The TDRM is a 6 Step Process to manage natural disasters, viz., 1. Establishing the Disaster Risk Context - strategic, and organizational, 2. Identifying the DRs - what, why and how hazards or certain events translate into disasters including the sources of risks, areas at risk, and the existing measures. 3. Analyzing the DRs - existing controls in terms of likelihood and consequences. 4. Assessing and Prioritizing the DRs - estimating levels of risk and ranking it for prioritization. 5. Treating the DRs - identifying a range of options for treating the priority risks, e.g., prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery, selecting the options, planning and implementing relevant strategies and funding. 6. Lastly, it is important to monitor and review the Performance of the DRMS, the changes that might affect it, and ensure that the DRMP is relevant. The entire process is iterative.

1. MANAGEMENT OF DISASTERS – THE TDRM APPROACH
UGC SPONSORED NATIONAL SEMINAR
on
APPLICATION OF MODERN TECHNIQUES
for
THE MANAGEMENT OF CONTEMPORY ENVIRONMENTAL
HAZARDS AND DISASTERS
Department Of Geography
Haringhata Mahavidyalaya
P.O. - Subarnapur, Nadia, West Bengal – 741 249

11. Natural Disaster: Operational Definition @ Country Level
A serious disruption to community life which threatens or causes
death or injury in that community and/or damage to property
which is beyond the day-to-day capacity of the prescribed
statutory authorities and which requires special mobilization and
organization of resources other than those normally available to
those authorities.
(Australian Emergency Manual, 1987)

12. A disaster is any occurrence that
causes damage, ecological
disruption, loss of human life, or
deterioration of health and health
services on a scale sufficient to
warrant an extraordinary response
from outside the affected community
or area.
A serious disruption of the functioning of
society, causing widespread human,
material or environmental losses which
exceed the ability of the affected people
to cope using its own resources: may be
Natural or Man-made.
(DHA/IDNDR 1992)

13. Industrial Disaster
Mass disaster either by
accident, negligence or
incompetence.
The Bhopal Disaster in India, killing over 15,000 people,
injuring many more, and causing severe health hazard in the
region.
It was caused by the accidental release of 40 tonnes of methyl
isocyanate (MIC) from a Union Carbide India, Limited located
in the heart of the city of Bhopal, MP.

14. It is a long-lasting weather
pattern consisting of dry
conditions with very little or no
precipitation.
During this period, food and
water supplies can run low, and
other conditions, such as
famine, can result.
It can last for several years and
are particularly damaging in
areas in which the residents
depend on agriculture for
survival.
The Dust Bowl is a famous
example of a severe drought.
Draught

15. It is a sudden shift or
movement in the tectonic
plate in the Earth's crust.
On the surface, this is
manifested by a moving and
shaking of the ground, and
can be massively damaging
to poorly built structures.
The most powerful
earthquakes can destroy
even the best built of
structures.
They are capable of killing
hundreds of thousands of
people, such as in 2004
Indian Ocean earthquakes.
Earthquake

16. It is a massive outbreak
and spread of an
infectious disease, and is
historically the most
dangerous of all natural
disasters.
Different diseases cause
different epidemics.
Examples:
Black Death,
Smallpox,
AIDS.
Epidemic

17. A Disaster characterized by a widespread lack of food and
livestock, required for basic nutrition and survival.
It is almost always caused by pre-existing conditions, such as
drought, but its effects may be exacerbated by social factors,
such as war.
Particularly devastating examples include the Ethiopian famine
and the Irish Potato Famine.
Famine

18. It is a natural disaster caused
by too much rain or water in
a location.
It can be caused by
prolonged rainfall from a
storm, including rapid
melting of large amounts of
snow, or rivers which swell
from excess precipitation
upstream and cause
widespread damage to areas
downstream, or less
frequently the bursting of
man-made dams or levees.
Floods

19. Forest Fire
It is a natural disaster
consisting of a fire, which
destroys a forested area,
and can be a great danger
to people who live in
forests as well as wildlife.
These are generally started
by lightning, but also by
human negligence or arson,
and can burn thousands of
square kilometers.

20. It is a natural disaster where a thunderstorm produces numerous
hailstones, which damage the location in which they fall.
It can be especially devastating to farm fields, ruining crops and
damaging equipment.
A particularly damaging hailstorm hit Munich, Germany on August
31, 1986, felling thousands of trees and causing millions of dollars
in insurance claims.
Hailstorms

21. It is characterized by extreme unusual heat in the area in which it
occurs.
These are rare and require specific combinations of weather events to
take place, and may include temperature inversions, katabatic winds,
or other phenomena.
The worst heat wave in recent history was the European Heat Wave of
2003.
Heat Wave

22. These are cyclonic storm systems that
forms over the oceans.
It is caused by evaporated water that
comes off of the ocean and becomes a
storm.
The Coriolis Effect causes the storms to
spin, and a hurricane is declared when
this spinning mass of storms attains a
wind speed greater than 74 mph.
Hurricane is used for these phenomena
in the Atlantic Ocean, tropical cyclone
in the Indian Ocean, and typhoon in the
Eastern Pacific Ocean.
Tropical Cyclones

23. It is a disaster closely related to
an avalanche, but instead of
occurring with snow, it occurs
involving actual elements of the
ground, including rocks, trees,
parts of houses, and anything
else which may happen to be
swept up.
It can be caused by earthquakes,
volcanic eruptions, or general
instability in the surrounding
land.
Mudslides, or mud flows, are a
special case of landslides, in
which heavy rainfall causes loose
soil on steep terrain to collapse
and slide downwards.
Landslides

24. It is a giant wave of water
which rolls into the shore of
an area with a height of over
15 m.
It can be caused by
— undersea earthquakes as in
the 2004 Indian Ocean
Earthquake, or
— by landslides such as the
one which occurred at Lituya
Bay, Alaska.
The tsunami generated by
the 2004 Indian Ocean
Earthquake currently ranks as
the deadliest tsunami in
recorded history.
Tsunami

25. OverthelastCentury,
theso-calledDevelopmenthasbeenassociated
with:
Exponential Pattern
of Growth —
(1) Human Population
(2) Resource Consumption

26. 1. Dams created to prevent flood produces drought
condition downstream in summer and intensifies
flood downstream in rains.
2. During heavy flow of water, excess water spills
over the embankments and cause floods.
3. Underground mining corridors created to keep the
land above usable often results in wasteland.
Development Disaster Risk
Development limits Disaster Risk

27. Curves of Environmental Impacts
1) Inverted U-shaped
2) Evolutionary Trend
3) 3 Peaks at
a) 3 particular times
b) 3 particular levels of
economic development
 Peak of EI /unit of GDP
 Peak of EI /capita
 Peak of Total EI Curve
The 3 Peaks divide the Evolution into 4 Stages —
1) Stage 1(S1): Pre-peak or Materialization stage
2) Stage 2(S2): Stage between the 1st 2
Successive Peaks
3) Stage 3(S3): Stage between 2nd and 3rd Peaks
4) Stage 4(S4): Stage of steady decline of Total EI
Drivers at Different Stages:
1) Stage S1: Growth in Resource Consumption and
Technology (proliferation and application)
2) Stage S2: Economic Growth
3) Stage S3 and S4: Technological Progress in
“resource conservation” or “pollution
reduction”
Fluctuations (including ‘rebound effect’) may occur due to the impact of factors like economic
fluctuation, structural adjustment, policy or system change, upper limit for technology or economy
(Vehmas et al., 2007) and uncertainties etc.

28. Poverty increases risk aversion, leads to ill
health, reduces capacity to invest, raises demand
for children, thus exerts –ve impact on the
Environment
ED reduces the stock of natural capital and the
poor are disproportionately affected.
It increases vulnerability (e.g. soil erosion,
decreased yields, deforestation, flooding).
Pollution increases morbidity and mortality (e.g.
exposure to pesticides, contaminated water, air
pollution).
Deforestation increases the cost of basic goods,
such as firewood and drinking water.

30. Nutrient Cycling
Natural Capital = Natural Resources
+ Natural Services
Global Scenario – developed vs. developing nations Natural Capital Degradation

31. The IPAT Identity defines the Environment ⇋ Development Relationship
I = f (P, A, T)
where, I = environmental impacts, P = population, A = affluence, and T = technology
(expressed by the intensity of environmental impacts, i.e., the environmental impacts
or resource consumption/ unit GDP)
Improving eco-efficiency is the premise and also the foundation to realize green
development/ environmentally sustainable development (Ehrlich et al, 1970; Commoner
et al, 1971).

32. Measuring Environmental Impacts
(1)Ecological Footprint:
Biological Capacity to replenish Resources and absorb/ adsorb Waste/Pollution
(2) /Capita Ecological Footprint:
Use of Renewable Resource/Capita
Total Ecological Footprint (m ha) and Share of
Global Ecological Capacity (%) Ecological Footprint (ha/person)
Projected Footprint
Ecological Footprint
Earth’s
Ecologic
al
Capacity

33. 1. About 50% of India suffers from varying degrees of degradation caused by
deforestation, overgrazing, agricultural mismanagement, shifting cultivation, soil
erosion, soil salination, water logging, alkalinity, and acid rains.
2. Over 5.3 billion tons of top soil is lost every year due to soil erosion. The average soil
loss is estimated to be over 16 tons /ha/year which translates into approximately 1
mm each year or 1 cm every decade. It takes nature about a thousand years to form
one cm of soil.
3. The production of cereals will drop remarkably due to global warming.
4. Scientist around the world are getting increasingly alarmed over global warming’s
impact on human health. Warming climate is responsible for spread of serious
infectious diseases.
5. Increasing temperatures are lengthening the growing season of some crops.
6. Himalayan glaciers are melting. The rivers originating in Himalayas will get dried.
7. Westerly winds have been disrupted this year (2009) causing less rain during the
winter season.
Disaster Sociologist: Carr (1932) was the first to understand disasters in terms of social
action -
Not even windstorm, earth-tremor, or rush of water is a catastrophe. A
catastrophe is known by its works; that is, to say, by the occurrence of disaster.
So long as the ship rides out the storm, so long as the city resists the earth-
shocks, so long as the levees hold, there is no disaster. It is the collapse of the
cultural protections that constitutes the disaster proper.

34. Solution (!!):
Needs Clear Understanding of OUR
ENVIRONMENT with a Scientific
Geographical Mind
Concept of Sustainability bases on 3 Central Themes
Natural Capital = Natural Resources + Natural Services
Materials: Renewable Functions of Nature
Non-renewable : Purification of Air &
Water
through Nutrient
Cycling
Practice Sustainability
L = f (solar capital, natural capital)
Our life and economy depend on solar energy
(solar capital) and natural resources and services
(natural capital) provided by the earth.
Thus, ‘sustainable living’ means living off earth’s
natural income without depleting or degrading its
natural capital.

35. Some Harmful Results of Poverty The 4 Basic Elements of Sustainability?
Nature has sustained itself for billions of
years by using –
1) solar energy,
2) biodiversity,
3) population regulation, and
4) nutrient cycling
Lessons from Nature:
we can also apply these to our lifestyles
and economies.
Sustainable
Living
- Green
Approach

36. Ashoka’s View on Environment and Biodiversity
Animals were declared to be protected —
parrots, mainas, aruna, geese, wild ducks,
nandimukhas, gelatas, bats, queen ants,
terrapins, boneless fish, vedareyaka,
gangapuputaka, sankiya fish, tortoises,
porcupines, squirrels, deer, bulls, okapinda, wild
asses, wild pigeons, domesticpigeons and all 4-
footedcreatures that are neither useful nor
edible.
Also protected were —
nanny goats, ewes and sows which are with
young or giving milk to their young, and so are
young ones less than six months old.
Cocks are not to be caponised, husks/ forests not to
be burnt.
One animal is not to be fed to another. Our king killed
very few animals."
— Ashoka's Seven Pillar Edicts
Even, in MAHABHARATA, Bhisma suggested the Pandavas (while in forest exile) ―
→ not to remain in one place throughout the year
→ while living on hunting and food gathering they should change places with
seasons
→ prakriti or dharitri mata will get enough time to restore herself own
system.

37. Physical, Economic and Social Factors
Environmental Degradation, Natural Hazards / Disasters
Thus, the need of the hour –
is
Sustainable Development/ Green Development
to
satisfy basic human needs and improve the quality of life.
By
helping the poorest (primary workers) who are left with no option but to exploit their
local habitat / environment in order to survive
1. the idea of self-reliant development with natural resource constraints
2. the cost effective development that won’t degrade environment
3. the issues of health control, appropriate technologies, food self-reliance, clean
water and shelter for all
4. people-centered activities

38. The Total Disaster Risk Management (TDRM) Approach
1. In today’s fast changing global environment, the impact of disasters
inevitably goes beyond their immediate devastation.
2. Asia has become the world’s most disaster-prone region, absorbing 80%
of the total affected populations, 40% of the total deaths, and 46% of the
total economic losses (CRED statistics for 1997-2001).
3. Many countries and local communities are becoming increasingly
vulnerable to disasters as technological, environmental, political and
economic change combine to increase disaster risks.
4. In Asia, the populations vulnerable to disaster risks are increasing.
5. The disaster problem at the global, sub-regional and local levels has a
huge impact on poverty and socio-economic development and security.
• Thus, disasters have become an important development issue.
• It requires government priority attention and action.
• The critical need is a holistic and proactive approach to disaster reduction.
• The focus should be on disaster risks and the vulnerability of communities
• Emphasis must be on multilevel, multidimensional (cross-sectoral), and
multidisciplinary coordination and collaboration among all stakeholders
in addressing the gaps in the disaster management cycle.

39. Mechanism of the TDRM Approach
Policy
A clear and comprehensive policy that defines the objectives and commitment of the
government, organization, or community to disaster reduction and response efforts,
is important.
Structures and Systems
This involves the establishment and strengthening of focal points and national and local
coordination bodies for disaster reduction and response activities, and disaster
management systems.
Capacity Enhancement
This includes education and training in disaster reduction and related fields.
Resources
This includes means to access and use authorized fund appropriations for disaster
reduction and response.
These enabling mechanisms are more effective when sustained
by institutional enthusiasm, political will and commitment, and
responsible focal points and advocates in government.

40. The TDRM is a 6 Step Process
1. Establishing the Disaster Risk Context - strategic, and
organizational.
2. Identifying the DRs - what, why and how hazards or certain
events translate into disasters including the sources of risks,
areas at risk, and the existing measures.
3. Analyzing the DRs - existing controls in terms of likelihood and
consequences.
4. Assessing and Prioritizing the DRs - estimating levels of risk
and ranking it for prioritization.
5. Treating the DRs - identifying a range of options for treating
the priority risks, e.g., prevention, preparedness, response,
and recovery, selecting the options, planning and
implementing relevant strategies and funding.
6. Lastly, it is important to monitor and review the Performance of
the DRMS, the changes that might affect it, and ensure that
the DRMP is relevant. The entire process is iterative.

41. Establishing the Disaster Risk Context
(Principles/ Factors/ Processes)
Identifying the DRs
(Mapping)
Analyzing the DRs
(Manipulation)
Assessing and Prioritizing the DRs
(Meaning)
Treating the DRs
(Management)
Monitoring
(Modeling: Strategy Formulation)

42. An Activist is not the Man who says the river is dirty.
The Activist is the Man who CLEANS it.
prof ashis sarkar
P.G. Department of Geography
Chandernagore College
profdrashis@gmail.com
editorijss2012@gmail.com
THANK YOU