4. What is a Disaster?
4
“Disaster” means a catastrophe, mishap, calamity or grave
occurrence in any area arising from natural or man made causes,
or by accident or negligence which results in substantial loss of
life or human suffering or damage to, and destruction of
property, or damage to, or degradation of, environment, and is of
such a nature or magnitude as to be beyond the coping capacity
of the community of the affected area
(DM Act 2005)
6. Vulnerable Population
Children
Pregnant women
Elderly people
Differently abled
Malnourished people
People who are ill or immunity compromised
Weaker section of society
7. Types
Natural Disasters Human-made / Technological
disasters
Earthquake , Landslide
Tsunami, Flood, Cyclone
Epidemics, Drought, Forest
fire, Lightning etc.
Stampedes, Fire cracker explosions,
Industrial accidents, Human-animal
conflicts, Nuclear and radiological
accidents, Biological accidents,
Building collapse etc.
8. Categorization of Hazards
• Water & climate related
• Geological
• Biological
• Chemical
• Nuclear & Radiological
9. Levels of Disasters
L0: Normal times; focus on preparedness activities
L1: Disasters that can be managed at the district level; state
and centre is in ready state
L2: Disasters that require mobilization of resources at the
state level
L3: Disasters that require mobilization of resources at the
national level
(NDMA, 2007)
12. Disaster management
Disaster management means a continuous and integrated process of
planning, organising, coordinating and implementing measures
which are necessary or expedient for.
i. prevention of danger or threat of any disaster;
ii. mitigation or reduction of risk of any disaster or its severity or
consequences;
iii. capacity-building;
iv. preparedness to deal with any disaster;
v. prompt response to any threatening disaster situation or
disaster;
vi. assessing the severity or magnitude of effects of any disaster;
vii. evacuation, rescue and relief;
viii. rehabilitation and reconstruction;
16. • Disasters eligible for relief assistance from National
Disaster Response Fund:
➢ Cyclone, Earthquake, Tsunami, Landslides, Floods,
Drought, Cold/Frost Wave, Cloud Burst, Fire,
Hailstorm, Avalanche, Pest Attack on crops
• State Specific Disasters with 10% State Disaster Response
Fund (in Kerala)
➢ Lightning, Coastal Erosion, Strong winds, Soil Piping
Disasters in India
17. Nodal Agencies for Disaster Management
Floods : CWC, Ministry of Water Resources
Cyclones : Indian Meteorological Department
Earthquakes : Indian Meteorological Department
Epidemics : Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Chemical Disasters : Ministry of Environment and Forests
Industrial Disasters : Ministry of Labour
Rail Accidents : Ministry of Railways
Air Accidents : Ministry of Civil Aviation
Fire : Ministry of Home Affairs
Nuclear Incidents : Department of Atomic Energy
Mine Disasters : Department of Mines
18. Institutional mechanism for Disaster
Management
• National Disaster Management Authority – Apex Body with
Prime Minister as Chairperson
• National Executive Committee – Chaired by Cabinet Secretary
• Central Ministries have one Nodal Officer
• National Institute of Disaster Management
• National Disaster Response Force (NDRF)
19. National Disaster Management Authority
Established on 30 May 2005 (constituted Disaster Management
Act, on 27 September 2006)
Chairperson - Prime Minister of India
Vice-Chairperson - Minister
NDMA - nine nominated members including Vice chairperson
The tenure of the members - five years
20. Geography of Kerala
Kerala is geographically boarded on the west by the Arabian Sea
and the east by the Western Ghats. In its north is Karnataka State
and to the east and south is Tamil Nadu State.
• Area 38,863 km2
• Rivers 44
• Forest 11,266 km2
• Coastline 590 km
• Population 3,33,87,677 (Census, 2011)
26. Institutional Mechanism of DM in Kerala
▪ State Level
▪ KSDMA headed by Chief Minister
▪ State Executive Committee (SEC) chaired by Chief Secretary
▪ State Emergency Operations Centre
▪ State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) – under Home Department
▪ District Level
▪ DDMA Chairman - District Collector/Magistrate & District Panchayath
President (Co-chairman)
▪ District Emergency Operations Centre
▪ Taluk Level – Control Room
▪ Panchayath Level – Grama Panchayath Disaster Management Committee
27. KSDMA – DM Act 2005 & State Rules 2007
KSDMA
• Hon’ble Chief Minister - Chairman
• Hon’ble Minister for Revenue – Vice Chairman
• Minister for Home - Member
• Minister for Agriculture - Member
• Chief Secretary – CEO of KSDMA
• Adl. Chief Secretary, Home – Member
• Prl. Secretary, Revenue – Convener
• Director, ILDM – Member
• Director, NCESS – Member
• Head (Scientist), SEOC– Member Secretary
28. The State Executive Committee (SEC)
• Chief Secretary – CEO of KSDMA
• Adl. Chief Secretary, Finance - Member
• Adl. Chief Secretary, Home – Member
• Adl. Chief Secretary, Revenue & DM – Convener
• Principal Secretary, Health – Member
29. Nodal departments – State DM Policy 2010
• Revenue & Disaster Management: Hydro-meteorological & geological
disasters
• Home: Road & rail accidents
• Health & Family Welfare: Chemical, biological, radiological & nuclear
disasters
• Factories & Boilers Dept., Dept. of Industries and the industry:
Industrial accidents
• Agriculture: Pest attacks
• Animal Husbandry: Animal epidemics
• Water resources: Dam break
• Public Works: Building collapse
• Forests & Wildlife: Forest Fire
• Airport Authority: Air accidents
30. 1. Role of media in DM
2. Importance of Capacity building and effective methods
3. Brief about State Disaster Management plan (2016)
4. Brief about District disaster management plan (Thrissur, 2015)
5. Brief about LSG DM plan (Thrissur) (From KILA website)
Assignments
31. The United Nations define it as ".......... the occurrence of a sudden or major
misfortune which disrupts the basic fabric and normal functioning of a
society (or community).“
Natural disasters, which are often sudden and intense, result in considerable
destruction, injuries and deaths, disrupting normal life as well as the
process of development.
Natural disasters are perceived to be on the increase in their magnitude,
frequency, and economic impact due to climate change and increase in
population
In India, floods and high winds account for around 60 percent of all
disasters. About 54 percent of the sub-continent's landmass is vulnerable to
earthquakes, while about 12 percent of the country is vulnerable to periodic
floods.
Natural disasters
32. Wind and/or Water related natural
disasters
Floods
Droughts
Cyclones
Tsunami
Climate related disasters
Heat and cold waves
Sea level rise
Ozone depletion
Types of Natural disasters in India
Mountain area disasters
Landslides
Snow avalanches .
Geological disasters
Earthquakes
Volcanic eruptions
33. A sudden geological event below the surface of the earth results in
generation of waves that travel far and wide and cause vertical and
horizontal vibrations. The consequential motion causes destruction.
The severity of the impact depends on the magnitude of the earthquake,
which in turn depends on the amount of energy released at the spot where the
geological event took place below the surface of the earth. Earthquakes occur
suddenly, and thus there is no dependable technique for prediction of
earthquakes as yet.
Earthquakes
34. Volcano can be described as a vent or chimney, to the earth's surface, from a
reservoir of molten rock, called magma, deep in the crust of the earth. It is not
that volcanoes are always emitting lava, steam or smoke. Many volcanoes have
been "sleeping" for decades or even longer. In the context of forecasting of
volcanic eruptions, it can be stated that short-term forecasts within hours
or days may be made through volcano monitoring techniques.
In the Indian territory, there are only two volcanoes viz., Narcondam and Barren
Island- both in the Andamans. Both are 'sleeping volcanoes' although the
Barren Island volcano emits some heat and smoke occasionally and goes to
sleep again.
Volcanic eruptions
35. Landslides are defined as the mass movement of rock debris or mud down a
slope and have come to include a broad range of motions, whereby falling,
sliding and flowing under the influence of gravity dislodges earth material.
They also occur as secondary effects of heavy rainstorms, earthquakes and
volcanic eruptions. In almost all cases, landslides occur as a consequence of
changes, either sudden or gradual, in the composition and structure of rocks or
vegetation on a slope, which loosens the soil or rocks which slide on a trigger
such as heavy rains or vibrations in the earth's surface.
They are common in mountainous areas, such as Himalayas and the Western
Ghats
Landslides
36. 1. Change in slope gradient
2. Surcharge
3. Shocks and vibrations
4. Changes in water content
5. Rainfall and cloudbursts
6. Changes due to weathering
7. Structure, slope geometry and stratigraphy
8. Landslides induced due to surface erosion
9. Influence of developmental activities
Causes of landslides
37. An avalanche is defined as the event in which a large mass of snow, ice, rock
or other material moves swiftly down a mountain side or over a precipice
(steep rock or cliff) and crushes everything in its path.
An avalanche starts when the large mass of snow, ice and rock overcomes the
frictional resistance of the sloping surface, either due to rain, melting of ice base
or vibrations of any kind.
The basic difference is that landslide involves movement of rock, soil and
mud whereas avalanche comprises, snow, ice and rock
Snow Avalanche
38. Tsunami is a Japanese term for sea waves generated by undersea
earthquakes.
Tsunami may originate from undersea or coastal seismic activity, or volcanic
eruption. Whatever may be the case, seawater is displaced into a violent and
sudden motion ultimately breaking over land even at very long distances
with great destructive power.
Tsunami
39. Tropical cyclones are characterised by destructive winds and copious rainfall,
which causes flooding. In such storms, winds can exceed speeds of over 120
kmph.
Due to such strong wind forcing, sea-water accumulates ahead of the cyclone as
it moves towards the coast. When a cyclone hits the coast, the accumulated
enormous mass of sea- water strikes the coast as a giant sea wave called
storm surge which can have heights of the order of tens of metres.
The storm surge with torrential rains and very strong winds brings widespread
devastation to coastlines and islands lying in their paths
Cyclones
40. Tropical cyclones are weather systems with strong winds that circulate anti-
clockwise around a low-pressure area in the northern hemisphere and
clockwise in the southern hemisphere.
They form in certain tropical areas over the open seas where the sea
surface temperature is around 26OC
The necessary atmospheric and oceanic conditions for the formation of cyclone
are warm sea temperature, high relative humidity, atmospheric instability
and a location around at least 4-5 degree latitude away from the equator.
In India, there are two cyclone seasons viz., Pre-monsoon (April and May) and
Post-monsoon (October and November)
43. Flood denotes inundation or accumulation of water.
In other words, it results from an imbalance between inflow and outflow of water.
Floods can occur through heavy rains, dam failures, rapid snow melts, river
blockages or even bursting of water mains.
Floods result in damage, deaths and injuries, and create problems in drinking
water supply and food shortages.
Floods
44. There are three types of floods i.e. flash floods, river floods, and coastal
floods.
Flash floods are generally events where sudden very heavy rain over a
limited area can cause strong flow. Flash floods also occur when a temporary
blockage in hilly areas impounds water, which when released suddenly creates
the havoc.
River floods occur due to heavy inflow of water from heavy rainfall,
snowmelt, and short intense storms. Hooding in rivers is also caused by
inadequate capacity within the banks of the river to contain high flows, river bank
erosion and silting of riverbeds, synchronization of flood in the main and tributary
rivers, and flow retardation due to tidal and backwater effects.
Coastal floods are caused due to tsunami or heavy rainfall from cyclones
and the storm surge associated with a cyclone. The situation could be
aggravated due to high tide.
45. Drought is a temporary reduction in water availability on an area for
unusually long period.
Depending on the resulting water scarcity, a drought has disastrous and long-
term socio-economic impacts, which may last for months and in some cases
years. It is a slow onset phenomenon.
Drought
46. Three types of droughts are recognised:
1. Meteorological drought: When the monthly or seasonal rainfall over an area
is appreciably below normal.
2. Hydrological drought: When the water scarcity over an area results in
reduction in the available water in surface water bodies and the water table
also recedes. Needless to state, prolonged meteorological drought leads to
hydrological drought
3. Agricultural drought: When the water scarcity results in partial or total loss
of crops and affects agricultural activity adversely.
47. These are spells of extreme surface air temperatures over a region for
rather prolonged periods of several days or few weeks.
When the maximum temperature in the day over an area over shoots in the hot
weather months (March to June), it leads to heat wave.
Similarly, when the minimum temperature falls appreciably below normal in the
winter months, it is called cold wave.
Both the phenomena are extreme weather events and lead to very considerable
discomfort, illness, epidemics and deaths due to exposure.
Heat and cold waves
49. The heat index is the combination of air temperature and relative humidity.
It measure of how hot it really feels when relative humidity is factored in with
the actual air temperature
Heat index
51. Any increase in the average temperature of the earth is bound to have two
impacts.
Firstly, the glaciers, permafrost, ice caps on the poles and mountain peaks
will witness increased melting and consequent increase in the waters in
rivers and oceans.
Secondly, the large body of water in the seas will expand in volume due to
increased temperature.
Both these factors will create arise in the level of water in the seas and oceans,
which eventually poses serious problems to the inhabitants of coastal and island
areas and affects their socio-economic wellbeing.
Sea-level rise threatens the very existence of numerous islands and coastal
zones.
Sea level rise
52. Man-made disaster could be defined as a man-made event, sudden or
progressive, which impacts with such severity that the affected community
has to respond by taking immediate and exceptional measures including
help from outside the community. These disasters could also be termed as
human induced disasters or of anthropogenic origin
Man made disasters
53. 1. Predictability is nil in most cases. Hence, forecasting and warning is not
possible.
2. Not only the "point-zero" and the immediate neighborhood suffer, but the
adverse effects are carried farther by wind, water or travellers.
3. System failures or mere accidents occur due to (a) Technical Malfunction
and / or (b) Human error/negligence.
4. Man-made disasters shall increase in number and magnitude as
hazardous industries grow in number, size and technological complexity and
spread into the countryside. The growing population in general and very large
cities with multi-million inhabitants increase the vulnerability considerably.
5. The awareness about the location of a serious man-made hazard in the
neighborhood of community is minimal. General public is ill-equipped
mentally and physically to deal with man-made disasters and it is generally
too late by the time information goes out and outside help arrives.
Features of man made disasters
54. a) Accidents: Road, rail, air, river, sea, transport of hazardous material, building
collapse.
b) Fires: Buildings, coal mines, oil (exploration sites, refineries and storage
depots), forest fires.
c) Industrial and technological mishaps: Leaks, fires, explosion, sabotage
Technical system failure, plant safety failure.
d) Nuclear Hazards: Radioactive leaks, thefts, transportation, waste disposal,
Reactor meltdown.
e) Warfare: Conventional, Chemical, Biological and Nuclear.
f) Poisoning: Food, Hooch, Water supply.
g) Civil Conflicts: Arson, sabotage, terrorist and other criminal activities
h) Ecological: Air pollution, water pollution, noise pollution, soil erosion and
degradation, waste accumulation including toxic waste, disease and
epidemics, loss of biodiversity, loss of habitat, deforestation, global warming,
etc
Types of man made disasters
