Disasters-Natural and Man-made

• Define disasters


  Disasters are sudden destructive events that cause loss of lives and property
• Long term impacts of disasters

  Socio economic conditions

  Environment
• Define natural disasters

  Natural disasters are those catast events which are caused by the nature or the natural processes of the Earth
• Define human made disasters

  Disasters which occur due to human negligence, error or intent
• Natural hazards


  It is an occcurence that is not so frequent but still dangerous due to its life threatening consequences
• the level of destruction caused by a natural hazard varies in ______and _______

  Nature and Intensity
• Define Earthquakes


  The vibrations or shaking of a part of the Earth’s surface due to sudden movements under its crust
• Define focus

  The point of origin of the Earthquake
• Epicentre


  The point on the Earth’s surface just above the focus
• What expriences the maximum impact of an earthquake

  Epicentre
• 3 disasters which occur because of earthquakes

  Tsunamis

  Floods

  Landslides
• define Volcano

  An opening or a vent in the earth’s surface through which lava, gases and ash erupt
• State three types of volcanoes

  Active

  dormant

  extinct
• Volcanic Eruption


  When stress builds up in the magma beneath the Earth’s crust, it forces its way to the surface through the vent. This phenomenon is called volcanic eruption
• What are the aftermaths of a volcano

  Spreading of lava over large areas - burning of farmlands, forests, residential areas and transport lines

  Ash and steam - Air pollution and health hazards

  Air traffic - aerial animals may loose their lives
• When do floods occur?

  When rivers overflow their banks due to heavy rainfall and submerge the nearby areas, floods occur
• In which main season do floods occur?

  Rainy
• When and where floods occur in India

  In India, floods occur during the monsoon Season

  Ganga plains, Brahmaputra basin in Assam and deltas of Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri experience frequent floods
• Causes of floods

  Excessive rainfall

  melting of glaciers due to global warming

  Silting of river beds and blocking of river channels due to landslides also result in floods
• Results of floods

  Renders people homeless

  affects agriculture- crops are washed away by strong water currents

  Loss of livestock

  Shortage of food and safe drinking water

  flood areas are cut off from other areas due to submorgence of roads and railways

  water borne diseases
• What is wildfire?

  it is an uncontrolled fire in the area of vegetation which quickly catches fire
• Causes of wildfire

  High temperatures

  droughts

  natural lightning
• Causes of fire

  Electrical short circuit

  fuel leakage

  fireworks
• Example of wildfire


  Numerous cases of wildlife in Uttarakhand in 2016
• Example of fire


  Uphaar fire tragedy, on 13th June 1997 in Uphaar Cinema(Delhi) caused due to a short circuit
• Causes of nuclear disasters

  Occurs as an effect of nuclear or atom bombs or any other supplies of mass destruction
• Results of of nuclear disasters

  Breakdown of social, political and economic conditions of that region

  Risk of accidental exposure to harmful radiation from several nuclear reactors
• When anr where did the Chernobyl Nuclear disaster take place?

  On 26th April 1986

  130 km north of Kyiv, Ukraine
• What happened to the humans living in Ukraine after the disaster?

  2500 people died

  3.5 million were affected and

  4,00,000 people were displaced in Ukraine alone
• Result of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster

  Affected the regional economy and environment of the country

  the radiations released were 200 times that of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs combined

  Affected human growth and caused cancer
• Causes of chemical disasters

  Industrial accidents - failure of safety systems

  misuse of chemical substances- destructive purposes

  natural factors

  explosion, fire, relese of toxic substances and poisoning
• When did Bhopal Gas tragedy occur

  3rd December 1984
• In the BGT which gas was leaked? In which factory

  A poisonous gas MIC (methyl isocyanate)

  Union Carbide Factory
• How many people were affected due to BGT?

  More than 3,00,000
• Define disaster management

  Disaster management, includes those activities which are designed to control disasters and help people to avoid, reduce the effect of or recover from a disaster
• What are the different phases of disaster management

  response and relief

  rehabilitation and reconstruction

  mitigation

  prearedness
• How can the worst effects of a disaster be prevented?

  Preparedness

  Early warning signs

  Quick responses
• Explain the importance of disaster management teams

  Avert a disaster

  organise quick rescue and relief operations

  conduct rehabilitation programmes
• Explain the role of government in disaster management plans

  Disaster management teams are organised at district, state and national levels

  it is government’s responsibility to organise disaster management plans and their proper implementation

  basic responsibility lies with the state government in case of a severe disaster the central government provides financial and logistic support
• Role at National level for disaster management

  Ministry of Home Affairs - coordinating all disaster management related activities for all disasters except drought

  National crisis management committee- looking after the measures required for dealing with natural disasters