Dr. Fazlur Rahman Dr. Md Naiyer Zaidy

DISASTER

MANAGEMENT

Dr. Fazlur Rahman Dr. Md Naiyer Zaidy

Department of Geography

Aligarh Muslim University – Aligarh

Hazard and Disaster

Hazard: Hazard is a condition/event that has potential for causing injury/ loss of life or damage to property/environment.

Disaster: it’s a natural or man-made incident/event arising with little or no warning causing serious disruption in the functioning of the society or communities affecting lives, livelihoods, surrounding ecology and environments with disruptions in economic activities.

Example: Desert Earthquake, underwater volcano, oil spilling

• Hazard: Cause / Threat

• Disaster: Effect / Event

• Once a hazard becomes active and is no longer just a threat, it becomes a disaster

• DISASTER: Dis + aster = Bad Star (Greek Origin)

• A disaster is an occurrence disrupting the normal conditions of existence and causing a level of suffering that exceeds the capacity of adjustment of the affected community - WHO

Types of Disaster

Natural

Earthquake

Volcanic Eruption

Flood

Tsunami

Forest Fire

Landslide

Cyclone

Hailstorm

Hydrological Drought

Man-made

Fire

Chemical Leakage

Industrial Failure

Nuclear Explosion

Building Collapse

Mining Disaster

Air Crash

Health Disaster

Earthquake

Volcanic Eruption

Flood

Tsunami 2004 (Marine Beach , Chennai)

Forest Fire

Landslide

Cyclone

Hailstorm

Drought

Chemical Leakage

Industrial Failure

Nuclear Explosion

Building Collapse

Mining Disaster

Air Crash

Health Disaster: Outbreak of Coronavirus

Types of Natural Disaster

Meteorological Disaster

• Floods

• Droughts

• Cyclones

• Hurricanes Typhoons

• Tsunami

• Blizzard

• Tornadoes

• Hail Storms

• Sun Strokes

Topographical Disasters

• Earthquake

• Landslides Avalanches

• Asteroids attack

• Volcanic Eruption

Environmental Disasters

• Global Warming

• Ozone

Depletion – Ultra Violet Radiation

• Solar Flare

• El Nino

• La Nina

Infested Locust Invasion

Types of Man-made Disaster

Technological Disasters

• Transport Failure

• Public Place Failure

• Fire

Industrial Disasters

• Chemical Spills

• Radioactive Spills

• Collapse of Mining roofs

• Industrial Accidents

Warfare Disasters

• War

• Terrorism

• Internal Conflicts

• Civil Unrest

Effects of Disaster

 Loss of Life

 Loss of Property / Economy

 Infrastructure Damage – Road, Rail, Building etc.

 Change of Weather and Climate

 Migration or Displacement of People

 Rise of Epidemics and Vector Born Disease

 Scarcity of Food and Water

 Emotional Aftershocks / Trauma / Psychological Effect

 Loss of Wildlife Resources

 Internal Conflict

 Any Other Effect

Flood

 Most frequently occurring and damaging meteorological disaster in India

 Most flood-prone countries in the world after Bangladesh

 40 million hectare of land (one eighth of the total area) is prone to floods

 30 million people in the country are affected each year

 More than 1500 lives are lost each year

 The flood affected areas and the damages caused by flood also increased many fold in recent year

 It is turned out to be a social disaster

Causes of Flood

India: Major Flood Prone Region

Area/States Flood Affected Areas

(in % to the total flood prone area of country)

River Basin

Uttar Pradesh 21.9 Ganga

Bihar 12.71 Ganga

Assam 9.4 Brahmaputra

West Bengal 7.91 Ganga

Odisha 4.18 Mahanadi, Brahmani,

Subarnrekha

Others 43.9

5 Worst Ever Floods in the Recent History of India

 2018 Kerala Flood

36000 People Displaced ; 500 people died

All five gates of Idduki Dam opened (first time in the history of Kerala)

Affected all 14 districts of Kerala

 2014 Kashmir Flood

Continuous torrential rainfall led to flashfloods in Kashmir

Nearly 2,600 villages were affected in JK. In Kashmir, as many as 390 villages were completely submerged in water.

500 people were killed

 2013 Uttarakhand Floods

The 9 districts of Uttarakhand received heavy rainfall, leading to massive landslides, flash-floods in the whole state. The Kedarnath temple was damaged

Around 1000 people died. It is one of the most disastrous floods in the history of India.

 2005 Maharashtra Flood

 Deadliest floods; At least 5,000 people died

Mumbai was the worst hit area.

Loss of Rs 550 crores of property.

 1987 Bihar Flood

1,399 people and 5,302 animals lost their lives and nearly 29 million people were affected in 30 districts.

The damage to crops were calculated to be Rs 68 billion and damage to public property was at Rs 68 million.

Drought

 Lack of rainfall over a long period of time

 Shortage and Aridity indicates shortage of water

 Aridity is permanent while drought is temporary situation

 Arid and semi arid region are more prone to drought

 More than 44 per cent of India's areas were under various degrees of drought conditions:

Drought Early Warning System (DEWS)

 68 percent total sown area come under drought prone area

 Annually 12 Per cent Population of the country are affected by Drought

 Drought may be

• Meteorological: An extended period of dry weather pattern.

• Hydrological: Low water supply in rivers, lakes, aquifers etc.

• Agricultural: period of dryness affecting the soil-moisture status and preventing the growth of plants

• Ecological: Ecological damage caused by the lack of moisture.

• Socio-economic: when drought affect the supply and demand of

 Major Causes

 Weak monsoon and below average rainfall

 Late onset or early withdrawal of monsoons

 Timely Onset but sudden Break

 Large scale Deforestation

 Excessive pumping of ground water

 Low Recharge of Aquifers

 Changing Cropping Pattern

 Use of HYV Seeds and Chemical Fertilizers

 Consequences

 Loss of Economy

 Low Agricultural Production and Decline in Cultivated Area

 Indirect affect in Secondary and Tertiary Economic Activities

 Inflation

 Impact on Environment

 Low water table

 Migration, Farmer Suicide, Scarcity of Drinking Water, Crime

 Adverse Impact on Ecological balance

 Famine, Starvation, Ill Health and Death

Areas Frequency

Assam Very Rare, Once in 15

Years West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, MP,

Coastal AP, Odisha, Maharashtra, Kerala

Once in 5 years

South Interior Karnataka, Eastern UP, Bundelkhand and Vidharbha

Once in 4 years Gujarat, Eastern Rajasthan, Western UP, TN,

Kashmir, Telangana, Rayalsema

Once in 3 years

Western Rajasthan Once in 2.5 years

Frequency of Drought in India

Mitigation of Drought

• Satellite Mapping through Remote sensing, GIS

• Identification water aquifers

• Rain water harvesting

• Inter-basin water transfer: River linkages

• Collection of rainwater in small dams

• Afforestation

• Drought resistant crop

• Active people participation: Pani Panchayat in Maharashtra, Sukhmajari programme in Haryana

Cyclone

 Cyclones are strong spiraling winds characterized by low pressure and numerous thunderstorms.

 Occur in the month of May-June and October-November, with a primary peak in November and secondary peak in May.

 Although cyclones affect the entire coast of India, the East Coast is more prone compared to the West Coast.

 More cyclones occur in the Bay of Bengal than the Arabian Sea and the ratio is approximately 4:1.

 In last 100 years 262 cyclones occurred in east coast while 33 occurred in west coast

 There are 13 coastal states encompassing 84 coastal districts which are affected by cyclones. Four states - Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal and Pondicherry on the East Coast are most vulnerable to cyclone disasters.

 Cyclones are named under the aegis of the World Meteorological Organization and not just the Indian Meteorological Department.

 Recurring cyclones account for a large number of deaths, loss of livelihood, loss of public and private property and severe damage to infrastructure. Cyclones are known to cause severe damage through high-speed winds and squall. Communication systems and trees are uprooted, which sometimes even result in the loss of life or property.

 Inland flooding and torrential rains are another side of the cyclones that bring destruction. Rain, along with a storm, actually add up to the fury of the storm.

Nine Deadliest Cyclones of India

 Cyclone Fani – 2019: Odisha

 Cyclone Ockhi – 2017: Kerala, Tamil Nadu

 Cyclone Vardah – 2016: Andaman & Nicobar

 Cyclone Hudhud – 2014: AP, Odisha

 Cyclone Phailin – 2013: Odisha

 Cyclone Helen – 2013: Eastern Coast

 Cyclone Nilam – 2012: Near the coast of Chennai

 Cyclone Phyan – 2009: Gujarat, Maharashtra, TN

 Odisha Cyclone – 1999 – Strongest

THANK YOU

Contact Information: 9634105215 (naiyer.geog@gmail.com)