Disaster

The term disaster is defined in different ways. For example: Sudden or great misfortune, calamity (Concise Oxford Dictionary). A sudden calamitous event producing great material damage, loss and distress (Websters Dictionary).

DISASTER
a serious disruption of the functioning of a society, causing widespread human, material or environmental losses which exceed the ability of the affected society to cope using only its own resources. A disaster is an event that is concentrated in space and time and that subject a society to severe danger and such serious losses of human life or such major material damage that the local social structure breaks down and the society is unable to perform any or some of its key functions. (United Nations)

An event natural or man-made, sudden or progressive, which impacts with such severity that the affected community has to respond by taking exceptional measures (Disaster Management, A Disaster Managers Handbook, Asian Development Bank, Manila).
An event associated with the impact of a natural hazard, which leads to increased mortality, illness and/or injury, and destroys or disrupts livelihoods, affecting the people or an area such that they perceive it as being exceptional and requiring external assistance for recovery (Cannon 1994).

An event, natural or man-made, sudden or progressive, which impacts with such severity that the affected community has to respond by taking exceptional measures (Carter 1991).

Calamity beyond the coping capacity of the effected population, triggered by natural or technological hazards or by human action (D&E Reference Center 1998). A Condition or situation of significant destruction, disruption and/or distress to a community. (Salter 1997-98).
A disaster occurs when a disruption reaches such proportions that there are injuries, deaths, or property damage, and when a disruption affects many or all of the community's essential functions, such as water supply, electrical power, roads, and hospitals. Also, people affected by a disaster may need assistance to alleviate their suffering. (Simeon Institute).

An

event, natural or man-made, sudden or progressive, that seriously disrupts the functioning of a society, causing human, material, or environmental losses of such severity that the affected community has to respond by taking exceptional measures. The disruption, (including essential services and means of livelihood) is on a scale that exceeds the ability of the affected society to cope with using only its own resources.

WHAT IS A DISASTER?
DISASTER is an event which is -generally unpredictable, -happens instantly or without giving enough time to react -affecting a large number of people,

-disrupting normal life and leading to a large scale devastation in terms of loss of life and property
-always finding the administration and affected people struggling to respond in the desired manner and -leaving deep socio-psychological, political and economic after effects which persist for a long time to come.

CLASSIFICATION OF DISASTERS
Natural, Man-made & Human-induced
Disasters

occur in varied forms Some are predictable in advance Some are annual or seasonal Some are sudden and unpredictable leading to a Disaster Meteorological, Geological, Ecological or Environmental, Technological Etc.

Factors

NATURAL DISASTERS

Floods Earthquakes Cyclones Droughts Landslides, Pest Attacks, Forest Fires, Avalanches etc

TIME DURATION OF NATURAL DISASTERS

Earthquakes -> Scnds/minutes Cyclones -> Days Floods -> Days Droughts -> Months

DISASTER MANAGEMENT CYCLE

Emergency Response

Disaster

Preparedness

Response/Relief

Prevention/ Mitigation

Rehabilitation

Reconstruction
Pre-disaster: risk reduction Post-disaster: recovery

DISASTER MANAGEMENT
Disaster management includes all aspects of planning of and responding to disasters. It refers to the management of both the risks and the consequences of disasters, and includes both:
Prevention and preparedness measures taken in disaster-prone areas in anticipation of the known hazards often referred to as pre-disaster and long-term rehabilitation (sometimes referred to as reconstruction).

DISASTER MANAGEMENT CONTINUUM

DISASTER MANAGEMENT

MITIGATION

RESPONSE

LONG TERM MEASURES

Risk Analysis

Prevention Structural Measures Non-Structural Measures

Preparedness
Warning and Evacuation

Rescue

Rehab Reconstruct. & Recovery

Vulnerability Analysis Hazard Assessment Risk Assessment

Relief
Note

Planning of Disaster Response

Being done efficiently Needs better Planning No Substantial Work done so far

What is a hazard? What is a disaster? How are they different?

UN Photo: Aftermath of tsunami in the Indian Ocean, 2004

UN Photo: Tropical Storm Jeanne floods Haiti, 2004

What is a natural hazard vs a disaster?

A natural hazard is a natural phenomenon that can potentially trigger a disaster Examples include earthquakes, mud-slides, floods, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, drought These physical events need not necessarily result in disaster A disaster is a serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society involving widespread human, material, economic or environmental losses and impacts, exceeding the ability of the community to cope using own resources

HAZARD
A dangerous condition or events that threaten or have the potential for causing injury to life or damage to property or the environment. Hazards are basically grouped in two broad headings: Natural Hazards (hazards with meteorological, geological or biological origin) Unnatural Hazards (hazards with human-caused or technological origin) Natural phenomena are extreme climatological, hydrological, or geological, processes. A massive earthquake in an unpopulated area, is a natural phenomenon, not a hazard. But when these natural phenomena interact with the man made habitat, they may cause wide spread damage. Then, they become hazard

VULNERABILITY
Vulnerability is defined as "The extent to which a community, structure, service, 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. Physical vulnerability weak buildings, bridges, service lines, lifeline structures, production units etc. Social & Economic vulnerability Human losses in disasters in developing countries are seen to be higher when compared to developed countries.

What is risk?
The product of hazards over which we have no control. It combines: the likelihood or probability of a disaster happening the negative effects that result if the disaster happens these are increased by vulnerabilities (characteristics/circumstances that make one susceptible to damaging effects of a hazard) and decreased by capacities (combination of strengths, attitudes and resources)

RISK
Risk is a measure of the expected losses (deaths, injuries, property, economic activity etc) due to a hazard of a particular magnitude or Intensity occurring in a given area over a specific time period.

Exposure: the value and importance of the various types of structures and lifeline systems (such as water-supply, communication network, transportation network etc in the community serving the population)

HAZARD VULNERABILITYRISK DISASTER

Terminology
Prevention: outright avoidance of the adverse affects of hazards / disasters Mitigation: the process of lessoning or limiting the adverse affects of hazards / disasters Preparedness: knowledge and capacities to effectively anticipate, respond to and recover from impacts of likely hazard Risk Reduction: practice of reducing risks through systematic efforts to analyze and manage the causal factors of disasters, including through reduced exposure, lessened vulnerability, improved preparedness Response: provision of emergency services to save lives, meet needs

NATURAL DISASTERS LESSONS LEARNT

1. 2. 3. Mitigation Systems Require Manifold Improvement & should be Technology Driven. Weakness in Early Warning Systems and Dissemination of Information to Far Flung Areas. Decision to Provide Aid :(a) Slow because of Procedures. (b) Request from States/provinces not backed by Proper Assessment. Local Institutions Not Geared to Guide & Receive Aid. Disaster Response Resources at State/province Level Very Inadequate.

4. 5.

NATURAL DISASTERS LESSONS LEARNT

6. 7. 8.
9.

Non Availability of Specialist Equipment, (Including Mobile Field Hospitals). Assistance from NGOs NOT Coordinated & Optimised. People - Principal Actors -- Focused Public Awareness Campaign a Must. Post Disaster Relief & Reconstruction - Lot of GAPS. Positive Lesson -- Role of the Armed Forces

10.

Appropriate disaster prevention, mitigation, preparedness and response builds on peoples capacities and tackles the causes of vulnerability

For Development to be Sustainable, Disaster Mitigation Must be Built Into

The Planning Process

EVERY DISASTER

MUST BE TREATED
AS AN OPPORTUNITY

TO BUILD BACK BETTER

STRATEGY FOR DISASTER MANAGEMENT

STRATEGIES FOR DISASTER MANAGEMENT

1. Change of Focus from Relief Centric to Holistic Approach.

2. Mainstreaming Disaster Management into all National Developmental Programmes.

3. Empowerment of the Community to face the Disaster. 4. Emphasis on Training, Development of Human Capital and Capacity Building. 5. Key Role of Educational and Professional Institutions for Mass Education and Awareness. 6. Upgradation of the Key Responders.

STRATEGIES FOR DISASTER MANAGEMENT

7. Supporting and Enabling Mechanisms for the Districts and Provinces.

8. Failsafe Early Warning & Communication Systems.

9. Coordinated, Timely and Effective Response. 10. Involvement of NGOs & Corporate Sectors. 11. Time Bound Action Plan for Earthquakes, Floods & Cyclones.

12. Pro-active Participation at the Regional and International Level.