This document discusses efforts to mitigate natural disasters at national and global levels through various mitigation strategies. It defines mitigation as actions taken to prevent or reduce risks from natural hazards. Effective mitigation requires a multidisciplinary approach and close communication between researchers, practitioners, and policymakers. The document then outlines specific risk reduction measures that can be taken for different natural disasters like earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, landslides, cyclones and droughts. These include hazard mapping, land use planning, engineered structures, public awareness campaigns, and adoption of building codes. It emphasizes the need for both structural and non-structural mitigation measures to be incorporated in new development and existing structures.

1. Efforts to mitigate
natural disasters at
national and global
levels
PGS 506 DISASTER MANAGEMENT
ABDUL REHMAN
M TECH FPE

2. Mitigation
• Actions taken to prevent or reduce
the risk to life, property, social and
economic activities, and natural
resources from natural hazards —
is central to the Decade initiative.
• Awareness, education,
preparedness, and prediction and
warning systems can reduce the
disruptive impacts of a natural
disaster on communities.
Mitigation, A Safer Future: Reducing the Impacts of Natural Disasters (1991) U.S. National Committee for the Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction, National Research Council

3. • Avoiding development in
landslide- and flood-prone areas
through planning and zoning
ordinances, for example, may
save money in construction and
reduce the loss of life and
damage to property and natural
resources.
Mitigation (contd).
• Includes measures such as adoption of zoning, land-use
practices, and building codes are needed, however, to prevent
or reduce actual damage from hazards.

5. Mitigation: Required Steps
• Need to involve the key groups that participate in
developing, adopting, implementing, and
enforcing mitigation — public officials, finance
and insurance specialists, engineers, planners
and architects, civic groups, marketing
specialists, educators, and researchers.
• To be effective, mitigation requires a
multidisciplinary team approach free from
domination by any one special interest group;
each discipline has a role and contribution to
make.
• Close communication and coordination among
researchers, practitioners, and policymakers
increase the likelihood that effective mitigation
programs will be implemented.

6. Effective mitigation programs: Objectives
Incorporate both
structural and
nonstructural
mitigation measures
in new development,
Examine ways to
reduce the
vulnerability of
existing structures,
Take steps to reduce
the vulnerability of
natural resources,
and
Undertake mitigation
training with support
from state and
federal governments.

7. Possible risk reduction measures for
different disasters
Based on Mapping of disaster prone areas, Land use practices, Engineered structures, Public Awareness and education

8. Earthquake
Tsunami
Landslide
Flood
Drought

9. Earthquake
• Community preparedness: 'DROP, COVER and HOLD’
• Planning BIS guidelines for safe construction of buildings
against earthquakes. Building plans have to be checked by the
Municipality, according to the laid down bylaws.
• Public education through sensitization and training programme
for community, architects, engineers, builders, masons,
teachers, government functionaries teachers and students.
• Engineered structures: Encourage improved building design
and construction practices. Analysis soil type before
construction. Building structures on soft soil should be avoided.

10. Effect of Soil type on ground shaking
Essential requirements in a Masonry building

11. Tsunami
• Site Planning and Land Management involve location, configuration,
and density of development on particular sites
• Designation and zoning of tsunami hazard areas for such open-space
uses as agriculture, parks and recreation, or natural hazard areas is
recommended as the first land use planning strategy.
• Controlling the type of development and uses allowed in hazard
areas, and avoiding high-value and high occupancy uses to the
greatest degree possible.

12. Tsunami (contd.)
• Engineering structures: Educate the community about the good
construction practices. Construct the structure on a higher
ground level with respect to mean sea level.
• Elevate coastal homes: Most tsunami waves are less than 3
meters in height.
• Construction of water breakers to reduce the velocity of waves.
Use of water and corrosion resistant materials for construction.
• Construction of community halls at higher locations, which can
act as shelters at the time of a disaster.
Flood management - Flooding will result from a tsunami as high sea waves flood the coastal areas. In that situation, Flood
mitigation measures could be incorporated.

13. Cyclone
• Coastal belt plantation - green belt plantation along the coastal line
• Hazard mapping – Meteorological records of the wind speed and the
directions. Cyclones can be predicted several days in advance.
• Land use control designed so that least critical activities are placed
in vulnerable areas.
• Protect river embankments. Communication lines should be installed
underground.
• Provide strong halls for community shelter in vulnerable locations.

14. Safe Construction Practices

15. Flood
• Mapping of the flood prone areas.
• Warning can be issued looking into the earlier marked heights of the
water levels in case of potential threat.
• In the Coastal areas the tide levels and the land characteristics will
determine the submergence areas.
• In areas where people already have built their settlements,
measures should be taken to relocate to better sites so as to reduce
vulnerability.
• No major development should be permitted in the areas which are
subjected to high flooding.
• Important facilities like hospitals, schools should be built in safe
areas. In urban areas, water holding areas can be created like
ponds, lakes or low-lying areas.

16. Flood contd.
• Decreasing the amount of runoff with the help of reforestation
(to increase absorption could be a mitigation strategy in certain
areas), protection of vegetation, clearing of debris from streams
and other water holding areas,
• Conservation of ponds and lakes etc.
• Flood Diversion include levees, embankments, dams and
channel improvement.
• Use of sand bags to keep flood water away, blocking or sealing
of doors and windows of houses etc.
• Buildings should be constructed away from water bodies.

18. National Programme of Flood
Management (1954)
• During the last 65 years, different
methods of flood protection structural as
well as nonstructural have been adopted
in different states depending upon the
nature of the problem and local
conditions.
• Structural measures include storage
reservoirs, flood embankments, drainage
channels, anti-erosion works, channel
improvement works, detention basins etc.
and non-structural measures include
flood forecasting, flood plain zoning, flood
proofing, disaster preparedness etc.
• Provided reasonable degree of protection
to an area of about 30.81 million hectares
so far through out the country.
Influence of urbanisation on the water cycle. Source: Urban flood risk
management, WMO/GWP Associated Programme on Flood Management,
2008.

19. Drought
• Public Awareness and education: Safe drinking water, water conservation
techniques, agricultural drought management strategies like crop
contingency plans, construction of rain water harvesting structure.
• Drought Monitoring
• Expansion of irrigation facilities reduces the drought vulnerability.
• Land use based on its capability helps in optimum use of land and water
and can avoid the undue demand created due to their misuse.
• Components of drought plan include establishing drought taskforce which
is a team of specialists who can advise the government in taking decision
to deal with drought situation, establishing coordination mechanism among
various agencies which deal with the droughts, providing crop insurance
schemes to the farmers to cope with the drought related crop losses, and
public awareness generation.

20. Landslide
• Hazard mapping.
• Land use practices such as areas covered by degraded natural vegetation
in upper slopes are to be afforested with suitable species.
• Any developmental activity initiated in the area should be taken up only
after a detailed study of the region has been carried out.
• In construction of roads, irrigation canals etc. proper care is to be taken to
avoid blockage of natural drainage.
• Total avoidance of settlement in the risk zone should be made mandatory.
• Relocate settlements and infrastructure that fall in the possible path of the
landslide
• No construction of buildings in areas beyond a certain degree of slope.
• surface drainage control works to control the movement of landslides
accompanied by infiltration of rain water and spring flows.

21. Landslide contd.
Retaining Walls
• Constructed to prevent smaller
sized and secondary landslides that
often occur along the toe portion of
the larger landslides.
• Can be built to stop land from
slipping (these walls are commonly
seen along roads in hill stations).
Retaining wall - Reinforced wall constructed as a
mitigation measure.

22. Landslide contd.
• Engineered structures with strong foundations.
• Underground installations (pipes, cables, etc.) should be made
flexible to move in order to withstand forces caused by the
landslide.
• Increasing vegetation cover helps to bind the top layer of the
soil with layers below, while preventing excessive run-off and
soil erosion.
• Insurance will assist individuals whose homes are likely to be
damaged by landslides or by any other natural hazards.

24. Adverse effects of an earthquake
Flooding caused by the 2004 Tsunami in Tamil Nadu
Tsunami walls in populated coastal areas of Japan
Damaged houses constructed on the sea coast in Chennai
Orissa Super Cyclone
Coastal belt plantation
Landslide in hilly terrain of India
Ralegoan, before and after mitigation efforts
Uttrakhand glacier break off
Bhola cyclone (Bangladesh)

25. Enhancing hazard mitigation
capabilities at International level
Protection of schools and hospitals
Adoption of non-structural measures
Incorporation of mitigation into new development
Protection of cultural properties
Protection of natural resources
Government leadership of mitigation implementation
Mitigation training
Hazard-specific research (such as earthquakes, landslides, extreme winds etc.)
Overcoming resistance to mitigation.

26. Mitigation Plans in India
• Three committees constituted by Government of India are working
towards preparing the National Response Plan, National Human
Resource and Capacity Development Plan and National Mitigation Plan
in respective ministries that have been designated as nodal agencies
for various disasters.
• National Response Plan pave the way for institutionalising the
response plan in three tiers as envisaged in the Disaster Management
Act.

27. Mitigation Plans in India contd.
• Capacity Development Plan provide the
roadmap for undertaking the capacity building
of persons engaged in different facets of
disaster management and enhancing the
capacities both at the individual and
organizational levels.
• Ministries of Defense, Mines (Geological
Survey of India), Department of Atomic
Energy, Department of Agriculture &
Cooperation, Railways and Water resources
will undertake the recommended prevention
and mitigation measures to address the
hazards and risks involved in the core activities
of their sector.

28. Source: https://ndmindia.mha.gov.in/public-awareness#

29. Lay down policies on disaster management.
Approve 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.
NDMA
Responsibilities

30. develop training modules, undertake research and documentation in disaster management and organise training programmes
formulate and implement a comprehensive human resource development plan covering all aspects of disaster management
provide assistance in national level policy formulation
provide required assistance to the training and research institutes for development of training and research programmes for stakeholders including Government functionaries and undertake
training of faculty members of the State level training institutes
provide assistance to the State Governments and State training institutes in the formulation of State level policies, strategies, disaster management framework and any other assistance as may
be required by the State Governments or State training institutes for capacity-building of stakeholders, Government including its functionaries, civil society members, corporate sector and
people's elected representatives
develop educational materials for disaster management including academic and professional courses
promote awareness among stakeholders including college or school teachers and students, technical personnel and others associated with multi-hazard mitigation, preparedness and response
measures
undertake, organise and facilitate study courses, conferences, lectures, seminars within and outside the country to promote the aforesaid objects
undertake and provide for publication of journals, research papers and books and establish and maintain libraries in furtherance of the aforesaid objects
do all such other lawful things as are conducive or incidental to the attainment of the above objects
undertake any other function as may be assigned to it by the Central Government.
Functions
of
NIDM

31. Frame policy, coordinate,
supervise and issue guidelines
concerning raising, training &
equipping of Civil Defence,
Home Guards and Fire Services
on behalf of Ministry of Home
Affairs.
To advise the State Govts./
Central Ministries in the
organizational matters
connected with their
respective Fire Services. And to
assist in arranging fire fighting
training on modern lines for
the staff of the Fire Services
and in building up posts of
trained officers for expending
the fire services.
Overall responsibility for Civil
Defence including policy
planning, operational research,
technical training, advice to
the State Governments and co-
ordination of Civil Defence
work on an all –India basis.
Home Guards Organisation in
the various States/UTs, Policy
and Planning for
strengthening and
reimbursement of Central
share of expenditure to State
Governments.
Functions/responsibilities
of
Directorate
General
Fire
Services,
Civil
Defence
&
Home
Guards

32. India Disaster Resource Network

34. ❑Deep depression over Bay of Bengal
2020
❑Building collapse, Bhiwandi,
Maharashtra 2020
❑Plane crash, Kozhikode, Kerala 2020
❑Landslide, Idukki, kerala 2020
❑Building collapse, Raigad,
Maharashtra 2020
❑Rescue ops of 02 fire fighters in Delhi
2020
❑Bore-well incident at distt- Nagaur,
Rajasthan 2020
❑NDRF response in Nashik bus
accident 2020
❑ NDRF rescued cattle from bore
well 2020
❑ Chemical gas leakage at
Vishakhapatnam 2020
❑ Cyclone Nisarga 2020
❑ Super cyclone 'amphan' 2020
❑ Kumbh mela - 2019
❑ Cyclone maha - 2019
❑ Cyclone bulbul - 2019
❑ Cyclone FANI - 2019
❑ Cyclone vayu - 2019
❑ Borewell incident at Mathura –
2019
NDRF
Inland
Operations
And lots more……

35. Working Group on Disaster Management
Recommend measures to streamline existing institutional structure on disaster management in order to avoid
multiplicity of structures keeping in view the provision of the Disaster Management Act 2005.
Review implementation of disaster management policy towards disaster risk reduction, preparedness and
mitigation at Centre and State levels and in the private sector.
Explore innovative ways and means for applicable of Science & Technology in disaster risk reduction.
Draw a roadmap and policy framework to encourage public-private partnership and community participation in
disaster management.
Assess integration of disaster management related concerned to be inbuilt central sector and centrally sponsored
schemes/projects.
Suggest programmes for capacity building for disaster mitigation at Centre, State and district levels with special
reference to rural and urban area.
Identify priority areas and projects along with financial resources to be undertaken through NDMA. Central
Ministries and State Govts in integrated manner during the 12th Plan period

37. Conclusion
• Every stakeholder involved needs to
contribute his bit in order to ensure
that the increasing hazards and risks
and the vulnerabilities get addressed
in a planned and systematic manner,
thereby increasing the coping
capacities of the communities at
large and making them resilient to
the impacts of disasters.
• Government is committed to
structure and convert mitigation
requirements into actionable format
to place them on a roadmap and
source the funding for their
implementation.

38. Thank You

39. References
• DISASTER MANAGEMENT IN INDIA (Book Manual), Ministry
of Home Affairs, Government of India
• Mitigation, A Safer Future: Reducing the Impacts of Natural
Disasters (1991) U.S. National Committee for the Decade for
Natural Disaster Reduction, National Research Council
• NATURAL HAZARDS AND DISASTER MANAGEMENT A
Supplementary Textbook in Geography for Class XI UNIT 11 :
Natural Hazards and Disasters, CBSE, Delhi