Disaster and Risk Management

D-S Student

Lecturer: Solomon

____________________________________________________________________________

Disaster and Risk Management

D-S Student

Lecturer: Solomon

disasters

Manmade disasters arise out of conflicts that can force people to seek refuge in other countries or in other areas within the country. Conflict related disasters begin when victims of violence are no longer able to ensure not only their livelihood but also their very survival. The wide spread displacement of communities in northern and eastern Uganda is evidence of the presence of human caused disasters in our midst. Additional categories of disasters include technological and ecological disasters. 111. Technological disasters: these disasters are as a result of breakdown of modern industrial and technological systems. E.g. a breakdown of a poisonous gas plant can lead to a serious of life destruction. Iv. Ecological disasters: can arise out of well intentioned development programmes. Ecological disaster agents are sometimes created by modern farming techniques such as revering the flow of rivers and by the release of a wide variety of chemical waste into the atmosphere. Areas and river. E.g. the creation of the akosombo dam on the Volta valley in Ghana.

A combination of different disasters can be referred to as complex disaster. A complex disaster is one where a disaster agent exposes vulnerabilities which open the way for the impact of other disaster agents. For example a prolonged drought can trigger by armed conflict. The reality here is that a natural disaster agent exposes the vulnerability of communities, and the very incapability of their governments to respond to such disaster to minimize their impact. as the inability of governments to support communities became clearer, their authority and legitimacy become questionable , eventually leading to armed conflict and wide spread displacement .

Chapter 11 Disaster and their impact

Floods
Floods have been described in different ways. Generally, floods refer to the covering of an area which is normally dry with water; it occurs when water flows or rises above and beyond its place. More precisely, floods are defined as too much water in a wrong place.

Disaster and Risk Management

D-S Student

Lecturer: Solomon

Floods are caused not only by rain, but also by human actions such as farming, deforestation,( overgrazing , bush burning ), and urbanization. These actions increase the runoff from rains that caused the flood disaster.

Disaster condition of floods is created by a number of factors, including Human settlement in low lands that are prune to floods. Poor watershed management Failures to control the flooding that eventually leads to the destruction and suffering of victims. Flood as a disaster A flood is a disaster. For floods kill by destroying human lives, houses, crops, infrastructures such as communication lines , roads and bridges , electricity lines , etc. They wash away farmlands and irrigation systems, thus leading to food shortage, famine and death.

Some flood control measures Reducing concentration of runoff by maintaining vegetation cover in low lands or water catchment areas through e.g. a forestation o o o o o o Creating storage basins or reservoirs that can hold surplus water Building barrages to hold water until it can be directed down stream Constructing diversion channels to lakes and seas Dredging and deepening river valleys or channels to facilitate accommodation of increased volume of water during rainy seasons Encouraging multi-purpose water projects for the production of HEP and irrigation. Public education on floods their frequency and impacts to reduce the effects on community. ( adopted from UNICEF news on victims of natural disasters,109,19887)

Droughts Droughts are generally understood as a condition of dryness and lack of water; it has been described as the lack of water for the normal needs of agriculture, livestock, industry or human population. Droughts condition have continued to persist in the Sahel region, south of the sahara in sudan , Ethiopia , Somalia and Eritrea ; they are a part of the annual events in the semi-arid lands of northern Uganda , particularly in the karamoja region. Drought condition result from climatic changes and these changes are caused by human actions such as deforestation for timber, fuel, farm land; overgrazing or cultivation encroachment on wetlands; and bush

Disaster and Risk Management

D-S Student

Lecturer: Solomon

burning. Droughts have long been recognized as major cause of human suffering and death; they cause malnutrition, famine, poverty, displacement and often death of plants, animals and persons.

Measures to mitigate droughts Mitigating the effects of droughts require; Increasing the supply or water to the affected areas through construction of boreholes, water reservoirs such as valley dams and water tanks, and water pipelines. Irrigating the areas to increase on the crop production and availability of foods Introducing droughts resistant crops and fast yielding crop varieties to increase on food security. Tree planting to afforest ate the areas so as to increase on rain formation Adoption of relevant laws and policies to check on environmental abuses

Earthquakes Earthquakes involve ground shaking and surface faulting caused by the movement of earth plates. As the plates move relative to one another, stresses form and accumulate until a fracture of abrupt slippage occurs. The sudden release of stress is called an earthquake. The stresses are released at the focus that is the point where mechanical waves are radiated in all directions causing vibrations at the earths surfaces. It is such violent motions that damage building structure and tier apart lands, thus leading to the great loss of human lives and property. Other effects of earthquakes Often earthquakes cause landslides or the collapse of unstable hillsides that can bury or cover or sweep away areas of human settlement. Moreover, damage on electrical and gas lines can cause fire outbreak which can lead to greater deaths. Responding to earthquake Impact and needs assessment survey Search and rescue of victims Medical treatment of injured victims Evacuation and resettlement in safer areas Rehabilitation and reconstruction of housing , public buildings, roads ,etc In the long term, however , response to earthquakes requires construction of earthquake resistant buildings, proper planning of human settlement to avoid risky area, and dealing with the socio- economic roots of property.

Wars and conflicts

Disaster and Risk Management

D-S Student

Lecturer: Solomon

o o

These are human made disasters whose principal cause is violent human disagreement; they may be with in communities or states, and between communities or states, often leading to complex emergencies What is clear in all wars is the reality of great loss of human life, property , human displacement, destruction of the environment , and the trauma that goes with all these effects. For wars injure, kill, displace people in thousands from their homes , destroy property and the environment

The causes of wars The causes of wars are diverse, but include the following: Political persecution and denial of fundamental human rights of citizens by the political leadership. Tribalism or ethnic discrimination of minority groups by the majority leading to massacres as it was Rwanda in 1994 and is the case now Burundi. Racial and religious discrimination from political and economic participation within the same state as is the case with the Sudan. Search for economic opportunities especially raw materials like minerals and timber, and an expanded market. This is evident in the 1997 war in Congo-Zaire. People are discontent due to failures by governments in power to respond to peoples needs for improved standards of living or to a natural disaster like to drought and famine.

War displacement Each time there is a war or armed conflict , people are uprooted from their homes and communities. the crises of IDP and refugees are a disaster and must be described as so because of the great suffering which such conditions bring to humanity , Often these displacement s are accompanied by lack of adequate food, shelter , clothing , medical care social psychological and physical insecurity and high death tares . Although the provision of emergency relief and security are essential responses to war victims, investigating in conflict prevention mechanisms, peaceful conflict resolution and encouraging voluntary repatriation and reintegration are the much needed response to our world torn by violence and armed conflict

EFFECTS OF DISASTE RS Environmental Medical Economic

Disaster and Risk Management

D-S Student

Lecturer: Solomon

Environmental effects Environmental effects of major natural hazards TYPES OF HAZARDS FLOODS EFFECTS Inundation and soil erosion CONSEQUENCES Damage human self laments Destroy crops , buildings etc May change course of rivers or streams Deposit silt down stream Reduce surface water severe crop and animal losses Food shortage leading to hunger and malnutrition and Human displacement Destroy or damage building dams underground tunnels Break utility lines leading to risk Causes fires Force evacuation displacement Destroy or damage , houses bridges , roads and electric lines and also volcano eruption it may cause displacements and evacuations

DROUGHTS

Reduce cloud cover Increase dynamic but reduce night time temperature Increase dust sandstorms Ground shaking or tremor Ground rupture and faulting cause landslides

EARTHQUAKE

VOLCANO ERUPTION

Emus tone and flow of hot lave Bombs ( erupted rock materials ) Ash flows

Medical effects Disasters affect people medically by causing 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Traumatic injures (the physical Shockly worried) Emotional stress a great strong worries feelings which caused a difficult situation Epidemic diseases is the appearance of a particular disease in a large number of people at the same Flammable describes something that burns easily Inflammable describes something that burns very easily a highly inflammable liquid such as petrol Other indigenous diseases: are diseases which are naturally exists in a place or inside a country

Disaster and Risk Management

D-S Student

Lecturer: Solomon

There are numbers of communicable diseases that follow disasters including: Water or food borne diseases Contact diseases Respiratory diseases and Vector borne diseases

Vector borne disease is an insect or animal which carries a disease from one animal or plant to another Which causing micro-organisms Example: Mosquitoes are the vectors of malaria Some of the most common diseases are Cholera Typhoid Scabies (Skin disease) Malaria HIV/AIDS measles infectious hepatitis =(liver disease) whooping cough

Measures to prevent medical effects A) Public health education B) Reducing congestion C) Mass immunization it could be:

Disaster and Risk Management

D-S Student

Lecturer: Solomon

Disease surveillance : the careful watching of a person or place Provision of safe water and clean Early treatment of identified diseases

Economic effects Disasters disturb economic activities by Displacing people from their jobs or work areas Diversion of economic resources like money and farm land to disaster management activities Destroying management the infrastructure needed for economic activities like roads , bridges railways markets irrigation systems and etc The impacts of disasters on economies are thus clear in terms of Disruption of markets and destruction of asset bases Lack of long term planning and investment Increased vulnerability of the economically marginalised group Economic dependency on humanitarian goods

Social and political effects Disasters brings to the force social and political disparities in the community and expose the inability of many government to deal not only with the disaster situation but also with very roots vulnerability: poverty , disease and ignorance as disaster makes it very evident that the poor are vulnerable because they are poor, and this can lead to profound political and social changes within a society Disasters are a major cause of social instability and family disunity. For disasters divide families as a result of displacement and sometimes due to a great loss of resources that leads to stress

Administrative and managerial effects Disasters affect communities administratively and managerially by: The losses of community leadership due to death or displacement

Disaster and Risk Management

D-S Student

Lecturer: Solomon

Disruption of formal organizations such as community based organizations leading not only to break down authority , but also the rise of informal groups to deal with the immediate problems of disasters

Damage to critical facilities such as water and sewage facilities , communication facilities , medical facilities and other similar facilities that are essential for safety and survival and for effective response to disasters

Increase in demand for disaster managers and other professionals to manage the disaster , thus increasing administrative costs

Victims of Disasters Disaster agents are only disasters when their actions (hazards) affect people and their environment and cause loss of human life and property. The impact of disaster can be felt directly or indirectly by person within or outside the community. But the more vulnerable members of the affected community including Women Children Person with disabilities Elderly persons and Finally , the poor people

These, in fact, are the most marginalised and often the poorest of the poor Victims can also be classified into three namely:
1- Primary victims : those who are directly affected By a disaster 2- Secondary victims : indirectly effected by a disaster 3Tertiary victims : indirectly effected

Disaster and Risk Management

D-S Student

Lecturer: Solomon

Disaster and Risk Management

D-S Student

Lecturer: Solomon

Disaster and Risk Management

D-S Student

Lecturer: Solomon