lOMoAR cPSD| 19237721

lOMoAR cPSD| 19237721

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INTRODUCTION
Environmental studies are the study of human interaction with the
environment and in the interests of solving complex Problems.
Environment includes which we are directly or indirectly dependent
for our survival, whether it is living component like animals, plants or
non-living component like soil, air and water. Importance of
environmental studies are:-
(a) People have to clarify modern environmental concept like how to
conserve biodiversity.
(b) Usage of natural resources more efficiently.
(c) Try to know the sustainable way of living. The field encompasses
study in basic principles of ecology and environmental science, as well
as associated subjects such as ethics, geography, policy, politics, law,
economics, philosophy, environmental sociology and environmental
justice, planning, pollution control and natural resource management.
The main factors influencing environmental behaviours: there is waste
management behaviours like waste reduce, reuse, Recycle and
Recycling Processes. Reduce: People should make a simple habit to
reduce waste by avoiding disposable items like paper products, straws,
plastic covers and single serving containers. Pack your lunch or snacks
in a box and it does not involve throwing anything away. Avoid food
wastes to your trash it prevents lost of nutrients. Reuse: when we use
something again is called reuse. Clothes are used to reuse for the same
purpose by washing dirty. People make a habit of donating clothes or
unused items to the orphanages or old age homes.
Recycle: It involves collecting processing and selling products from
old materials. Cereal box made with 100% recycled paper
and aluminium can only be made from 40% recycled content.
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Micro-Project Proposal
Impact of Natural Disasters and Manmade Hazards

1.0 Rationale
Natural and manmade hazards include, for instance, droughts,
desertification, floods, fires, earthquake and dispersion of
radioactive gases in the atmosphere. They have significant social,
environmental and economic impacts. The JRC carries out
extensive work to continuously monitor the situation, assess risks
and potential impacts, and forecast future events as accurately as
possible in order to help prevent these phenomena from happening
or to limit their impact.
The JRC provides the knowledge base that helps EU countries and
international partners prepare for a respond to natural and manmade
disasters. An import part of this work is the development of methods
and tools to monitor the situation, assess risks and predict future
developments.

2.0 Aims/Benefits of the Micro-Project

Disaster management aims to reduce, or avoid, the potential losses
from hazards, assure prompt and appropriate assistance to victims of
disasters, and achieve rapid and effective recovery. The disaster
management cycle illustrates the ongoing process by which
governments, businesses, and civil society plan for and reduce the
impact of disasters, react during an immediately following disasters,
and take steps to recover after disasters has occurred.
Develop an awareness of chronological phases of natural disasters
response refugee relief operations. This project aims to understand
the relationship of disaster phases to each other and linkage of
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activities from one phase to next. Identify the major disaster types
and understand the relief system and the disaster victim.

3.0 Course Outcomes Achieved

1) Conserve Ecosystem and Biodiversity.
2) Apply techniques to reduce environmental pollution.
3) Manage social issues and environmental ethics as lifelong
learning.

4.0 Actual Methodology Followed

Disasters can be defined as a sudden, accidental event of great
magnitude that causes considerable damage to life and property.
They are sudden, drastic and normally occur without any alarm or
warning. Some disasters may be short lived such as earthquakes and
some other may be of long duration, such as floods.

However, irrespective of the duration of a disaster, the damage in

the form of deaths, injuries and losses of property is immense. The
magnitude of the disasters can be judged by the fact that only during
the past two decades, occurrences of floods, earthquakes, landslides,
cyclones, etc. have killed several million people.

Most of the disasters have a natural origin, however, some

disasters are manmade as well. On this basis, disasters can be broadly
classified into two groups:
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Natural disasters
When disasters occur due to natural forces they are called natural
disasters, over which man has hardly any control. Some common
natural disasters are earthquakes, landslides floods, droughts, cyclones,
etc. Tsunamis, volcanic eruptions and wildfires are also included under
natural disasters. These disasters cause enormous loss to life and
property.
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Man-made disasters
When the disasters are due to carelessness of human or mishandling of
dangerous equipment’s they are called man-made disasters. Common
examples of these disasters are train accidents, aero plane crashes,
collapse of buildings, bridges, mines, tunnels, etc.

Natural Disasters
Some of the common natural disasters, their impact on
environment, and their prevention, control and mitigation are discussed
below:
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EARTHQUAKES
An earthquake is the shaking of the earth’s surface caused by rapid
movement of the earth’s crust or outer layer. Ever since it came into
existence 4.6 billion years ago, the earth has been a dynamic, evolving
system. The position of the different continents and oceans that we see
today, has changed a number of times in the earth’s history.

Impact of Earthquake on the Environment:

The destruction, an earthquake causes, depends on its magnitude
and duration or the amount of shaking that occurs. In the last 500 years,
earthquakes around the world have killed several million people.
Earthquake is one of the most catastrophic natural disasters. Massive
loss of life and property occurs due to collapse of buildings. Besides,
roads, bridges, canals, electric poles, etc. are severely damaged. Certain
regions of the earth are more prone to earthquakes.
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These are places located in the unstable regions of the earth crust, which
are subjected to tectonic activities. Countries like Japan, parts of

Southeast Asia, Turkey, Iran, Mexico, etc. are affected by severe

earthquakes. In India, the entire Himalayan region, parts of the
Gangetic Plain, Kutch and Andaman and Nicobar islands are in the
earthquake hazard zone (Table 18.2).

The major impacts of earthquakes are as follows:

Shaking of the ground and surface rupture:

This is the main cause of destruction in which buildings, bridges,
roads, canals and other structures are damaged.

Liquefaction:
Earthquakes make sands and silts to transform from a solid to liquid
state. This also results in building collapse.
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Landslides:
Earthquakes of high intensity often trigger many landslides in the hilly
regions.

Fires:
It is a major hazard associated with earthquakes. The shakings of the
ground and building damage often break the gas pipes and electric lines
that cause fires.
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TSUNAMI

It is a Japanese term meaning ‘harbour waves’. Tsunamis are

massive sea waves that are mainly caused due to earthquakes in the
ocean floor or possibly due to an undersea landslide or volcanic
eruption. When the ocean floor is tilted or offset during an earthquake
a set of waves is created similar to the concentric waves generated by
an object dropped into the water.

These waves are massive in size and gain height as they approach
the seashore. Tsunamis up to the height of 30 m are recorded (Fig.
18.2). Tsunamis are the most catastrophic among natural disasters as
they affect a very wide geographical area. The tsunami of 26 December,
2004 killed around three lakh people and affected parts of Indonesia,
Andaman and Nicobar Islands in India, Sri Lanka and even Somalia.
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Prevention and Mitigation:

Despite the advances made by modem science, the exact time and
place where an earthquake may strike cannot be predicted. Hence, the
occurrence of an earthquake cannot be prevented. However, there are
certain regions that are earthquakes prone and so the administration
must work before hand to minimize the damages due to occurrence of
earthquakes in such areas. The control and mitigation measures in
earthquake prone regions include hazard reduction programmes,
development of critical facilities and proper land use planning.

Hazard reduction programmes:

i. Earthquake education and evacuation plans.

ii. Use of proper construction material that is not injurious even if

the structures collapse.

iii. Construction of quake resistant buildings having proper structural

design.
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Development of critical facilities:

i. Establishment of earthquake regulatory agencies for fast
relief.

ii. Establishment of specific health care units for treating

earthquake injuries Proper land use planning.

iii. Mapping of faults and weak zones in earthquake prone

areas.

iv. Buildings such as schools, hospitals, offices, etc. should

be in areas away from active faults.
FLOODS
Floods refer to the ‘inundation of large parts of land which
otherwise remain dry by water for some duration of time’. Floods are
one of the most common natural disasters occurring in many parts of
the world every year. Floods occur due to heavy rainfall within a short
duration of time in a particular region which causes the rivers and
streams to overflow.

Since most of the precipitation occurs within span of two to three

months during the rainy season, most floods occur during that time. The
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floods in the mountainous regions due to cloudbursts or damming of

streams are referred to as flash-floods. In flash-floods, the water drains
away quickly but only after causing extensive damage. The plain areas
of a region which are drained by a number of rivers, are the places most
affected by floods.

In India, states like Assam, Bihar and parts of Gangetic Uttar

Pradesh are quite prone to floods during the rainy season (Fig. 18.3).
The Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers and their tributaries are most
susceptible to floods. However, heavy rains cause occasional floods in
parts of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Flooding, in
India, is a major problem and some part or the other is affected by the
fury of floods usually during the months from July to September.

Floods cause untold miseries to the affected regions in the form

of huge losses of life and property. There is great damage to agriculture
and livestock. Flood affected areas face acute shortages of food and
drinking water. Besides, floods cause a number of water borne diseases
such as diarrhea, gastroenteritis, jaundice, malaria, etc.
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Impact on the Environment:

Though the lives lost in floods may not be as high as in case of

earthquakes or cyclones, the damage to the environment is immense.
The problem is further aggravated if the floods last for a longer duration
of time.

Floods not only damage property and endanger if lives of

humans and animals, but have other effects as well, such
as:

1. Floods cause the spread of many epidemic diseases.

2. Rapid runoff causes soil erosion.

3. Wildlife habitat and forests are often destroyed.

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4. Manmade structures like buildings, bridges, roads, sewer lines,

power lines, etc. are damaged.
5. Floods cause widespread damage to the standing crops and degrade
the agricultural land.

6. Flood affected areas are faced with acute shortage of food and
drinking water.

Prevention, Control and Mitigation:

Though floods are a natural hazard, it is sometimes intensified
due to undesirable human activities. The measures that can be taken to
control the extent of flood damage include land use planning, building
of physical barriers, preventing human encroachment and use of
technology for relief.

Land use planning:

Proper land use planning in flood prone areas includes:
1. Demarcation of the flood-prone areas that are first inundated
during floods.

2. Construction work and concentration of human population should

be avoided in the floodplains.
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3. Afforestation on the upper reaches of the river (catchment areas)

to control soil erosion and excessive runoff.

Building of physical barriers:

Flood can be prevented by building certain structures, such as:
1. Embankments along the banks of rivers in densely populated areas.
2. Building of reservoirs to collect excess water during floods.

3. The construction of channels that divert floodwater.

Preventing human encroachment:

Human encroachment should be avoided in the following areas:
1. Floodplains and catchment areas.

2. This would control deforestation and soil erosion which would

prevent excessive runoff.

Use of technology for relief:

Advanced technology can be used in the following ways:
1. Advanced communication techniques for flood forecasting and
warning.

2. Fast evacuation of people.

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3. To provide relief in temporary shelters.

4. Immediate supply of medicines, drinking water, food and clothes.

5. Epidemic diseases must be controlled through spraying, vaccination,

etc.
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DROUGHT
Drought is a condition of abnormally dry weather within a geographic
region. Drought refers to the lack or insufficiency of rain for an
extended period of time in a specific region. During droughts, rainfall
is less than normal causing a water imbalance and resultant water
shortage. It occurs when the rate of evaporation and transpiration
exceeds precipitation for a considerable period. Drought should not be
confused with dry climate, as in the Sahara or Thar Desert. It is marked
by an unusual scarcity of water and food for the humans as well as
animals.

Certain regions of the world, such as parts of Central Africa, are

characterized by low amount of rainfall resulting in perennial
droughtlike conditions. Some part of India is often affected by drought
even during the rainy season. As India is primarily an agricultural
country, droughts cause untold miseries to the common people.

Many Indian farmers are still totally dependent on rainfall for

irrigation and because of abnormally dry spells there is extensive crop
damage. The main drought prone areas of the country are parts of

Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Orissa, Tamil Nadu and

Chhattisgarh. However, sometimes drought-like conditions also prevail
in the Gangetic Plain also.
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Impact on the Environment:

The severity of the drought is gauged by the degree of moisture
deficiency, its duration, and the size of the area affected. If the drought
is brief, it is known as a dry spell or partial drought.

Drought causes serious environmental imbalances, which

are summarized below:

1. Water-supply reservoirs become empty, wells dry up and there is

acute water shortage.

2. Groundwater level is also depleted because of less recharge.

3. Soil degradation and erosion occurs. Soil cracks because of

shrinkage during desiccation (Fig. 18.4).

4. There is extensive crop damage.

5. People become impoverished and there are diseases due to

malnutrition.

6. Widespread damage to flora and fauna air including domestic

animals.
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Prevention, control and mitigation:

Rains are caused by a number of natural factors like air currents,
wind direction, etc. Thus, droughts are a natural phenomenon, beyond
human control and prevention. Though, global warming may have
changed the pattern of rainfall in the recent times. In modem times, by
the use of satellites, we can predict the weather pattern over a particular
area. Drought-like conditions can be overcome by better water
harvesting techniques. Certain precautions can be taken in drought
prone areas, which relate to management of water resources, proper
agricultural techniques and relief by different agencies.

Management of water resources:

1. Conservation of water through rainwater harvesting, building check
dams, bunds, etc.

2. Construction of reservoirs to hold emergency water supplies.

Proper agricultural techniques:

1. Increased use of drought resistant crops.

2. Proper irrigation techniques, such as drip and trickle irrigation that

minimize the use of water.

3. Over-cropping and overgrazing should be avoided.

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Relief measures:
Immediate relief to the drought-affected people should be provided in
the form of:

1. Employment generation programmes, like ‘food for work’ in the

drought affected areas.

2. To provide fodder for domestic animals.

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MAN-MADE DISASTERS

Man-made disasters are the result of carelessness or human errors

during technological and industrial use. The disasters are in the form of
accidents, which occur all of a sudden and take a huge toll on life and
property. Mostly such disasters cause injuries, diseases and casualties
where they occur.

Man-made disasters are mainly of two types:

Local disasters:

These are small-scale disasters such as train accidents, plane crashes

and shipwrecks.

Industrial and technological disasters:

These are much larger in scale and are the result of technology failures
or industrial accidents. Such disasters affect both local population and
may even cover a much larger area. Industrial disasters result due to
accidental leakage of water or air pollutants. Many of the chemicals are
extremely toxic and carcinogenic which affect the human population in
an adverse way. Some people die instantly while others are crippled for
whole life in the form of blindness, paralysis and many other chronic
diseases.
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Impact on the environment:

Leakage of toxic chemicals from the industries and accidents in the
nuclear reactors has short-term and long-term effects on the
environment and human health. Short-term effects on human health
relate to casualties and diseases like blindness, cancer, paralysis, heart
trouble, gastric and respiratory abnormalities. Long-term effects
include genetic imbalances in humans and its impact on the future
generations. Soil and water sources also remain polluted for long
durations of time.

Prevention, control and mitigation:

Man-made disasters can be minimized to a large extent by

adopting the following measures:

1. Proper training of personnel working in the hazardous industries.

2. Proper maintenance and care of safety measures.

3. Removing human encroachments around hazardous industries.

4. Making the people aware about the first-aid methods in case of

accidents.

5. Applying wet cloth over the mouth and nose in case of gas leakages
minimizes the health hazards.
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6. Remaining indoors in case of radioactive accidents.

7. Providing the people with proper medical care, in some cases

throughout their life.

8. Providing adequate compensation to the affected people by way of

money and employment.
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BHOPAL GAS TRAGEDY (BGT)

The most serious industrial disaster occurred on December 3,

1984 at Bhopal, India, which is known as the Bhopal Gas Tragedy
(BGT). The Bhopal gas tragedy occurred due to leakage of methyl
isocyanides (MIC) gas from the factory of Union Carbide of India Ltd.
MIC gas is used as an ingredient in pesticides.

It leaked from the factory and formed the deadly cloud over
Bhopal. People living in slums in the vicinity of the factory were the
most affected and more than 5000 people were killed, half of them due
to direct exposure and other half due to after affects. MIC is a colourless
gas which causes severe irritation, violent coughing, swelling of the
lungs, bleeding and death due to direct inhalation. It also caused loss of
eye-sight in more than 1000 people. More than 50,000 people were
affected with respiratory, eye, gastric, neurological and gynaecological
problems Another technological disaster is due to the potential damages
of nuclear fallout. An example is the Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster.
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CHERNOBYL NUCLEAR DISASTER

This nuclear disaster occurred at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power

Plant, which was one of the largest power plants in the Ukrainian
Republic of erstwhile USSR, on April 26, 1986. It is the worst nuclear
disaster recorded in a nuclear power plant. This nuclear power plant
had four reactors of 1000 megawatt each for electricity generation. A
sudden power surge resulted in two explosions, which destroyed the
reactor core and blasted a large hole in the roof of the reactor building.

The Radioactive debris moved up through that hole to heights of

1 km. Approximately 100 to 150 million curies of radiation (radioactive
isotopes of iodine and caesium) escaped into the atmosphere. To reduce
emissions, the rescue team bombarded the reactor with 5,000 metric
tonnes of shielding material consisting of lead, boron, sand and clay.

Soviet officials placed the toll of human lives to 31.

However, according to western estimates, 2000 people were killed.

Large areas of the Ukrainian, Byelorussia Republics of the USSR and
even parts of Poland, Denmark and Sweden were contaminated.
Around 200,000 people had to be evacuated and resettled. The after
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affects lasted for many years and a rise in the incidence of thyroid and
blood cancer has been observed in a wide group of people. Other affects
on the human health included skin diseases, hair loss, nausea, anemia,
respiratory and reproductive diseases.
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CONCLUSION

In this Micro project we learned about Impact of

Natural Disasters and Man-Made Hazards, Different
Type of Disasters and more!
5.0 Actual Resources Used

Sr. Name of Resource Specification Qty. Remarks

No /material
1] Laptop/PC Intel (R) Core( TM ) i36006 U 1
CPU @ 2.00GHz 16.00GB RAM
2] Magazine Green Paper on disaster 1
management, departmental of
provincial and local government,
South Africa

6.0 Outputs of the Micro-Project

Disaster Impact Management

Name
Earthquake
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Flood

Drought

Bhopal Gas
Tragedy
(BGT)

Chernobyl
Nuclear
Disaster
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7.0 Skill Developed/Learning outcomes of this Micro-Project

We learned how to manage the situation after the disasters
occurred. We understand the basic impacts of natural as well as
manmade disasters impacts on environment. We learned the
mitigation and prevention controls for the various disasters. We also
understand the causes for the disasters.

8.0 Applications of this Micro-Project

1) Provides decision support system in disaster management.
2) Useful for hazard zone mapping and duration emergency
conditions.
3) Provide awareness about natural disasters.