Disaster Management

DISASTER
MANAGEMENT
Project by – Akhand Pratap Shukla
INTRODUCTION
WHAT IS A DISASTER?
A disaster can be defined as “A serious disruption in the
functioning of the community or a society causing wide
spread material,economic,social or environmental
losses which exceed the ability of the affected society to
cope using its own resources”.
A disaster is a result from the combination of hazard,
vulnerability and insufficient capacity or measures to
reduce the potential chances of risk. A disaster happens
when a hazard impacts on the vulnerable population and
causes damage, casualties and disruption.
Any hazard- flood,earthquake or cyclone which is a
triggering event along with greater vulnerability
(inadequate access to resources,sick and old people,
lack of awareness etc.,) would led to disaster causing
greater loss to life and property.
TYPES OF
DISASTERS
Disasters can be of two types:
NATURAL AND MAN-
MADE
These disasters can be further classified into
various categories:
NATURAL
Meteorological
Cyclones, Floods, Blizzard, Tornado,
Thunderstroms, Droughts, Extreme Cold/Hot.
Geological
Earthquake, Landslide, Volcanic Eruptions and
Tsunami
Environmental/Biological
Global Warming, Climate Change, Ozone
Depletion, Solar Flares, Plagues, Epidemics
MAN-MADE
Technological
Transport accidents,
Structure failures,
Explosion,Fires
Industry
Pollution, Chemical
Spill, Radiation, Gas
leaks, Poisoning
Warfares
Terrorism, War,
Internal Conflicts,
Civil Unrest
Disaster Risk
Reduction
Disaster Risk Reduction can take place in
the following ways:
Preparedness :
This protective process embraces measures which
enable governments, communities and individuals
to respond rapidly to disaster situations to cope
with them effectively.
1.Preparedness includes the formulation of
viable emergency plans, the development of
warning systems, the maintenance of
inventories and the training of personnel.
2.It may also embraces search and rescue
measures as well as evacuation plans for
areas that may be at risk from a recurring
disaster.
3.Preparedness therefore encompasses those
measures taken before a disaster event which
are aimed at minimizing loss of life,disruption
of critical services, and damage when the
disaster occurs.
Mitigation
Mitigation embraces measures taken to reduce
both the effect of the hazard and the vulnerable
conditions to it in order to reduce the scale of a
future disaster.
1. Therefore mitigation activities can be
focused on the hazard itself or the
elements exposed to the threat. Examples
of mitigation measures which are hazard
specific include water management in
drought prone areas, relocating people
away from the hazard prone areas and by
strengthening structures to reduce damage
when hazard occurs.
2. In addition to these physical measures,
mitigation should also aim at reducing the
economic and social vulnerabilities of
potential disaster.
Disaster Management
Cycle
Disaster Risk Management includes sum total of
all activities, programs and measures which can
be taken up before, during and after a disaster
with the purpose to avoid a disaster, reduce its
impact or recover from its losses. The three key
stages of activities that are taken up within
disaster risk management are:
1. Pre-Disaster
2. Disaster Occurrence
3. Post Disaster
Pre-disaster
(before a disaster)
It includes the activities taken to reduce
human and property losses caused by a
potential hazard. For eg- carrying out
awareness campaigns, strengthening the
existing weak structures, preparation of the
disaster management plans at household and
community level etc. Such risk reduction
measures taken under this stage are termed
as mitigation and preparedness activities.
Disaster Occurrence
(during a disaster)
It includes the initiatives taken to insure that
the needs and provisions of victims are met
and suffering is minimized. Activities taken
under this stage are called emergency
response activities.
Post-Disaster
(after a disaster)
It includes the initiatives taken in response to a
disaster with a purpose to achieve early
recovery and rehabilitation of affected
communities, immediately after a disaster
strikes. These are called as response and
recovery activities.
Possible risk education

measures for Earthquakes
Community preparedness
Community preparedness is vital for mitigating
earthquake impact. The most effective way to
save you even in a slightest shaking is
‘DROP’, ‘COVER’ and ‘HOLD’.
Planning
The bureau of Indian Standards has published
building codes and guidelines for safe
construction of buildings against earthquakes.
Before the buildings are constructed the
building plans have to be checked by the
Municipality, according to the laid down by
laws. Many existing lifeline buildings such as
hospitals, schools and fire stations may not be
built with earthquake safety measures.
Their earthquake safety needs to be upgraded
by retrofitting techniques.
Public Education
Public education is educating the public on
causes and characteristics of an earthquake
and preparedness measures.
It can be created through sensitization and

training program for community, architects,
engineers, builders, masons, teachers,
government functionaries, teachers and
students.
Engineered Structures
Buildings need to be designed and
constructed as per the building laws to
withstand ground shaking.
Architectural and engineering inputs need to

be put together to improve building design and
construction practices.
The soil type needs to be analyzed before
construction. Building structures on soft soil
should be avoided.
Buildings on soft soil are more likely to get

damaged even if the magnitude of the
earthquake is not strong.
Similar problems persist in the buildings
constructed on the river banks which have
alluvial soil.
Possible risk reduction

measures for Tsunami:
In certain tsunami prone countries some
measures have been taken to reduce the
damage caused on shore. Japan has
implemented on extensive program of building
tsunami walls of up to 4.5m (13.5 ft) high in
front of populated coastal areas. Other
localities have built flood gates and channels
to redirect the water from incoming tsunamis.
However, framed structures in the area. The
wall may have succeeded in slowing down and
moderating the height of the tsunamis but it
did not prevent major destruction and loss of
life.
Site Planning and Land Management
Site planning determines the location,
configuration, and density of development on
particular sites and is, therefore, an important
tool in reducing tsunami risk.
The designation and zoning of tsunami hazard

areas for such open-sauce uses as
agriculture, parks and recreation, or natural
hazard areas is recommended as the first land
use planning strategy.
This strategy is designed to keep development

at a minimum in hazard areas.
In areas where it is not feasible to restrict land

to open-sauce uses, other land use planning
measures can be used.
These include strategically controlling the type

of development and uses allowed in hazard
areas, and avoiding high-value and high
occupancy uses to the greatest degree
possible.

Disaster Management

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DISASTER

Possible risk education

It can be created through sensitization and

Architectural and engineering inputs need to

Buildings on soft soil are more likely to get

Possible risk reduction

The designation and zoning of tsunami hazard

This strategy is designed to keep development

In areas where it is not feasible to restrict land

These include strategically controlling the type

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