Disaster Management

Learning Outcomes:

1. Grasp the definitions and types of disasters.
2. Understand the phases of disaster management and associated preventive strategies.
3. Identify natural and man-made disasters and their impact.
4. Recognize India’s disaster vulnerability and the management structures in place.
5. Learn key international frameworks for disaster reduction.

Disaster Management is the strategic effort to coordinate and mobilize resources to prevent, mitigate, and recover from natural or human-induced disasters. As per the Disaster Management Act, 2005, a disaster is defined as a “catastrophe, mishap, calamity, or grave occurrence caused by natural or human-induced events that surpass the affected community’s coping capacity.”

Understanding Disasters

Natural Disasters include floods, droughts, cyclones, earthquakes, tsunamis, and landslides. These occur due to natural processes or phenomena.

Human-Made Disasters involve incidents resulting from human activities, such as chemical spills, industrial accidents, pollution, transport accidents, and political conflicts.

Phases of Disaster Management

1. Prevention: Implemented at national and international levels to avert potential disasters. Though natural disasters can’t always be prevented, mitigating risk through evacuation plans and design standards can reduce casualties and property damage.
2. Mitigation: Involves assessing risks and adopting measures to minimize disaster impacts. Example: In earthquake-prone areas, mitigation includes installing earthquake valves to cut gas supply, retrofitting buildings, and securing interior items.
3. Preparedness: Involves readiness of equipment and plans for a disaster. Includes building shelters, emergency communication systems, and evacuation rehearsals.
4. Response: Commences with search and rescue operations, focusing on meeting the affected population’s basic needs. Assistance may come from national or international agencies.
5. Recovery: Starts post-immediate threats, aiming to restore normalcy in the affected area swiftly.

Natural Disasters and Management

Floods

Causes: Heavy rains, cyclones, tsunamis, deforestation, poor agricultural practices, dam failures, and rapid urbanization. India is highly flood-prone, with roughly one-eighth of its area at risk. Management:

1. Flood frequency and magnitude assessment.
2. Forecasting for timely warnings and evacuations.
3. Flood control via afforestation, dams, and river embankment enhancement.
4. Land-use planning with proper building engineering and infrastructure connectivity.

Droughts

Causes: Rainfall deficiency in terms of timing, distribution, and intensity. Impacts: Water scarcity, crop failure, energy production decline, soil salinization, and regional animal species extinction. Management:

1. Rainfall monitoring in reservoirs, lakes, and rivers.
2. Water conservation practices.
3. Use of micro-irrigation and cultivation of low water-consuming crops.

Earthquakes

Causes: Sudden energy release in Earth’s crust, primarily near tectonic plate junctions. Other causes include volcanic eruptions and mining activities. India’s Vulnerability: 65% of the country is in seismic zones. Management:

1. Community preparedness and public education.
2. Earthquake-resistant construction.

Important Note: Zones 5 to 2 denote seismic intensity from “most active” to “low intensity,” with Zone-5 covering regions like the North-East, Gujarat, and the Himalayas.

Cyclones

Characteristics: Violent storms with high-velocity winds revolving around a low-pressure center, often leading to heavy rains. India’s coastline makes it vulnerable to 10% of the world’s tropical cyclones. Management:

1. Satellite tracking for prediction and warnings.
2. Evacuation plans for at-risk coastal populations.

Tsunamis

Definition: Water waves caused by the displacement of a large water volume. Impact: Coastal erosion, vegetation destruction, infrastructure damage. Example: The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami affected Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

Landslides

Cause: Natural slope failure, human activities. Impact ranges from severe environmental damage to economic losses. Management: Monitoring is costly and challenging, with zonal classification based on vulnerability.

Man-Made Disasters

Road Accidents

Causes: Driver errors, faulty vehicles, poor road infrastructure. Prevention:

1. Education on road safety.
2. Enforcement of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.
3. Engineering improvements in road and vehicle design.

Railway Disasters

Nature: Serious accidents on railway premises or resulting from rail operations. Measures:

1. Special Railway Safety Fund for backlog clearance in track renewals.
2. Derailment reduction through maintenance and technological upgrades.

Air Accidents

Types: Mid-air collisions, forced landings, crashes due to technical or human failure. Management: Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) ensures safety via ICAO standards.

Industrial Disasters

Definition: Accidents related to industrial operations, often involving chemical hazards. Example: The Bhopal Gas Tragedy (1984) involved methyl isocyanate leakage, affecting over 500,000 people. Prevention: Risk assessment and safety protocols in industrial areas.

Disaster Management in India

India faces high disaster risk, losing an average of 2% of its GDP to disasters annually. Disaster Management Act, 2005 provides a framework for:

1. Establishing National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs), and District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMAs).
2. Constituting National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).

National Policy on Disaster Management, 2009 promotes a holistic, integrated, and technology-driven strategy covering prevention, mitigation, and response.

Important Note: The Crisis Management Group oversees contingency plans, while the National Crisis Management Committee includes top officials for crisis response.

International Frameworks for Disaster Risk Reduction

1. Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA): A 10-year plan (2005-2015) aimed at reducing disaster losses by enhancing the resilience of nations.
2. Sendai Framework (2015-2030): A 15-year voluntary, non-binding agreement focusing on risk reduction and shared responsibilities.

Important Concept: The Sendai Framework emphasizes the primary role of the state in disaster risk management while encouraging collaboration with local governments and stakeholders.

MCQ:
What does the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction primarily emphasize?

1. Total reliance on national governments.
2. Collaborative risk reduction involving all stakeholders.
3. Strictly technological solutions.
4. Only natural disaster management.
   Answer: 2. Collaborative risk reduction involving all stakeholders.