3. CONTENTS
Disaster impacts (environmental, physical, social, ecological, economic,
political)
Health, psycho-social issues
Demographic aspects hazard locations
Global and national disaster trends
Climate change and urban disasters.
3
4. Physical Impacts of Natural Disasters:
Property – Including the individual residences, business, buildings owned by the
government, transportation vehicles, historical structures.
Agricultural – crops, live stocks.
Human life – mortality, injuries, expenses incurred in medical treatment.
Physical and mental health problems after the occurrence of disasters –
1. Coughing and irritation of throat.
2. Respiratory tract and eye infections.
3. Asthma
4. Body pains
5. Depression
6. Unnecessary fears and adjustment problems.
7. Disturbances in sleeping.
8. Sadness
9. Shortness of breath
10. Fatigue
5. Social Impacts of Natural Disasters :
The psychosocial, demographic, economic and political aspects which takes a long
time to develop and there fore difficult to assess when they take place. Despite the
fact the social impacts are difficult to measure.
According to some disasters , few disasters victims required psychiatric diagnosis and
most benefit more from a crisis counseling orientation than from a mental health
treatment orientation, especially if their normal social support networks of friends,
relatives, neighbors. These include children, fairly elderly, people with pre existing
mental illness, social and minorities and families of those who have died in the
disaster.
Finally it was observed that the social functioning get disturbed in small communities.
Some people resort to prosocial behaviors like donating material aid to the victims
where as some other indulge in antisocial behaviors such as crime.
6. Effects of Earthquakes on Environment :
The destructiveness of earthquakes depend on several variables magnitude of
seismic waves, duration of shaking, disaster from epicenter, geology of the
earthquake affected region and the type of structures constructed.
1. Damage to built environment
2. Liquefaction
3. Landslides
4. Tsunami, seiche
5. Ground shaking
6. Fire
7. Socio economic impacts of the earthquakes
8. Psychological shocks
7. Volcanoes on Environment :
The volcanic ash resulting from the eruption can get carried away to long distances and
deposit layers.
<1 mm – irritation to lungs, eyes.
1 – 5 mm – damage to buildings.
5 – 100 mm – damage to crops.
100 – 300 mm – collapse of buildings.
> 300 mm – death of live stock.
Resulting like bombs causes harm to living beings around.
Volcanic gases - water vapour, carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, small amounts of
hydrogen sulphide, hydrogen , carbon monoxide, hydrogen chloride, flouride,
helium.
Climate change impacts
8. Effects of Cyclones –
1. Collapse of buildings.
2. Flooding of low lying coastal areas.
3. Road and rail get blocked.
4. Power supply failure.
5. Contamination of water from dead animals and rotting food. Damage to
installations.
6. Disruption of international shipping activities.
7. Loss of human lives.
9. Effect of Lightening -
Lightening and hail storms are a natural phenomenon that occur during some parts of the
year. Lightening is a large electric spark caused by electrons in the cumulonimbus clouds
that shoot through the air at very high speed.
Impacts –
The main advantage of the lightening is the production of nitrogenous fertilizers by the
process of nitrogen fixation.
The main cause of mortality following lightening is the cardiopulmonary arrest.
Vaporization of manufactured structures and naturally formed structures along the path of
the lightening stroke.
Lightening creates devastation fires in the forest.
Electrocution of humans.
10. Economic Consequences of Disaster :
1. Enormous loss of life and property.
2. Loss of human capital.
3. Destruction of human lives, buildings.
Impact on economic activities :
1. Production losses.
2. Reduction of exports of products.
3. Direct damage to buildings.
4. Lost earning.
Economic Loss :
Direct, Non Quantifiable Loss.
Direct, Quantifiable Loss.
In Direct, Quantifiable Loss.
In Direct, Non Quantifiable Loss.
11. Effect on economic productivity owing to disasters :
1. Adoption of new technologies.
2. Increase in the amount of public aid to firms.
3. Increased spending on reconstruction.
Loss of capital :
Loss caused when the capital asset loses its value in the market, when it is put up for
sale.
Loss of Stocks: when disasters strikes there is loss of life, destruction of infrastructure,
disruption in business activities, damage to roads, communication infrastructure and
buildings, agriculture fields etc. As the company reels under the catastrophic losses
many workers are laid off, which further compounds the financial problem. Such
mass un employment reduces the consumer spending ability, which results in cut
in the tax revenues needed for rebuilding efforts. Natural disaster affect the stock
value in the stock market which generally decreases on the day of disastrous event
and on the next few days.
12. Pattern of financing disaster management :
The national institute of disaster management was constituted under the ministry o
home affairs, Government of India. This institute provides technical support to
state government through disaster management centers. NIDM provides support to
36 DMC’S of them are developed as centers of excellence in specialized areas of
flood risk management , earthquake risk management, cyclone risk management,
drought risk management, land slides risk management.
According to section 48 (1) of DM Act 2005 the state government shall immediately
after notification issued for constituting the state authority and the disaster
authorities, establish for the purpose of this act the following funds namely –
The fund to be called SDRF.
SDMF
DDMF
DDRF
13. National Disaster Response Fund –
According to section 46 (1) of DM Act 2005, the central government may be
notification in the official gazette, constitute a fund to be called the
National Disaster Response Fund.
1. An amount which the central government may be after due appropriate
made by the parliament by law in this behalf provide,
2. Any grants that may be made by any person or institution for the purpose of
disaster management.
The source of funds for the NDRF is from the tax imposed on imported petrol
and products, crude oil, motor cars, imported multi utility vehicles, two
wheeler, mobile phones.
14. Political consequences of disaster – the political impact of disaster refer to effect on
systems of power and government. Disaster can effect the political stability and
political legitimacy of a country. It is likely a test for the government regarding the
preparedness and the capacity to handle such abnormal situations.
The leaders and decision makers in power including the executive agencies and the
legislative arm authorized to grant financial aids for the disaster management
mitigation or prevention. Poorer and underdeveloped nations may be aware of
disaster risks but lack financial aid to implement preparatory measures in place
before a disaster strikes. Some governments who shy away from their
responsibilities react only after a disaster strikes.
15. Psychological dimensions of disasters –
Psychological dimensions as post traumatic response of disaster are the intangible
aspects of life. They include fear, anxiety, anger, sadness, and psychiatric illness
among the victims. Some other indicators of disaster are acute stress disorder,
anxiety disorders, depression. Disaster whether natural or man made induced cause
massive destruction to life and property. They also effect human health in various
ways.
Social dimensions of disasters –
Very often the relief operations like providing the food, medical , health care , safe
drinking water, clothing, temporary shelter as an after occurrence of disaster.
16. Genetic Disorder caused by radioactivity –
Radioactive substances are highly unusable, produce ionizing radiation which can
damage the genetic blue print of the living cell.
1. It may pass through the cell with out affecting it.
2. It may cause cell death.
3. The cells may get damaged in such a way that the damage is passed on when new
cells are formed.
17. Dosage Immediate health effects Delayed health
effects
0 -10 R -- Risk of Tumor
Formation
10 – 50 R Some individual experience
radiation sickness
Risk of tumor
formation
50 – 150 R Acute Radiation Syndrome Mild tissue damage
150 – 250 R Skin burns Uneasiness, shorted
life span
250 – 600 R Vomiting, uneasiness Destruction of
endocrine glands
6600 – 1000 R Vomiting Destruction of
hematopoietic
tissues
> 1000 R 100 % immediate mortality
to individuals exposed to
ionizing radiation.
18. Demo graphic effects of Natural Disaster –
Many studies undertaken by the demographers on disasters have concluded that the
population growth their increased density coupled with urbanization increase the
vulnerability to disasters. The congested residential areas, dense infrastructure , lack
of escape routes and impoverished living conditions add to vulnerability.
According to an American disaster sociologist, Dr. Elaine Enarson, women also
confront unique challenges when facing the disasters.
Disasters and elderly people – when the disasters strikes the elderly people or senior
with some physical or cognitive disabilities, such people cannot react to various
stresses and challenges in such situations.
19. Hazard mapping of India -
Our country India is vulnerable to many disasters be it natural or un natural owing to its
unique geo climatic and socio economic conditions. NDIM
1. Water and climate related disasters
2. Geological related disasters
3. Chemical , industrial and nuclear related disasters
4. Accident related disasters
5. Biological related disasters
20. Factors causing global atmospheric changes -
1. Acid rain
2. Indoor air quality
3. Sea level rise
4. Atmospheric pollution
5. Green house effect
6. Changes in atmospheric ozone
7. Global warming
21. EI Nino -
The phenomenon of EI Nino involves an abnormal warming of surface water pacific ocean
on a large scale on the eastern side in Galapagos island in every three to ten years.
In the equatorial region of the pacific ocean the trade winds blow from the east towards the
west , dragging the surface water way from the south America coasts towards Australia
and the Philippines. The cold and nutrient rich water flows towards the Peruvian coast.
1. More rains in the western coast of south America
2. Dry autumns and winters in the united states.
3. Less rain during summer season
4. The thunderstorms flow eastward from Indonesia to the south pacific, resulting in dry
condition and severe droughts in Australia.
22. Climate change –
The term climate change refer to change in the average weather such as temperature
wind patterns and precipitation of a particular region or planet. According to article
1 of united nations frame work convention on climate change (UNFCC) climate
change is a change of climate which is attributed directly or indirectly to human
activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere and which is in
addition to natural climate variability observed over comparable time periods.
Reasons –
1. Green house gases
2. Global warming
3. Overpopulation
4. Deforestation
23. Effects of deforestation –
Disturbance of carbon cycle
Disturbance of water cycle
Use of fossil fuels
Land use changes
Agriculture
Climate change and health –
Several scientists and environmentalist are of the view that there is close association between climate and
health. A rough estimate indicates that a change in the climate contributes to thousands of deaths and
illness each year. The changes in the climate that can be affect health includes increased occurrence
of heat waves , changes in the precipitation patterns affecting the fresh water supplies.
Extremes of temperature
Weather related natural disasters
24. Efforts for meeting the challenges of global climate change –
Reduce the release of high temperature moisture into the atmosphere
Population increase has to be regulated
Increased concerns for the biodiversity
Encourage the growth of oxygen producing plants.
Promoting the measures to limit emissions of chlorofluoro carbons and replace with
HCFCs.
Encourage the use of public transportation and reduce the traffic congestion.
Shifting the conventional energy resources to non conventional energy resources
like winds , solar energy, Hydro power.
25. Urban Disasters –
The term urban disasters refer to disasters that the affect cities or urban areas. Urban
areas refer to those regions of the society where local residents have extremely high
standards of living in all aspects.
Urbanization is a process where in a large number of people begin to live in cities and
its suburbs where the natural eco systems and agriculture lands are converted into
shopping centers , housing developments, water projects, linear projects.
The rising population in urban areas increases the risk of hazards ranging from floods,
tidal waves, land slides and wild fires.
The latest reports indicate that the major floods have climbed from an average of less
than fifty to just below two hundred per year, incidences of tropical storms have
climbed from ten to roughly fifteen and the annual total tornadoes and global
tsunamis has risen significantly.
26. Types of urban disasters –
Floods , typhoon, earthquake, fire disaster
Measures to prevent urban disasters –
Enforcement of safety enhancing regulations
Construction of resilient infrastructure
Risk transfer
Debt swap
Provision for adequate basic amenities
27. Heat islands –
The term heat islands refer to increase the temperature of urban region when compared
to rural areas. Some cities and sub urban areas have air and surface temperature that
are about 1 degree – 6 degree warmer than the surrounding natural region.
Factors –
Other contribution of heat to the cities are buildings, cars.
The building material used for construction like tar.
Tall building trap the solar energy by multiple reflections from other buildings.
Impacts –
Heat islands intensify the extreme hot conditions. Such conditions can lead to heat
related illness like stroke, physiological disruption, damage to the organs which
may prove to be fatal, especially in vulnerable population such as infants.
28. Debt swap - Debt swap also called as debt conversions is a popular method of debt relief,
practiced by some wealthy countries. In the event of a disaster some nations extend
funds to the disaster affected nations.
Merits of Debt swap –
1 . It reduces the indebtedness of borrowing nations.
The funds are used for developmental programs.
The expenditure involved in the department should not exceed the original debt.
Impact of volcanic hazards –
Primary volcanic hazards – it was associated with red volcanoes include molten magma
flows, volcanic gases , grey volcanoes are associated with explosive eruptions and
volcanic ash which pose a major threat to aviation industry.
1. Stripping of paint of the wings , windshield of the aircraft may get frosted.
29. Secondary volcanic hazards –
Lahars , debris flow avalanches, floods, magmatic carbon dioxide emissions, climate change and
atmospheric pollution, effects on public health.
Economic Impacts of Droughts –
1. Droughts destroy the growth of crops with lower yields and the crops are of poor quality.
2. The livestock of ranchers may be lost.
3. Loss in fishery production.
4. Revenue short falls for water supply companies.
Environmental Impacts of Droughts -
It includes loss to environment by way of forest fires, erosion of soil, damage to all living forms.
Due to lack of food and drinking water due to loss of wet lands.
Shortage of food and water leads to disease in animals.
Loss of bio diversity.
30. Social Impacts of drought –
Public safety, health disputes arising due to water shortage and the life style changes.
1. The revenue loss caused by drought may cause mental and physical stress on
people.
2. Reduction in recreational activities.
3. The fire fighting ability reduces due to water shortage.
4. Reduction in nutrition due to high cost of foods causes mal nutrition and famine.
5. A general increase in poverty leads to changes in life style and quality of life.