EHS 403: Disaster Management

Module - 3
Inter-Relationship between Disasters and Development

4th year CSE

Prof.M.Ramesh
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
GITAM INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, GITAM
EHS 403 – DM – Module -3 Syllaabus
DM – Module -3 Syllabus topics
Inter-Relationship Between Disasters and Development:
1. Factors affecting vulnerabilities,

2. differential impacts,

3. impact of development projects such as dams, embankments,

changes in land-use etc.

4. Climate change adaptation,

5. relevance of indigenous knowledge,

6. appropriate technology and local resources.

1. Vulnerability
1. Factors affecting Vulnerabilities
What is meant by Vulnerability ?

Vulnerability means susceptible , likely or liable to effect

➢the quality or state of being exposed to the possibility of being

damaged or harmed, either physically or emotionally

5
Vulnerability
• The characteristics determined by physical, social, economic and
environmental factors or processes which increase the
susceptibility of an individual, a community, assets or systems to
the impacts of hazards.

• Vulnerability is one of the defining components of disaster risk

Factors affecting vulnerabilities
• Physical, economic, social and political factors determine
people’s level of vulnerability and the extent of their
capacity to resist, cope with and recover from hazards.
Poverty is a major contributor to vulnerability.
• Poor people are more likely to live and work in areas exposed to
potential hazards, while they are less likely to have the resources to
cope when a disaster strikes.
• In richer countries, people usually have a greater capacity to
resist the impact of a hazard. They tend to be better protected
from hazards and have preparedness systems in place. Secure
livelihoods and higher incomes increase resilience and enable people
to recover more quickly from a hazard.
Factors affecting vulnerabilities Contd..
Wealth : Wealth is one of the most important human factors in
vulnerability. Wealth affects vulnerability in several ways: The
poor may suffer , as they are less able to afford housing and other
infrastructure that can withstand extreme events. They are also less
likely to have access to medical care.
Rich people also suffers. For example, some coastal areas contain
expensive beachside real estate populated mainly by the rich,
leaving the rich more vulnerable to tsunamis, storm surges, and
other coastal hazards.
Eg: Hurricane Katrina (wealthier area, fewer deaths, higher
monetary damage);
Cyclone Nargis (poorer area, more deaths, less monetary
damage).
Factors affecting vulnerabilities Contd..
Education : Education is another important factor in hazard impacts.
With education, we can learn how to avoid or reduce many impacts.
When populations are literate, then written messages can
be used to spread word about hazards in general or about
specific disasters. Even without literacy, it is possible to educate a
population about hazards in order to help it reduce its vulnerability.
When populations include professionals trained in hazards, then
these people can help the populations with their hazards
preparations and responses.
Factors affecting vulnerabilities Contd..
• Technology : The capabilities of the available technology can also
play a large role in disasters.
• Technology can improve our ability to forecast extreme
events, withstand the impacts of the events, and recover
afterwards. Technology is closely tied to wealth, education, and
governance.
• Wealthier, more educated society's are more likely to have more
advanced technology. A society's governance systems play a large
role in how - and how effectively - the available technology is used in
a disaster situation.
• Eg: Sophisticated and Reliable Warning system predicts the
disasters better and Advanced communication system helps for
better rescue and response activities.
Factors affecting vulnerabilities Contd..
• Lack of efficient Disaster prediction / warning system
• Lack of public information and awareness,
• Limited preparedness measures,
• Lack of Coordination of various departments,
• Poor design and construction of buildings, or infrastructure
• Inadequate protection of assets,
• Lack of rehearsals / mock-drills
• Improper monitoring and controlling mechanism
• Lack of effective planning and Emergency action plan
Factors affecting vulnerabilities
1. Social: Degrading living conditions (housing – health – education –
food security) particularly for poorest

2. Economic: Reduced productivity and competitiveness of revenue

creating sectors (agriculture – fisheries – commerce – industry – tourism)
in particular increase joblessness and development of informal sectors.

3. Environmental: Degradation and loss of natural resources (ecosystems

– biodiversity – water resources) with impacts on the users.

4. Infrastructure: Loss or degradation of public structures (transport

and communications – energy – clean water and sanitation) in particular
access to services and increased in cost of operations.
Factors affecting vulnerabilities Contd..
1. Social Vulnerability refers to the inability of people, organizations
and societies to withstand adverse impacts to hazards due to
characteristics inherent in social interactions, institutions and
systems of cultural values. It is linked to the level of well being of
individuals, communities and society.
It includes aspects related to levels of literacy and education, the
existence of peace and security, access to basic human rights,
systems of good governance, social equity, positive traditional
values, customs and ideological beliefs and overall collective
organizational systems (UNISDR).
• Example: When flooding occurs some citizens, such as children,
elderly and differently-able, may be unable to protect
themselves or evacuate if necessary.
Factors affecting vulnerabilities Contd..
2. Economic Vulnerability. The level of vulnerability is highly
dependent upon the economic status of individuals, communities
and nations.
The poor are usually more vulnerable to disasters because they lack
the resources to build sturdy structures and put other engineering
measures in place to protect themselves from being negatively
impacted by disasters.
• Example: Poorer families may live in squatter settlements
because they cannot afford to live in safer (expensive)
areas.
Factors affecting vulnerabilities Contd..
3. Environmental Vulnerability. Natural resource depletion and
resource degradation are key aspects of environmental vulnerability.
• Example: Wetlands may be effected due to pollution from
stormwater runoff containing agricultural chemicals, eroded soils,
etc. and Coastal aquifers are sensitive to increasing salinity from
sea water.
4. Physical Vulnerability may be determined by aspects such as
population density levels, remoteness of a settlement, the site,
design and materials used for critical infrastructure and for housing
(UNISDR).
• Example: Wooden homes are less likely to collapse in an
Earthquake, but are more vulnerable to Cyclone and Fire.
2. Differential Impacts of Disasters
Differential Impacts
Differential Impacts in terms of Class, Gender, Age, Location, Disability:

Severity of exposure
• The amount of exposure to the disaster is highly related to risk of
future mental problems. At highest risk are those that go through the
disaster themselves. Next are those in close contact with victims.

Gender and family

• Almost always, women or girls (more sensitive in nature) suffer more
negative effects than do men or boys. Disaster recovery is more stressful
when children are present in the home. Women with spouses also experience
more distress during recovery.

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING, GIT, GITAM, VISAKHAPATNAM 17

Differential impacts:
• Natural disasters can have a life-altering impact on the individuals,
families and on Community.
• The effect of natural disasters can be felt at the community, city
and state level, or many times can impact an entire country.
• Natural disasters can have huge environmental impacts as well.
• The impact of a disaster is absorbed based on intensity of the
impact and the level of preparedness and resilience.
Impacts of Disasters
Loss of resources
•At Individual Impact:
• At the individual level, the impact can often be felt physically, mentally,
emotionally and economically.
• Natural disasters cause destruction of property, loss of financial resources, and
personal injury or illness.
• The loss of resources, security and access to shelter can lead to massive
population migrations in lesser-developed countries.
•Community Impact:
• Communities that experience a natural disaster must also absorb the impacts of
these destructive events.
• Many local communities lose so much in economic resources that recovery
becomes difficult, if not almost impossible.
Contd....
Interruption of Program:
Interruption of so many developing programs like infrastructure
development, dams, embankments and etc.

Political destabilization:
•Irresponsible or unprepared governments tend to go into
react mode once a disaster hits and people usually suffer or
die needlessly as the response is often slow or inadequate.
Contd....
Disruption of the non-formal sector:
•A climate disaster often has disproportionate impact on those in the informal
sector. Many informal-sector workers, because of their low earning capacity, live
in less desirable parts of the city including along river banks.
•Drainage and infrastructure in such areas are often poor – increasing their
vulnerability to climate hazards such as flooding, earthquakes and landslides etc.

Negative impact on investment climate:

Earthquakes, floods and landslides, etc. are natural environmental hazards of
disastrous consequences.
3. Disasters and Development
 The inter-relationship between
Disasters and Development
• Disasters and development are inter-
related.
• Development schemes can both
increase and decrease vulnerability.
• Disasters can both destroy
development initiatives and create
development opportunities.
Inter-Relationship between Disasters and Development
+ve and –ve effects of Development
• Many Developments may have both
Positive (+ve) and Negative (-ve)
effects
• Infrastructural Developments such as
Large Dams,
• Flood banks/bunds,
• Tall buildings,
• Roadways (4 lane to 6 lane) Bridges,
• International Airports etc
+ve and –ve effects of Development
+ve effects of Development – Dams (++)
• Development can reduce the
Vulnerability (of Floods)

• Flood Protection
• Irrigation / Cultivation
• Increase in Agriculture
yield/product
• Increase in Water Supply
• Hydro-Power generation
Negative effects of Development – Dams (+ -)
Development can increase the Vulnerability (of Floods)
+ve and –ve effects of Disasters
• Disasters may have both Positive
(+ve) and Negative (-ve) effects
• Earthquake ( Latur, Gujarat)
• Tsunami (Chennai)
• Super Cyclone (Orissa)
• HudHud Cyclone (Visakhapatnam)
• COVID-19 (Entire World)
• Urban Floods (Chennai, Mumbai)
+ve effects of Disasters – Cyclone (- +)
Disasters can provide development Opportunities
-ve effects of Disasters – Cyclone (- -)
Disasters can set back development
4. Impact of development projects such
as dams, embankments, changes in
land-use etc.
Impact of Development Projects such as DAMS
• The construction of large dams alters the relationship of water
and land, destroying the existing ecosystem balance, hydrology and
fisheries.

• Air and water pollution and soil erosion are the two main issues that
occur when large areas on landscapes get changed for the
construction of roads and railway lines.
Effects of Dams
Dams have been playing a vital role in the development of any
country by meeting the water demand for domestic use, irrigation,
power generation, flood protection etc.

Hence the number of dams and the population settlement on the

dam-downstream reach is increasing day by day in the world.

34
 Effects of Dams Contd..
There are more than 45,000 large dams in the world. Earth dams
are one of the most wide spread dams because of their low cost,
and relatively simple in construction.

About 73 % of the total number of dams in the world are earthen

dams (CBIP, 1996). Earthen dams are very much vulnerable to
fail. The failure of earthen dams are gradual in nature, unlike in
rigid dams which collapse suddenly.

35
Effect due to failure of Dams

• When a dam fails, large quantity of storage water from

the reservoir suddenly released, creating major flood
wave capable of causing disastrous damage to
downstream people and property.

• The dam-breach food wave, which when routed through the river
causes rise in river stage and increase in river discharge. The rise
in flood stage causes inundation of surrounding areas and
consequent loss of life and property.

36
Preparedness for Dam failure Disasters

• The preparedness to withstand such an eventuality by

developing reliable warning system, by predicting the
possible extent of inundation of downstream zone and by
formulating the emergency action plan, can mitigate the
disaster.
• Prediction of characteristics of flood wave propagation in
advance greatly reduces the flood-damage caused to
people and property.

37
 Irrigation Potential India China

Major Dams 5,701 25,800

Storage in Reservoirs 209 B cu.m 706 B cu.m

(1 Cu.m = 1000 Litres)
Storage per Capita 275 cu.m 1,111 cu.m

Irrigation Potential 10 Crore Acres 50 Crore Acres

 Major Irrigation Projects in A.P – Completed

Sl No Irrigation Project Year Storage Capacity Ayacut (Acres) Location

(TMC)
1 Sir Aurthur Cotton Barrage 1970-88 10.13 Lakhs Rajamundry

2 KC Canal (Sunkesula anicut) 1886 56 Cumecs 1.96 Lakhs Kurnool &

Cuddapah
3 Nagarjuna Sagar Project 1955 195 TMC 20 Lakhs Guntur

4 Prakasam Barrage 1958 3.07 TMC 10.43 Lakhs Krishna

5 Yeleru Reservoir 1988 24.11 TMC 1.44 Lakhs E.Godavari
6 Vamsadhara 1990 1.45 Lakhs Srikakulam
7 Srisailam Reservoir 1984 308 TMC 1.9+2.7 Lakhs Kurnool

8 Polavaram Project (Under 2017 194.6 TMC 7.2 Lakhs Polavaram

Construction)
Nagarjuna Sagar Project
Canal Irrigation of Nagarjuna Sagar Dam
Negative Impact of development projects of dams
Dam failure cases

Rigid Dam Seneca Lake Dam

New Jersey
43
Dam failure cases

1976, Teton dam, USA

44
45
Causes of dam failures
• Changes in land use
• Changes in weather patterns
• Out-dated designs
• Lack of maintenance and funding
• Floods and Earthquakes
Case Studies
• Pratapur, 2001, Gujarat,India - Breached on account of floods
• Nandaghavan, 2005, Maharastra,India - Excessive rain
• Palemvagu, 2008, Andhra Pradesh,India - Flash flood
• Delhi dam, 2010, Lowa,U.S - Heavy rain flooding.
• Bilberry Reservior, 1852, Holmey vally,U.K - Failed due to heavy rain
• Gohna Lake dam, 1894, Garhwal, India - Failure of a landslide dam
• Kaddam Project Dam, 1958, Andhra Pradesh,India -
Over toping and floods
48
Sequential Breach Development
Images of Teton Dam Failure
USA, 1976.
Impact of development projects such as
Embankments
Embankment is a “Soil Bund” constructed with compacted layers
of semi pervious soil, to store the water behind the embankment.
Zoned Embankments
Positive Impact of Embankments

• Protects the adjacent Towns/ Cities from Floods

Negative Impact of Flood due to Breach of
Embankment / Bund

Tomahawk Lake Embankment Dam, New Jersey

66
Effect of disasters on Embankments
• Failures of earthen dams, Landslides, and Slope failures are mostly
come under embankment type failures as these are mainly involving
with embankment type constructions.

• The major causes of the embankment failures are as follows

• Hydraulic
• Seepage
• Structural
• Out above mentioned failures hydraulic type of failures comes under
natural disasters as because over toping and flooding involves in this
failures.
 Failures of embankment dams due to
Floods and Landslides
1. Overtopping embankment dams are not usually designed as
overflow ones, and their resistance to failures caused by surface
erosion is limited. The action of waves here, this refers to an
abrasive process causing the failure of insufficiently lined upstream
faces of dams
2. Failures due to internal erosion may occur in the case of an
uncontrollable leakage through the dam body or through its sub-
base. Such failures represent approximately 40 % of all failures of
embankment dams.
3. On the other hand, local landslides may shorten the seepage path,
increase the hydraulic gradients, lead to the formation of a
privileged path, and consequently result in hydraulic failure.
5. Changes in Land-Use
Impact of Changes in Land Use and Land Cover
Kedarnath Floods – Change in Land Use
Kedarnath Floods – Change in Land Use
Kedarnath Floods – Change in Land Use
• Several Buildings are constructed in River course area
• Large Lake on the upstream of Kedarnath temple breached due to
Heavy rainfall
• Several buildings near the Temple were washed out due to flash
Floods
• Land use change will result in the changes of runoff, which will also
expand the losses of natural disasters.

• Rate of runoff depends upon pervious/ impervious nature of earth

surface.

• An increase of 3% in impermeable area will increase runoff by 5%.

Factors responsible behind major land-use changes

Factors Priority Description

Land grabbing in terms of power and conversion to
Political 3
shrimp farm
Shrimp (Aqua) culture is profitable comparing to paddy
Economical 1
culture
Water logging due to storm surge and cyclone resulting
Natural 4 in declining agriculture production; decrease of cattle
and tree species
One person start shrimp culture in the paddy field at the
Social 2 beginning then others bound to convert their traditional
practice to shrimp culture due to salinity intrusion
6. Climate change adaptation
What is Climate Change ?
• Climate change is the long-term alteration of
temperature and typical weather patterns in a
place. Climate change could refer to a particular
location or the planet as a whole.
• Climate change may cause weather patterns to be
less predictable. These unexpected weather
patterns can make it difficult to maintain and grow
crops in regions that rely on farming because
expected temperature and rainfall levels can no
longer be relied on.
Climate Change Contn..
• In polar regions, the warming global temperatures
associated with climate change melting ice sheets
and glaciers at an accelerated rate from season to
season.
• This contributes to sea levels rising in different
regions of the planet.
• Together with expanding ocean waters due to rising
temperatures, the resulting rise in sea level has
begun to damage coastlines as a result of increased
flooding and erosion.
Climate Change – Melting of Glaciers
Climate Change - Flash Floods and Drought
Climate Change – Rise in Seawater Level
Climate Change – Rise in Seawater Level
Climate Change – Rise Temperature & Co2
Effect of Climate Change & global warming
• The main effect is an increasing global average temperature.
• The average surface temperature could increase by 1.67 to
5.56 degrees Celsius by the end of the century if carbon
emissions aren't reduced.

• This causes a variety of secondary effects, namely, changes in

patterns of precipitation, rising sea levels, altered patterns of
agriculture, increased extreme weather events, the expansion
of the range of tropical diseases.
Climate change adaptation
Meaning of Adaptation:
• the action or process of adapting or being adapted
• the process of change by which species becomes better suited
to its environment.

• Climate change adaptation refers to actions that reduce the

negative impact of climate change. Adaptation (responding to
climate impacts) and mitigation (reducing Green House Gases
(GHG) emissions) are necessary complements in addressing
climate change.
Climate change adaptation Contd..
Adaptation:

• Adjustment in natural or human systems in response to actual or

expected climatic stimuli or their effects, which moderates harm or
exploits beneficial opportunities. Various types of adaptation can be
distinguished, including anticipatory and reactive adaptation, private and
public adaptation, and autonomous and planned adaptation.

• Adaptation is especially important in developing

countries since those countries are predicted to bear the brunt
of the effects of global warming.
Climate change adaptation policies
• There are two main policy responses to climate change: mitigation
and adaptation.
• Mitigation addresses the root causes, by reducing greenhouse
gas emissions.
• Adaptation seeks to lower the risks posed by the consequences
of climatic changes.
• Both approaches will be necessary, because even if emissions are
dramatically decreased in the next decade, adaptation will still be
needed to deal with the global changes that have already been set in
motion.
Methods of adaptation
To combat rise in Heat:
 Adding air conditioning in Houses and public schools to bear the Raised Heat
(Chicago)
 Changing to heat tolerant tree varieties (Chicago)
 Adding green roofs to deal with rainwater and heat (Chicago)
 Reducing CO2 emissions from automobiles (Electric) and Industrial Flumes
To Manage the Flash Floods:
 Rainwater harvesting / storage to deal with frequent flooding and drought –
Changing to water permeable pavements, adding underground storage tanks,
subsidizing household rain barrels (Chicago)
 Check dams, Percolation Tanks, Farm Ponds etc
What is IPCC ? www.ipcc.ch
• The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the
United Nations body for assessing the science related to
climate change.
• The IPCC was created to provide policymakers with regular
scientific assessments on climate change, its implications and
potential future risks, as well as to put forward adaptation and
mitigation options.
• Created by the United Nations Environment Programme (UN
Environment) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in
1988, the IPCC has 195 Member countries.
• The IPCC prepares comprehensive Assessment Reports about the
state of scientific, technical and socio-economic knowledge on
climate change, its impacts and future risks, and options for reducing
the rate at which climate change is taking place.
• IPCC
• IMD
• WMO
7. Indigenous Knowledge
Water resources
Indigenous-knowledge practices used in different
Community assets Climatic and non-climatic
types of adaptation and resilience-building
and infrastructure stress
responses

Protecting forest, planting deep rooted

trees, conserving traditional ponds and
Drying up of sources.
wells to augment water supply with
alternate or additional sources
Seeking help from modern technology and
Damage to infrastructure
integrating it with indigenous-knowledge
Water resources (canals, pipelines).
practices
Collaborating with government agencies
Frequent and longer cycle
and/ or upstream communities, soil- and
of floods and drought
water conservation farming.
Adaptation and community-based disaster
Extreme events.
management.
Indigenous knowledge – Disaster risk reduction
• Indigenous knowledge is important in that it can be transferred
and adapted to other communities in similar situations; it
encourages community participation and empowers communities
in reducing disaster risk; it can provide invaluable information
about the local context; and its non-formal means of dissemination
can serve as a model for education about disaster risk reduction.
• Installing devices to prevent seawater from backflowing into storm
drains
 Installing better flood defenses, such as sea walls and increased
pumping capacity
 Raising street level to prevent flooding (Miami Beach)

 Hanging grass from tree

 Domestic Animals with air-tubes
Forest and Pasture resources
Community assets and
Climatic and non-climatic stress
infrastructure
Forest encroachment and
overgrazing
Habitat destruction and
fragmentation.
Forest and pasture
Productivity decline.
resources:
Forest fire.
Invasive species
Landslides and soil erosion.
Indigenous-knowledge practices used in different
types of adaptation and resilience-building responses
Social fencing and inclusion of landless and squatter
families into forest-user groups
Community protection and enforcement of
conservation rules; rotation grazing and stall-
feeding animals.
Planting non-timber and medicinal plants, broadleaf
trees and grasses and restricting their use
Preventive measures through awareness and
community-based fire management.
Annual cleaning and timber-stand improvement.
Biological measures, planting of grasses and shrubs
and banning open grazing
Rural Transport Infrastructure
Community assets and
Climatic and non-climatic stress
infrastructure
Increased number, frequency
and source of hazards and
risks.
Shortage of traditional skills
and raw materials.
Rural transport
infrastructure
Extreme events
Push for modern technologies
and motorable roads.
Lack of policy support
Indigenous-knowledge practices used in different types
of adaptation and resilience-building responses
Responsive adaptation; community-based repair,
restoration and maintenance work.
Joining government- and NGO-supported training
and capacity-building activities, ‘learning by doing’
in collective activities, use of alternative local
materials
Conserving watersheds, protecting forests and
strengthening river banks using gabion mesh wire
and biological measures
Reviving traditional wisdom and integrating it with
modern technologies.
Mobilizing bottom-up public support and
advocating this approach.
Settlements and Housing
Community assets Climatic and non-climatic Indigenous-knowledge practices used in different types of
and infrastructure stress adaptation and resilience-building responses

Adapting the design and construction of houses to

Flash floods and inundation
minimize damage (in the hills) or adapting to live with
due to floods.
annual floods (in the Tarai plains).
Poor design and Retrofitting or revising designs like raising the plinth level
construction. or replacing thatch/mud houses with flat roof
Landslides and slope Planting grasses and trees reinforced by stone filled check
Settlements and failures dams
housing Using and putting up warning signs, improving
coordination and collaboration within and outside
Lack of early warning
communities and linking indigenous knowledge methods
system (EWS).
with modern technology such as mobile phones and FM
radios.
Selecting sites and building temporary shelters; practicing
Lack of disaster
proactive climate-change adaptation and disaster-risk
preparedness.
reduction measures; planting bamboo around settlements
Traditional Social Institutions
Community assets and Indigenous-knowledge practices used in different types
Climatic and non-climatic stress
infrastructure of adaptation and resilience-building responses

Inviting indigenous-knowledge leaders and climate-

Lack of awareness regarding
change experts to collectively build the knowledge
climate change
base and awareness level

Holding annual events, festivals and entertainment to

Declining participation. attract people so information about the usefulness of
Traditional Social indigenous knowledge can be disseminated
Institutions Integrating capacity-building activities and
Lack of adaptive capacity externally-supported events to revive interest in
indigenous knowledge.

Mobilizing institutions such as Aama Samuha and

Lack of finance. Dhikur for raising funds during festivals and also
avoiding flaws in such arrangements.4
8. Appropriate Technology & Local Resources
Latest Technology in Disaster Management
• https://www.undp.org/content/dam/india/docs/disaster_management
_in_india.pdf
• https://www.ndtv.com/education/iit-madras-students-develop-
eye-in-the-sky-drone-for-disaster-relief-2114116

100
Latest Technology & Local Resources
• The advanced techniques of information technology such as
remote sensing, satellite communication, GIS, etc. can help
in planning and implementation of disaster management.

• Use of Drones in Disaster Management- China

• Use of Wrist band with emergency buttons in

Disaster Management– Japan
THANK YOU

102