Disaster Management In India

Disaster Management In India

• A disaster is an unwelcome event caused by forces largely beyond human control that strikes abruptly and without warning, causing or threatening major disruption of life and property, including death and injury to many people
• A natural disaster is a catastrophic event produced by nature or the earth’s natural processes. Volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, storms, tornadoes, and other geological events are only a few examples
• It has the greatest impact on rural society, as they are the most sensitive to economic shocks and have no other means of subsistence. Any natural hazard’s destructive potential is primarily determined by its spatial extent and severity
• Natural catastrophes have always presented a problem for the Indian government. With the advancement of cutting-edge research and development in the fields of environment and disaster management, it is now possible to foresee natural disasters and prevent their negative consequences

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Types of Disasters in India

• Disasters are divided into two categories based on their cause: man-made and natural disasters. Disasters are classified as small or major based on their severity (in impact)
• Natural disasters are unexpected ecological disturbances or threats that exceed the afflicted community’s ability to respond and necessitate outside assistance
• Natural disasters are classified as geophysical events such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, hydrological events such as floods, meteorological events such as storms, climatological events such as heat and cold waves and droughts, and biological events such as diseases
• Hazardous material spills, fires, groundwater contamination, transportation accidents, construction failures, mining accidents, explosions, and acts of terrorism are examples of man-made catastrophes
• Atmospheric Disasters: This sort of natural catastrophe has its natural characteristics, such as the geographic region affected (areal extent), the time of year when it is most likely to occur, severity, and danger. A natural disaster or event, in most circumstances, involves many hazards: Tornadoes are spawned by strong thunderstorms; wind is a feature in thunderstorms, severe winter storms, tropical cyclones, and hailstorms; and avalanches can be triggered by snowfall from a severe winter storm

Natural Disasters in India

• In terms of socio-cultural and physical characteristics, India is vast and diversified. It is largely due to its enormous geographical extent, diverse environmental conditions, and cultural diversity
• Natural catastrophes are made more vulnerable by a large population and a variety of societal characteristics

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Causes for Occurrence of various Disaster

Deforestation

The removal of forest cover and trees from a watershed zone has resulted in soil erosion, the extension of flood plains in the upper and intermediate courses of rivers, and groundwater depletion. The exploitation of land use, infrastructural expansion, technological advancement, and fast urbanisation have all resulted in increased pressure on natural resources.

Political Turmoil

Political issues include escalating nuclear ambitions, competition among countries to become superpowers, and the conquering of land, sea, and airspace. As a result, disasters such as the Syrian civil war, the Hiroshima nuclear bombing, and greater militarization of the oceans and outer space have occurred.

Industrialization

Rapid industrialization has led to global warming, as well as a rise in the frequency of extreme weather occurrences.

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Erosion of river

River erosion and flooding affect about 12% of the country’s territory. Tsunamis and cyclones are a threat along about 5,700 kilometres of the 7,516 kilometre-long coastline. Droughts threaten over 68 per cent of the country’s cultivable land, and avalanches and landslides threaten the hilly regions.

Man-made disasters

India is also vulnerable to man-made disasters such as chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) crises. Increased vulnerabilities associated with shifting demography and socioeconomic situations, unplanned urbanisation and development within high-risk areas, climate change environmental degradation, geological hazards, epidemics, and pandemics have exacerbated disaster threats in India.

All of these variables contribute to a situation in which disasters pose a severe threat to India’s economy, people, and long-term growth.

Earthquakes in India

An earthquake (also called a quake, tremor, or temblor) is the shaking of the Earth’s surface caused by a sudden release of energy in the lithosphere, which results in seismic waves.

• The Indian plate is shifting at a rate of around one centimetre per year towards the north and north-eastern directions, and its movement is constantly impeded by the Eurasian plate from the north
• As a result, both plates are said to be locked together, resulting in energy accumulation at various periods in time. Extreme energy accumulation causes tension, which eventually leads to a sudden release of energy, generating earthquakes along the Himalayan arc

Tsunami

Tsunamis and earthquakes occur as a result of centuries of accumulated energy within the ground. A tsunami (‘Tsu means harbour in Japanese, and ‘name means wave) is a succession of waves created by the displacement of a significant volume of water, usually an ocean

Tropical Cyclone

• Tropical cyclones are particularly dangerous to India’s coastal regions, resulting in frequent loss of life and property
• Tropical cyclones are triggered by atmospheric disturbances in the vicinity of a low-pressure area, which are characterised by rapid and often destructive air circulation
• Tropical cyclones and extratropical/temperate cyclones are the two types of cyclones classified geographically

Floods

India is one of the world’s most flood-prone countries. The monsoon, highly silted river systems, and steep and extremely erodible mountains, notably those of the Himalayan ranges, are the principal causes of flooding in this country. A flood is defined as an overflow of water that submerges normally dry ground. Floods in India are produced by a variety of variables, including topological, climatological/meteorological, and man-made factors

Droughts

Droughts are consequences of variability of climate. Though drought causes small structural damage and has slow onset, it is considered a natural hazard. Drought in India is related to both water resource management and scarcity of rainfall.

Landslides

• It is the movement of a mass of rock, rubble, or soil down a slope when the shear stress exceeds the material’s shear strength
• The Himalayas are thought to account for roughly 30% of all landslides in the world. The Himalayan Mountains are the world’s youngest and most powerful mountain range system
• It occurs when a complicated field of forces (stress is a force per unit area) is at work on a mass of rock or soil on a slope. It happens for a variety of reasons, including geological, morphological, physical, and human factors

Conclusion

A disaster is an event that is beyond human control and each nation needs to prepare for it. The disasters may be natural or man-made and can affect a small or large number of the population as well as result in destruction of property. India has several policies in place to deal with various disasters such as Earthquakes, Floods, Cyclones, Famines, etc. However, several additional guidelines and a disaster-resilient infrastructure need to be created for effective disaster management in India.