GEOGRAPHY NATURAL AND MAN-MADE DISASTERS

NATURAL AND MAN-MADE DISASTERS

DISASTERS - DEFINITION AND TYPES

DEFINITION
Sudden catastrophic events which cause great damage to the environment, people and property.
They can cause enormous loss to life and disrupt the normal functioning of society.
Examples: Earthquakes, droughts, floods etc.

TYPES
Classified into 2 types
NATURAL DISASTERS MAN-MADE DISASTERS
 Disasters caused by geographical factors Disasters caused by human action or negligence
and the natural processes of the Earth are are called human-made disasters.
called natural disasters.
 Examples: Earthquakes, floods, cyclones, Examples: Wars, fires, industrial accidents etc.
volcanic eruptions, landslides, heat waves
 Some are indirectly triggered by human
activity (Global warming causes many
disasters indirectly - floods, earthquakes).

Typhoon Fire Drought

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SOME MAJOR DISASTERS

FLOOD
An overflow of a large amount of water over land is called a flood.
Causes

NATURAL CAUSES HUMAN CAUSES

 Heavy rainfall (rise in water
levels and overflow in rivers and
lakes)
 Melting of snow in summer
(Mountainous rivers overflow)
 High tide, cyclones and tsunami
(in coastal areas)
 Faulty, unplanned illegal
constructions block natural
drainage systems causing floods
during the rains
 Deforestation and overgrazing
(e.g. Floods in Uttarakhand due to
landslide of unstable slopes)
 Faulty construction of dams and
embankments

Effects
 Loss of life directly due to flood and because of disease and hunger after the flood
 Destruction of crops at river banks
 Damage to factories, buildings, vehicles and homes due to submersion
 Loss of personal belongings due to flooding
 Damage to power lines, loss of power supply, disruption of communication and chances of
electrocution
 Damage to sewage systems and water pipes leading to the spread of waterborne diseases and
contamination of drinking water

Safety guidelines
 Use of sandbags to prevent water from entering buildings
 Move towards higher areas
 Avoid walking through flowing water
 Switch off gas and power supply and evacuate the house if at risk

EARTHQUAKE
A sudden violent shaking of the Earth’s crust caused by tectonic or volcanic activity is called an
earthquake.
Intensities of earthquakes can range from 1 (low) to 10 (high) on the Richter scale.
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The earthquakes with an intensity of 7 or more are high-intensity earthquakes and can cause
catastrophic effects.

Effects
 Weakening and collapse of the building foundations resulting in injury or death of people
 Collapse and damage to important structures such as bridges, roads, dams etc.
 Rupture of gas, power and water lines
 Spillage of dangerous chemicals leading to chemical poisoning of people
 Other disasters (avalanche, landslide, tsunami, fire) can be caused

Safety guidelines
 Identify a safe place to gather during an earthquake when at home, office or school
 If indoors, don’t try to run out—take cover under strong stable furniture
 Stay away from windows and falling debris
 If outdoors, stay away from tall buildings, electric poles and trees

CYCLONE
Cyclones are powerful storms formed over oceans in tropical areas, marked by strong winds blowing
inwards towards a centre of low pressure and accompanied by heavy rains.
 Can last for several days and the speed may be over 200 km/hour.
 Called hurricanes when in the Atlantic Ocean and the northeast Pacific Ocean, typhoons when in
the northwest Pacific Ocean, and cyclones when in the southern Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean.

Effects
 Causes serious damage to structures in its path
 Winds may uproot trees, remove rooftops and vehicles are flung into the air
 Storm surge causes sea levels to rise sharply (high tides) and flooding in low-lying areas
 Heavy rain causes landslides and mudslides
 Affects the livelihood of fishing communities in the coastal areas

Safety guidelines
 Stay indoors; go to the lowest and most central point of a building
 Keep heavy and important items away from windows
 If outdoors, take protection in areas such as a ditch/depression
 Avoid flying debris and coming in contact with fallen power lines

FIRE
A fire can break out in a forest area (called wildfire) or in human settlements.

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Causes

NATURAL CAUSES HUMAN CAUSES

 Extreme dryness caused by  Negligence - Cigarettes thrown
drought in forested area, bonfires left
 Lightning strikes unattended
 Volcanic eruptions

Effects
 Destruction of natural habitats of wildlife and death of animals
 Air pollution
 Loss of life and serious injury to health
 Severe damage to property and assets

Safety Guidelines
If outdoors, If in a building,
 Stay calm, don’t panic.  Stay close to the ground.
 Look for a water body nearby for shelter, remain close to  Don’t use the lift.
the ground where the air is smoke-free.  Switch off electrical and gas mains.
 Cover your mouth, nose, if possible, entire body with a  Reach the nearest exit to evacuate.
wet cloth or heavy blanket.  Keep inflammables away from flames.

DROUGHT
An extended period of low rainfall which causes a severe shortage of water.

Effects
 Crop failures resulting in the shortage of food and fodder, leading to famine and poverty
 Causes starvation and death of humans and livestock in extreme conditions
 Destruction of natural vegetation in affected areas
 Loss of fertile topsoil, making the land infertile
 Industries and power plants in the area cannot function, affecting the local economy

NUCLEAR DISASTER
The disaster caused by the release of large amounts of poisonous radioactive material into the
environment, threatening all living forms over a large area with ill effects lasting several years.

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Cause

Due to human errors or fault in the machinery such Intentional human

as meltdown of core reactor in nuclear facilities. warfare (nuclear
Examples: weapons)
1) Chernobyl disaster: On 26 April 1986, a nuclear Example: Nuclear
reactor blew off at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power attacks on Hiroshima
Plant, which is now sealed till 2065. and Nagasaki by USA in
2) Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan in 2011. 1945.

Effects
 Large amount of heat generation, explosions and fires occur
 Radiation can cause skin rashes, vomiting, coma, cancer and even death
 Contamination of air, land and water for centuries affecting future generations

BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL DISASTERS

The disaster which occurs because of the spread of toxic chemicals and diseases through the
environment, harming a large number of lives.

Causes

Human negligence
CHEMICAL DISASTERS:
Oil spills: Accidental spillage of liquid petroleum into the environment in
large quantities, polluting coastal areas/the ocean and leading to
devastation of the marine ecosystem.
Industrial leaks: Bhopal Gas Tragedy

Warfare
BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS: Use of germs of highly communicable, deadly
diseases with an intention to kill.
CHEMICAL WEAPONS: Napalm (highly inflammable), Agent Orange (used
to contaminate agricultural fields)

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Effects
 Large-scale health problems and death in humans and animals
 Damage to the environment

FACT!
Hiroshima shadows: When the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, the
intensity of the blast was of such intensity that it permanently burned
shadows of people and objects into the ground.

DISASTER MANAGEMENT

Disaster management involves the organisation and management of resources to prepare for,
respond to and recover from disasters, to lessen its impact.
It can only reduce the extent of human suffering during and after a disaster.

It involves 3 stages:
1) Mitigation (reducing the impact) and preparedness before a disaster
2) Response during a disaster
3) Recovery after a disaster

1) Mitigation and Preparedness

Preparedness means being aware of the possibility of a disaster and taking steps to reduce the
impact of an oncoming disaster.
Example: Countries prone to certain natural disasters (such as tsunamis and earthquakes) design
their infrastructure to minimise their impact.

Earthquake-resistant buildings

Two methods to make buildings earthquake resistant:

 Use of dampers: Dampers oscillate in a direction opposite to the earthquake wave,
dispersing earthquake energy
 Base isolation: Pads are placed at certain points below the base of the building to isolate
the building from shaking and protecting the building during an earthquake.

2) Response
A rapid and timely response from the response teams of organisations and government bodies is
essential to reduce the effects of a disaster.

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Duties of a response team:

 To save and protect lives and to reduce suffering
 To avoid escalation of a disaster and reduce its effects
 To provide information and safety guidelines to people
 Maintenance of critical services (water, electricity etc.)

3) Recovery
Steps and protocols are followed by government bodies and NGOs to restore normalcy after a
disaster and to help people who are left without homes and basic facilities.

General Safety Measures and Guidelines

1) Maintain an emergency kit containing medical supplies, basic utilities (e.g. torch, batteries), copy
of important documents
2) Prepare an evacuation plan including identification of safe places and important contacts
3) Remain calm, avoid panicking
4) Stay updated and follow-up with the instructions by the authorities
5) Ensure self-safety; also help the elderly, disabled individuals, pregnant women and children

ROLE OF THE GOVERNMENT

The government plays a critical role in disaster management.

It has knowledge and resources required to prepare for a disaster to ensure the protection and
rehabilitation of affected citizens.
A government must ensure
 Maintenance of standard operating protocol (SOP) concerning different disasters
 Trained relief workforce equipped to act efficiently and carry out rescue operations
 Supply of basic amenities like food, clothing, shelter, water and medical help
 Education of citizens about disaster management techniques and plans
 Restoration of basic facilities such as electricity, drinking water, garbage removal and
cleanliness in the affected area

NATIONAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY (NDMA) is an organisation responsible for
disaster management in India. It was formed in 2005 and is headquartered in New Delhi.

SOME OTHER ORGANISATIONS:

The Red Cross
The United Nations

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CASE STUDIES

Floods in Assam
Occurrence: Yearly

Causes
 Physiography/Relief: River Brahmaputra flows through a U-shaped narrow valley which gets
submerged on the flooding of the river.
 Heavy rainfall: Assam receives heavy rainfall of 2,818 mm on an average.
 Human activities: Building of embankments, unplanned constructions.

Impact
In July 2016, about 2 million people were affected. Huge loss of livestock, fertile farmlands.
Communication networks and roads were destroyed.
Loss of wildlife in Kaziranga and Pobitora sanctuaries.

Management
Over 500 camps were set up for the displaced.
Relief operations were carried out by the National Disaster Response Team.

Floods in Bihar
Occurrence: Yearly, most flood-prone state

Causes
 Many rivers—Kosi, Bagmati, Gandak and Ghaghara—flow through Bihar and their overflow lead
to flooding
 Low-lying area

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 Human activities like building of embankments and unplanned constructions

Impact
 Affects not only the infrastructure but also the socio-economic life in the state.

Nepal Earthquakes
Causes
 Nepal lies over a fault line which marks the convergence between two tectonic plates—the
Indian plate and the Eurasian plate
 Building tension on the northward movement of the Indian plate and its subsequent release
leads to earthquakes

Impact
 On 25 April 2015, an earthquake of 7.8 on the Richter scale hit Nepal. The epicentre was
Gorkha.
 About 9000 lives were lost and 21,952 were injured. 6,00,000 structures were destroyed.
 Two avalanches were triggered on Mount Everest and in the Langtang Valley.
 Disruption of communication and transport.

Management
Several rescue operations and rehabilitation programmes were carried out by the Nepal
government, the Indian government, UNESCO and Red Cross.

FACT!
With over one a year, Hawaii faces the most risk for tsunamis in the world.

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