Natural Disasters

The term 'Disaster' occurs with such tragic frequency in news reports today, that it seems superfluous to define it. 'Official' definitions are suggested by the United nations and  the Disaster Management Act. Simply put, a disaster is a  rapidly occuring event that leads to loss of lives and property.  Loss is the defining characteristic of a disaster. With the exception of industrial and other manmnade accidents, the cataclysmic events that lead to this loss are necessary landforming mechanisms.

Earthquakes, floods and resultant landslides, cyclones, and other such events are the processes through which the  earth relieves pressure that might be building up in the crust, reforms river beds, and relieves buildup of atmospheric pressure. When humans are caught in the midst of these events and suffer damage and loss, the events are termed disasters. 

It is not to be denied that these events can be catastrophic in their impact.  The Bhola cyclone, in 1970, caused the deaths of 5 lakh people in India. Three decades later, the Orissa cyclone in 1999 killed 10,000 people.
1. Types of disastersNatural Disasters Infographic (Source: Alexandra Curtis)
Disasters, events that lead to a considerable loss of  life and property, can occur in several ways. The broadest means of  classfication are as manmade and natural disasters. Manmade disasters include industrial and chemical disasters, stampedes, nuclear emergencies, transportation accidents (road, rail, air  and sea), and mines. These, while important, are not withing the purview of the India Water Portal. The discussion therefore will be confined to natural disasters. Natural disasters of course can be exacerbated by human interference such as in the case of landslides which are intensified by  blasting in mountain areas, and floods which are intensified by inappropriate channelization of  river courses.

2. Dealing with disasters:
Traditional means of managing disasters has been confined to response. This is the  rescue and aid that is given immediately after an event. In some cases, rehabilitation has been done, which is ensuring that the aid that disaster  victims need to begin their lives over again is available. In recent years though, the purview of  disaster management has expanded across the continuum of disasters to include mitigation and reconstruction. These now include:

  • Prevention and mitigation
  • Preparedness and response
  • Recovery, reconstruction and rehabilitation

3. Institutional framework in India
Disaster management in India was earlier predominantly focused towards responding to requests for aid after a disaster. However, the nineties saw  series of catastrophic events which led to the creation of a holistic policy of disaster management. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) was established with the vision of a disaster- resilient India; created by enabling prevention, mitigation, preparedness, and effective response (National Disaster Management Authority, 2009).   They recommend the inclusion of disaster prevention, mitigation and preparedness activities within the scheme of disaster management. The  NDMA also recommends several measures at various levels from the national to the individual. A crucial part of these is the formation of State Disaster Management Authorities which oversee the implementation of  the NDMA policies in their states. An important part of the institutional framework to deal with disasters is the emergence of community-led institutions. These range from pan-regional networks such as HYCOS in  the Hindu Kush Himalayas to the village-based flood alert systems seen in Assam. These are explained in David Molden's talk below:

 

4. Voluntary organisations
Despite the existence of the National Disaster Response Force, the first responders on the scene are often local communities and voluntary organisations. The outpouring of support that one sees in the immediate aftermath of a disaster is a matter of pride for the nation, as citizens rally together to support the stricken communities. Local communities do stellar work in immediate rescue of afflicted people. This is especially crucial during landslides in the mountains when afflicted areas can be rendered inaccessible. Communities  that are farther away from the scene of the disaster also rally around when it comes to the  donation of supplies such as food, clothing and shelter. However this  community-driven and impulsive response is largely confined to the rescue and response stages. The delivery of relief material can also be inefficiently handled due to the inexperience of the people dealing with the situation.

It is here that voluntary organisations come to the forefront. They usually have a network of contacts and are able to mobilise both goods and personnel in an efficient manner. Past disasters such as the Latur Earthquake, Leh Landslides, and Uttarakhand floods have seen all manner of voluntary organisations from NGOs to religious trusts offer support, time, and goods. Voluntary organisations also offer more than just the supply of immediately required food and clothing by assisting with construction of shelters, medical aid, and provision of sanitary facilities.

This is best offered by non-political volunteer networks and organisations that are largely devoted to the provision of disaster relief. These have access to highly skilled personnel, donor agencies, and government networks which enable them to provide superlative assistance as and when needed.

RedR is such a network composed  of engineers. Volunteers with RedR participate in regular training which enable them to offer skilled assistance in times of disaster. Medicins Sans Frontiers is a network of doctors who provide skilled medical care in times of disaster and strife.

2.  Personal responsibility
A large part of the casualties during disasters can be prevented by taking a few steps. After all, the first person present at the scene of an accident is the accident victim. While some events may have some warning, it is always better to be prepared for the unforseeable.

Please see below for some tips 'Do's & Dont's to protect yourself and your family in case of an emergency: 

Earthquake         Tsunami        Landslide         Biological            Floods           Cyclone          Nuclear            Heat Wave       Chemical Disaster

 


 

Featured Articles
November 16, 2022 Adoption of hybrid solutions - grey and green structures appropriate for resilience building
Healthy wetland ecosystems help in reducing disaster risks and managing climate risks (Image: Pxhere)
November 6, 2022 In 2020, 559 million children were affected by four to five heatwaves a year; numbers could increase four-fold by 2050, as per a report by UNICEF
Heat-related mortality is four times higher among children under 1 year of age than in persons aged 1–44 years (Image: Taqver, Wikimedia Commons)
October 30, 2022 This book by Dr. Mitul Baruah presents a fascinating, ethnographic account of the challenges faced by communities living in Majuli, India, one of the largest river islands in the world, which has experienced immense socio-environmental transformations over the years, processes that are emblematic of the Brahmaputra Valley as a whole. This is an excerpt from the book.
Floods are recurrent phenomena in Assam (Image: Mitul Baruah)
June 10, 2022 Urgent, timely action at scale during a heatwave can drastically reduce deaths due to extreme heat
People living in urban areas are amongst the hardest hit when a heatwave occurs (Image: Lounes D H, Pixabay)
April 13, 2022 Over 30% of Indian districts are prone to extreme forest fires, as per a CEEW study
More than 275 million people in India are exposed to extreme forest fire events. (Image: Naveen N Kadalaveni, Wikimedia Commons)
March 15, 2022 World Resources Institute (WRI) India and the C40 Cities network develop Mumbai’s first-ever Climate Action Plan
The MCAP adopts a scientific evidence-based planning approach to mobilize resources and move from planning to implementation of strategic projects (Image: Deepak Gupta, Wikimedia Commons; CC BY-SA 3.0)
Overview of the 2008 Kosi flood situation from Samajik Shaikshanik Vikas Kendra
Samajik Shaikshanik Vikas Kendra (SSVK) an NGO in Bihar illustrates the real picture of Kosi flood and the post disaster conditions in the state. Posted on 02 Feb, 2009 09:01 PM

The following article is the latest update of an overview of Kosi floods by SSVK. It reveals the ineffective handling and inadequate supply of materials by the Government in the flood hit regions. It also points out the activities done by various organizations and SSVK itself.

First hand report on the Bihar flood zone 2008
Two individuals, Priya Ranjan and Zakaria pen down their personal experiences from the flood zone in Bihar in 2008. Posted on 24 Jan, 2009 09:23 AM

Priya Ranjan, recently visited the flood hit areas in Bihar recently and found that things were really sad and pathetic. Mushhar communities were surviving on snails and grass-seeds.

GOONJ's urgent appeal to provide for winters in the the flood affected districts of Bihar
This is an appeal for a large quantities of woolens and blankets for Rahat Winters, GOONJ's annual campaign Posted on 17 Jan, 2009 02:08 PM

This year we certainly need much larger quantities due to extensive work going on in flood affected areas of Bihar & Orissa. We are thankful to a large number of organizations & individuals who whole-heartedly supported our campaign Rahat Floods.

DEWATS Newsletter: Volume 1|Issue 5|December 2008
DEWATS Newsletter: Volume 1|Issue 5|December 2008 Posted on 27 Dec, 2008 10:13 AM

 untitled2.jpg The DEWATS Newsletter, published bi-monthly by BORDA in Bremen, constitutes a compilation of links to articles about dewats and sanitation from the BNS N

Book: 'Kosi - The deluge' a must read for all those interested in flood management
The book "Kosi- The deluge" is a good report on the subject and contains a lot of valuable data Posted on 25 Nov, 2008 06:18 AM

The book is a must-read for those who have some interest in Flood Management and especially in Kosi.

It is priced at Rs. 100/- and is available with

Fact Finding Mission

Dalit Watch's report on Bihar flood relief camps in the wake of the devastating floods on the India-Nepal border in 2008
Here's Dalit Watch's report on the relief camps in the wake of the devastating floods on the India-Nepal border Posted on 25 Nov, 2008 05:33 AM

In September 2008, Dalit Watch published a report on its findings while monitoring 205 relief camps in the wake of the devastating floods on the India-Nepal border. This report records the damage caused by the breach on the embankment of the Kosi river in August 2008 and appraises the quality of relief efforts in the aftermath of the floods.

Source South Asia 2008, Issue 11 (11 Nov 08)
Source South Asia 2008, Issue 11 (11 Nov 08) Posted on 16 Nov, 2008 03:51 AM

Since its foundation in 1968, the IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre (IRC) has facilitated the sharing, promotion and use of knowledge so that governments, professionals and organisations can better suppor

Report from Kosi flood affected Murliganj Block of Madhepura in Bihar: Asha Parivar and NAPM
Report from a visit to Kosi flood affected Murliganj Block of Madhepura in Bihar on 31st October and 1st November, 2008 Posted on 09 Nov, 2008 08:57 PM

Mahendra Yadav and his team of Asha Parivar is stationed in Babhangama, 15 kms. from Muraliganj Block headquarters of Madhepura Dist. of Bihar for over two months now to carry out relief operations and help people access relief from government schemes. Muraliganj is 80 kms. from Katihar railway station.

Relief report on the Bihar floods from the AID Eureka team, Chennai
Dharmendar and Oliver from AID Eureka Team, Chennai share their relief work experiences in Bihar Posted on 09 Nov, 2008 08:49 PM

This 8 page document states the approach made by the visiting team towards the disaster and the experiences of the workers on the ground. The report is detailed with covering the minutae of the relief work organized and implemented. It also takes a look at the final impact of the work on the beneficiaries.

Who cares about the public? A first hand report of the tensions prevailing around the Kosi in Nepal and Bihar
Dinesh Kumar Mishra pens down emotions and responses of people living inside the Kosi embankment - to plug or not to plug Posted on 04 Nov, 2008 10:12 PM

The setting is unique. 34 Nepali villages within the embankments want the breach to remain opened. I talked to some of them and reminded them of the slogan that was in air at the time of construction of the embankments, "Aadhi Roti Khayengein, Kosi Baandh Banayengei".

×