri, Maharashtra 17.4°N 73.8°E 0 4.0
2012 IST in Mumbai in
two hours
Mumbai,
Ahmedabad,
April 14, 09:20 Vadodara
Ratnagiri, Maharashtra 23.0°N 73.1°E 0 4.1
2012 IST and Rajkot
report
tremors
Tremors felt
April 14, 09:20
Ratnagiri, Maharashtra 23.4°N 72.9°E 0 across 4.6
2012 IST
Maharashtra
Another
earthquake
jolts Delhi,
March 13, 03:45
New Delhi 28.6°N 77.0°E 0 eight days 3.6
2012 IST
after a 5.2-
magnitude
earthquake
Strong
tremors in
March 5, 13:09:00 Delhi, CBSE
New Delhi 28.8°N 76.7°E 5 5.2
2012 IST Physics
board exam
disrupted
Strong
Gangtok, Sikkim
September 18:10 earthquake
see 2011 Sikkim 27.723°N 88.064°E 118 6.9
18, 2011 IST in NE India,
earthquake
tremors felt
in Delhi,
Kolkata,
Lucknow and
Jaipur
Aftershock of
September 18:23 6.9
Gangtok, Sikkim 27.72N 88.07E 5.7
18, 2011 IST magnitude
earthquake
Moderate
earthquake
in Delhi on
September 23:28 the day of
New Delhi 28.3°N 77.1°E 0 4.2
7, 2011 IST the 2011
Delhi High
Court
Bombing
Tsunami
August 10, 01:21
Andaman Islands 14.1°N 92.8°E 26 Warning 7.7
2009 IST
issued
Note:
Geological Survey of India prepares Maps of the Earthquake Prone areas. Australia is considered as
Continent without earthquakes.
II. TSUNAMI
The term Tsunami has been derived from a Japanese term Tsunami ea i g ha o and
tsu a i ea i g a es ,. Tsunamis are popularly called tidal waves but they actually have nothing
to do with the tides. These waves which often affect distant shores, originate by rapid displacement
of water from the lake or the sea either by seismic activity. Landslides, volcanic eruptions or large
meteoroid impacts. Whatever the cause may be sea water is displaced with a violent motion and
s ells up, ulti atel su gi g o e la d ith g eat dest u ti e po e . The effe ts of a tsunami can be
unnoticeable or even destructive.
Causes of a Tsunami
The geological movements that cause tsunamis are produced in three major ways. The most
common of those are fault movements on the sea floor, accompanies by an earth-quake.
The second most common cause of the tsunami is a landslide either occurring under water
or originating above the sea and then plunging into the water. The largest tsunami ever
produced by a landslide was in Lituya Bay, Alaska in 1958. The massive rock slide produced a
wave that reached a high water mark of 50-150 meters above the shoreline.
The third major cause of tsunami is volcanic activity. The flank of a volcano located near the
shore or under water may be uplifted or depressed similar to the action of a fault, or the
volcano may actually explode. In 1883 the violent explosion of the famous volcano Krakatoa
in Indonesia, produced tsunami measuring 40 meters which crushed upon Java and Sumatra.
Over 36,000 people lost their lives in this tyrant waves.
Tsunami differs from ordinary ocean waves which are produced by wind blowing over water.
The tsunamis travel much faster than ordinary waves. Compared to normal wave speed of
100 kilometers per hour, tsunami in the deep water of the ocean may travel the speed of a
et airplane- 800 kms per hour and yet in spite of their speed tsunami increases the water
height only 30-45cm and often passes unnoticed by ships at sea.
Contrary to the popular belief, the tsunami is not a single giant wave. It is possible for a
tsunami to consist of ten or mo e a es hi h is the te ed as tsu a i a e trai . The
waves follow each other 5 to 90 minutes apart.
Tsunami normally causes flooding as a huge wall of water enters the main land.
Predictability
There are two distinct types of tsunami warning: International tsunami warning systems and
Regional warning systems. Tsunamis have occurred in all the oceans and in the Mediterranean Sea,
but the great majority of them have occurred in the Pacific Ocean. Since scientists cannot exactly
predict earthquakes, they also cannot exactly predict when a tsunami will be generated.
carried out to sea. Damage to ports and airports may prevent importation of needed food
and medical supplies. Apart from the physical damage, there is a huge impact on the public
health system. Deaths mainly occur because of drowning as water inundates homes. Many
people get washed away or crushed by the giant waves and some are crushed by the debris,
causes.
Availability of drinking water has always been a major problem in areas affected by a
disaster. Sewage pipes may be damaged causing major sewage disposal problems. Open
wells and other ground water may be contaminated by salt water and debris and sewage.
Flooding in the locality may lead to crop loss, loss of livelihood like boats and nets,
environmental degradation etc.
Even though India has not faced frequent Tsunamis but there is a need to identify the areas that
are generally affected by Tsunamis. The whole of the Indian coastal belt is prone to Tsunami.
Indian National Centre For Ocean Information Services (INCOIS): Hyderabad. INCOIS has a data
warehouse of ocean related information gathered from various institutions in India, which are
involved in Marine Data Collection, Ocean Observation and Ocean / Atmosphereic Sciences. It was
dedicated to the Nations on 2007 October 15. INCOIS will then translate it into deliverable products
to a range of users 'Fishing community, State Fishery Department Officers, Planning Commission,
Ports and Harbours, Shipping Industry, Navy, Coast Guards, NHO Central Pollution Control Board,
MHR - Ministry of Human Resources and etc.
International Connectivity
Indian Initiative for the Dual-use Early Warning System covers the two known Tsunamigenic
Zones that affect Indian Ocean region. It is an end-to-end system that is scientifically and technically
sound. It is comprehensive and covers the required observations, modeling, data communication,
warning centre, capacity building.
The table shows incidents of tsunamis that have affected our country.
26-08-1883 Explosion of the Krakatoa volcano in East coast of India was affected;
Indonesian 2 m tsunamis were recorded at Chennai
An 8.1 Richter scale earthquake in the East coast of India was affected; but no
26-06- 1941 Andaman archipelago. estimates of height of the tsunami is
available.
An 8,1 Richter scale earthquake at a West coast of India from north to Karwar
27-11-1945 distance of about 100 km south of was affected; 12 m tsunami was felt at
Karachi Kandla
Banda Aceh, Indonesia, Tamil Nadu, The East coast of India was affected. The
Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Andaman and waves measured around 10 m high killing
26-12-2004 Nicobar Islands, India; Sri Lanka; more than 10,000 precious lives.
Thailand, Malaysia ; Kenya, Tanzania It is named as Boxing Day Tsunami
CYCLONE
What is the term Cyclone?
Cyclone is a region of low atmospheric pressure surrounded by high atmospheric pressure
resulting in swirling atmospheric disturbance accompanied by powerful winds blowing in
anticlockwise direction in the Northern Hemisphere and in the clockwise direction in the Southern
Hemisphere. They occur mainly in the tropical and temperate regions of the world. Cyclones are
called by various names in different parts of the world.
General Characteristics:
1. Strong winds
2. Exceptional rain
3. Storm surge
Different Names
Thyphoons : Pacific Ocean (west of the dateline)
Hurricanes: North Atlantic Ocean, the South Pacific Ocean
Tropical cyclones: Southwest Pacific Ocean, Southeast Indian Ocean
Willie-Willie: Australia
Tornado: South America
Indian Cyclones
The 7516.6 km long Indian coastline is the ea th s ost lo e battered stretch of the world.
Around 8 per cent of the total land area in India is prone to cyclones. About two-third of the
cyclones that occur in the Indian coastline occur in the Bay of Bengal. The states which are generally
affected in the east coast are West Bengal. Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and on the west
coast Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka and Kerala
Warning
Low pressure and the development can be detected hours or days before it causes damage.
The satellites track the movement of these cyclones based on which the people are
evacuated from areas likely to be affected. It is difficult to predict the accuracy. Accurate
landfall predictions can give only a few hours notice to threatened population.
India has one of the best cyclone warning systems in the world. The India Meteorological
Department (IMD) is the nodal department for wind detection, tracking and forecasting
cyclones. Cyclone tracking is done through INSAT satellite Cyclone warning is disseminated
by several means such as satellite based disaster warning systems, radio, television,
telephone, fax, high priority telegram, public announcements and bulletins in press .
Elements at Risk: Strong winds, torrential rains and flooding cause a huge loss to life and
property. The 1999 Super Cyclone of Orissa killed more than 10,000 precious lives with
women and children greatly affected. Apart from loss to life there is a huge loss to
infrastructures like houses built of mud, older buildings with weak walls, bridges,
settlements in low lying areas.
The criteria below has been formulated by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), which
classifies the low pressure systems in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea on the basis of capacity
to damage, which is adopted by the WMO.
Type of Disturbances Wind Speed in Km/h Wind Speed in Knots
FLOODS
Definition
Flood is a state of high water level along a river channel or on the coast that leads to inundation
of land, which is not usually submerged. Floods may happen gradually and also may take hours or
even happen suddenly without any warning due to breach in the embankment, spill over, heavy
rains etc.
Flood destructions have always brought miseries to numerous people, especially in rural
areas. Flood results in the outbreak of serious epidemics, specially malaria and cholera.
Simultaneously scarcity of water also arises. It has a drastic effect on agricultural produce.
Sometimes, water remains standing over large areas for long span of time hampering the
Rabi crops.
India is one of the most flood prone countries in the world. The principal reasons for flood lie
in the very nature of natural ecological systems in this country, namely, the monsoon, the
highly silted river systems and the sleep and highly erodible mountains, particularly, those of
the Himalayan ranges.
The average rainfall in India is 115 cm with significant variation across the country. The
annual rainfall along the western coast and Western Ghats, Khasi hills and over most of the
Brahmaputra valley amounts to more than 250 cm. most of the floods occur during the
monsoon period and are usually associated with tropical storms or depressions, active
monsoon conditions and break monsoon situations.
23 of the 35 states and union territories in the country are subject to floods and 40 million
hectares of land, roughly one-eighth of the ou t s geog aphical area, is prone to floods.
Types of floods:
Flash floods
Floods which occur within six hours of the beginning of heavy rainfall, and are usually
associated with cloud bursts, storms and cyclones requiring, rapid localized warnings and
immediate response to reduce damage. Wireless network and telephone connections are used
to monitor flood conditions in case of flash floods, warnings for timely evacuation may not
always be possible.
Causes
1. Heavy rainfall
2. Heavy siltation of the river bed reduces the water carrying capacity of the river/stream
3. Blocking the drains lead to flooding of the area.
4. Landslides blocking the flow of the stream
5. Construction of dams and reservoirs.
6. In areas prone to cyclone, strong winds accompanied by heavy down pour along with
storm surge leads to flooding.
characteristics. The land may be rendered infertile due to erosion of top layer or may turn saline if
sea water floods the area.
Warning:
Flood forecasting and warning has been highly developed in the past two decades. With the
advancement of technology such as satellite and remote sensing equipments flood waves can be
tracked as the water and level rises. Except for flash floods there is usually a reasonable warning
period. Heavy precipitation will give sufficient warning of the coming river flood.
High tides with high winds may indicate flooding in the coastal areas. Evacuation is possible with
suitable monitoring and warning. Warning is issued by the Central Water Commission (CWC)
irrigation and Flood Control Department and Water Resources Department. CWC maintains close
liaison with the administrative and state engineering agencies, local civil authorities to communicate
advance warning for appropriate mitigation and preparedness measures.
Significant Floods in India
DROUGHT
What is Drought?
Drought is either absence or deficiency of rainfall from its normal pattern in a region for an
extended period of time leading to general suffering in the society. It is interplay between demand
that people place on natural supply of water and natural event that provides the water in a given
geographical region.
The primary cause of any drought is deficiency of rainfall and in particular, the timing,
distribution and intensity of this deficiency in relation to existing reserves. A prolonged period of
relatively dry weather leading to drought is a widely recognized climate anomaly. Drought can be
devastating as water supplies dry up, crops fail to grow, animals die, and malnutrition and ill health
become widespread. The environmental effects of drought, including Stalinization of soil and
groundwater decline, increased pollution of freshwater ecosystems and regional extinction of animal
species.
In India around 68 percent of the country is prone to drought in varying degrees. Of the
e ti e a ea pe e t e ei es ai falls et ee " a d hi h is o side s
drought prone while 33 percent which receives rainfalls between less than 750mm is
considered to be chronically drought prone.
The state of Kerala which receives more than 300 cm of rainfall every year is declared
drought affected as it is insufficient to have two good crops. The more the imbalance in
supply the higher is the drought.
1. It is a slow on -set disaster and it is difficult to demarcate the time of its onset and the
end.
2. Any unusual dry period, which results in a shortage of useful water.
3. Drought is a normal, recurrent feature of climate. Climate is expected to show some
aberrations and drought is just a part of it.
4. Drought can occur by improper distribution of rain in time and space, and not just by
its amount.
5. Drought is negative balance between precipitation and water use
(through evaporation, transpiration by plants, domestic and industrial uses etc) in a
geographical region.
6. Though drought is a natural disaster, its effects are made worst in developing
countries by over population, over grazing, deforestation, soil, erosion, excessive use
of ground and surface water for growing crops loss of biodiversity.
Types of Droughts
Meteorological Drought
It is simple absence/deficit of rainfall from the normal. It is the least form of drought and is
often identified by sunny days and hot weather.
Hydrological Drought
Hydrological drought often leads to reduction of natural stream flows or ground water levels,
plus stored water supplies. The main impact is on water resource systems.
Agricultural drought
This form of drought occurs when moisture level in soil is insufficient to maintain average crop
yields. Initial consequences are in the reduced seasonal output of crops and other related
production.
An extreme agricultural drought can lead to a famine, which is a prolonged shortage of food
in a restricted region causing widespread disease and death from starvation.
Socio-economic drought
Socio-economic drought correlates the supply and demand of goods and services with the three
above-mentioned types of drought. When the supply of some goods or services such as water and
electricity are weather dependant then drought may cause shortages in supply of these economic
goods.
Meteorological Drought
Hydrological Drought
Agricultural Drought
Drought Mathematics
According to the Indian meteorological Department (IMD)
1. Onset of drought: Deficiency of a particular year's rainfall exceeding 25% of normal.
2. Moderate drought: Deficit of rainfall between 26-50% of normal.
3. Severe drought: Deficit of rainfall more than 50% of normal.
Distribution Pattern
1. Around 68% of I dia s total a ea is d ought p o e
2. 50 million people are annually affected by drought
3. In 2001 more than eight states suffered the impact of severe drought
4. In 2003 most parts of Rajasthan experienced the fourth consecutive year of drought.
The following are the Institutions set up to develop and do research on drought prone areas.
CAZRI (Jodhpur, Rajasthan) Central Arid Zone Research Institute
ICRISAT (Hyderabad) International Crop Research Institute for Semi Arid Tropics.
MANMADE DISASTERS
Disasters can also be manmade, for instance, rail, road or air accidents are manmade disasters.
The threat of serious disaster looms large from the possible use of weapons such as nuclear bombs
or the atom bomb that was dropped over Japan during World War II. These weapons are commonly
called Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD), which lead to the breakdown and collapse of social,
political and economic systems that sustain communities. Inevitably agriculture and food production
are major casualties.
Man-made disasters cost the most in terms of human suffering, loss of life and long term
da age to a ou t s e o o a d p odu ti e apa it .
2. Chemical Disasters
Chemical Disasters are caused by industrial accidents, irresponsible handling of hazardous
chemicals, or by their deliberate use for destruction.
Poisonous gases can cause wide spread devastation because of their nature: they spread
easily, and affect large areas. Chemical WMD are relatively easy to manufacture using simple
chemical processes, and chemical agents are easily available. Further, they are difficult to
detect since chemical WMD are colourless and odourless.
E.g.: The Bhopal Gas Tragedy: The Bhopal Gas Tragedy is a catastrophe that has no parallel
in industrial history. In the early hours of December 3, 1984 a rolling wind carried a
poisonous gray cloud past the Union Carbide Plant in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. 40 tons of
Methyl Isocyanate (MIC) spread throughput the sleeping city. An estimated 2500 people
died, people whose hopes and dreams were ironically bound with the technology and
affluence the plant symbolized. About 300,000 suffered from agonizing injuries from "the
disastrous effects of the massive poisoning.
Residents awoke to clouds of suffocating gas and began a desperate flight through the dark
streets. No alarm ever sounded a warning and no evacuation plan was prepared. When
victims arrived at hospitals breathless and blind, doctors did not know how to treat them
since emergency information on antidotes was not available.
Causative Factors
1. Fire.
2. Explosion.
3. Toxic release.
4. Poisoning
5. Combinations of the above.
Natural Calamities
The Indian subcontinent is highly prone to natural disasters, which can also trigger chemical
disasters. Damage to phosphoric acid sludge containment during the Odissa super cyclone in 1999
and the release of Aciylonitrile at Kandla Port, during an earthquake in 2001, are some of the recent
examples.
recognition can result in widespread secondary exposure to others, including doctors and
health staff.
History
Biological disasters of natural origin are largely the result of the entry of a virulent organism into
a congregation of susceptible people living in a manner suited to the spread of the infection. In
crowded areas, anthrax spreads by spore dispersal in the air, small pox. Spread by aerosols, typhus
and plague spread through lice, fleas, rodents, etc. Disasters have occurred when environmental
factors were conductive, e.g., Black Death occurred when conditions were favourable for increase in
the number of rats, and cholera attained a pandemic form when the causative agent entered urban
areas which had inadequate sanitation facilities. Similarly, post World War I, the movement of
population led to the rapid spread of the Spanish influenza virus.
Malaria and tuberculosis are examples of such infections which, in the long run, are as important
as the more visible florid epidemics. The extension of human activity and its contact with a hitherto
localized microbial environment introduces novel pathogens. The spread of Nipah, Hendra, Ebola,
Marburg and Lassa fever viruses are examples of this phenomenon. In the case of HIV, a sporadically
occurring phenomenon - that of transmission of the virus from chimpanzee to man - became a
pandemic when it began to be sexually transmitted, and has since become the largest epidemic in
history.
Human conflict resulting in large-scale population movement, breakdown of social structures
and contact with alien groups has always generated a large number of infections. Until very recently,
the number of casualties due to infections far exceeded losses due to arms.
In the 20th century, the use of bio-weapons became more scientific as technology for the
cultivation of pathogens and vaccinology developed a biowarfare programme to use bacteria to
infect or contaminate livestock and feed. There are also accusations of German bio-attacks on Italy
(cholera) and Russia (Plague). After World War I, many nations undertook the development of bio-
weapons.
Significant research efforts were also made by both sides in World War II. Human apthogens like
Bacillllus anthracis, Botulinum toxin, Fracisella tularensis, Brucella suis, etc., and crop pathogens like
Rice Blast, Rye Stem Rust, etc., were developed into bio-weapons.
4.Accidental Disasters
Stampede
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.
Example
On January 14, 2011: At Sabarimala , Kerala-104 people dead and 50 were injured
Nuclear Disasters
Nuclear emergency / Disaster is caused due to an extraordinary release of radioactive material
or radiation either in the operation of nuclear reactors or other nuclear events like explosion of a
Radiological Dispersal Device (RDD) or Improvised Nuclear Device (IND) or explosion of a nuclear
weapon.
Road Accidents
The rapid expansion of road transport has brought with it the challenge of addressing adverse
factors such as the increase in road accidents. Road accidents are a human tragedy. It involves high
human suffering and monetary costs in terms of premature deaths, injuries, loss of productivity etc.,
most deaths and injuries due to road accidents are invisible to society. They are a hidden epidemic.
In India, motor vehicles including two wheelers are growing at a faster rate than the economic and
population growth.
Number of accidents, persons killed & injured as per road classification (2008)
Rail Accidents
Based on the definition of the Disaster Management Act 2005, Ministry of Railways has adopted
the following definition on Railway Disaster: "Railway Disaster is a serious train accident or an
untoward event of grave nature, either on railway premises or arising out of railway activity, due to
natural or human-made causes, that may lead to loss of many lives and / or grievous injuries to a
large number of people, and / or severe disruption of traffic etc., necessitation large scale help from
other government / non -government and private organizations.
Air Accidents
Air accidents are by and large of four types: mid air collisions, forced landings, crash due to
technical snags and air-crash in mountainous terrain due to poor visibility. While air accidents can
occur at any time and at any place, areas within about 30 - 40 kms., radius of airports are most
vulnerable. Experience shows that a majority of air accidents occur either during take-off or landing
near major airports where flight paths get congested. In addition, air accidents also take place at
remote inaccessible places like forests, hilly and mountainous regions, high seas, etc.
Causes
Causes of air accidents are either human failure of pilots, air traffic controllers or technical
failures of on board, landing instruments. In rare cases, it may also be the result of terrorist
activities.
Mine Disasters
Mines Act, 1965 defines Disaster as an act accident (unexpected event) causing loss of more
than 10 lives. A mining accident is an accident that occurs in the process of mining minerals.
The act defines an accident involving loss of lives less than 10 as major accident. Thousands of
miners die from mining accidents each year, especially in the process of coal mining and hard rock
mining. One of the greatest mining disasters in Indian mines occurred on 27 December 1975 due to
water in rush from old abandoned incline working to a deep shaft mine working of Chasnallah
Colliery leading to death of 375 miners.
The types of mining disasters:
In areas where it is not feasible to restrict land to open-space uses, other land use planning
measures can be used. These include strategically controlling the type of development and
uses allowed in hazard areas, and avoiding high-value and high occupancy uses to the
greatest degree possible.
Engineering structures- Most of the habitation of the fishing community is seen in the
coastal areas. The houses constructed, by them are mainly of light weight materials without
any engineering inputs. Therefore there is an urgent need to educate the community about
the good construction practices that they should adopt.
Site selection - Avoid building or living in buildings within several hundred feet of the
coastline as these areas are more likely to experience damage from tsunamis.
Construct the structure on a higher ground level with respect to mean sea level. Elevate
coastal homes - Most tsunami waves are less than 3 meters in height Elevating house will
help reduce damage to property from most tsunamis.
Construction of water breakers to reduce the velocity of waves.
Use of water and corrosion resistant materials for construction.
Construction of community halls at higher locations, which can act as shelters at the time of
a disaster.
Flood management - Flooding will result from a tsunami. Tsunami waves will flood the
coastal areas. Flood mitigation measures could be incorporated.
CYCLONES
Coastal belt plantation: Green belt plantation along the coastal line in a scientific inter-weaving
pattern can reduce the effect of the hazard. Providing a cover through green belt sustains less
damage.
Forests act as a wide buffer zone against strong winds and flash floods. Without the forest
the cyclone travel freely inland. The lack of protective forest cover allows water to inundate
large areas and cause destruction. With the loss of the forest cover each consecutive cyclone
can penetrate further inland.
Hazard mapping - Meteorological records of the wind speed and the directions give the
probability of the winds in the region Cyclones can be predicted several days in advance.
FLOODS
Mapping of the flood prone areas is a primary step involved in reducing the risk of the
region. Historical records gave the indication of the flood inundation areas and the period of
occurrence and the extent of the coverage.
Warning can be issued looking into the earlier marked heights of the water levels in case of
potential threat. In the coastal areas the tide levels and the land characteristics will
determine the submergence areas. Flood hazard mapping will give the proper indication of
water flow during floods.
Land use control will reduce danger of life and property when waters inundate the flood
plains and the coastal areas. The number of causalities is related to the population in the
area at risk in areas where people already have built their settlements.
Measures should be taken to relocate to better sites as to reduce vulnerability. No major
development should be permitted in the areas which are subjected to high flooding.
Important facilities like hospitals, schools should be built in safe areas. In urban areas water
holding areas can be created like ponds, lakes or low-lying areas.
Construction of engineered structures in the flood plains and strengthening of structures to
withstand flood forces and seepage. The buildings should be constructed on an elevated
area. If necessary build on stilts or platform.
Flood Control aims to reduce flood damage. This plan be done by decreasing the amount of
runoff with the help of reforestation (to increase absorption could be a mitigation strategy in
certain areas), protection of vegetation, clearing of debris from streams and other water
holding areas, conservation of ponds and lakes etc.
Flood Diversion includes levees, embankments, dams and channel improvement. Dams can
store water and can release water at a manageable rate. But failure of dams in earthquakes
and operation of releasing the water can cause floods in the lower areas.
Flood Proofing reduces the risk of damage.
DROUGHT
Public Awareness and education
If the community is aware of the do s and do t s then half of the problem is solved. This
includes awareness on the availability of safe drinking water, water conservation techniques
agricultural drought management strategies like crop contingency plans, construction of rain water
harvesting structure. Awareness can be generated by the print, electronic and folk media.
Drought Monitoring
It is continuous observation of the rainfall situation, availability of water in the reservoirs, lakes,
rivers etc and comparing with the existing water needs in various sectors of the society.
Water supply augmentation and conservation through rainwater harvesting in houses and
farmers fields increases the content of water available. Water harvesting by either allowing
the runoff water from all the fields to a common point or allowing it infiltrate into the soil
where it has fallen increase water availability for sustained agricultural production.
Expansion of irrigation facilities reduces the drought vulnerability. Land use based on its
capability helps in optimum use of land and water and can avoid the under demand created
due to their misuse.
Livelihood planning identifies those livelihoods which are least affected by the drought.
Some of such livelihoods include increased off-farm employment opportunities, collection of
non-timber forest produce from the community forests, raising goats, carpentry etc.
Drought planning: The basic goal of drought planning is to improve the effectiveness of
preparedness and response efforts by enhancing monitoring mitigation and response
measures.
Planning would help in effective coordination among state and national agencies in dealing
with the drought. Components of drought plan include establishing drought taskforce which
is a team of specialists who can advise the government in taking decision to deal with
drought situation, establishing coordination mechanism among various agencies which deal
with the droughts, providing crop insurance schemes to the farmers to cope with the drought
related crop loses, and public awareness generation.
DISASTER MANAGEMENT
DEFINITION
The process involving the activities that help us to face disasters effectively is commonly known
as D.M. It covers, a range of activities designed to maintain control over disasters, emergency
situations and do provide a frame work for helping people to avoid, reduce the effects of, or recover
from impact of a disaster.
Institutional Framework
Evolution of Disaster Management in India
Disaster management in India has evolved from an activity-based reactive setup to a proactive
institutionalized structure; from single faculty domain to a multi-stakeholder setup; and from a
relief- ased app oa h to a multi-dimensional pro-active holistic approach for redu i g risk .
Within this transitional and evolving setup, two distinct features of the institutional structure
for disaster management may be noticed. Firstly, the structure is hierarchical and functions at four
levels - centre, state, district and local. In both the setups - one that existed prior to the
implementation of the Act, and other that is being formalized post-implementation of the Act, there
have existed institutionalized structures at the centre, state, district and local levels. Each preceding
level guides the activities and decision making at the next level in hierarchy. Secondly, it is a multi-
stakeholder setup, i.e., the structure draws involvement of various relevant ministries, government
departments and administrative bodies.
A legal institutional framework developed based on the provision of the Act across the country, in
vertical and horizontal hierarchical and in the federal setup of country for appreciation of response
mechanism which has been put in place.
National Level Institutions
Mandate of NDMA
The NDMA has been mandated with laying down policies on disaster management and
guidelines which would be followed by different Ministries, Departments of the Government of India
and State Government in taking measures for disasters risk reduction. It has also to laid down
guidelines to be followed by the State Authorities in drawing up the State Plans and to take such
measures for the management of disasters, Details of these responsibilities are given as under:-
NEC has been given the responsibility to act as the-coordinating and monitoring body for.
disaster management, to prepare a National Plan, monitor the implementation of National
Policy etc. vide section 10 of the DM Act.
training modules, undertake research and documentation in disaster management, organize training
programmes, undertake and organize study courses, conferences, lectures and seminars to promote
and institutionalize disaster management, undertake ahd provide for publication of journals,
research papers and books.
Management Structure
The Union Home Minister is the President of the Institute, it was constituted on 23rd February,
2007 and has a general body of forty two members comprising of secretaries of various ministries,
departments of the Union Government and heads of national level scientific, research and technical
organizations.
In terms of Section 42(4) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 vide order dated 3 rd May,
2007, the Government also constituted a 14 member Governing Body.
Based on vulnerability profile of different regions of the country, these specialist battalions have
been presently stationed at the following eight places:
1. Bhatinda
2. Greater1 Noida
3. Guwahati
4. Vadodara
5. Pune
6. Kolkata
7. Chennai
8. Bhuvneshwar
Two new battalions to be raised by Sashtra Seema Bal (SSB) will be located at:
1. Patna
2. Vijayawada.
The Great Bengal Famine was a large famine in Bengal during the British rule in the period of 1769-
1773. Bengal famine was caused the deaths of 10 million people in Bengal, Bihar and some parts of
Odisha.
The Coringa Cyclone was one of the 10 big disasters that shook India,struck at a tiny village of
Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh. The Great Coringa Cyclone killed around 20,000 people in the
ancient city of Coringa.
The major plague pandemic came to British India in 1896, killing more than 12 million people in India
and China alone. Third Plague Pandemic was initially seen in port cities such as Bombay and Kolkata
then spread to small towns and rural areas of many regions of India.
Lahaul Spiti valley receives heavy snowfall during the winter season, causes Avalanches. The LaHaul
Valley disaster in March of 1979 buried 200 people under 20 feet of snow, the only avalanche in the
Himalayas and one of the 10 deadliest Avalanches in History of world.
Heavy rainfall caused, Malpa landslide was one of worst landslides in India, at village Malpa in
Pithoragarh of Uttarkhand. Around 380 people were killed when massive landslides washed the
entire village along with Hindu pilgrims of Kailash Mansarovar yatra.
The 1999 Odisha cyclone also known as super cyclone 05B was the most deadliest tropical cyclone
in the Indian Ocean and most destructive Indian storm since 1971. It caused almost deaths of 15,000
people and made heavy to extreme damage.
I dia s heat a e i at south egio killed o e tha people, Most of the deaths
occurred in state of Andhra Pradesh. The heat was so intense that birds fell from the sky, ponds and
rivers dried up.
The Indian Ocean earthquake and Tsunami occurred in 2004 at the west coast of Sumatra, killing
over 230,000 people in fourteen countries. Indian Ocean Tsunami was one of the deadliest natural
disasters in history of India.
The 2007- 2008 Bihar flood are listed as the worst hit flood in the living memory of Bihar in last 30
years. Biha is I dia s ost flood-prone State, a recurring disaster appears annual basis and destroys
thousands of human lives apart from livestock and assets worth millions.
The 2005 Maharashtra floods was occurred just one month after the June 2005 Gujarat
floods, Mumbai the capital city was most badly affected and witnessed one of
its worst catastrophes in the history of India, killing at least 5,000 people.
The Eastern Indian storm was a severe storm struck parts of eastern Indian states,spanning for 30–
40 minutes. At least 91 people died in Indian statesand Over 91,000 dwellings were destroyed and
partially damaged.
Maha asht a state as affe ted the egio s worst drought in 40 years,worst-hit areas are Jalna,
Jalgaon and Dhule are also affected by the famine. Millions of people in Maharashtra are at serious
risk of hunger after two years of low rainfall in the region.
On June 2013 Uttarakhand received heavy rainfall,massive Landslides due to the large flashfloods,
it suffered maximum damage of houses and structures, killing more than 1000 people, sources
claimed the death toll could be rise up to 5000. Uttarakhand Flash Floods is the most disastrous
floods in the history of India.
In September 2014, the Jammu & Kashmir region witnessed disastrous floods across majority of its
districts caused by torrential rainfall. The Indian administrated Jammu and Kashmir, as well as Azad
Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and Punjab in Pakistan, were affected by these floods. By September 24,
2014, nearly 284 people in India and 280 people in Pakistan had died due to the floods.