DISASTER MANAGEMENT 
AN OVERVIEW 
BY 
BRIG. D.V.RAO, V.S.M., (Ret’d) 
CENTRE FOR MANAGEMENT OF 
ENVIRONMENT & DISASTERS 
A. P.A.R.D.
Damage CYCLONE 
Potential 
Society Poorer than 
before 
Disruption of 
Normal life & 
Development 
Suffers 
Elements at Risk 
Huge Losses/ 
Damages
Damage HAZARD 
Potential 
Awareness- Effect 
on Elements 
Society Quicker 
Recovery 
Elements at Risk 
Action 
Plans Communities 
More 
Huge Losses/ Resilient 
Damages 
Reduced 
Losses 
More Stable Society
Damage HAZARD 
Potential 
Elements at Risk 
Natural Features 
River/Stream Banks 
Low-lying Areas 
Sea & Sea-coast 
Slopes of hills 
Societal Elements 
People & Live-stock 
Huts & Semi-permanent Houses 
Weak Buildings 
Agri. & Horticultural crops 
Livelihood tools / Equipment 
Unsecured personal assets 
Public Infrastructure
Scale of Disaster 
Is Dependent on : 
• Lead Time Available. 
• Intensity of Hazard. 
• Duration. 
• Spatial Extent. 
• Density of Population & Assets. 
• Time of Occurrence. 
• Vulnerabilities existing in the 
Elements at Risk. 
•Hazard X Vulnerability = 
Disaster
ELEMENTS AT RISK 
• People 
• Livestock 
• Rural Housing Stock 
• Houses Vulnerable 
• Crops, Trees,Telephone, Electric 
poles 
• Boats, Looms, Working Implements 
• Personal Property 
• Electricity, Water and Food Supplies 
• Infrastructure Support
AIMS OF DISASTER MANAGEMENT 
•Reduce (Avoid, if possible) the 
potential losses from hazards. 
•Assure prompt and appropriate 
assistance to victims when 
necessary. 
•Achieve rapid and durable 
recovery.
DISASTER MANAGEMENT CYCLE 
DURING DISASTER 
PRE-DISASTER 
POST-DISASTER
Stages of Disaster 
Cyclone 
BEFORE DURING AFTER 
Jan - Apr MAY June- Oct 
Well Before 
Weeks-Months 
Just Before - 
Hours 
Actual Time 
Period 
Rescue Relief Rehabilitation Reconstruction
Role Players in Disasters 
• People : Individuals, House -Holds, 
Volunteers 
• Gram Panchayat : Sarpanch, Panchayati 
Secretary, Panchayati Members 
• Village Elders : Caste/Community/Religious 
Leaders, Teachers, Doctors, Engineers, 
Retired Army & Police Personnel 
• Govt. Deptl. Officers : Agriculture, Medical, 
Engineers (Housing, Roads & Buildings, 
Irrigation) Revenue Department, Public 
Health, Police etc. NGOs
DEFINITIONS OF 
“VULNERABILITY” 
• “The extent to which a community, 
structure, service or geographic area is 
likely to be damaged or disrupted by 
the impact of particular disaster 
hazard…” 
• “Vulnerability is the propensity of 
things to be damaged by a hazard”.
DISASTER PREPAREDNESS 
• Disaster preparedness aims at 
minimizing the adverse effects of a hazard - 
• Through effective precautionary actions 
• Ensure timely, appropriate and efficient 
organisation and delivery of emergency 
response following the impact of a disaster.
PREPAREDNESS 
• Vulnerability Analysis and Mapping to include 
Resources. 
• Assess strengthening requirements and execute. 
• Funding for preparedness must be arranged. 
• Peoples’ cooperation through Political leaders, 
elders, Volunteers and NGOs 
• Create lead time by interpreting Warnings 
• Plan to include movement of resources with time 
frame. 
• Aim to reduce the destructive potential of 
cyclones, timely & appropriate relief to victims 
and quick & durable recovery
Disaster Preparedness 
Framework 
COMPONENTS OF PREPAREDNESS 
Public Rehearsals 
Education 
and Training 
Response 
Mechanisms 
Warning 
Systems 
Resource 
Base 
Information 
System 
Institutional 
Framework 
Vulnerability Planning 
Assessment
Disaster Response Activities 
• Warning 
• Evacuation/Mitigation 
• Search and Rescue 
• Assessment 
• Emergency Relief 
• Logistics and Supply 
• Communication and information Management 
• Survivor Response and coping 
• Security 
• EOC & coordination 
• Expedite rehabilitation and reconstruction.
Floods and Water Hazards 
Elements at Risk 
• Everything in the 
flood plain. 
• Earthen or soluble 
structures 
• Buried services 
and utilities 
• Food stores 
• Crops and 
livestock 
Main Mitigation 
Strategies. 
• Land use control 
• Engineering of 
strictures 
• Elevation of structures 
• Flood control 
structures 
• Reforestation projects 
(watershed 
management)
Strong Winds 
Elements at Risk 
• Lightweight structures. 
• Elevated utilities 
(Power and 
communication lines) 
• Fishing boats and 
other maritime 
industries. 
Main Mitigation 
Strategies. 
• Structural 
engineering 
measures. 
• Planting of 
windbreaks.

Disaster management an overview

  • 1.
    DISASTER MANAGEMENT ANOVERVIEW BY BRIG. D.V.RAO, V.S.M., (Ret’d) CENTRE FOR MANAGEMENT OF ENVIRONMENT & DISASTERS A. P.A.R.D.
  • 2.
    Damage CYCLONE Potential Society Poorer than before Disruption of Normal life & Development Suffers Elements at Risk Huge Losses/ Damages
  • 3.
    Damage HAZARD Potential Awareness- Effect on Elements Society Quicker Recovery Elements at Risk Action Plans Communities More Huge Losses/ Resilient Damages Reduced Losses More Stable Society
  • 4.
    Damage HAZARD Potential Elements at Risk Natural Features River/Stream Banks Low-lying Areas Sea & Sea-coast Slopes of hills Societal Elements People & Live-stock Huts & Semi-permanent Houses Weak Buildings Agri. & Horticultural crops Livelihood tools / Equipment Unsecured personal assets Public Infrastructure
  • 5.
    Scale of Disaster Is Dependent on : • Lead Time Available. • Intensity of Hazard. • Duration. • Spatial Extent. • Density of Population & Assets. • Time of Occurrence. • Vulnerabilities existing in the Elements at Risk. •Hazard X Vulnerability = Disaster
  • 6.
    ELEMENTS AT RISK • People • Livestock • Rural Housing Stock • Houses Vulnerable • Crops, Trees,Telephone, Electric poles • Boats, Looms, Working Implements • Personal Property • Electricity, Water and Food Supplies • Infrastructure Support
  • 7.
    AIMS OF DISASTERMANAGEMENT •Reduce (Avoid, if possible) the potential losses from hazards. •Assure prompt and appropriate assistance to victims when necessary. •Achieve rapid and durable recovery.
  • 8.
    DISASTER MANAGEMENT CYCLE DURING DISASTER PRE-DISASTER POST-DISASTER
  • 9.
    Stages of Disaster Cyclone BEFORE DURING AFTER Jan - Apr MAY June- Oct Well Before Weeks-Months Just Before - Hours Actual Time Period Rescue Relief Rehabilitation Reconstruction
  • 10.
    Role Players inDisasters • People : Individuals, House -Holds, Volunteers • Gram Panchayat : Sarpanch, Panchayati Secretary, Panchayati Members • Village Elders : Caste/Community/Religious Leaders, Teachers, Doctors, Engineers, Retired Army & Police Personnel • Govt. Deptl. Officers : Agriculture, Medical, Engineers (Housing, Roads & Buildings, Irrigation) Revenue Department, Public Health, Police etc. NGOs
  • 11.
    DEFINITIONS OF “VULNERABILITY” • “The extent to which a community, structure, service or geographic area is likely to be damaged or disrupted by the impact of particular disaster hazard…” • “Vulnerability is the propensity of things to be damaged by a hazard”.
  • 12.
    DISASTER PREPAREDNESS •Disaster preparedness aims at minimizing the adverse effects of a hazard - • Through effective precautionary actions • Ensure timely, appropriate and efficient organisation and delivery of emergency response following the impact of a disaster.
  • 13.
    PREPAREDNESS • VulnerabilityAnalysis and Mapping to include Resources. • Assess strengthening requirements and execute. • Funding for preparedness must be arranged. • Peoples’ cooperation through Political leaders, elders, Volunteers and NGOs • Create lead time by interpreting Warnings • Plan to include movement of resources with time frame. • Aim to reduce the destructive potential of cyclones, timely & appropriate relief to victims and quick & durable recovery
  • 14.
    Disaster Preparedness Framework COMPONENTS OF PREPAREDNESS Public Rehearsals Education and Training Response Mechanisms Warning Systems Resource Base Information System Institutional Framework Vulnerability Planning Assessment
  • 15.
    Disaster Response Activities • Warning • Evacuation/Mitigation • Search and Rescue • Assessment • Emergency Relief • Logistics and Supply • Communication and information Management • Survivor Response and coping • Security • EOC & coordination • Expedite rehabilitation and reconstruction.
  • 16.
    Floods and WaterHazards Elements at Risk • Everything in the flood plain. • Earthen or soluble structures • Buried services and utilities • Food stores • Crops and livestock Main Mitigation Strategies. • Land use control • Engineering of strictures • Elevation of structures • Flood control structures • Reforestation projects (watershed management)
  • 17.
    Strong Winds Elementsat Risk • Lightweight structures. • Elevated utilities (Power and communication lines) • Fishing boats and other maritime industries. Main Mitigation Strategies. • Structural engineering measures. • Planting of windbreaks.

Editor's Notes

  • #3 If you look at the right half of the slide you will find that the damage potential in the hazard causes the damages to the society Life comes to a halt and the poorer sections of the society can never recover to the pre-disaster causes serious disruption to life of the society But with awareness and preparation through action plans the society suffers less damages and is thus a more stable society.to recover faster.
  • #4 If you look at the right half of the slide you will find that the damage potential in the hazard causes the damages to the society Life comes to a halt and the poorer sections of the society can never recover to the pre-disaster causes serious disruption to life of the society But with awareness and preparation through action plans the society suffers less damages and is thus a more stable society.to recover faster.
  • #5 If you look at the right half of the slide you will find that the damage potential in the hazard causes the damages to the society Life comes to a halt and the poorer sections of the society can never recover to the pre-disaster causes serious disruption to life of the society But with awareness and preparation through action plans the society suffers less damages and is thus a more stable society.to recover faster.