Notes Class 11 Chapter 9 Geography Maharashtra Board

Disaster Management

Introduction

Disasters, whether natural or man-made, cause significant loss of life, property, and economic stability. Disaster management is a multidisciplinary process aimed at reducing the impact of disasters through preparedness, mitigation, response, recovery, and rehabilitation. This chapter explores the types, causes, effects, and management strategies for disasters, with a focus on India’s disaster management framework.

Major Disasters Across the World

The following table summarizes key disasters, their locations, and impacts:

Key Concepts

1. Classification of Disasters

Disasters are classified based on their origin:

• Tectonic Disasters: Caused by movements in the Earth’s crust.
  • Examples: Earthquakes (e.g., 2005 India-Pakistan earthquake), tsunamis (e.g., 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami), volcanic eruptions.
• Geological Disasters: Result from geological processes.
  • Examples: Landslides (e.g., 1994 Varandha Ghat), mudslides (e.g., 2014 Malin mudslide), avalanches.
• Meteorological Disasters: Driven by weather conditions.
  • Examples: Cyclones (e.g., 1999 Odisha cyclone), floods (e.g., 2005 Mumbai floods), storms, heatwaves.
• Biological Disasters: Caused by living organisms.
  • Examples: Epidemics (e.g., 1992 Surat plague), locust attacks, pest attacks.
• Anthropogenic (Man-made) Disasters: Result from human activities or negligence.
  • Examples: Industrial accidents (e.g., 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy), transportation accidents (e.g., 1995 Firozabad rail accident), nuclear accidents.

2. Hazard vs. Disaster

• Hazard: A natural or man-made phenomenon that poses a threat to people, structures, or economic assets (e.g., high rainfall, earthquakes). It may or may not cause harm unless it impacts human populations.
• Disaster: The result of a hazard affecting human populations, causing death, injury, property loss, or economic disruption. A disaster occurs when society cannot cope with the hazard’s impact.
  • Example: An earthquake in the Sahara Desert (uninhabited) is a hazard, but an earthquake in Assam (populated) is a disaster.

3. Vulnerability

• Vulnerability refers to the conditions that make people or regions susceptible to disasters. These include:
  • Geographical Factors: Coastal areas are vulnerable to cyclones, seismically active areas to earthquakes.
  • Socio-economic Factors: Poverty, dense populations, and inadequate infrastructure increase vulnerability.
  • Demographic Factors: Children, the elderly, and marginalized groups are more vulnerable.
• Reducing vulnerability involves improving preparedness and coping capacity.

4. Capacity to Cope

• The ability of individuals, organizations, and systems to manage disasters using available skills perspective skills and resources.
• Improved coping capacity reduces vulnerability and disaster impact.
• Example: The 1999 Odisha cyclone caused 10,000 deaths, but Cyclone Fani in 2019 caused only 89 deaths due to enhanced preparedness and mitigation.

Effects of Disasters

Disasters have immediate and long-term effects across various sectors:

1. Primary Effects: Direct consequences of the disaster.
   • Example: Building collapse during the 2005 India-Pakistan earthquake (80,000 deaths), flooding during the 2005 Mumbai floods (1,100 deaths).
2. Secondary Effects: Consequences triggered by primary effects.
   • Example: Fires ignited by earthquakes, disruption of power and water services after the 2004 tsunami.
3. Tertiary Effects: Long-term impacts.
   • Example: Loss of homes, altered river channels, and reduced tourism after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami (2,50,000 deaths).
4. Other Losses: Economic losses (e.g., crop and livestock damage in the 2014 Maharashtra hailstorm), social disruption, and psychological trauma.

Disaster Management Cycle

Disaster management is a cyclical process involving pre-disaster and post-disaster phases (see Fig. 9.1 in the textbook):

1. Pre-disaster Phase

• Disaster Preparedness: Measures to prepare for and reduce disaster effects.
  • Examples: Awareness campaigns, mock drills, strengthening weak structures, preparing emergency kits (food, water, medicines).
  • Community-level actions: Training residents to escape fires, planning evacuation routes in flood-prone areas.
• Mitigation: Actions to minimize disaster impact before occurrence.
  • Structural Measures: Construction of river embankments, retrofitting buildings.
  • Non-structural Measures: Public education, disaster training, regulating land use.
  • Example: Satellite-based early warnings for Cyclone Fani (2019) enabled timely evacuations, reducing deaths.
• Prevention: Avoiding disasters, especially man-made ones, through safety regulations and careful planning.
  • Example: Preventing industrial accidents like the Bhopal gas tragedy (1984) through stricter safety protocols.

2. Post-disaster Phase

• Disaster Response: Immediate actions after a disaster to meet victims’ needs.
  • Examples: Providing food, shelter, and medical aid, conducting search and rescue operations.
  • Focus: Ensuring safety and minimizing suffering until further measures are implemented.
• Recovery: Restoring normalcy in affected areas.
  • Examples: Repairing roads and bridges, restoring electricity and water services, clearing debris, providing financial aid.
  • Example: Post-2005 Mumbai floods, recovery involved rebuilding infrastructure and supporting displaced families.
• Rehabilitation: Long-term efforts to restore normalcy.
  • Examples: Rebuilding homes, supporting livelihoods (e.g., providing seeds to farmers), relocating vulnerable communities.
  • Example: Post-2004 tsunami, rehabilitation included reconstructing coastal villages and supporting fisheries.

Structural vs. Non-structural Measures

• Structural Measures: Physical constructions to reduce hazard impacts.
  • Examples: River embankments, disaster-resistant buildings, flood drains.
• Non-structural Measures: Knowledge-based or policy-driven actions.
  • Examples: Public awareness campaigns, disaster training, land-use regulations.

Examples of Measures (Pre/Post-disaster, Structural/Non-structural):

Role of Technology in Disaster Management

Information Technology (IT), including Remote Sensing, GIS, and GPS, enhances disaster management efficiency:

• Remote Sensing: Maps disaster-prone areas, monitors cyclones, and assesses flood damage.
  • Example: Microwave data identifies flood-inundated areas; meteorological satellites track cyclones (e.g., Cyclone Fani).
• GIS (Geographic Information System): Supports planning, communication, and damage assessment.
  • Example: Mapping flood-prone areas for evacuation planning.
• GPS (Global Positioning System): Provides location-based services for rescue operations.
  • Example: Locating disaster-affected areas in remote regions.
• Communication Satellites: Establish connectivity in inaccessible areas post-disaster.
• India Quake App: Developed by the National Centre for Seismology, it provides real-time earthquake data (location, time, magnitude).

Disaster Management in India

India is highly disaster-prone due to its geo-climatic conditions and socio-economic vulnerabilities. Post-2004 tsunami, India revamped its disaster management framework:

• Institutional Setup:
  • National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA): Established at the central level to coordinate disaster management.
  • National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM): Focuses on training and research.
  • State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs): Operate at state and district levels.
  • National Crisis Management Committee: Functions under the Ministry of Home Affairs (nodal ministry for disaster management).
  • Nodal ministries: Ministry of Agriculture for droughts, Ministry of Earth Sciences for earthquakes, etc.
• Role of Agencies:
  • Military and Paramilitary Forces: Assist in rescue, relief, and rehabilitation (e.g., Home Guards).
  • ISRO and NRSC: Provide satellite data for cyclone tracking and damage assessment.
• Policy Changes: Post-2004 tsunami, states were mandated to set up disaster management offices, improving preparedness and response.