Basic Terminology in Disaster Management

1. Disaster: Disaster is an occurrence that causes widespread damage and

destruction or a sudden catastrophe leading to loss of life and property.
Disaster may also be defined as a crisis situation that far exceeds our
capabilities to cope. Another definition of disaster is any tragic event that
can cause damage to life and property and destroy the economic, social
and cultural life of people.

2. Hazard: It is defined as a source of potential loss or circumstances that

have the potential to cause harm. Hazards can be natural, technological,
chemical, biological and radiological.
Hazards mean a potential source of danger whose possible
characteristics and frequency of occurrence can be approximated.
Hazards can be classified into two main classes: (a) those that are dictated
by nature (Seismic activity to cause Earthquake, Cloudburst to cause
Flood, etc.) and (b) those that are produced by human activities (Virus,
High Reacting Chemical Compounds)

3. Vulnerability: Susceptibility to harm those who are at risk is called

vulnerability. It refers to "the quality or state of being exposed to the
possibility of being attacked or harmed.
Example: People residing near the Bank of River are more vulnerable to
flood than those who reside relatively in a less flood prone area.

4. Risk: Risk is a situation involving exposure to danger or the possibility

that something unpleasant or unwelcome will happen. It is, in other
words, the chance of something happening that has a negative impact in
terms of consequences and likelihood.
 5. Emergency: Emergency is defined as any event which endangers or
intimidates to jeopardize life and the environment and which calls for a
momentous and coordinated response. It is a situation which the
community is capable of coping with. When emergency moves beyond
the purview of the population, it becomes a disaster.

In the context of disaster management, there are two prospects linked

with the incidence of a hazard:
First, the Risk that a hazard will become an event
(Earthquake,Tsunami,Flood, etc) ; and second, the Risk that the hazard will
cause damage. If both these prospects lead to damage beyond the coping
capacity of the population impacted, it becomes a disaster.
 Types of Disaster
Disaster can be classified into two types.
1.Natural Disaster
2.Manmade Disaster

Natural disasters are divided into the following parts:

•Meteorological Disaster
•Geophysical Disaster
•Hydrological Disaster
•Climatological Disaster
•Biological Disaster

Man- Made disasters are of the following types

•Sociological Disaster
•Political Disaster
•Industrial Disaster
•Human Disaster
 Summary of Types of Disaster
Disaster Disaster Disaster Subtype Sub-subtype
Generic Group Main Type Disaster Disaster
Group
Natural Meteorological Storm Tropical Storm
Disaster Extra tropical cyclone
(winter storm)
Local/Convective Thunderstrom /
storm Lightning
Snowstorm / Blizzard
Sandstorm / Dust storm
Tornado
Geophysical Earthquake Ground shaking
Volcano Tsunami
Mass Volcano eruption
movement Rockfall
(dry) Avalanche Snow avalanche
Landslide Debris avalanche
Subsidance Mudslide
Debris flow
Sudden subsidence
Long lasting subsidence
Debris avalanche
Disaster Disaster Disaster Subtype Sub-subtype
Generic Group Main Type Disaster Disaster
Group

Natural Hydrological Flood General (river) flood Debris flow

Disaster Flush flood Snow avalanche
Mass Storm surge/ coastal flood Debris avalanche
movement Rockfall Sudden
(wet) Landslide subsidence
Avalanche
Long-lastnig
Subsidence subsidence

Climatological Extreme Heat wave

temperature Cold wave Frost
Extreme winter condition Snow pressure
Icing
Freezing rain
Drought Forest fire Debris avalanche
Wildfire Land fire (grass, scrub, bush)
Disaster Disaster Disaster Subtype Sub-subtype
Generic Group Main Type Disaster Disaster
Group

Natural Biological Epidemic Viral infectious diseases

Disaster Bacterial infectious diseases
Parasitic infectious diseases
Fungal infectious diseases
Prion infectious diseases
Insect Grasshopper/Locust/Worms
Infestation
Animal stampede
Man Sociological Arson
made Civil disorder
disaster Terrorism

Political War Chemical weapons

Biological weapons
Nuclear weapons
Armed conflict
Massacre
Disaster Disaster Disaster Subtype Sub-subtype
Generic Group Main Type Disaster Disaster
Group

Man Industrial Chemical spill Nuclear plants

made Explosion Other plants
disaster
Transport accident Airways
Water
Railways
Engineering Roadways
failure Structural collapse
Human Human error of Stampede
judgment Airplane crashes
Railway accidents
Roadway accidents

Poisoning Food poisoning

Carbon monoxide poisoning
Disaster management Act 2005
Disaster management act was enacted on 23th December, 2005. The Disaster
Management Act, 2005, (23 December 2005) No. 53 of 2005, was passed by the Rajya
Sabha, the upper house of the Parliament of India on 28 November, and by the Lok Sabha,
the lower house of the Parliament, on 12 December 2005. It received the assent of
The President of India on 23th December 2005. The Disaster Management Act, 2005 has 11
chapters and 79 sections.The Act extends to the whole of India. The Act provides for "the
effective management of disasters and for matters connected there with or incidental
thereto."

In this act,

(a) “Affected area” means an area or part of the country affected by a disaster;

(b) “capacity-building” includes—

(i) Identification of existing resources and resources to be acquired or created;

(ii) Acquiring or creating resources identified under sub-clause (i);
(iii) Organization and training of personnel and coordination of such training for effective
management of disasters;

(c) “Central Government” means the Ministry or Department of the Government of India
having administrative control of disaster management;

(d) “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;

(e) “Disaster management” means a continuous and integrated process of planning,

organising, coordinating and implementing measures which are necessary or expedient
for—

(i) Prevention of danger or threat of any disaster;

(ii) Mitigation or reduction of risk of any disaster or its severity or consequences;

(iii) capacity-building;

(iv) Preparedness to deal with any disaster;

(v) Prompt response to any threatening disaster situation or disaster;

(vi) Assessing the severity or magnitude of effects of any disaster;

(vii) Evacuation, rescue and relief;

(viii) Rehabilitation and reconstruction;

(f) “District Authority” means the District Disaster Management Authority constituted
under sub-section (1) of section 25;

(g) “District Plan” means the plan for disaster management for the district prepared under
section 31;

(h) “local authority” includes panchayati raj institutions, municipalities, a district board,
cantonment board, town planning authority or Zila Parishad or any other body or
authority, by whatever name called, for the time being invested by law, for rendering
essential services or, with the control and management of civic services, within a specified
local area;

(i) “Mitigation” means measures aimed at reducing the risk, impact or effects of a disaster
or threatening disaster situation;

(j) “National Authority” means the National Disaster Management Authority established
under sub-section (1) of section 3;

(k) “National Executive Committee” means the Executive Committee of the National
Authority constituted under sub-section (1) of section 8;

(l) “National Plan” means the plan for disaster management for the whole of the country
prepared under section 11;

(m) “Preparedness” means the state of readiness to deal with a threatening disaster
situation or disaster and the effects thereof;

(n) “Prescribed” means prescribed by rules made under this Act;

(o) “Reconstruction” means construction or restoration of any property after a disaster;

(p) “Resources” includes manpower, services, materials and provisions;

(q) “State Authority” means the State Disaster Management Authority established under
sub-section (1) of section 14 and includes the Disaster Management Authority for the
Union territory constituted under that section;

(r) “State Executive Committee” means the Executive Committee of a State Authority
constituted under sub-section (1) of section 20;
(s) “State Government” means the Department of Government of the State having
administrative control of disaster management and includes Administrator of the Union
territory appointed by the President under article 239 of the Constitution;

(t) “State Plan” means the plan for disaster management for the whole of the State
prepared under

The Act calls for the establishment of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA),
with the Prime Minister of India as chairperson. The Act under Section 8 enjoins the
Central Government to Constitute a National Executive Committee (NEC) to assist the
National Authority. All State Governments are mandated under Section 14 of the act to
establish a State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA). The act also mandates the
state to form a District Disaster Management Authority. The Section 44–45 of the Act
provides for constituting a National Disaster Response Force "for the purpose of
specialist response to a threatening disaster situation or disaster" under a Director General
to be appointed by the Central Government.
.
Disaster management Approach

According to Disaster Management Act 2005, Disaster management is defined as continuous and
integrated process of planning, organizing, coordinating and implementing measures which are
necessary or expedient for—

(i) Prevention of danger or threat of any disaster.

(ii) Mitigation or reduction of risk of any disaster or its severity or consequences;
(iii) capacity-building.
(iv) Preparedness to deal with any disaster;
(v) Prompt response to any threatening disaster situation or disaster;
(vi) Assessing the severity or magnitude of effects of any disaster
vii) Evacuation, rescue and relief;
(viii) Rehabilitation and reconstruction

Disaster Management Phases:

Three phases are involved in disaster management.

1. Pre disaster Phase: It includes preparedness, mitigation and prevention
2. Impact phase
3. Post –impact phase: It includes response, recovery and reconstruction or development.

1. Pre disaster Phase:

a) Preparedness: Activities and measures taken in advance to ensure effective response to the
impact of hazards, including the issuance of timely and effective early warning and temporary
evacuation of people and property from threatened location.
“Preparedness” means the state of readiness to deal with a threatening disaster situation or
disaster and the effect of thereof.
“Preparedness” can be carried by out by the following ways:
 Community awareness and education
 Preparation of disaster management plans
 Mock drills , training and practice
 Developing proper warning system

B) Mitigation: Disaster mitigation measures are those that eliminate or reduce the impacts and
risks of hazards through proactive measures taken before an emergency or disaster occurs.
Mitigation of disaster is approached by two methods.
1) Structural measures) Non-structural measures

1) Structural measures: Any physical construction to reduce or avoid possible impacts of

hazards, or application of engineering techniques to achieve hazard-resistance
and resilience in structures or systems.
Common structural measures for disaster risk reduction include dams, flood levies, ocean wave
barriers, earthquake-resistant construction, and evacuation shelters, Construction of Tsunami
Walls, Tsunami forests (Mangrove forest),.. etc.

2) Non- Structural Measures: Any measure not involving physical construction that uses
knowledge, practice or agreement to reduce risks and impacts, in particular through policies and
laws, public awareness raising, training and education.

C. Prevention: Activities undertaken to outright avoidance of adverse impact of hazards and to

minimize related natural, environmental, technological, biological disaster, etc.
Some common ways to “prevent” disaster-
 Preventing habitatation in risk Zones
 Construction of disaster resistant structures like embankment, dyke, cyclone shelter, etc.

2. Post Impact Phase:

A) Response: The provision of assistance or intervention during or immediately after a
disaster to meet the life preservation and basic subsistence needs of those people affected.
It can be of immediate, short- term or protracted duration. Response measures are taken
in anticipation of, during and immediately after a disaster to ensure that the effects are
minimized.

 Implementation of disaster management plan.

 Setting up of community kitchen and medical camps.
 Mobilizing resources and aid.
 Providing temporary shelters
 Deployment of search and rescue teams
 Issuing updated warnings

B) Recovery phase: Recovery involves restoring, rebuilding, and reshaping the

impacted area. It starts after damages have been assessed and adequate response effort is
achieved and on-going. It involves actions to return the affected community to its pre-
disaster state or better. As the emergency is brought under control, the affected
population is capable of undertaking a growing number of activities aimed at restoring
their lives and the infrastructure that supports them. Recovery activities continue until all
systems return to normal or better. These measures, both short and long term, aim
to return vital life-support systems to minimum operating standards; such as temporary
housing, public information, health and safety education; continued health monitor and
care, reconstruction of vital facilities; counseling programs; grants, and it may include
economic impact studies.

C) Reconstruction: Reconstruction means construction or restoration of any property or

infrastructure after disaster.
NATIONAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY
National Disaster Management Authority, abbreviated as NDMA, is an agency of
the Ministry of Home Affairs whose primary purpose is to coordinate response
to natural or man-made disasters and for capacity-building in disaster resiliency and crisis
response. NDMA was established through the Disaster Management Act enacted by
the Government of India in 2005. The Prime Minister is the ex-officio chairperson of the
same. The agency is responsible for framing policies, laying down guidelines and best-
practices and coordinating with the State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs) to
ensure a holistic and distributed approach to disaster management

It is headed by a nine-member board chaired by the Prime Minister of India. The

remainder of the board consists of members nominated based on their expertise in areas
such as planning, infrastructure management, communications, meteorology, and natural
sciences. The day-to-day management of the agency is overseen by the office of the Vice
Chair.

NDMA equips and trains other Government officials, institutions and the community in
mitigation for and response during a crisis situation or a disaster. It operates the National
Institute of Disaster Management, which develops practices, delivers hands-on
training and organizes drills for disaster management. It also equips and trains
disaster management cells at the state and local levels

NDMA also collaborates with the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of
Administration and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy to impart
training to administration and police officers in planning and incident response. It
monitors and develops guidelines for the local Firefighting Services across the country. It
collaborates with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in developing emergency
health and ambulance services. Specifically, it focuses on capacity building in dealing with
mass casualty at local hospitals.

NDMA, as the apex body, is mandated to lay down the policies, plans and guidelines for
Disaster Management to ensure timely and effective response to disasters. Towards this, it
has the following responsibilities

 Lay down policies on disaster management;

 Approves the National Plan;
 Approve plans prepared by the Ministries or Departments of the Government of India
in accordance with the National Plan;
 Lay down guidelines to be followed by the State Authorities in drawing up the State
Plan;
 Lay down guidelines to be followed by the different Ministries or Departments of the
Government of India for the Purpose of integrating the measures for prevention of
disaster or the mitigation of its effects in their development plans and projects;
 Coordinate the enforcement and implementation of the policy and plans for disaster
management;
 Recommend provision of funds for the purpose of mitigation;
 Provide such support to other countries affected by major disasters as may be
determined by the Central Government;
 Take such other measures for the prevention of disaster, or the mitigation, or
preparedness and capacity building for dealing with threatening disaster situations or
disasters as it may consider necessary;
 Lay down broad policies and guidelines for the functioning of the National Institute of
Disaster Management.
National disaster response force
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is a specialized force constituted "for the
purpose of specialist response to a threatening disaster situation or disaster" under
the Disaster Management Act, 2005. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is under
the National Disaster Management Authority.

Organizational structure

The head of the NDRF is designated as Director General. The Director Generals of NDRF
are IPS officers on deputation from Indian police organizations. Director General wears the
uniform and badges of rank of an army three-star general. The NDRF is a top-heavy
organization which in addition to the Director General has several Inspectors’ General (IG)
and Deputy IGs, who fly flags and wear army-style badges of rank.

Composition of National Disaster Management Force

National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is a force of 12 battalions, organised on para-

military lines, and manned by persons on deputation from the para-military forces of
India: three Border Security Force, three Central Reserve Police Force, two Central
Industrial Security Force, two Indo-Tibetan Border Police and two Sashastra Seema Bal.
The total strength of each battalion is approximately 1149.Each battalion is capable of
providing 18 self-contained specialist search and rescue teams of 45 personnel each
including engineers, technicians, electricians, dog squads and medical/paramedics.
NDRF in addition to being able to respond to natural disasters has four battalions capable
of responding to radiological, nuclear, biological and chemical disasters.
Deployment:
NDRF battalions are located at twelve different locations in the country based on the
vulnerability profile to cut down the response time for their deployment. During the
preparedness period/in a threatening disaster situation, proactive deployment of these
forces will be carried out by the NDMA in consultation with state authorities. The present
locations of NDRF Bns are as follows:

Sl Sl
NDRF Unit State CPF NDRF Unit State CPF
no No

1 01 Bn 07 Bn
Assam BSF 7 Punjab ITBP
NDRF, Guwahati NDRF, Bhatinda

2 08 Bn
02 Bn West Uttar
BSF 8 NDRF,Ghaziaba ITBP
NDRF, Kolkata Bengal Pradesh
d
 03 Bn 09 Bn
3 Odisha CISF 9 Bihar BSF
NDRF, Cuttack NDRF, Patna

10 Bn
04 Bn Andhra
4 Tamil Nadu CISF 10 NDRF, Vijayawa CRPF
NDRF, Arakkonam Pradesh
da

Maharashtr 11 Bn Uttar
5 05 Bn NDRF, Pune CRPF 11 SSB
a NDRF, Varanasi Pradesh

06 Bn Arunach
12 Bn
6 NDRF, Gandhinaga Gujarat CRPF 12 al SSB
NDRF, Itanagar
r Pradesh

Function
The aim of the National Disaster Management Authority is to build a safer and disaster
resilient India by developing a holistic, proactive, multi-disaster and technology driven
strategy for disaster management. This has to be achieved through a culture
of prevention, mitigation and preparedness to generate a prompt and efficient response at
the time of disasters. This national vision inter alia, aims at inculcating a culture
of preparedness among all stakeholders.
NDRF has proved its importance in achieving this vision by highly skilled rescue and relief
operations, regular and intensive training and re-training, familiarization exercises within
the area of responsibility of respective NDRF Battalions, carrying out mock drills and joint
exercises with the various stakeholders
NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.—

The “Disaster management act 2005” under Section 8 enjoins the Central Government to
Constitute a National Executive Committee (NEC) to assist the National Disaster
Management Authority (NDMA).

(1) The National Executive Committee shall consist of the following members, namely:—

(a) the Secretary to the Government of India in charge of the Ministry or Department of the
Central Government having administrative control of the disaster management, who shall be
Chairperson, ex officio
(b) the Secretaries to the Government of India in the ministries or Departments having
administrative control of the agriculture, atomic energy, defense, drinking water supply,
environment and forests, finance (expenditure), health, power, rural development, science and
technology, space, telecommunication, urban development, water resources and the Chief of
the Integrated Defense Staff of the Chiefs of Staff Committee.

(2) The Chairperson of the National Executive Committee may invite any other officer of the
Central Government or a State Government for taking part in any meeting of the National
Executive Committee and shall exercise such powers and perform such functions as may be
prescribed by the Central Government in consultation with the National Authority.

(3) The procedure to be followed by the National Executive Committee in exercise of its powers
and discharge of its functions shall be such as may be prescribed by the Central Government.

Powers and functions of National Executive Committee.—

(1) The National Executive Committee shall assist the National Disaster Management
Authority (NDMA) in the discharge of its functions and have the responsibility for
implementing the policies and plans of the National Authority and ensure the compliance of
directions issued by the Central Government for the purpose of disaster management in the
country.

(2) The National Executive Committee may—

(a) Act as the coordinating and monitoring body for disaster management.

(b) Prepare the National Plan to be approved by the National Disaster Management Authority.

(c) Coordinate and monitor the implementation of the National Policy.

(d) Provide necessary technical assistance to the State Governments and the State Authorities
for preparing their disaster management plans in accordance with the guidelines laid down by
the National Authority;
(e) Monitor the implementation of the National Plan and the plans prepared by the Ministries
or Departments of the Government of India.

(f) Monitor, coordinate and give directions regarding the mitigation and preparedness
measures to be taken by different Ministries or Departments and agencies of the Government;

(g) Plan and coordinate specialized training programmed for disaster management for different
levels of officers, employees and voluntary rescue workers;

(h) lay down guidelines for, or give directions to, the concerned Ministries or Departments of
the Government of India, the State Governments and the State Authorities regarding measures
to be taken by them in response to any threatening disaster situation or disaster;

(I) Advise, assist and coordinate the activities of the Ministries or Departments of the
Government of India, State Authorities, statutory bodies, other governmental or non-
governmental organizations and others engaged in disaster management;

(j) Provide necessary technical assistance or give advice to the State Authorities and District
Authorities for carrying out their functions under this act;

(k) Promote general education and awareness in relation to disaster management; and

(l) Perform such other functions as the National Authority may require it to perform.
 Assam State Disaster Management Authority
The Assam State Disaster Management Authority was notified in the year 2007
with the adoption of the Disaster Management Act in the year 2006.
Honourable Chief Minister, Assam is its Chairperson and Hon'ble Minister
Revenue and Disaster Management is its Vice Chairperson. To execute the
mandate of the Authority the State Executive Committee with the Chief
Secretary, Assam as its Chairperson has also been notified as per provision of
the Disaster Management Act. The ASDMA Secretariat with officers,
consultants and employees, for carrying out the functions of the State
Authority, became fully functional in the year 2010. ASDMA also notify the
District Disaster Management Authority in all the districts of Assam and placed
officers for carrying out disaster management activities at the district

Focus areas

1. Research and Development

2. Equipped and Prepared Disaster Response and Information Centre at all
levels
3. Preparation of Disaster Management Plans at State, District, Village and
Departmental level
4. Strengthening Techno Legal framework
5. Capacity Building, Training and Education
6. Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction in development activities
7. Constitution of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and District level
Quick Response Teams
8. Awareness Generation
9. Safer Schools and Safer Hospitals
10.Partnerships with National and International level knowledge based
institutions and Scientific Community
11.Hazard Risk and Vulnerability Assessment