DEFINITION - DISASTER

calamitous event bringing great damage, loss, and destruction and devastation to life and property Disaster varies with the geographical location, climate and the type of the earth surface/degree of vulnerability
sudden,

influences the mental, socio-economic, political and sociocultural state of the affected area. may also be termed as a serious disruption of the functioning of society, causing widespread human, material or environmental losses which exceed the ability of the affected society to cope using its own resources. disaster as a hazard causing heavy loss to life, property and livelihood. e.g. a cyclone killing 10,000 lives and a crop loss of one crore can be termed as disaster.

EFFECTS


It completely disrupts the normal day to day life negatively influences the emergency systems Normal needs and processes like food, shelter, health, etc. are affected and deteriorate depending on the intensity and severity of the disaster

MAIN FEATURES
     

Unpredictability Unfamiliarity Speed Urgency Uncertainty Threat

TYPES


Natural and Manmade Major/minor natural disaster and Major/minor manmade disasters. (based on the extent/degree)

 

Natural disasters
MAJOR  Floods  Cyclone  Drought  Earthquake MINOR  Cold wave  Thunderstorms  Heat waves  Mud slides  Storm

Man Made Disasters MAJOR Setting of fires Epidemic Deforestation Pollution due to prawn cultivation Chemical pollution. Wars

     

MINOR  Road / Train accidents & riots  Food poisoning  Industrial disaster/ crisis  Environmental pollution

Disaster Risk = Hazard +Vulnerability

  

Risk a measure of the expected losses due to a hazardous event of a particular magnitude occurring in a given area over a specific time period. Risk is a function of the probability of particular occurrences and the losses each would cause. The level of risk depends on: Nature of the Hazard Vulnerability of the elements which are affected Economic value of those elements

Vulnerability: It is defined as the extent to which a community, structure, service, and/or geographic area is likely to be damaged or disrupted by the impact of particular hazard, on account of their nature, construction and proximity to hazardous terrain or a disaster prone area Hazards: Hazards are defined as Phenomena that pose a threat to people, structures, or economic assets and which may cause a disaster. They could be either manmade or naturally occurring in our environment

The extent of damage in a disaster depends on: 1) The impact, intensity and characteristics of the phenomenon and 2) How people, environment and infrastructures are affected by that phenomenon

DISATER MANGEMENT CYCLE

CR I S I S

Disaste r

Preparedness

Response

M A N A GE M E N T

Mitigation

Rehabilitation

Reconstruction

Prevention
Development

OVERVIEW OF THE DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME 20022002-2007

Government of India [GoI], Ministry of Home Affairs [MHA] and United Nations Development Program [UNDP] have signed an agreement on August 2002 for implementation of Disaster Risk Management Program to reduce the vulnerability of the communities to natural disasters, in identified multi hazard disaster prone areas. Goal : Sustainable Reduction in Natural Disaster Risk in some of the most hazard prone districts in selected states of India .

main objectives of this program

 

1. National capacity building support to the Ministry of Home Affairs 2. Environment building, education, awareness program and strengthening the capacity at all levels in natural disaster risk management and sustainable recovery 3. preparedness, response and mitigation plans for the program at state, district, block and village/ward levels in select program states and districts 4. Networking knowledge on effective approaches, methods and tools for natural disaster risk management, developing and promoting policy frameworks

Multi-hazard Multi-

EARTHQUAKES
SAFETY TIPS
Prepare before the earthquake


  

Always keep the following in a designated place: bottled drinking water, non-perishable food (chura, gur, nonetc), first-aid kit, torchlight and battery-operated radio with firstbatteryextra batteries. Teach family members how to turn off electricity, gas, etc. Identify places in the house that can provide cover during an earthquake. It may be easier to make long distance calls during an earthquake. Identify an out-of-town relative or friend as out-ofyour family s emergency contact. If the family members get separated after the earthquake and are not able to contact each other, they should contact the designated relative/friend. The address and phone number of the contact person/relative should be with all the family members.

 

Safeguard your house Consider retrofitting your house with earthquakeearthquake-safety measures. Reinforcing the foundation and frame could make your house quake resistant. You may consult a reputable contractor and follow building codes. Kutchha buildings can also be retrofitted and strengthened.

During quake Earthquakes give no warning at all. Sometimes, a loud rumbling sound might signal its arrival a few seconds ahead of time. Those few seconds could give you a chance to move to a safer location. Here are some tips for keeping safe during a quake. Take cover. Go under a table or other sturdy furniture; kneel, sit, or stay close to the floor. Hold on to furniture legs for balance. Be prepared to move if your cover moves. If no sturdy cover is nearby, kneel or sit close to the floor next to a structurally sound interior wall. Place your hands on the floor for balance.

Do not stand in doorways. Violent motion could cause doors to slam and cause serious injuries. You may also be hit be flying objects. Move away from windows, mirrors, bookcases and other unsecured heavy objects. If you are in bed, stay there and cover yourself with pillows and blankets Do not run outside if you are inside. Never use the lift. If you are living in a kutcha house, the best thing to do is to move to an open area where there are no trees, electric or telephone wires.

 

If outdoors: Move into the open, away from buildings, streetlights, and utility wires. Once in the open, stay there until the shaking stops. If your home is badly damaged, you will have to leave. Collect water, food, medicine, other essential items and important documents before leaving. Avoid places where there are loose electrical wires and do not touch metal objects that are in touch with the loose wires. Do not re-enter damaged buildings and restay away from badly damaged structures

 

If in a moving vehicle: Move to a clear area away from buildings, trees, overpasses, or utility wires, stop, and stay in the vehicle. Once the shaking has stopped, proceed with caution. Avoid bridges or ramps that might have been damaged by the quake.

After the quake

Wear shoes/chappals to protect your feet from debris After the first tremor, be prepared for aftershocks. Though less intense, aftershocks cause additional damages and may bring down weakened structures. Aftershocks can occur in the first hours, days, weeks, or even months after the quake. Check for fire hazards and use torchlights instead of candles or lanterns.

If the building you live in is in a good shape after the earthquake, stay inside and listen for radio advises. If you are not certain about the damage to your building, evacuate carefully. Do not touch downed power line. Help injured or trapped persons. Give first aid where appropriate. Do not move seriously injured persons unless they are in immediate danger of further injury. In such cases, call for help. Remember to help your neighbours who may require special assistance-infants, the assistanceelderly, and people with disabilities

 

Listen to a battery-operated radio for the batterylatest emergency information. Stay out of damaged buildings. Return home only when authorities say it is safe. Clean up spilled medicines, bleaches or gasoline or other flammable liquids immediately. Leave the area if you smell gas or fumes from other chemicals. Open closet and cupboard doors cautiously. If you smell gas or hear hissing noise, open windows and quickly leave the building. Turn off the switch on the top of the gas cylinder

Look for electrical system damages - if you see sparks, broken wires, or if you smell burning of amber, turn off electricity at the main fuse box. If you have to step in water to get to the fuse box, call an electrician first for advice. Check for sewage and water lines damage. If you suspect sewage lines are damaged, avoid using the toilets. If water pipes are damaged, avoid using water from the tap. Use the telephone only for emergency calls

.


In case family members are separated from one another during an earthquake (a real possibility during the day when adults are at work and children are at school), develop a plan for reuniting after the disaster. Ask an out of state / district relative or friend to serve as the family contact . Make sure everyone in the family knows the name, address, and phone number(s) of the contact person (s).