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Disaster Management
It lays down institutional and coordination mechanism for effective Disaster Management (DM) at
the national, state, district and local levels.
As mandated by this Act, the Government of India (GoI) created a multi-tiered institutional system
consisting of the
1) National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) headed by the Prime Minister
2) State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs) headed by the respective Chief Ministers
3) District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMAs) headed by the District Collectors and co-
chaired by Chairpersons of the local bodies.
These bodies have been set up to facilitate a paradigm shift from the hitherto relief-centric approach
to a more proactive, holistic and integrated approach of strengthening disaster preparedness,
mitigation, and emergency response.
National Disaster Management Plan (NDMP) provides a framework and direction to the government agencies
for all phases of disaster management cycle.
It is in accordance with the provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, the guidance given in the National
Policy on Disaster Management, 2009 (NPDM), and the established national practices
It is designed in such a way that it can be implemented as needed on a flexible and scalable manner in
all phases of disaster management:
a) mitigation (prevention and risk reduction)
b) preparedness
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c) response
d) recovery (immediate restoration to build-back better)
NDMP is consistent with the approaches promoted globally by the United Nations, in particular the Sendai
Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030. It is a non-binding agreement, which the signatory nations
will attempt to comply with on a voluntary basis.
Pre- Disaster
Disaster
Response
Preparedness
Post-
Mitigation: Disaster
Prevention &
Risk
Reduction
Recovery
NDMP provides a framework covering all aspects of the disaster management cycle. It covers disaster risk
reduction, mitigation, preparedness, response, recovery, and betterment reconstruction.
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The four priorities for action under the Sendai Framework are:
By 2030, the Sendai Framework aims to achieve substantial reduction of disaster risk and losses in lives,
livelihoods, and health and in the economic, physical, social, cultural, and environmental assets of persons,
businesses, communities, and countries.
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Vision:
“Make India disaster resilient, achieve substantial disaster risk reduction, and significantly decrease the losses
of life, livelihoods, and assets – economic, physical, social, cultural, and environmental – by maximizing the
ability to cope with disasters at all levels of administration as well as among communities.”
Multi-Hazard Vulnerability:
DM Act of 2005 and DM Policy of 2009 consider disasters to be natural or human-induced for defining the
roles and responsibilities.
The human-induced category includes CBRN disasters.
CBRN - Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear
NDMP covers disaster management cycle for all types of hazards faced in India – both natural and human-
induced
For each hazard, the approach used in this national plan incorporates the four priorities enunciated in the
Sendai Framework into the planning framework for Disaster Risk Reduction under the five Thematic Areas for
Action:
1. Understanding Risk
2. Inter-Agency Coordination
3. Investing in DRR – Structural Measures
4. Investing in DRR – Non-Structural Measures
5. Capacity Development
The activities envisaged in the NDMP and the Sendai Framework fall into short/ immediate (within 5 years),
medium (within 10 years), and long-term (within 15 years) categories
Legal Mandate:
Section 11 of the DM Act 2005 mandates that there shall be a National Disaster Management Plan (NDMP) for
the whole of India
As per Section 37 of the DM Act, every ministry and department of the Government of India, including the
hazard-specific nodal ministries, shall prepare comprehensive DM plans detailing how each of them will
contribute to the national efforts in the domains of disaster prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery.
Scope:
In the case of recovery, there are three recovery periods after a disaster:
These depend on the specific disaster and are relevant only with reference to particular recovery
programmes. Hence, the NDMP discusses them only in general terms.
Objectives
Along with the mandate given in the DM Act 2005 and the NPDM 2009, the national plan has incorporated
the national commitment towards the Sendai Framework. Accordingly, the broad objectives of the NDMP
are:
Sendai Framework
Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 (hereafter “Sendai Framework”) adopted at the Third
UN World Conference in Sendai, Japan, on March 18, 2015 (UNISDR 2015a) as the successor instrument to the
Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015.
It is a non-binding agreement, which the signatory nations, including India, will attempt to comply with on a
voluntary basis.
Sendai Framework was the first international agreement adopted within the context of the post- 2015
development agenda
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Two other major international agreements followed it in the same year: the Sustainable Development Goals
2015 – 2030 in September, and the UNCOP21 Climate Change agreement to combat human-induced climate
change in December.
Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) is a common theme in these three global agreements
In the domain of disaster management, the Sendai Framework provides the way forward for the period
ending in 2030. There are some major departures in the Sendai Framework:
For the first time the goals are defined in terms of outcome-based targets instead of focusing on sets of
activities and actions.
It places governments at the center of disaster risk reduction with the framework emphasizing the need to
strengthen the disaster risk governance.
There is significant shift from earlier emphasis on disaster management to addressing disaster risk management
itself by focusing on the underlying drivers of risk.
It places almost equal importance on all kinds of disasters and not only on those arising from natural hazards.
In addition to social vulnerability, it pays considerable attention to environmental aspects through a strong
recognition that the implementation of integrated environmental and natural resource management
approaches is needed for disaster reduction
Disaster risk reduction, more than before, is seen as a policy concern that cuts across many sectors, including
health and education
The four priorities for action under the Sendai Framework are:
India will make its contribution in achieving the seven global targets set by the Sendai Framework:
1) Substantially reduce global disaster mortality by 2030, aiming to lower the average per
100,000 global mortality rate in the decade 2020–2030 compared to the period 2005– 2015;
2) Substantially reduce the number of affected people globally by 2030, aiming to lower the
average global figure per 100,000 in the decade 2020–2030 compared to the period 2005–
2015;
3) Reduce direct disaster economic loss in relation to global gross domestic product (GDP) by
2030;
4) Substantially reduce disaster damage to critical infrastructure and disruption of basic
services, among them health and educational facilities, including through developing their
resilience by 2030;
5) Substantially increase the number of countries with national and local disaster risk
reduction strategies by 2020;
6) Substantially enhance international cooperation to developing countries through adequate
and sustainable support to complement their national actions for implementation of the
present Framework by 2030;
7) Substantially increase the availability of and access to multi-hazard early warning systems
and disaster risk information and assessments to people by 2030.
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Disasters:
"Disaster" means a catastrophe, mishap, calamity or grave occurrence in any area, arising from
natural or manmade causes, or by accident or negligence which results in substantial loss of life or
human suffering or damage to, and destruction of, property, or damage to, or degradation of,
environment, and is of such a nature or magnitude as to be beyond the coping capacity of the
community of the affected area.”
Disaster Management:
‘Updated Terminology on Disaster Risk Reduction’ of UNISDR3 has proposed the following definition for the term
Disaster Management (UNISDR 2015b):
“The organization, planning and application of measures preparing for, responding to and, initial recovery from
disasters.”
As per this definition, ‘Disaster Management’ focuses on creating and implementing preparedness and others plans to
decrease the impact of disasters and build back better. Failure to create/apply a plan could result in damage to life,
assets and lost revenue. However, it may not completely avert or eliminate the threats.
Disaster Risk Reduction, as per UNISDR, consists of a framework of elements that will help to minimize
vulnerabilities and disaster risks throughout a society, to avoid (prevention) or to limit (mitigation and
preparedness) the adverse impacts of hazards, within the broad context of sustainable development.
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Types of Disasters:
Natural hazards:
The widely accepted classification system used by the Disaster Information Management System of
DesInventar classifies disasters arising from natural hazards into five major categories (DesInventar2016):
Geophysical: Geological process or phenomenon that may cause loss of life, injury or other health
impacts, property damage, loss of livelihoods and services, social and economic disruption, or
environmental damage. Hydro-meteorological factors are important contributors to some of these
processes. Tsunamis are difficult to categorize; although they are triggered by undersea earthquakes,
and other geological events, they are essentially an oceanic process that is manifested as a coastal
water-related hazard.
Hydrological: Events caused by deviations in the normal water cycle and/or overflow of bodies of
water caused by wind set-up
Meteorological: Events caused by short-lived/small to meso-scale atmospheric processes (in the
spectrum from minutes to days)
Climatological: Events caused by long-lived meso- to macro-scale processes (in the spectrum from
intra-seasonal to multi-decadal climate variability)
Biological: Process or phenomenon of organic origin or conveyed by biological vectors, including
exposure to pathogenic micro-organisms, toxins and bioactive substances that may cause loss of life,
injury, illness or other health impacts, property damage, loss of livelihoods and services, social and
economic disruption, or environmental damage.
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Human-Induced Disasters
The NPDM notes that rise in population, rapid urbanization and industrialization, development
within high-risk zones, environmental degradation, and climate change aggravates the
vulnerabilities to various kinds of disasters.
Due to inadequate disaster preparedness, communities, and animals are at increased risk from many
kinds of human-induced hazards arising from accidents (industrial, road, air, rail, on river or sea,
building collapse, fires, mine flooding, oil spills, etc.).
Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) hazards rank very high in among the human-
induced risks. Terrorist activities and secondary incidents add to these risks and call for adequate
preparedness and planning.
Levels of Disasters
Level-L1: The level of disaster that can be managed within the capabilities and resources at the District level.
However, the state authorities will remain in readiness to provide assistance if needed.
Level-L2: This signifies the disaster situations that require assistance and active mobilization of resources at
the state level and deployment of state level agencies for disaster management. The central agencies must
remain vigilant for immediate deployment if required by the state.
Level-L3: This corresponds to a nearly catastrophic situation or a very large-scale disaster that
overwhelms the State and District authorities.
The categorization of disaster situations into levels L0 to L3 finds no mention in DM Act 2005. Further, the
DM Act does not have any provision for notifying any disaster as a ‘national calamity’ or a ‘national disaster’.
Institutional Framework:
National Level:
The overall coordination of disaster management vests with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA)
Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) and the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) are the key
committees involved in the top-level decision-making with regard to disaster management
NDMA is the lead agency responsible for the preparation DM plans and the execution of DM functions at the
national level
DM Act of 2005 provides for the setting up of NDMA at national level, and, the SDMA at the state level
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As per the provisions of the Chapter-VII of the DM Act, Government of India constituted the National Institute
of Disaster Management (NIDM) under an Act of Parliament with the goal of being the premier institute for
capacity development for disaster management in India and the region
Provides technical support to the state governments through the Disaster Management Centres (DMCs) in the
Administrative Training Institutes (ATIs) of the States and Union Territories. Presently it is supporting as many as
30 such centres. 6 of them are being developed as Centres of Excellence in the specialised areas of risk
management – flood, earthquake, cyclone, drought, landslides, and industrial disasters
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NDRF has been constituted as per the Chapter-VIII of the DM Act 2005 as a specialist response force that can be
deployed in a threatening disaster situation or disaster.
As per the DM Act, the general superintendence, direction and control of the NDRF shall be vested and
exercised by the NDMA.
The command and supervision of the NDRF shall vest with the Director General appointed by the Government
of India
State Level:
As per the DM Act of 2005, each state in India shall have its own institutional framework for disaster
management.
Each state shall prepare its own State Disaster Management Plan.
DM Act mandates the setting of a State Disaster Management Authority with the Chief Minister as the ex
officio Chairperson. Similar system will function in each Union Territory with Lieutenant Governor as the
Chairperson
At the district level, District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), the District Collector or District
Magistrate or the Deputy Commissioner, as applicable, will be responsible for overall coordination of the
disaster management efforts and planning
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As per provisions in Chapter-III of the DM Act, each State Government shall establish a State
Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) or its equivalent under a different name with the
Chief Minister as the Chairperson.
In case of other UTs, the Lieutenant Governor or the Administrator shall be the Chairperson of
that Authority
For the UT of Delhi, the Lieutenant Governor and the Chief Minister shall be the Chairperson
and Vice-Chairperson respectively of the State Authority.
In the case of a UT having Legislative Assembly, except the UT of Delhi, the Chief Minister shall
be the Chairperson of the Authority established under this section.
The State Government shall constitute a State Executive Committee (SEC) to assist the SDMA in
the performance of its functions.
SEC will be headed by the Chief Secretary to the State Government.
As per provisions in Chapter-IV of the DM Act, each State Government shall establish a District
Disaster Management Authority for every district in the State
DDMA will be headed by the District Collector, Deputy Commissioner, or District Magistrate as
the case may be, with the elected representative of the local authority as the Co-Chairperson.
Plan Implementation:
The sections of the DM Act 2005 applicable for national, state, and district DM plans are 11,
23, and 31
Chapters V and VI of the DM Act spell out the responsibilities of the central, state, and local
governments with respect to disaster management.
India, due to its, physiographic and climatic conditions is one of the most disaster prone areas of
the World.
Nearly 59 per cent of the landmass is prone to earthquakes of moderate to very high intensity
More than 40 million hectares (12 per cent of land) is prone to floods and river erosion.
Of the nearly 7,500 km long coastline, close to 5,700 km is prone to cyclones and tsunamis.
Nearly 68 percent of the cultivable area is vulnerable to drought.
DM Act of 2005 and National DM Policy of 2009, consider disasters to be a) natural and; b)
human-induced including CBRN for defining the roles and responsibilities.
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Natural Hazards:
India's long coastline of nearly 7,500 km consists of 5,400 km along the mainland, 132 km in
Lakshadweep and 1,900 km in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
About 10 per cent of the World's tropical cyclones affect the Indian coast. Of these, the
majority have their initial genesis over the Bay of Bengal and strike the east coast of India.
On an average, five to six tropical cyclones form every year, of which two or three could be
severe
More cyclones occur in the Bay of Bengal than in the Arabian Sea and the ratio is
approximately 4:1
An analysis of the frequency of cyclones on the east and west coasts of India between 1877 and
2005 shows that nearly 283 cyclones occurred (106 severe) in a 50 km wide strip on the East
Coast; comparatively the West Coast has had less severe cyclonic activity (35 cyclones) during
the same period
In India, tropical cyclones occur in the months of May-June and October-November
The cyclones of severe intensity and frequency in the northern part of the Indian Ocean are bi-
modal in character, with their primary peak in November and secondary peak in May.
The disaster potential is particularly high at the time of landfall in the northern part of Indian
Ocean (Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea) due to the accompanying destructive wind, storm
surges and torrential rainfall
Tropical Cyclones:
Tropical cyclone, generally known as ‘cyclone’, is the term used globally to cover tropical
weather systems in which winds equal or exceed ‘gale force’ (minimum of 34 knot, i.e., 62
kmph)
Although the North Indian Ocean Basin (NIO-Basin, including the Indian coast) generates only
about 7 percent of the World’s cyclones, their impact is comparatively high and devastating,
especially when they strike the coasts bordering the North Bay of Bengal.
The frequency of these cyclones is bi-modal, which is specific to this region
Cyclones occur in the months of May– June and October–November, with their primary peak in
November and secondary peak in May
As per broad scale assessment of the population at risk, nearly one third of India’s population,
is vulnerable to cyclone-related hazards.
Tropical cyclones generally originate in the eastern side of the NIO-Basin and initially move in a
westnorth westerly direction. It has been observed that between 1891 and 2006, 308 cyclones
crossed the east coast, out of which 103 were severe
There are 13 coastal states and union territories (UTs) in the country, encompassing 84 coastal
districts which are affected by tropical cyclones
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Four states (Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal) and one UT (Puducherry)
on the east coast and one state (Gujarat) on the west coast are highly vulnerable to cyclone
disasters
Storm Surge:
Storm surge is an abnormal rise of water generated by a storm, over and above the predicted
astronomical tides.
The rise in water level can cause extreme flooding in coastal areas particularly when storm surge
coincides with normal high tide, resulting in storm tides reaching up to 6 metres or more in
some cases
Most casualties during tropical cyclones occur as the result of storm surges
Flood:
Floods affect an average area of around 7.5 million hectares per year
According to the National Commission on Floods, the area susceptible to floods was estimated
in 1980 to be around 40 million hectares and it is possible to provide reasonable degree of
protection to nearly 80 per cent (32 million ha).
Riverine flooding is perhaps the most critical climate-related hazard in India
Out of 40 million hectare of the flood prone area in the country, on an average, floods affect an
area of around 7.5 million hectare per year.
Floods in the Indo-Gangetic-Brahmaputra plains are an annual feature
The National Flood Control Programme was launched in 1954
Urban Floods:
Urban flooding is significantly different from rural flooding as urbanisation leads to developed
catchments which increases the flood peaks from 1.8 to 8 times and flood volumes by up to 6
times
Urban flooding is caused by the combination of meteorological, hydrological, and human
factors.
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Earthquake:
Tsunami:
Tsunamis (Japanese for “harbour wave”), also known as a seismic sea wave, are a series of very
large waves with extremely long wavelength, in the deep ocean, the length from crest to crest
may be 100 km and more.
It is usually generated by sudden displacements in the sea floor caused by earthquake,
landslides, or volcanic activity
Since the wave height in deep ocean will be only a few decimetres or less (i.e., a few inches),
tsunamis are not usually felt aboard ships. Nor are they visible from the air in the open ocean.
The waves could travel away from the triggering source with speeds exceeding 800 km/h over
very long distances.
In shallow waters, a large tsunami crest height may rise rapidly by several metres even in excess
of 30 m causing enormous destruction in a very short time
Landslides:
Landslides occur in the hilly regions of India such as the Himalaya, North-East India, the Nilgiris,
Eastern Ghats and Western Ghats
It is estimated that 30 percent of the World’s landslides occur in the Himalayan ranges.
The Himalayan range, which constitutes the youngest and most dominating mountain system in
the World, is not a single long landmass but comprises a series of seven curvilinear parallel
folds running along a grand arc for a total of 3,400 kilometres
Landslides are also common in Western Ghat. In the Nilgiris, in 1978 alone, unprecedented
rains in the region triggered about one hundred landslides which caused severe damage to
communication lines, tea gardens and other cultivated crops.
Scientific observations in north Sikkim and Garhwal regions in the Himalayas clearly reveal
that there is an average of two landslides per sq. km
The mean rate of land loss is to the tune of 120 meter per km per year and annual soil loss is
about 2500 tons per sq. km
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Snow Avalanches:
Avalanches are block of snow or ice descending from the mountain tops at a river like speedy
flow.
In Himalaya, avalanches are common in Drass, Pir Panijal, Lahaul-Spiti and Badrinath areas
As per Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment (SASE), of Defence Research and Development
Organisation (DRDO), on an average, around 30 people are killed every year, due to this
disaster in various zones of the Himalayan range
Vulnerable Areas:
Western Himalaya – the snowy regions of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and
Uttarakhand, especially Tehri Garhwal and Chamoli districts
Jammu and Kashmir – Higher reaches of Kashmir and Gurez valleys, Kargil and Ladakh and along
some of the major roads
Himachal Pradesh – Chamba, Kullu-Spiti and Kinnaur
Drought:
Global Assessment Report (GAR) 2015 notes that agricultural drought is probably the most
“socially constructed” of all disaster risks (UNISDR 2015c)
Droughts affect vast areas of the country, transcending State boundaries. A third of the country
is drought prone.
It affects parts of Rajasthan (chronically), Gujarat, Maharashtra, MP, UP, Chhattisgarh,
Jharkhand, and Andhra Pradesh.
Drought is a phenomenon that is widely considered as a ‘creeping disaster’ whose onset, end,
and severity are difficult to determine.
Meteorological drought, defined as a situation when there is significant decrease from normal
precipitation over an area (i.e. more than 10 %)
Agricultural drought, signifying the situation when soil moisture and rainfall are inadequate to
support healthy crop growth
Hydrological drought resulting from prolonged meteorological drought manifested in depletion
of surface and sub-surface water resources, which could occur even when the rainfall is normal,
if there has been a substantial reduction in surface water holding capacity
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The impact, response, and interventions would vary depending on at what point of time in a crop
calendar there is acute water or soil moisture deficit. Generally, three situations are recognised:
Early season: delayed rainfall (delayed onset of monsoon), prolonged dry spells after onset
Mid-season: inadequate soil moisture between two rain events
Late season: early cessation of rains or insufficient rains
‘Drought Week’ when the weekly rainfall is less than half of the normal
‘Agricultural Drought’ when four drought weeks occur consecutively during mid-June to September
‘Seasonal Drought’ when seasonal rainfall is deficient by more than the standard deviation from the
normal
‘Drought Year’ when annual rainfall is deficient by 20 percent of normal or more, and
‘Severe Drought Year’ when annual rainfall is deficient by 25 to 40 percent of normal or more
Cold wave and frost is a seasonal and localized hazard that occurs in parts of the country, which
experience severe winter
Higher caloric intake is needed for all animals, including humans to withstand exposure to cold
and poor nutritional status can prove deadly in extreme cold conditions.
They may die of hypothermia from prolonged exposure or starvation
Human-induced Disasters
There is a relatively higher presence along the west coast, largely due to the proximity to raw
materials and ports
Gujarat alone is estimated to contribute around 53 percent to the total production in the
country
The growth of chemical industries has led to an increase in the risk of occurrence of incidents
associated with hazardous chemicals (HAZCHEM)
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International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) classifies the above emergency scenarios under two broad
categories – a) nuclear and b) radiological:
A nuclear emergency refers to an emergency situation in which there is, or is presumed to be, a
hazard due to the release of energy along with radiation from a nuclear chain reaction (or from
the decay of the products of a chain reaction). This covers accidents in nuclear reactors,
‘criticality’ situations in fuel cycle facilities, nuclear explosions, etc
All other emergency situations which have the potential hazard of radiation exposure due to
decay of radio isotopes, are classified as radiological emergencies. Examples of such
emergencies are the accidents that took place at Goiania in Brazil, San Salvador, Istanbul in
Turkey, Panama, etc.
8 nuclear/ radiological emergency scenarios envisaged in the disaster planning are listed below:
Accidents in Nuclear Power Plants and other facilities in the Nuclear Fuel Cycle
‘Criticality’ Accidents
Accidents during Transportation of Radioactive Materials
Accidents at facilities using Radioactive Sources
Disintegration of Satellites during Re-Entry
Nuclear/Radiological Terrorism and Sabotage at Nuclear Facilities
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From the point of view of the flooding, the riverine regions can be grouped into 4 as under:
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Disaster Management
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Of the total 35 (28+7) States + Union Territories in India, how many are
disaster prone – 25 Asked in 2012 before Bifurcation of AP
Current Scenario:
Of the total 36 (29+7) States + Union Territories in India, how many are
disaster prone – 26
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“All disasters are hazards but all hazards are not disasters”. This
statement is TRUE
The relation between level of development and loss of human lives due
to disasters is inverse
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Satellites are not very useful in the early warning system of Nuclear
hazards
PREVIEW is the name of the Global risk data platform hosted by UNEP to
share spatial data information on global risk from natural hazards
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In the “ABC” of First Aid for life support “A” means Airway
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As per the classification used in India, a “cyclonic storm” has wind speed
between 62 to 88 kmph
As per IMD, a “Drought year” occurs when the annual rainfall is less than
normal by 10% or more
As per Coastal Zone regulation notification, upto 500 metres from the
high tide line is considered as Coastal Regulation Zone
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If a quake hits Los Angeles, from there Tsunami can reach Tokyo in a
time – Less than a Jet Plane would take to travel the same distance
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The colour of flood bulletin issued whenver the water level at the
forecasting stations is within 0.5 m below the highest flood level is
orange bulletin
Earthquakes result in the largest amount of losses and is also the main
cause in terms of no. of fatalities
In India, how many people are being exposed to recurring flood every
year – 200 million
The date when the supercyclone hit the Orissa coast which killed nearly
10,000 people and affected over 15 million people across 12 districts of
Orissa is 29-10-1999
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The method to identify landslide prone areas which has been in use in
India since 1980s is Landslide Zonation Mapping
In India at the centre, which is the nodal ministry for all matters
concerning disasters caused by drought – Ministry of Agriculture
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The only document that reflects the detailed hazard profile of the states
in India is the Vulnerability Atals prepared by Building Materials and
Technology Promotion Council
Radiation leaking from the Nuclear reactor after the Tsunami in Japan
in 2011 – Fukushima
Major disasters in India – Cyclone, 1977 (AP) ; Tsunami, 2004 (TN and
Kerala); Earthquake, 2005 (Kashmir)
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First aid has the following objectives – to preserve life, to prevent the
victim’s condition from deteriorating, to promote recovery
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On what date, a cyclone which has been expected to hit Tamil Nadu,
instead struck the central coast of AP in Krishna Godavari delta:
19-11-1977
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A family disaster kit should contain – a set warm clothes, food and
drinking water, medicines
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In the recent past, the area that experienced major earthquake was –
Bhuj(2001), Chamoli (1999), Jabalpur (1997)
In India, 200 million people are exposed to recurring floods every year
Out of 4 billion people who live in Asia, 7% people live near coast
Drought and related disasters account for 19% of the world’s disasters
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13th finance commission has merged Calamity relief fund (CRF) and
National Calamity Contingency fund (NCCF) into one fund called
National Disaster Response Fund
The word ‘cyclone’ is derived from Greek word ‘cyclos’ meaning – coils
of snake and circular
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In the case of recovery, there are three recovery periods after a disaster:
a) Early – three to eighteen months, b) Medium – within five years and c)
Long-term – within five to ten years.
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DM Act 2005 uses the following definition for disaster: "Disaster" means
a catastrophe, mishap, calamity or grave occurrence in any area, arising
from natural or manmade causes, or by accident or negligence which
results in substantial loss of life or human suffering or damage to, and
destruction of, property, or damage to, or degradation of, environment,
and is of such a nature or magnitude as to be beyond the coping capacity
of the community of the affected area.”
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NDMA is the lead agency responsible for the preparation DM plans and
the execution of DM functions at the national level
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Under the DM Act 2005, the NDMA, as the apex body for disaster
management, shall have the responsibility for laying down the policies,
plans, and guidelines for disaster management for ensuring timely and
effective response to disaster
About 10 per cent of the World's tropical cyclones affect the Indian
coast. Of these, the majority have their initial genesis over the Bay of
Bengal and strike the east coast of India
On an average, five to six tropical cyclones form every year, of which two
or three could be severe
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More cyclones occur in the Bay of Bengal than in the Arabian Sea and the
ratio is approximately 4:1. An analysis of the frequency of cyclones on
the east and west coasts of India between 1877 and 2005 shows that
nearly 283 cyclones occurred (106 severe) in a 50 km wide strip on the
East Coast; comparatively the West Coast has had less severe cyclonic
activity (35 cyclones) during the same period
Climate change with the resultant sea-level rise and expected increase
in severity of cyclones can significantly increase the vulnerability of the
coastal population.
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There are 13 coastal states and union territories (UTs) in the country,
encompassing 84 coastal districts which are affected by tropical
cyclones. Four states (Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West
Bengal) and one UT (Puducherry) on the east coast and one state
(Gujarat) on the west coast are highly vulnerable to cyclone disasters
Floods affect an average area of around 7.5 million hectares per year.
According to the National Commission on Floods, the area susceptible to
floods was estimated in 1980 to be around 40 million hectares
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There are more than 1,200 islands (including uninhabited) within the
territorial limits of India of which some are very remote from the
mainland
Union Territory Division of the MHA is responsible for all the legislative
and constitutional matters in the seven Uts
NDRF has been constituted as per the Chapter-VIII of the DM Act 2005 as
a specialist response force that can be deployed in a threatening
disaster situation or disaster. As per the DM Act, the general
superintendence, direction and control of the NDRF shall be vested and
exercised by the NDMA.
As per the DM Act of 2005, each state in India shall have its own
institutional framework for disaster management
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Hazard may result in Human loss, property loss and cattle loss
CERTI was renamed as National Civil Defence College on 1st April, 1968
National Tsunami Warning System (NTWS) has come into force from
2005
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The longest cyclone is “Typhoon John” which lasted for 31 days (Aug to
Sep, 1994) in the north east and north west pacific basins
About 2/3rd of the cyclones that occur in the Indian coast line occur in
the Bay of Bengal
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On 29th Oct, 1999 supercyclone with windspeed 260-300 km/hr hit the
140 km coast of orissa
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Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in the central govt has the overall
responsibility for Disaster Management in the country
For a few specific types of disasters the concerned ministries have the
nodal responsibilities for management of disasters, as under
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In May 2016, the National Mission for Clean Ganga, India’s Ministry of
Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, and
the Jharkhand state government announced a partnership to
rejuvenate the Ganga through improved sanitation and sustainable
livelihoods. The partnership is supported by the United Nations
Development Programme.
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The impact of two earthquakes that struck Nepal in 2015 has ground the
country’s annual economic growth to almost zero per cent. Almost 9,000
lives were lost (Government of Nepal, 2015). A few months later, from
September 2015 to January 2016, Nepal suffered a near-complete trade
blockade enforced by regional political parties, allegedly with unspoken
support from India, which were said to be displeased with the way a
new constitution was evolving (India denied this, stating that blockages
were imposed by ethnic protesters within Nepal). The blockade crippled
the landlocked economy, given its dependence on India for essential
fuel, foods and medicines.
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The deadliest DTNH of 2015 was an earthquake which hit Nepal in April
and killed 8,831 people, a death toll very far from the number of deaths
caused for instance by cyclone Nargis in Myanmar in 2008 (138,375
deaths). Three heat waves in France, India and Pakistan caused 3,275,
2,248 and 1,229 deaths, respectively. These major DTNH, which killed
thousands of people (totalling 15,583), accounted for 69 per cent of all
deaths from DTNH.
Number of people killed by DTTH (9,826) was the second highest of the
decade, and is 33 per cent above its decade’s annual average (7,383).
The event which resulted in the highest number of deaths (2,236) was a
stampede during the Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia. Fifty-five per cent
of deaths from DTTH were related to transport accidents, with
shipwrecks accounting for 65 per cent of these deaths and road
accidents for 24 per cent
The most severe DTNH was a drought which affected 18 million people
in North Korea between June and July. A flood in India in July and August
affected almost 14 million people
FAO Report
2004 tsunami affecting India and Indonesia had the greatest economic
impact on fisheries, causing over USD 500 million in damage and losses
to the subsector in each country
Over the last decade , more than 1/3rd developing countries have been
affected by at least three medium- and large-scale disaster
When considered at country level, the findings show that India was the
most affected by crop and livestock production losses after repeated
floods between 2004 and 2013
Floods were associated with 77% of the region’s losses. While the region
experienced the largest absolute production losses, it was least affected
in relation to the projected value of production. India was most affected
by losses after recurrent floods from 2004 to 2013
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The State Disaster Response Fund shall be used only for meeting the
expenditure for providing immediate relief to the victims of cyclone,
drought, earthquake, fire, flood, tsunami, hailstorm, landslide,
avalanche, cloud burst, pest attack, frost and cold wave.
The state-specific disasters within the local context in the State, which
are not included in the notified list of disasters eligible for assistance
from State Disaster Response Fund and National Disaster Response
Fund, can be met from State Disaster Response Fund within the limit of
10 percent of the annual funds allocation of the State Disaster Response
Fund.
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This content provides fodder points in APPSC TSPSC Group 1 Essay (Paper - 1) and General Studies
Crisis vs Disaster:
Crisis may be defined as “an emergency situation arising out of natural or human activity which poses a threat to
human life and property or leads to large scale disruption of normal life.
A crisis may degenerate into a disaster if it is not properly managed resulting in unnecessary loss of human life and
property on a large scale.
Second Administrative Reforms Commission, in its 3rd report discussed the Crisis Management.
Crisis: Regeneration or Degeneration ??
‘If governments won’t solve the climate, hunger, health, and democracy crises, then the people will‘”
When literally billions of people, the 99 percent, are hungry or struggling to survive with justice and dignity;
when the majority of the global body politic are threatened and assaulted by a toxic environment and food
system; when hundreds of millions are overwhelmed with chronic health problems; battered by floods,
droughts, and weather extremes; when endless wars and land grabs for water, land and strategic resources
spiral out of control, it’s time for a change, Big Change.
It’s time to move beyond degenerate ethics, farming land use, energy policies, politics and economics. It’s time to
move beyond “too little, too late” mitigation and sustainability strategies.
It’s time to inspire and mobilize a mighty global army of Regenerators, before it’s too late.
Melting polar ice caps, dying oceans, global warming? The corporate take-over of governments, commerce and the
world food supply? The loss of the world’s fertile, life-sustaining soil and biodiversity, along with the loss of
indigenous seeds and knowledge?
Dis-empowed, exploited people, overwhelmed by the challenges of everyday survival, don’t have the luxury.Our
guiding principle must be that everyone, everywhere can potentially be energized and mobilized, i.e. regenerated,
by a “Do-it-Yourself Movement” that “tells it like it is,” that moves beyond mere mitigation, and instead offers a
global roadmap and a holistic menu of regenerative solutions to our most pressing food, farming, health, climate,
political and economic problems.
Healthy soil, healthy plants, healthy animals, healthy people, healthy climate . . . our physical and economic health,
our very survival as a species, is directly connected to the soil, biodiversity, and the health and fertility of our
food and farming systems.
Regenerative organic farming and land use can move us back into balance, back to a stable climate.
The regenerative bottom line for survival and well-being is that we must not only move away from oil, coal, gas and
nuclear energy toward renewable sources of energy. We must also move several hundred billion tons of
excess, climate- destabilizing carbon from the atmosphere back into the soil, where it belongs.
Consider what happens when the sun shines on a grass plant rooted in the earth. Using that light as a
catalyst, the plant takes atmospheric CO2, splits off and releases the oxygen, and synthesizes liquid carbon–
sugars, basically.
Some of these sugars go to feed and build the aerial portions of the plant
(Aerial parts of plant means parts which are completely exposed in air) we can see, but a large percentage of
this liquid carbon—somewhere between 20 and 40 percent—travels underground, leaking out of the roots and
into the soil. The roots are feeding these sugars to the soil microbes—the bacteria and fungi that inhabit the
rhizosphere—in exchange for which those microbes provide various services to the plant: defense, trace minerals,
access to nutrients the roots can’t reach on their own. That liquid carbon has now entered the microbial
ecosystem, becoming the bodies of bacteria and fungi that will in turn be eaten by other microbes in the soil food
web. Now, what had been atmospheric carbon (a problem) has become soil carbon, a solution—and not just to
a single problem, but to a great many problems.
Besides taking large amounts of carbon out of the air—tons of it per acre when grasslands are properly
managed… that process at the same time adds to the land’s fertility and its capacity to hold water. Which
means more and better food for us...
This process of returning atmospheric carbon to the soil works even better when ruminants are added to the
mix. Every time a calf or lamb shears a blade of grass, that plant, seeking to rebalance its “root-shoot ratio,” sheds
some of its roots. These are then eaten by the worms, nematodes, and microbes—digested by the soil, in effect,
and so added to its bank of carbon. This is how soil is created: from the bottom up
By all accounts, our planet is in deep trouble, and headed for worse. Sustaining a dying planet or mitigating
catastrophic climate change is not an option. We must change the conversation about the climate crisis from
“mitigation” to “reversing” global warming, by organically regenerating the soil, grasslands and forests. Even if
the world moves to zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and “sustains” or stabilizes atmospheric CO2 at 480-
500 ppm, we will still desperately need to remove 100 ppm or more of CO2 from the atmosphere in order to avert
runaway global warming, mass starvation, and chaos.
A common lesson of the ancient empires of the Old and New Worlds is that even innovative adaptations cannot
make up for a lack of fertile soil to sustain increased productivity. As long as people take care of their land, the land
can sustain them.”
Ancient civilizations never came face-to-face with global warming. Today, global warming is in our face. And
according to a growing number of scientists, we are running out of time.
Will we regenerate our soils, our food, our health, our economies, and our spirits? Or will we continue to
degenerate, to stumble down the path toward destruction?
Natural disasters have been an integral part of human history right from the dawn of civilization. The rise and fall of the
Indus Valley and Babylonian civilizations are a testimony to this.
globalization, urbanization, large-scale migrations of human population and climate changes = more disaster.
The scourge of terrorism has created new types of crises
increasing dependence on communications and computer networks have increased the threat of newer
emergencies in case these are disabled by accident or design.(Net-banking, sharemarket, Financial Terrorism etc)
modernization, information explosion, transnational migrations, and the economic interdependence among nations
have all contributed to extending the impact of crisis situations.
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) came to the conclusion that, worldwide the frequency and
magnitude of all types of natural disasters are on the rise
In some regions of the country, the frequency and intensity of droughts have increased over the past few decades.
Extreme rainfall events will increase over many areas, resulting in greater number of floods and landslides.
Mid-continental areas would generally become drier, thus increasing the risk of summer droughts and forest fires.
Therefore Disaster management will become a very critical issue in the coming years.
Types of Disasters:
Climatic events
cyclones
storms (associated sea erosion),
floods and
drought
Geological events:
earthquakes,
tsunamis,
landslides
avalanches;
by environmental degradation
by accidents.
by biological activities
public health crises, epidemics etc;
by hostile elements
war, terrorism, extremism, insurgency etc;
by disruption/failure of major infrastructure facilities
by large crowds getting out of control
It is also necessary to recognize that often a crisis does not emerge suddenly; it has a life cycle, which may take
days, months or even decades to develop depending on its causative factors.
This ‘life cycle’ of crisis management may be divided broadly in three phases –
pre-crisis,
during crisis
post crisis.
Recovery
Rehabilitation
Reconstruction
Most of the natural disasters can now be predicted with a fair degree of accuracy (earthquakes are an exception).
Similarly, a reservoir of knowledge and experience now exists about managing all aspects of disasters. The challenge
is to ensure that the community at large and the decision makers are empowered with this knowledge.
Why should people be brought in for a community approach to disaster management? The answer should be easy to
appreciate. If tribals in the Andamans could survive the tsunami, it was because their existing warning systems worked
well in comparison to our non-existent modern systems
The fact that traditional houses of wood and stone survived the Uttarkashi earthquake not so long ago while modern
buildings collapsed offered a similar lesson.
This intelligence needs to be tapped for devising approaches to management of disasters.
India is very vulnerable to natural hazards because of its unique geo-climatic conditions. Disasters occur in India with
grim regularity causing enormous loss of life and property.
Almost 85% of the country is vulnerable to single or multiple disasters and about 57% of its area lies in high seismic
zones
40 million hectares of the country’s land area is prone to flood
68% of the area is susceptible to drought
investment in disaster prevention and mitigation is highly cost effective: for example, every dollar spent on mitigation
saves three to five dollars on relief and rehabilitation
Unfortunately, long-term benefits of crisis prevention and mitigation have not been duly factored into our planning and
administrative systems
A brief description of some major crises/disasters, which India faces is given in the following paragraphs
Earthquakes
Himalayas – the youngest among the mountain ranges
very severe earthquakes in several parts of the Himalayan and surrounding regions
This makes the entire region covering fourteen states (located in western and central Himalayas, northeast, and parts
of Indo-Gangetic basin) highly prone to earthquakes.
The other seismically active regions of the country include the
Gulf of Khambhat
Rann of Kutch in Western Gujarat,
Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Earthquakes can neither be prevented nor predicted in terms of their magnitude, or place and time of occurrence
Therefore, the most effective measures of risk reduction are
Building construction norms
effective rescue and relief actions immediately after the occurrence of the earthquake.
Cyclones
More than 8000 km of coastline in the east and the west face the hazards of tropical cyclones,
A ‘super cyclone’ hit Orissa in 1999
caused extensive damage killing about 10,000 people and lakhs of livestock population.
The economy, infrastructure and environment were devastated
An effective cyclone disaster prevention and mitigation plan requires
efficient cyclone forecast – and warning services
rapid dissemination of warnings to the government agencies, particularly marine interests like ports, fisheries and
shipping and to the general public
construction of cyclone shelters in vulnerable areas, a ready machinery for evacuation of people to safer areas and
community preparedness
Tsunamis
Tsunamis are large waves generated by sudden movements of the ocean floor that displace a large volume of
water.
Tsunamis are usually associated with earthquakes
But tsunamis can also be triggered by other phenomena like submarine or terrestrial landslides, volcanic eruptions,
explosions or even bolide (e.g, asteroid, meteor, comet) impacts.
Tsunamis have the potential to strip beaches, uproot plantations, and inundate large inland tracts and extensively
damage life and property in coastal area.
The tsunami in December 2004 caused severe damage to life and property in the coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh,
Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, Kerala and Andaman and Nicobar Islands,
The confirmed death toll in India was 12,000+ while 5,640 people are still unaccounted for.
The total estimated value of damages is Rs.11,000+ crores (Approx US $2.56 billion)
Floods
HOW TO PREVENT FLOOD DAMAGE?
The term flood is generally used when the water-flows in rivers, streams and other water bodies cannot be contained.
Floods occur regularly in India affecting about 10% of area.
According to the estimates of the National Flood Commission (1980), commonly known as the Rashtriya Barh Ayog,
Assam and Bihar are the States worst affected by floods followed by U.P. and West Bengal.
In many cases, the natural process of flooding is aggravated by man-made due to
unplanned or unauthorized construction activities;
Increasing pace of urbanization,
The incidence of floods in recent times in urban areas such as Mumbai, Surat, Vadodara and other places is
symptomatic of this trend and is the direct result of unauthorized construction activities.
poor urban planning and implementation,
lack of investment in storm water drainage and sewerage
The country has to shift towards efficient management of flood plains, disaster preparedness, response planning, flood
forecasting and warning
There should be strict regulation of settlements and economic activity in the flood plain zones along with flood proofing,
to minimise the loss of life and property on account of floods.
Flood forecasting activities should be modernized
Landslides
Landslides are mass movements of rocks, debris or earth, down mountain slopes or riverbanks. Such
movements may occur gradually, but sudden sliding can also occur without warning.
They often take place in conjunction with earthquakes, floods and volcanic eruptions
Prolonged rainfall causing heavy landslides block the flow of rivers for quite some time, which on bursting can cause
havoc to human settlements downstream
hilly terrains of India, particularly in the Himalayas and the Western Ghats, are most vulnerable to landslides.
In contrast, the Western Ghats and Nilgiri Hills are geologically stable
regulate settlements in hazard prone area
construction of retaining walls against steep slopes
Avalanches
Industrial Disasters
Among the man made disasters, probably the most devastating (after wars) are industrial disasters.
These disasters may be caused by chemical, mechanical, civil, electrical or other process failures in an industrial plant
due to accident or negligence,
But they also cause widespread damage within and/or outside the plant
worst example = Methyl Iso-cynate gas leak in 1984 from the Union Carbide Factory in Bhopal (known as the
Bhopal Gas Tragedy) which has
so far claimed more than 20,000 lives and injured several lakh persons
In the pre-Bhopal Gas Tragedy era, industrial safety was governed by legislations like the Factories Act, 1948 and the
Explosives Act, 1884.
These laws proved to be inadequate to provide safety to workers as well as to the people living in the surrounding
areas
So, The Environment Protection Act, 1986 was enacted.
Stringent environmental protection laws have prevented major industrial disasters after Bhopal, but minor disasters do
take place on and off site and also during transportation of hazardous materials, which claim a number of lives each
year besides creating environmental problems.
With rapid industrialization, the threat of industrial disasters has increased.
However, in spite of the existence of a large number of laws, their enforcement has left much to be desired
Epidemics
Epidemics often take place due to poor sanitary conditions leading to contamination of food and water or due to
inadequate disposal of human or animal carcasses in post-disaster situations.
They become real dangers during floods and earthquakes. Sometimes, poor solid waste management may create
epidemics like plague.
Plague is quite uncommon now but it can still occur as it did in Surat in 1994
Nuclear Hazards
Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) is the nodal agency in the country in respect of man made radiological
emergencies in the public domain.
Desert Locusts
Under favourable environmental conditions, a few insects can dramatically multiply, form large swarms able to
migrate great distances
they threaten agriculture over a large part of Africa, the Middle East and Southwest Asia = food security problem.
International cooperation lies at the core of an effective strategy for locust control
Slow vs Rapid Onset disasters
climate change (global warming), desertification, soil degradation, and droughts, Earthquakes, cyclones, floods, tsunamis
Climatic Change
Climate change is defined as ‘a statistically significant variation in either the mean state of the climate for an extended
period (typically decades or even longer)
Global warming caused due to the “Greenhouse effect” is one of the major reasons for climate change.
Global warming leads to melting of glaciers, rise in sea level and threatens low lying coastal areas (Like the
Sunderbans and entire nations such as Bangladesh and Maldives)
Combating global warming requires urgent and concerted efforts by the international community.
Droughts
Droughts refer to a serious shortfall in availability of water, thus affecting agriculture, drinking water supply and
industry.
Droughts in India have their own peculiarities requiring appreciation of some basic facts. These are:
India has an average annual rainfall of around 1150 mm; no other country has such a high annual average,
however, there is considerable annual variation
More than 80% of rainfall is received in less than 100 days during the South-west monsoon and the geographic spread
is uneven.
Inadequacy of rains coupled with adverse land-man ratio compels the farmers to practice rain-fed agriculture in large
parts of the country
Irrigation, using groundwater aggravates the situation in the long run as ground-water withdrawal exceeds
replenishment; in the peninsular region availability of surface water itself becomes scarce in years of rainfall
insufficiency
landward displacement of the shoreline caused by the forces of waves and currents is termed as erosion.
Coastal erosion occurs when wind, waves and long shore currents move sand from the shore and deposit it
somewhere else.
this results in permanent changes in beach shape and structure.
The impact of the event is not always seen immediately, but it is equally important when we consider loss of property
that it causes.
It takes months or years to note the impact. So, this is generally classified as a “long term coastal hazard”
While the effects of waves, currents, tides and wind are primary natural factors that influence the coast,
construction of artificial structures, mining of beach sand, building of dams
About 23 per cent of India’s mainland coastline of 5423 km is getting affected by erosion
Arthashastra, (a treatise on public administration by Chanakya in the 4th century B.C), devoted a section to mitigation
measures to combat famines
Modern methods of crisis management began to be applied from the late 1870
After Independence, drought relief works were undertaken in areas affected by severe droughts.
With the onset of the green revolution in the late 1960s the necessity for famine relief work declined
holistic drought management programme was taken up in the form of the Drought Prone Areas Programme (DPAP).
Legislation on disaster management at the national level was enacted in the year 2005 with the Disaster Management
Act, 2005
Indian Constitution has specified specific roles for the Union and State Governments.
However, the subject of disaster management does not find mention in any of the three lists in the Seventh Schedule of
the Indian Constitution.
Role of CM
a Cabinet Committee on Natural Calamities under the chairpersonship of the Chief Minister takes stock of situations
and is responsible for all important policy decisions.
Every state has a Crisis Management Committee under the chairpersonship of the Chief Secretary,
District Magistrate/Collector has the responsibility for the overall management of disasters in the district.
All departments of the State Government including the police, fire services, public works, irrigation etc. work in a
coordinated manner under the leadership of the Collector during a disaster, except in metropolitan areas where the
municipal body plays a major role.
District Collector also enjoys the authority to request for assistance from the Armed Forces if circumstances so demand
Cabinet Secretary, as the highest executive officer, heads the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC).
NCMC can give directions to any ministry, department or organization for specific action needed for meeting the crisis
situation.
Role of Army
laws
Essential Services Maintenance Acts (ESMA) to ensure provision of essential services during the time of crisis.
The Code of Criminal Procedure (Cr.P.C) still remains the most important Act to tackle crisis situations due to public
order problems
Seperate Disaster Management Act was enacted in 2005.
1990s
United Nations decided to observe the 1990s as the International Decade of Natural Disaster Reduction (IDNDR).
National Governments were expected to pay special attention to measures to deal with natural disasters
1999
2001
Following the Gujarat earthquake, the Government of India took important policy decisions/measures for reforming the
disaster management system in the country. These are:
Disaster management was moved from the purview of the Ministry of Agriculture to the Ministry of Home Affairs
Although Ministry of Agriculture retains the responsibility for droughts, pest attacks and hailstorms;
State Governments were advised to create separate Disaster Management Department
State Governments were further advised to constitute
State Disaster Management Authority under the Chairmanship of State Chief Ministers
District Disaster Management Committee under the Chairmanship of District Collectors
A specialized force comprising eight battalions to be named as National Disaster Response Force to be constituted
with state-of-the-art equipment and training to respond to various natural and man made disasters;
advanced fail-proof disaster communication network
National Institute of Disaster Management was set up at Delhi for training research
Basics of disaster management to be introduced in school education
disaster resistant technologies to be introduced in engineering and architecture
disaster- Management topic introduced in medical and nursing education