Disaster

A disaster is a serious disruption, occurring over a relatively short time,

of the functioning of a community or a society involving widespread
human, material, economic or environmental loss and impacts, which
exceeds the ability of the affected community or society to cope using its
own resources.[1]

In contemporary academia, disasters are seen as the consequence of

inappropriately managed risk. These risks are the product of a
combination of both hazards and vulnerability. Hazards that strike in
areas with low vulnerability will never become disasters, as in the case
of uninhabited regions.[2]

Developing countries suffer the greatest costs when a disaster hits

more than 95 percent of all deaths caused by hazards occur in
developing countries, and losses due to natural hazards are 20 times
greater (as a percentage of GDP) in developing countries than in
industrialized countries.
Cloudburst
A cloudburst is an extreme amount of precipitation in a short period of time, [1]
sometimes accompanied by hail and thunder, that is capable of creating flood
conditions. A cloudburst can suddenly dump large amounts of water e.g. 25 mm of
precipitation corresponds to 25000 metric tons/km2 (1 inch corresponds to
72,300 short tons over one square mile). However, cloudbursts are infrequent as
they occur only via orographic lift or occasionally when a warm air parcel mixes
with cooler air, resulting in sudden condensation. At times, a large amount of
runoff from higher elevations is mistakenly conflated with a cloudburst. The term
"cloudburst" arose from the notion that clouds were akin to water balloons and
could burst, resulting in rapid precipitation. Though this idea has since been
disproven, the term remains in use.

Properties

Rainfall rate equal to or greater than 100 millimetres (3.9 in) per hour is a
cloudburst.[2][3] However, different definitions are used, e.g. the Swedish weather
service SMHI defines the corresponding Swedish term "skyfall" as 1 mm/min for
short bursts and 50 mm/h for longer rainfalls. The associated convective cloud can
extend up to a height of 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) above the ground.[4]

During a cloudburst, more than 20 millimetres (0.79 in) of rain may fall in a few
minutes. The results of cloudbursts can be disastrous. Cloudbursts are also
responsible for flash flood creation.
Landslide
A landslide, also known as a landslip, is a form of mass wasting that includes a wide range of
ground movements, such as rockfalls, deep failure of slopes, and shallow debris flows.
Landslides can occur underwater, called a submarine landslide, coastal and onshore
environments. Although the action of gravity is the primary driving force for a landslide to
occur, there are other contributing factors affecting the original slope stability. Typically, pre-
conditional factors build up specific sub-surface conditions that make the area/slope prone to
failure, whereas the actual landslide often requires a trigger before being released. Landslides
should not be confused with mudflows, a form of mass wasting involving very to extremely
rapid flow of debris that has become partially or fully liquefied by the addition of significant
amounts of water to the source material.

Causes

Landslides occur when the slope changes from a stable to an unstable condition. A
change in the stability of a slope can be caused by a number of factors, acting
together or alone. Natural causes of landslides include:

groundwater (pore water) pressure acting to destabilize the slope

loss or absence of vertical vegetative structure, soil nutrients, and soil structure (e.g. after
a wildfire a fire in forests lasting for 34 days)
erosion of the toe of a slope by rivers or ocean waves
weakening of a slope through saturation by snow melting, glaciers melting, or heavy rain
earthquakes adding loads to barely stable slope
earthquake-caused liquefaction destabilizing slopes
volcanic eruptions
Earthquake
An earthquake (also known as a quake, tremor or temblor) is the shaking of the
surface of the Earth, resulting from the sudden release of energy in the Earth's
lithosphere that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes can range in size from those
that are so weak that they cannot be felt to those violent enough to toss people
around and destroy whole cities. The seismicity or seismic activity of an area
refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of
time.

Earthquakes are measured using measurements from seismometers. The moment

magnitude is the most common scale on which earthquakes larger than
approximately 5 are reported for the entire globe. The more numerous earthquakes
smaller than magnitude 5 reported by national seismological observatories are
measured mostly on the local magnitude scale, also referred to as the Richter
magnitude scale. These two scales are numerically similar over their range of
validity. Magnitude 3 or lower earthquakes are mostly imperceptible or weak and
magnitude 7 and over potentially cause serious damage over larger areas,
depending on their depth. The largest earthquakes in historic times have been of
magnitude slightly over 9, although there is no limit to the possible magnitude.
Intensity of shaking is measured on the modified Mercalli scale. The shallower an
earthquake, the more damage to structures it causes, all else being equal.[1]

At the Earth's surface, earthquakes manifest themselves by shaking and sometimes

displacement of the ground. When the epicenter of a large earthquake is located
offshore, the seabed may be displaced sufficiently to cause a tsunami. Earthquakes
can also trigger landslides, and occasionally volcanic activity.
Flood
A flood is an overflow of water that submerges land that is usually dry. [1] The
European Union (EU) Floods Directive defines a flood as a covering by water of
land not normally covered by water.[2] In the sense of "flowing water", the word
may also be applied to the inflow of the tide.

Flooding may occur as an overflow of water from water bodies, such as a river,
lake, or ocean, in which the water overtops or breaks levees, resulting in some of
that water escaping its usual boundaries,[3] or it may occur due to an accumulation
of rainwater on saturated ground in an areal flood. While the size of a lake or other
body of water will vary with seasonal changes in precipitation and snow melt,
these changes in size are unlikely to be considered significant unless they flood
property or drown domestic animals.

Floods can also occur in rivers when the flow rate exceeds the capacity of the river
channel, particularly at bends or meanders in the waterway. Floods often cause
damage to homes and businesses if they are in the natural flood plains of rivers.
While riverine flood damage can be eliminated by moving away from rivers and
other bodies of water, people have traditionally lived and worked by rivers because
the land is usually flat and fertile and because rivers provide easy travel and access
to commerce and industry.

Some floods develop slowly, while others such as flash floods, can develop in just
a few minutes and without visible signs of rain. Additionally, floods can be local,
impacting a neighborhood or community, or very large, affecting entire river
basins.
Disaster Preparedness (Awareness)

Emergencies come in many forms, and they may require anything from a brief absence from
your home to permanent evacuation. Each type of disaster requires different measures to keep
your pets safe, so the best thing you can do for yourself and your pets is to be prepared. Here are
simple steps you can follow now to make sure youre ready before the next disaster strikes:

Step 1: Get a Rescue Alert Sticker

This easy-to-use sticker will let people know that pets are inside your home. Make sure it is
visible to rescue workers (we recommend placing it on or near your front door), and that it
includes the types and number of pets in your home as well as the name and number of your
veterinarian. If you must evacuate with your pets, and if time allows, write EVACUATED
across the stickers. To get a free emergency pet alert sticker for your home, please fill out our
online order form and allow 6-8 weeks for delivery. Your local pet supply store may also sell
similar stickers.

Step 2: Arrange a Safe Haven

Arrange a safe haven for your pets in the event of evacuation. DO NOT LEAVE YOUR PETS
BEHIND. Remember, if it isnt safe for you, it isnt safe for your pets. They may become
trapped or escape and be exposed to numerous life-threatening hazards. Note that not all shelters
accept pets, so it is imperative that you have determined where you will bring your pets ahead of
time:

Contact your veterinarian for a list of preferred boarding kennels and facilities.
Ask your local animal shelter if they provide emergency shelter or foster care for pets.
Identify hotels or motels outside of your immediate area that accept pets.
Ask friends and relatives outside your immediate area if they would be willing to take in your pet.

Step 3: Chose "Designated Caregivers

This step will take considerable time and thought. When choosing a temporary caregiver,
consider someone who lives close to your residence. He or she should be someone who is
generally home during the day while you are at work or has easy access to your home. A set of
keys should be given to this trusted individual. This may work well with neighbors who have
pets of their ownyou may even swap responsibilities, depending upon who has accessibility.

Step 4: Prepare Emergency Supplies and Traveling Kits

If you must evacuate your home in a crisis, plan for the worst-case scenario. Even if you think
you may be gone for only a day, assume that you may not be allowed to return for several weeks.
When recommendations for evacuation have been announced, follow the instructions of local
and state officials. To minimize evacuation time, take these simple steps:

Make sure all pets wear collars and tags with up-to-date identification information. Your
pets ID tag should contain his name, telephone number and any urgent medical needs.
Be sure to also write your pets name, your name and contact information on your pets
carrier.
The ASPCA recommends microchipping your pet as a more permanent form of
identification. A microchip is implanted under the skin in the animals shoulder area, and
can be read by a scanner at most animal shelters.
Always bring pets indoors at the first sign or warning of a storm or disaster. Pets can
become disoriented and wander away from home in a crisis.
Preventions and Mitigations

Flood preparedness and response

In order to respond effectively to floods, Ministry of Home Affairs have initiated National
Disaster Risk Management Programme in all the flood-prone States. Assistance is being
provided to the States to draw up disaster management plans at the State, District, Block/Taluka
and Village levels. Awareness generation campaigns to sensitize all the stakeholders on the need
for flood preparedness and mitigation measures. Elected representatives and officials are being
trained in flood disaster management under the programme. Bihar Orissa, West Bengal, Assam
and Uttar Pradesh are among the 17 multi-hazard prone States where this programme is being
implemented with UNDP. USAID and European Commission.

Earthquake Risk Mitigation

A comprehensive programme has been taken up for earthquake risk mitigation. Although, the
BIS has laid down the standards for construction in the seismic zones, these were not being
followed. The building construction in urban and suburban areas is regulated by the Town and
Country Planning Acts and Building Regulations. In many cases, the Building regulations do not
incorporate the BIS codes. Even where they do, the lack of knowledge regarding seismically
safe construction among the architects and engineers as well as lack of awareness regarding their
vulnerability among the population led to most of the construction in the urban/sub-urban areas
being without reference to BIS standards. In the rural areas, the bulk of the housing is non-
engineered construction. The mode of construction in the rural areas has also changed from mud
and thatch to brick and concrete construction thereby increasing the vulnerability. The
increasing population has led to settlements in vulnerable areas close to the river bed areas which
are prone to liquefaction. The Government have moved to address these issues.

National Core Group for Earthquake Risk Mitigation

A National Core Group for Earthquake Risk Mitigation has been constituted consisting of
experts in earthquake engineering and administrators. The Core Group has been assigned with
the responsibility of drawing up a strategy and plan of action for mitigating the impact of
earthquakes; providing advice and guidance to the States on various aspects of earthquake
mitigation; developing/organizing the preparation of handbooks/pamphlets/type designs for
earthquake resistant construction; working out systems for assisting the States in the seismically
vulnerable zones to adopt/integrate appropriate Bureau of Indian Standards codes in their
building byelaws; evolving systems for training of municipal engineers as also practicing
architects and engineers in the private sector in the salient features of Bureau of Indian
Standards codes and the amended byelaws; evolving a system of certification of
architects/engineers for testing their knowledge of earthquake resistant construction; evolving
systems for training of masons and carry out intensive awareness generation campaigns.