Earthquake:

An earthquake is a sudden vibration of the part of the earth caused by plate movements. It occurs along the plate boundaries. The place inside the earth where an earthquake originates is focus. The point on the earth’s surface above the called a focus is called an epicentre. The damage caused by the earthquake is the highest near the epicentre. The earthquake is measured by an instrument called a Seismograph. It is recorded in Richter scale.

If in a moving vehicle:

1. Stop as quickly as safety permits. Avoid stopping near or under buildings, trees, overpasses and utility wires.
2. Proceed cautiously once the earthquake has stopped. Avoid roads, bridges or ramps that might have been damaged by the earthquake.

Landslide:

A landslide is defined as the movement of a mass of rock debris down a slope. Landslides are caused by the direct influence of gravity. Landslides can be caused by rainfall, snowmelt, stream erosion, flood, earthquakes, volcanic activity, disturbance by human activities, or any combination of these factors.

Landslides cause property damage, injury and death and adversely affect a variety of resources. For example, water supplies, fisheries, sewage disposal systems, forests, dams and roadways can be affected.

During a Landslide:

1. Listen for any unusual sounds that might indicate moving debris, such as trees cracking or boulders knocking together.
2. Should be alert for any sudden increase or decrease in water flow and for a change from clear to muddy water. Such changes may indicate landslide activity upstream, so be prepared to move quickly.
3. Be alert especially when driving. Embankments along roadsides are particularly susceptible to landslides.
4. Disconnect the power supply in the areas of landslide.

After the Landslide:

1. Stay away from the slide area. There may be danger of additional slides
2. Check for injured and trapped persons near the slide, without entering the direct slide area.
3. Direct rescuers to their locations.
4. Listen to local radio or television for the latest emergency information
5. Watch for flooding, which may occur after a landslide or debris flow.

Cyclone:

A low-pressure area which is encircled by high pressure wind is called a cyclone.

Effects of cyclone:

The main effects of tropical cyclone include heavy rain, strong wind, large storm surges near landfall and tornadoes.

“Severe cyclonic storm Gaja crossed the coasts of Tamilnadu and Puducherry around Vedaranyam and Nagapattinam in the early hours of November 10, 2018 Friday with wind speed gusting of around 120 (Kmph)” reported the Indian Meteorological Department.

Flood:

Flood destructions have always brought miseries to numerous people, especially in rural areas. Flood results in the outbreak of serious epidemics, specially malaria and cholera. Simultaneously, scarcity of water also arises. It has a drastic effect on agricultural produce. Sometimes, water remains standing over large areas for long span of time hampering the Rabi crops.

India is one of the most flood prone country in the world. The principal reasons for flood lie in the very nature of natural ecological systems in this country, namely, the monsoon, the highly silted river systems and the steep highly erodible mountains, particularly those of the Himalayan ranges. The average rainfall in India is 1,150 mm with significant variation across the country. The annual rainfall along the western coast and the Western Ghats, Khasi hills and over most of the Brahmaputra valley amounts to more than 2,500 mm. Twenty-three of the states (29) and union territories (7) in the country are subject to floods and 40 million hectares of land, roughly oneeighth of the country’s geographical area, is prone to floods. The National Flood Control Program was launched in the country in 1954.

Do’s before flood:

1. Keep furniture and electrical appliances on beds and tables
2. Put sandbags in the toilet bowl and cover all drain holes to prevent sewage back flow.
3. Keep your mobile charged
4. Listen to radio or watch television for the latest weather bulletin and flood warnings.
5. Keep strong ropes, a lantern, battery operated torches, extra batteries ready.
6. Keep umbrellas and bamboo sticks with you.

Drought:

Drought is a period of time (months or years) during which a part of the land has shortage of rain, causing severe damage to the soil, crops, animals, and people. It sometimes causes even death. During drought high temperature is experienced. Such conditions may affect our health.

The primary cause of drought is deficiency of rainfall and in particular, the timing, distribution and intensity.

In India around 68 percent of the country is prone to drought. Of the entire area 35 percent receives rain falls between 750 mm to 1,125 mm which is considered drought prone while 33 percent areas receive rainfalls less than 750 mm is considered to be chronically drought prone.

Rules of action before, during and after Drought:

Before drought:

1. Rainwater harvesting should be followed.
2. Sewage water should be recycled and used for domestic purpose.
3. Building canals or redirecting rivers for irrigation.
4. Utilise water economically.

During drought:

1. Wear cotton clothing and a hat.
2. In case of overheating, immediately move to a shady area.
3. Consume adequate amounts of water stay.

After drought:

1. If anyone faints after sunstroke, emergency medical measures should be taken.
2. Contact local government agencies to receive information about disaster and assistance for the population.

Lightning:

Lightning is an atmospheric electrostatic discharge (spark) accompanied by thunder, which typically occurs during thunderstorms, and sometimes during volcanic eruptions or dust storms. Lightning generates 10-20 ampere current and it is therefore fatal. It is especially dangerous for people in an open area.

Lightning strikes often have fatal consequences. On an average, 2000 people die from lightning in the world every year. Lightning mostly strikes tall things, such as trees that break down and catch fire or it may strike power transmission lines and antennas fastened on roofs and buildings which causing fire. The air temperature, when lightning occurs, is as hot as 9982.2 °C.

Thunder is the sound caused by lightning. A charged, superheated lightning bolt creates a “resonating tube” as it travels. The air in the tube rapidly expands and contracts causing vibrations that we hear as the rumble of thunder.

Lightning strikes can explode a tree. Imagine 15 million volts of electricity hitting a tree branch. The heat travels through the tree, vaporizing its sap and creating steam that causes the trunk to explode.

Before lightning:

1. If you are planning to go to the countryside, check the weather forecast.
2. If a thunderstorm is expected it is better to postpone the trip.
3. It is good if you can estimate the distance to the front line of a thunderstorm. In order to do this you must check the time interval from the moment you see the lightning until you hear thunder. Lightning always precedes thunder. We know that the sound speed travels on average about 1km every 3 seconds. Reduction of the time interval between the sight of lightning and the resulting thunder means that the danger is approaching and protective measures must be taken. If there is no interval between lightning and thunder means, it means that the cloud is already over your head.

During Lightning:

1. If you are in a building it is necessary to close windows, doors, ventilation pipes and chimneys.
2. It is necessary to turn off the telephone, TV set, and other electrical equipments because lightning may strike electrical cables and pass through wiring.
3. Do not take a shower because both water and metal conduct electricity.
4. Do not light the fireplace because the heat coming from the chimney may attract lightning.
5. It is better to stay away from electric wires, lightning rods, water pipes, antennas and windows.
6. If you are in an open area during a thunderstorm, do not stand under a tall tree. Lighting is most damaging for tall trees. It is better to stay 30-40 meters away from them. Avoid trees that are standing separately. Remember that lightning does not strike bushes.
7. If the area is open, it is better to find a lower place or a cavity and squat there. It is dangerous to stand or lie down on the ground, because this increases the exposure area.
8. It is necessary to get rid of metal items such as a bicycle, coins etc.
9. Do not stand under an umbrella.
10. Do not run during the occurrence of lightning; move slowly towards a shelter because the air flow may attract lightning;
11. If you are in a car, do not get out. It is better to close the windows and turn of the antenna. Do not park your car under tall trees or any structures that may fall down and hit you.
12. If there is an injured person next to you, remember that the victim may lose consciousness. It is necessary to provide first aid.
13. Cover your mouth with a wet cloth in order to protect your lungs.

Tsunami:

A tsunami can kill or injure people and damage or destroy buildings and infrastructure as waves come forth and recede. A tsunami is a series of enormous ocean waves caused by earthquakes, underwater landslides, volcanic eruptions or asteroids. Tsunamis can travel 700-800 km per hour, with waves 10-30 meter high. It causes flooding and disrupts transportation, power, communications, and water supply.

Tsunami refers to huge ocean waves caused by an earthquake, landslide or volcanic eruption. It is generally noticed in the coastal regions and travel between 640 and 960 km/h. Tsunami pose serious danger to the inhabitants of the coastal areas.

Effects:

It causes flooding and disrupts transportation, power communication and water supply

Flood:

Sudden overflow of water in a large amount caused due to heavy rainfall, cyclone, melting of snow, Tsunami or a dam burst.

Effects

1. Loss of life and property
2. Displacement of people
3. Spread of contagious diseases such as Cholera and Malaria etc.,

Stampede:

The term stampede is a sudden rush of a crowd of people, usually resulting in injuries and death from suffocation and trampling. It is believed that most major crowd disasters can be prevented by simple crowd management strategies. Human stampedes can be prevented by organization and traffic control, such as barriers, following queues and by avoiding mass gathering.

Riot:

Though riot may seem dramatic, an angry mob can be just as dangerous and unpredictable as just about any natural disaster. Thousands of people are killed in riots all over the world each year, and these riots erupt from a number of racial, religious, economic, political, or social causes that cannot be predetermined. As per Pew Research Center analysis of 198 countries on April 11, 2015. Syria tops in riot in the world followed by Nigeria, Iraq and India.

If you’ve found yourself in the middle of a riot, you may not be able to run away immediately, but you can take some measures to protect yourself from harm. If you want to know how to survive a riot, just follow these steps.

Fire:

Wildfires occur when vegetated areas are set alight and are particularly common during hot and dry periods. They can occur in forests, grasslands, bush and deserts, and with blowing wind, can spread rapidly.

Fires can lead to the destruction of buildings, wooden bridges and poles, power, transmission and telecommunication lines, warehouses containing oil products and other fuel. It causes injury to people and animals.

The most common causes of fires are lightning strikes, sparks during arid conditions, eruption of volcanoes and man-made fires arising from deliberate arson or accidents.

A side-effect of wildfires which also threatens inhabited areas is smoke. Fires create large quantities of smoke, which can be spread far by wind and poses a respiratory hazard.

On an average, in India, every year, about 25,000 persons die due to fires and related causes. Female accounts for about 66% of those killed in fire accidents. It is estimated that about 42 females and 21 males die every day in India due to fire.

Industrial Disasters:

Industrial hazards consist of four principle hazards. The hazards encountered are fire, explosion, toxic release and environmental damage. This is because industries engage in different processes involving a wide range of different raw materials, waste products and final products. Danger originates from technological or industrial accidents, dangerous procedures, infrastructure failures or certain human activities. It may cause the loss of life or injury, property damage, social and economic disruption or environmental degradation.

Fire: This is the most frequent hazard. Fire can also produce toxic fumes like Acrolein, Carbon monoxide and Cyanides. Physical structures can be damaged either by the intensity of the heat or combustion. It may also have an effect on essential services like power and instrumentation.

Explosion:  Explosions is the result of a shock wave. This overpressure can kill people but usually the indirect effects of collapsing buildings, breaking of glasses and falling of debris causes far more loss of life and severe injuries. There are different types of explosions which include gas explosions and dust explosions. Gas explosions occur when a flammable gas mixes with air. Dust explosions occur when flammable solids, especially metals, in the form of fine powders are intensively mixed with air and ignited.

Chemical release:  Sudden release of toxic vapours has the potential to cause death and severe injuries several kilometres from the release point. They are carried by water and air. Their release into public sewage systems, rivers, canals and other water courses, either directly or through contaminated water used in fire fighting can result in serious threat to public. The number of casualties depends on the weather conditions, population density in the path of the cloud and the effectiveness of the emergency arrangements.

Environmental Damage:  Release of other substances, not directly toxic to humans can cause major pollution problems. It is becoming increasingly recognized that damage to natural resources such as plant and animal life can have serious long term consequences. E.g. destruction of trees is increasing the effect of global warming and extinction of animals are severely disrupting food webs and causing an increase in pests.

Means of reducing the industrial hazards:

1. Process of Safety Management: Reliability assessment of process equipment, incorporating safety tips, scrubbing system, etc, should be done before effecting major process changes.
2. Safety Audits: Periodical assessment of safety procedures, performance of safety systems and gadgets along with follow up measures should be carried out.
3. Emergency Planning: A comprehensive risk analysis indicating the impact of consequences and practiced emergency procedures should be done. This can be done by communities as well as national or regional corporation authorities.
4. Training: Proper training of employees and protective services should be done.

Road accident:

It is estimated that 1.34 million people are killed in the road accidents every year. Road accident is the 8th leading cause of death globally. Every year, up to 50 million people suffer serious, life-altering injuries which, in many low- and middle-income countries.

Primary road safety risk factors in low and middle-income countries include:

1. Speeding
2. Drink-driving
3. Non-use, or improper use of helmets, and
4. Non-use, or improper use of seatbelts

Strengthening the capability of the road traffic police to enforce traffic laws is fundamental to deterring road users from violating the laws, to reduce harm and to reduce inappropriate and unsafe behaviors on the roads.

Types of Hazards:

Some hazards occur frequently and threat the people. Hazards are classified in different ways.

Based on their causes of occurrence:

Hazards can be broadly classified into three types: natural, human-made and socio-natural hazards.

1. Natural hazards: These are the results of natural processes and man has no role to play in such hazards. The main examples of natural hazards are earthquakes, floods, cyclonic storms, droughts, landslides, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions.
2. Human-made hazards: these are caused by undesirable activities of human. It can be the result of an accident, such as an industrial chemical leak or oil spill, or an intentional act. Such hazards can disturb the safety, health, welfare of people and cause damage or destruction to property. The following are the examples of human-made hazards. They are explosions, hazardous wastes, pollution of air, water and land, dam failures, wars or civil conflicts and terrorism.
3. Socio-natural hazards (Quasi-natural hazards): these are caused by the combined effect of natural forces and misdeeds of human. Some of the examples are:

• The frequency and intensity of floods and droughts may increase due to indiscriminate felling of trees, particularly in the catchment areas of the rivers.
• Landslides are caused by natural forces and their frequency, and impact may be aggravated as a result of construction of roads, houses etc., in mountainous areas, excavating tunnels and by mining and quarrying.
• Storm surge hazards may be worsened by the destruction of mangroves.
• Smog is a serious problem in most big urban areas. The emissions from vehicles and industries, combustion of wood and coal together combined with fog leads to smog.

Based on their origin:

Hazards can be grouped into eight categories

1. Atmospheric hazard – Tropical storms, Thunderstorms, Lightning, Tornadoes, Avalanches, Heat waves, Fog and Forest fire.
2. Geologic/Seismic hazard – Earthquakes, Tsunami, Landslide and Land subsidence.
3. Hydrologic hazard – Floods, Droughts, Coastal erosion and Storm surges.
4. Volcanic hazard – Eruptions and Lava flows.
5. Environmental hazard – Pollution of soil/ air/water, Desertification, Global warming and Deforestation.
6. Biological hazard – Chickenpox, Smallpox, AIDS [HIV] and Killer bees.
7. Technological hazard – Hazardous material incidents, Fires, Infrastructure failures [Bridges, Tunnels, Dams, Nuclear and Radiological accidents].
8. Human-induced hazard – Terrorism, Bomb blast, War, Transportation accidents and civil disorder.

Earthquake-prone Zones of India:

Major flood prone areas of India:

Floods

Flood is an event in which a part of the earth’s surface gets inundated. Heavy rainfall and large waves in seas are the common causes of flood.

The major causes of floods are:

1. Meteorological factors
   1. Heavy rainfall
   2. Tropical cyclones

• Cloud burst

1. Physical factors
2. Large catchment area
3. Inadequate drainage arrangement
4. Human factors
5. Deforestation
6. Siltation

• Faulty agricultural practices

1. Faulty irrigation practices
2. Collapse of dams
3. Accelerated urbanization

Cyclonic Storms:

A cyclonic storm is a strong wind circulating around a low pressure area in the atmosphere. It rotates in anti-clockwise direction in Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.

Tropical cyclones are characterised by destructive winds, storm surges and exceptional levels of rainfall, which may cause flooding. Wind speed may reach upto 200 km/h and rainfall may record upto 50 cm/day for several consecutive days.

A sudden rise of seawater due to tropical cyclone is called storm surge. It is more common in the regions of shallow coastal water.

East coastal areas vulnerable to storm surges

1. North Odisha and West Bengal coasts.
2. Andhra Pradesh coast between Ongole and Machilipatnam.

• Tamil Nadu coast (among 13 coastal districts, Nagapattinam and Cuddalore districts are frequently affected).

West coastal areas vulnerable to storm surges

The west coast of India is less vulnerable to storm surges than the east coast.

1. Maharashtra coast, north of Harnai and adjoining south Gujarat coast and the coastal belt around the Gulf of Cambay.
2. The coastal belt around the Gulf of Kutch.

India’s Droughts Places:

Any lack of water to satisfy the normal needs of agriculture, livestock, industry or human population may be termed as a drought. Further, the drought could be classified into three major types as,

1. Meteorological drought: it is a situation where there is a reduction in rainfall for a specific period below a specific level.
2. Hydrological drought: it is associated with reduction of water in streams, rivers and reservoirs. It is of two types, a) Surface water drought, and b) Groundwater drought.

• Agricultural drought: it refers to the condition in which the agricultural crops get affected due to lack of rainfall.

Droughts in India occur in the event of a failure of monsoon. Generally monsoon rainfall is uneven in India. Some areas receive heavy rainfall while other regions get moderate to low rainfall. The areas which experience low to very low rainfall are affected by drought.

The major areas highly prone to drought are:

• The arid and semi-arid region from Ahmedabad to Kanpur on one side and from Kanpur to Jalandhar on the other.
• The dry region lying in the leeward side of the Western Ghats.

India’s Landslides Places:

Landslide is a rapid downward movement of rock, soil and vegetation down the slope under the influence of gravity. Landslides are generally sudden and infrequent. Presence of steep slope and heavy rainfall are the major causes of landslides. Weak ground structure, deforestation, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, mining, construction of roads and railways over the mountains are the other causes of landslides.

About 15% of India’s landmass is prone to landslide hazard. Landslides are very common along the steep slopes of the Himalayas, the Western Ghats and along the river valleys. In Tamil Nadu, Kodaikanal (Dindigul district) and Ooty (The Nilgiris district) are frequently affected by landslides.

Hazardous Wastes:

The wastes that may or tend to cause adverse health effects on the ecosystem and human beings are called hazardous wastes.

The following are the major hazardous wastes

1. Radioactive substance: tools and unused fuel pipe of nuclear power plants.
2. Chemicals: synthetic organics, inorganic metals, salts, acids and bases, and flammables and explosives.

• Medical wastes: hypodermic needles, bandages and outdated drugs.

1. Flammable wastes: organic solvents, oils, plasticisers and organic sludges.
2. Explosives: the wastes resulting from ordnance manufacturing and some industrial gases.
3. Household hazardous wastes: pesticides, waste oil, automobile battery and household battery.

Disaster Management:

The systematic process of applying administrative directives, organizations, and operational skills and capacities to implement strategies, policies and improved coping capacities in order to lessen the adverse impacts of hazards and the possibility of disaster is called Disaster Management.

Disaster Management is necessary or expedient for:

1. Prevention
2. Mitigation

• Preparedness

1. Response
2. Recovery
3. Rehabilitation

Disaster Management Cycle or Disaster cycle:

The six disaster management phases that have been used in the concept of disaster cycle are as follows Pre – Disaster Phase Prevention and Mitigation Reducing the risk of disasters involves activities, which either reduce or modify the scale and intensity of the threat faced or by improving the conditions of elements at risk. The use of the term reduction to describe protective or preventive actions that lessen the scale of impact is therefore preferred. Mitigation embraces all measures taken to reduce both the effects of the hazard itself and the vulnerable conditions to it, in order to reduce the scale of a future disaster.

In addition to these physical measures, mitigation should also be aimed at reducing the physical, economic and social vulnerability to threats and the underlying causes for this vulnerability. Therefore, mitigation may incorporate addressing issues such as land ownership, tenancy rights, wealth distribution, implementation of earthquake resistant building codes etc.

Preparedness:

The process includes various measures that enable governments, communities and individuals to respond rapidly to disaster situations to cope with them effectively. Preparedness includes for example, the formulation of viable emergency plans, the development of warning systems, the maintenance of inventories, public awareness and education and the training of personnel. It may also embrace search and rescue measures as well as evacuation plans for areas that may be “at risk” from a recurring disaster. All preparedness planning needs to be supported by appropriate rules and regulations with clear allocation of responsibilities and budgetary provision.

Early Warning:

This is the process of monitoring the situation in communities or areas known to be vulnerable to slow onset hazards, and passing the knowledge of the pending hazard to people harmless way. To be effective, warnings must be related to mass education and training of the population who know, what actions they must take, when warned.

The Disaster Impact:

This refers to the “real-time event of a hazard occurrence and affecting elements at risk. The duration of the event will depend on the type of threat; ground shaking may only occur in a matter of seconds during an earthquake. Where as flooding may take place over a longer sustained period.

During Disaster Phase:

Response:

This refers to the first stage response to any calamity, which include setting up control rooms, putting the contingency plan in action, issue warning, action for evacuation, taking people to safer areas, rendering medical aid to the needy etc., simultaneously rendering relief to the homeless, food, drinking water, clothing etc. to the needy, restoration of communication, disbursement of assistance in cash or kind. The emergency relief activities undertaken during and immediately following a disaster, which includes immediate relief, rescue, and the damage needs assessment and debris clearance.

The Post- Disaster Phase:

Recovery:

Recovery is used to describe the activities that encompass the three overlapping phases of emergency relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction.

Rehabilitation: Rehabilitation includes the provision of temporary public utilities and housing as interim measures to assist long-term recovery.

Reconstruction: Reconstruction attempts to return communities with improved predisaster functioning. It includes replacement of buildings; infrastructure and lifeline facilities so that long-term development prospects are enhanced rather than reproducing the same conditions, which made an area or population vulnerable.

Development: In an evolving economy, the development process is an ongoing activity. Long-term prevention/disaster reduction measures like construction of embankments against flooding, irrigation facilities as drought proofing measures, increasing plant cover to reduce the occurrences of landslides, land use planning, construction of houses, capable of withstanding the onslaught of heavy rain/wind speed and shocks of earthquakes are some of the activities that can be taken up as part of the development plan.

National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA):

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is the apex body for Disaster Management in India. Prime Minister heads NDMA. It is a statutory body created under the Disaster Management Act 2005.

1. NDMA was established through the Disaster Management Act, 2005 enacted by the Government of India, and was formally constituted by Dec 2006.
2. It is a Statutory Body for disaster management in the country.
3. Mandate: Its primary purpose is to coordinate the response to natural or man-made disasters and for capacity-building in disaster resiliency and crisis response. It is also the apex body to lay down policies, plans and guidelines for Disaster Management to ensure a timely and effective response to disasters.

National Disaster Management Authority Vision:

“To build a safer and disaster resilient India by a holistic, pro-active, technology-driven and sustainable development strategy that involves all stakeholders and fosters a culture of prevention, preparedness and mitigation.”

Organisational Structure:

1. The Prime Minister is the ex-officio chairperson of the NDMA.
2. The Cabinet Minister is the Vice-Chairman.
3. The NDMA Secretariat, headed by a Secretary, is responsible for providing secretarial support and continuity.
4. Along with this, NDMA has 8 Ministers of State as its Members.

Functions of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA):

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) was established to follow the functions mentioned below:

1. Implementing policies related to Disaster Management.
2. Approving various plans like:
3. National Plans
4. Plans by different Ministries & Departments of the Indian Government

• Other plans related to the National Plan.

3. Laying down guidelines for State Government Authorities in accordance with the State Plan.
4. Laying down guidelines for different Government Authorities in order to integrate the preventive measures for the Disaster or attenuation of its effect in their development plans & projects.
5. Coordinating with the workforce and implementing the policies/plans necessary.
6. Recommending the provision of funds necessary for mitigation.
7. Depending on the Central Government, providing aid and support to the countries in need.
8. Laying down guidelines and broad policies for the functioning of the NIDM (National Institute of Disaster Management).

National Executive Committee (NEC):

1. The National Executive Committee (NEC) was created under Section 8 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005. Disaster management is coordinated and monitored by the NEC.
2. Besides the Union Home Secretary, the member of the committee is a Secretary from Ministries and Departments with responsibility for agriculture, atomic energy, defence, drinking water, environment and forests, finance (expenditure), health, power and rural development, science and technology, space, telecommunications, urban development and water resources. In addition to his role as an ex-officio member of the Committee, the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff is also a member.
3. The National Executive Committee may: 

• Ensure that disaster management is coordinated and monitored as the supervising body.
• Coordinate and monitor the National Policy’s implementation.
• Prepare guidelines for the Ministry of Government of India and state governments to use in developing disaster management strategies.
• In accordance with the guidelines laid down by the National Authority, provide technical assistance to the State Governments and the State Authorities in developing their disaster management plans.
• Examine the progress made in implementing the National Plan and the plans created by the Government of India’s Ministries and Departments.
• Follow the National Authority’s instructions concerning the integration of disaster prevention and mitigation measures into the development plans and projects of the Ministries or Departments.
• Provide oversight, coordination, and directives to departments and ministries in the mitigation and preparedness of disasters.
• Provide direction as necessary for enhancing the readiness of all levels of government for responding to disaster situations or disasters that may threaten them.
• Manage and develop a disaster management training program for employees, volunteers, and members of different levels of leadership.
• Prepare a coordinated response for any threatening disaster situation.
• If a threatening disaster situation or disaster occurs, there should be guidelines or instructions regarding the steps to be taken by the concerned ministries or departments of the Government of India and the state governments.
• A department or agency of the government may provide men or resources for emergency response, rescue, and relief to the National Authority or State Authorities as they are available.
• Aid, assist and coordinate with Ministries and Departments of the Government of India, State Authorities, Statutory Bodies, and other governmental and non-governmental organisations involved in disaster management.
• Provide the State Authorities and District Authorities with technical assistance or advice to enable them to perform their duties under this Act.
• General disaster management education and awareness should be promoted.
• Assist the National Authority with other tasks as may be required.

National Disaster Response Force (NDRF):

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is a specialized force constituted by the Government of India for disaster response. It is manned by personnel from all three wings of the Indian Armed Forces. NDRF was raised in 2006 following the tsunami that hit India’s eastern coast. Ever since its inception, NDRF has played a pivotal role in responding to various disasters in India and abroad. In this blog post, we will take a closer look at the National Disaster Response Force and learn more about what it does!

National Disaster Response Force is a specialized force constituted by the Indian government to deal with natural disasters and emergencies. It is a paramilitary organization under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) was raised in 2006 following the devastating tsunami that hit India’s coastal areas. The primary objective of NDRF is to provide a timely, adequate and effective response to disasters and emergencies.

NDRF is equipped with specialized rescue equipment and has a well-trained team of personnel who are capable of dealing with any type of emergency. The force is also responsible for providing humanitarian assistance during disasters.

Roles and Responsibilities:

1. Providing a timely and effective response to disasters and emergencies
2. Carrying out rescue operations
3. Providing humanitarian assistance during disasters
4. Undertaking relief and rehabilitation measures in coordination with other agencies

Objectives:

To provide National level assistance to the States/UTs in disaster

1. To coordinate with other National and International agencies during disasters
2. To undertake rescue and relief operations in disaster
3. To provide medical assistance
4. To provide logistic support to the States/UTs during a disaster
5. To conduct search and rescue operations
6. National Disaster Response Force also undertakes capacity building of State/UT forces

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is a specialized force constituted by the Central Government of India for disaster response. It is manned by officers and personnel of the Indian Armed Forces and Central Paramilitary Forces.

Importance of NDRF:

NDRF is important for the following reasons:

• NDRF provides a trained and coordinated workforce for disaster response operations in India
• NDRF is responsible for the rescue and relief operations during natural disasters and man-made disasters
• NDRF is a specialized force equipped with the latest technology to deal with disaster situations

Drawbacks in NDRF:

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is India’s primary disaster response force. It has the following drawbacks, in addition to all of its merits:

1. It is not always able to deploy quickly due to its large size. This can be a particular problem in rural areas, where disasters may occur with little warning.
2. The quality of its equipment and training sometimes leaves something to be desired. This was particularly apparent in the response to the Kashmir earthquake in 2005.
3. Its members are not always familiar with the local dialects and customs, which can hamper their ability to provide assistance.
4. There have been allegations of corruption within the force.

Despite these drawbacks, the NDRF remains India’s best hope for responding to disasters. It is hoped that with time, these issues will be addressed and the force will be even better equipped to deal with the challenges it faces.

National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM):

The National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) was constituted under an Act of Parliament with a vision to play the role of a premier institute for capacity development in India and the region.

Under the Disaster Management Act 2005, NIDM has been assigned nodal responsibilities for human resource development, capacity building, training, research, documentation and policy advocacy in the field of disaster management.

NIDM provides technical support to the state governments through the Disaster Management Centres (DMCs) in the Administrative Training Institutes (ATIs) of the States and Union Territories.

• NIDM hosts the SAARC Disaster Management Centre (SDMC) and works as its national focal point.

National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF):

The National Disaster Response Fund is a fund managed by the Central Government and is used for meeting the expenses incurred during emergency relief, disaster response and rehabilitation in the event of a disaster.

• It was earlier called the National Calamity Contingency Fund (NCCF) which had been operated as per the guidelines laid down by the 11th Finance Commission.
• In 2005, the Disaster Management Act (DMA)was enacted and this renamed the NCCF as the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF). Accordingly, the funds of the NCCF were merged into the NDRF.
  • Section 46 of the DMA defines the NDRF.
• The NDRF is placed in the “Public Account” of GOI under “reserve funds not bearing interest”.
  • Know more about ‘public account’ and other types of funds of GOIin the linked article.
  • Since it is placed in the public accounts, the government does not require parliamentary approval to take money out of this fund.
• The NDRF supplements the State Disaster Response Fundin case sufficient funds are not available with the state funds to facilitate immediate relief in case of calamities of severe nature.
• The NDRF is audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG).
• The detailed accounts of NDRF are maintained by the Controller General of Accounts (CGA)through the Chief Controller of Accounts, Finance Ministry.

State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA):

Disaster Management Act 2005 provided the creation of the State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs) headed by their respective Chief Ministers.

Composition of the SDMA:

• SDMA consists of a chairperson and has up to nine other members.
• The Chief Minister of the State is the ex-officio chairperson of the SDMA. • The chairperson of the State Executive Committee is the ex-officio member of the SDMA, who acts as the ex-officio chief executive officer of the SDMA.
• The chairperson of SDMA nominates the other eight members of SDMA. • The chairperson of SDMA also designates one of the members as the vice- chairperson of the SDMA.

Functions of the SDMA:

• SDMA formulate the policies and plans for disaster management in the State. • It approves the State Plan following the guidelines laid down by the NDMA. It also approves the disaster management plans prepared by the departments of the State government.
• SDMA lays down the guidelines to be followed by the departments of the state government for the purpose of integrating the preventive measures for disaster and mitigation in their development projects. It also provides necessary technical assistance thereof.
• It coordinates and monitors the implementation of the State Plan.
• It also suggests the provision of funds for preparedness and mitigation measures.
• It reviews the measure being taken by the departments of the State Government for mitigation, preparedness, and capacity building for dealing with threatening disasters situations.

District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA):

The Disaster Management Act 2005 also provided for every State government to establish District DisasterManagement Authority in every district of State.

Composition of the DDMA:

• DDMA consists of a chairperson and has up to seven other members.
• The District Magistrate (or Collector or Deputy Commissioner) of the district is the ex-officio chairperson of the DDMA.
• The elected representative of the local authority is the ex-officio co- chairperson of the DDMA.
• But, in the case of Tribal Areas, as referred to in the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution, the chief executive member of the district council of the autonomous district is the ex-officio co-chairperson of the DDMA.
• In districts where Zilla Parishad exits, the chairperson of that Zilla Parishad is the co-chairperson of the DDMA.
• The Chief Executive officer of DDMA, the chief medical officer of the district, and the superintendent of police in the district are the ex-officio members of the DDMA.
• The State government can appoint not more than two other district-level officers as members of the DDMA.
• The State government appoints the Chief Executive Officer of the DDMA.

Functions of the DDMA:

District Disaster Management Authority acts as the district planning, coordinating, and implementing body for disaster management. It takes all measures for disaster management in the district, following the guidelines laid down by the NDMA and SDMA. It performs the following functions:

• DDMA prepare the disaster management plan, including the district response plan.
• It coordinates and monitors the implementation of National Policy, State Policy, National Plan, State Plan, and District Plan.
• It ensures the identification of district areas vulnerable to disasters. It also ensures the measures for disaster prevention and mitigation of its effects are undertaken by the government departments at the district level and local authorities.
• DDMA organizes and coordinates the specialized training programs for different levels of officers, employees, and voluntary rescue workers in the district.
• It also facilitates community training & awareness programs for disaster management with the help of local authorities and governmental & non- governmental organizations.
• It set up, maintain, upgrade, and review the mechanism for early warning.
• It identifies the buildings and places to be used as relief centers or camps if there is any threatening disaster situation. It then makes arrangements for water supply and sanitation in such buildings or places.
• It performs such other functions as to assign by the State government or SDMA, or it seems necessary for the disaster management in the District.

State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF):

The State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), constituted under Section 48 (1) (a) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, is the primary fund available with State Governments for responses to notified disasters. The Central Government contributes 75% of SDRF allocation for general category States/UTs and 90% for special category States/UTs (NE States, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir). The annual Central contribution is released in two equal installments as per the recommendation of the Finance Commission. SDRF shall be used only for meeting the expenditure for providing immediate relief to the victims.

• The State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) is the major fund available to states for recovery operations following registered disasters, according to Section 48 (1) (a) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
• For general category States and UTs: 75% of SDRF allocation is contributed by the Central Government), and for special category States and UTs (NE States, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir): 90% is contributed by the Central Government.
• SDRF shall only be used to meet the costs of providing immediate relief to the victims by releasing the annual Central Contribution in two equal installments as recommended by the Finance Commission.
• Cyclones, drought, earthquake, fire, flood, tsunami, hailstorm, landslide, avalanche, cloudburst, pest assault, frost and cold waves are all covered by the SDRF.
• Local disaster: States may provide immediate relief to victims of natural disasters that local authorities consider “disasters” in their state by using up to 10% of the available funds under the SDRF and which are not on the Ministry of Home Affairs’ notified list of disasters, provided that the State Government has notified clear and transparent norms and guidelines with the approval of the state authority, i.e. the State Executive Authority (SEC).

State Government may use up to 10% of the funds available under SDRF for providing immediate relief to the victims of the natural disaster that day considered to be “Disaster” within the local contacts in the State and which is not included in the notified list of disaster of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) subject to the condition that the State Government has listed the State specific natural disaster and notified clear and transparent norms and guidelines for such disaster with the approval of the State authority i.e. State Executive Committee (SEC).

Disaster Response:

Disaster response entails restoring physical facilities, rehabilitation of affected population, restoration of lost livelihoods and reconstruction efforts to restore the infrastructure lost or damaged. The Response Phase focuses primarily on emergency relief: saving lives, providing first aid, restoring damaged systems (communications and transportation), meeting the basic life requirements of those impacted by disaster (food, water and shelter) and providing mental health and spiritual support and care.

Who are the first responders?

No matter how large or small, local communities are expected to provide immediate disaster response. On a daily basis, police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians are a community’s first responders, whether during fire, flood or acts of terrorism. Mental health professionals and the community’s hospitals may also be activated in those early minutes and hours after disaster.

Disaster management includes Prevention, Mitigation, Preparedness, Response and Recovery. Disaster management involves all levels of government. Non-governmental and community based organizations play a vital role in the process. Modern disaster management goes beyond post-disaster assistance. It now includes pre-disaster planning and preparedness activities, organizational planning, training, information management, public relations and many other fields. Crisis management is important, but is only a part of the responsibility of a disaster manager.

The traditional approach to disaster management has a number of phased sequences of action or a continuum. These can be represented as a disaster management cycle. We mainly focus on the way how the community should respond to disasters.

Public awareness for disaster risk reduction:

There are four key approaches to public awareness for disaster risk reduction: Campaigns, participatory learning, informal education, and formal schoolbased interventions

Formal school-based interventions: The focus of formal school-based interventions cover two areas: school disaster management and disaster risk reduction in school curricula. These are considered to be formal because accountability and responsibility for school safety and curricula belong exclusively to education authorities, so they require support for long-term planning and capacity building.

School disaster management: The primary goal of school disaster management are to ensure the safety of students and staff. Sustained school disaster management requires the familiar participatory and ongoing process of identification of hazards and risks, mitigation and reduction of risks, and developing response capacity.

A school disaster management plan, developed at the school level, should be the living document that expresses the awareness of public for disaster risk reduction.

Every school has to setup the following school disaster committees:

1. Coordination Committees
2. Awareness generation Team
3. Search Rescue and Evacuation Team
4. Site safety Team
5. First Aid Team
6. Warning and Information Team
7. Bus safety Team
8. Water / Food Arrangement Team.