DEFINITION OF DISASTER Disaster is a crisis situation that far exceeds the capabilities. - Quarentelly, 1985.

Disaster is defined as a crisis situation causing wide spread damage which far exceeds our ability to recover. Thus, by definition, there cannot be a perfect ideal system that prevents damage, because then it would not be a disaster. It has to suffocate our ability to recover. Only then it can be called as disaster. Disasters are not totally discrete events. Their possibility of occurrence, time, place and severity of the strike can be reasonably and in some cases accurately predicted by technological and scientific advances. It has been established there is a definite pattern in their occurrences and hence we can to some extent reduce the impact of damage though we cannot reduce the extent of damage itself. This demands the study of disaster management in methodical and orderly approach. DISASTER MANAGEMENT CYCLE Disaster management cycle includes the following stages/ phases 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Disaster phase Response phase Recovery/ Rehabilitation phase Risk Reduction/ Mitigation phase Preparedness phase

Disaster phase The phase during which the event of the disaster takes place. This phase is characterized by profound damage to the human society. This damage / loss may be that of human life, loss of property, loss of environment, loss of health or anything else. In this phase, the population is taken by profound shock. Response phase This is the period that immediately follows the occurrence of the disaster. In a way, all individuals respond to the disaster, but in their own ways. The ambulances and medical personnel arrive, remove the injured for transportation to medical camps or hospitals and provide first aid and life support. The public also take part in relief work. One can even find injured victims help other injured ones. Almost everyone is willing to help. The needs of the population during this phase are immediate medical help, food roti, clothing kapda and shelter clothing. Recovery phase When the immediate needs of the population are met, when all medical help has arrived and people have settled from the hustle bustle of the event, they begin to enter the next phase, the recovery phase which is the most significant, in terms of long term outcome. It is during this time that the victims actually realize the impact of disaster. It is now that they perceive the meaning of the loss that they have suffered. They are often housed in a camp or in some place which is often not their house, along with other victims. During this time, they need intensive mental support so as to facilitate recovery. When the victims have recovered from the trauma both physically and mentally, they realize the need to return back to normal routine. That is, to pre-disaster life. During this phase, they need resources and facilities so as to enable them to return back to their own homes, pursue their occupation, so that they can sustain their life on their own, as the help from the government and other non governmental organizations is bound to taper in due course. Thus, they are provided with a whole new environment, adequate enough to pursue a normal or at least near normal life. This is called Rehabilitation. Risk reduction phase During this phase, the population has returned to predisaster standards of living. But, they recognize the need for certain measures which may be needed to reduce the extent or impact of damage during the next similar disaster. For example, after an earthquake which caused a lot of damages to improperly built houses, the population begins to rebuild stronger houses and buildings that give away less easily to earthquakes. Or, in the case of tsunami, to avoid housings very close to the shore and the development of a green belt- a thick stretch of trees adjacent to the coast line in order to reduce the impact of the tsunami waves on the land. This process of making the impact less severe is called Mitigation. Preparedness phase This phase involves the development of awareness among the population on the general aspects of disaster and on how to behave in the face of a future disaster. This includes education on warning signs of disasters, methods of safe and successful evacuation and first aid measures. It is worth to note that the time period for each phase may depend on the type and

severity of the disaster. TYPES OF DISASTER Disasters are mainly of 2 types, 1. 2. Natural disasters. Example earthquakes, floods, landslides, etc. Man made disasters. Example war, bomb blasts, chemical leaks, etc.

The phases of all disasters, be it natural or man made, are the same. The disasters often differ in quantity of damage caused or in quality of the type of medical consequences. For example earthquakes cause a lot of physical injury and fractures, floods cause drowning deaths and infections, chemical leaks cause toxic manifestations, etc. VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS Almost everyone in the population is affected by a disaster. No one is untouched by it. Those who suffer damage are called victims. The victims may die or live. Those who manage to live are called survivors. These survivors can be classified as, 1. Primary survivor One who is exposed to the disaster first-hand and then survives. They are called survivor victims. 2. Secondary survivor One who grieves the loss of primary victims. Example, a mother who lost her child, or a man who lost his friend. 3. Third level survivor The rescue and relief personnel. These people are also affected due to the disaster as they are at the site of disaster and undergo almost the same mental trauma as the other victims. 4. Fourth level survivor Reporters, Government personnel, traders, etc. 5. Fifth level survivor People who read about or see the event in media reports. THE SECOND DISASTER The actual disaster results in a lot of damage to the population in terms of loss of life and property. This direct result can be dubbed as the first disaster. The impact of the first disaster sends another wave of damage triggered by chain of events relating to the first disaster by means of cause-and-effect, resulting in indirect damage to people remote from the original disaster. This can be called the second disaster. For example, tsunami had caused loss in terms of life, damage to houses, etc. This is the first disaster. This leads to disruption in the trade of fishing industries, which suffers massive financial losses. The losses suffered by these industries results in lower wages and salaries to those involved in the fishing business. These people cannot repay their loans, resulting in losses to money lenders, and so on. Such events can also result in higher incidences of heart attacks, strokes, suicides and homicides. This is called second disaster and can be in greater magnitude than the first disaster. Proper rehabilitation and care of

the victims of first disaster can break the chain of events leading to the second disaster. PECULIARITIES OF TSUNAMI There are few ways in which tsunami differs from other disasters, 1. Time duration of the attack was very small. The entire attack took place in a matter of a few minutes. 2. Extent of damage was very large, grossly disproportionate to the duration of attack. Extensive damage took place in a matter of few minutes, which took the people by surprise and awe. Everything seemed to be normal.. all of a sudden water flows in.. Boom! Everything seems different. There was no time for people to adapt to the disaster. 3. The victims are either alive and healthy or simply dead. There was very less physical injury and hence there was no great need for medical facilities, unlike other disasters. 4. There have been no precedents of this type. People have not even heard of this type of a disaster. 5. There were no outbreaks of any infections, which are common in floods. This point is of note because in floods, it is freshwater a good culture medium for organisms. And, when water stagnates, organisms flourish even more. But, in tsunami, it was seawater which is hypertonic saline which is unfavorable for microorganisms. Moreover, there was no stagnation as the water receded back completely. REFERENCES 1. Disasters and Mental Health ; Appendix Statement by the World Psychiatric Association on Mental Health Implications of Disasters (approved by General Assembly on August 26, 2002) Juan J, George C, Mario M, Norman S, Ahmed O World Psychiatric Association (also visit www.wiley.com)