Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapeeth, Pune

Disaster Management - BBA Semester III

UNIT-I Introduction to disaster Management & Preparedness

· Introduction:
A library or archives disaster is an unexpected event which puts collections at risk. No institution
can be excluded from or is immune to the possibility. Disaster planning is a matter of basic
security for libraries and archives, their staff and their collections. It is considered to be an
essential part of any preservation program to be implemented by any kind of library or archives.
A formal written plan enables an institution to respond efficiently and quickly to an emergency,
and to minimize damage to the building and its contents.

· Principal Causes of Disasters – Natural Disasters:

 Rain and wind storms
 Floods
 Biological agents (micro-organisms, insect or vermin infestation)
 Earthquakes
 Volcanic eruptions – Man-Made Disasters
 Acts of war and terrorism • Fires
 Water (broken pipes, leaking roofs, blocked drains, fire extinguishing)
 Explosions
 Liquid chemical spills
 Building deficiencies (structure, design, environment, maintenance)
 Power failures Natural disasters cannot be prevented, but measures can be taken to
eliminate or reduce the possibility of trouble. Regardless of the many forms a disaster
may take, the actual damage to collections is usually caused by fire or water. Even when
they are not the initial factor, fires and floods almost invariably occur as secondary
causes of library and archives disasters.

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· Some Major Effects of Disasters
Fire:

Books burn fairly slowly. Paper chars and crumbles when handled. Smoke and soot discolor
books not otherwise affected. Microforms and audio-visual materials can be completely
destroyed or damaged beyond repair.

Water:

Paper absorbs water at different rates depending on the age, condition and composition of the
material. Generally speaking, books and manuscripts dated earlier than 1840 absorb water to an
average of 80 % of their original weight. Modern books, other than those made of the most
brittle paper, absorb to an average of 60 % of their original weight. Leather and parchment warp,
wrinkle or shrink. The damage done to book covers may be irreparable. Water can cause
gelatinization on parchment. After floods, mould rapidly begins to form in damp conditions.
Audio-visual materials, photographs, microforms, magnetic media and other disks, are also
vulnerable to water, and the damage depends on the type of the material, the length of exposure
to water, its temperature, etc.

Earthquakes:

Shelving may collapse and the contents be thrown on to the floor. Few books can withstand such
treatment. Fire and water damage often result from seismic activity. Biological Agents Materials
may be eaten, soiled, stained and shredded.

· Prevention:
 Identify and minimize the risks posed by the building, its equipment and fittings, and the
natural hazards of the area.
 Carry out a building inspection and alter factors which constitute a potential hazard.
 Establish routine housekeeping and maintenance measures to withstand disaster in
buildings and surrounding areas.
 Install automatic fire detection and extinguishing systems, and water-sensing alarms.
 Take special precautions during unusual periods of increased risk, such as building
renovation.
 Make special arrangements to ensure the safety of library or archival material when
exhibited.
 Provide security copies of vital records such as collection inventories, and store these off-
site.
 Protect computers and data through provision of uninterrupted power supply.
 Have comprehensive insurance for the library or archives, its contents, the cost of salvage
operations, and potential replacement, re-binding and restoration of damaged materials.

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Preparedness:
Getting ready to cope:

 Develop a written preparedness, response and recovery plan.

 Keep the plan up-to-date, and test it.
 Keep together supplies and equipment required in a disaster and maintain them.
 Establish and train an in-house disaster response team. Training in : − disaster response
techniques, − identification and marking on floor-plans and enclosures of irreplaceable
and important material for priority salvage.
 Prepare and keep an up-to-date set of documentation including:

− Building floor-plans, with locations of cut-off switches and valves.

− Inventory of holdings, with priorities for salvage marked on floor-plans.

− List of names, addresses, and home telephone numbers of personnel with emergency
responsibilities. − List of names, addresses, and home telephone numbers of the in-house disaster
response team.

− List of names, addresses and home telephone numbers of trained conservators with experience
in salvaging water-damaged materials, resource organizations, and other facilities able to offer
support in the event of a disaster.

− List of disaster control services, in-house supplies and equipment, and in any central store,
including locations and names of contacts with home telephone numbers.

− List of suppliers of services and sources of additional equipment and supplies, including names
of contacts and home telephone numbers.

− Arrangements made to access freezing facilities.

− Arrangements for funding emergency needs.

− Copies of insurance policies.

− Salvage procedures.

· Response:
When disaster strikes:

 Follow established emergency procedures for raising the alarm, evacuating personnel and
making the disaster site safe

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  Contact the leader of the disaster response team to direct and brief the trained salvage
personnel
 When permission is given to re-enter the site, make a preliminary assessment of the
extent of the damage, and the equipment, supplies and services required.
 Stabilize the environment to prevent the growth of mould.
 Photograph damaged materials for insurance claim purposes.
 Set up an area for recording and packing material which requires freezing, and an area for
air-drying slightly wet material and other minor treatment.
 Transport water-damaged items to the nearest available freezing facility.
 Distribute the plan and documentation to appropriate locations on- and off-site.
 Institute procedures to notify appropriate people of the disaster and assemble them
rapidly.

· Disaster Preparedness: Concept & Nature :

The concept of disaster preparedness encompasses measures aimed at enhancing life safety when
a disaster occurs, such as protective actions during an earthquake, hazardous materials spill, or
terrorist attack. It also includes actions designed to enhance the ability to undertake emergency
actions in order to protect property and contain disaster damage and disruption, as well as the
ability to engage in post-disaster restoration and early recovery activities. Preparedness is
commonly viewed as consisting of activities aimed at improving response activities and coping
capabilities. However, emphasis is increasingly being placed on recovery preparedness—that is,
on planning not only in order to respond effectively during and immediately after disasters but
also in order to successfully navigate challenges associated with short- and longer-term recovery.
The Capability Assessment for Readiness (CAR), which was developed by FEMA and the
National Emergency Management Association (NEMA) identifies thirteen elements that should
be addresses by states in their preparedness efforts. Those elements are:

 Laws and Authorities

 Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment
 Hazard Mitigation
 Resource Management
 Direction, Control, and Coordination
 Communications and Warning
 Operations and Procedures
 Logistics and Facilities
 Training
 Exercises, Evaluations, and Corrective Actions
 Crisis Communications, Public Education, and Information
 Finance and Administration

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· Disaster Preparedness Plan :
It is important to make sure that the entire family is prepared and informed in the event of a
disaster or emergency. You may not always be together when these events take place and should
have plans for making sure you are able to contact and find one another.

The American Red Cross suggests some basic steps to make sure you remain safe:
 Meet with your family or household members.
 Discuss how to prepare and respond to emergencies that are most likely to happen where
you live, learn, work and play.
 Identify responsibilities for each member of your household and plan to work together as
a team.
 If a family member is in the military, plan how you would respond if they were deployed.

Plan what to do in case you are separated during an emergency

 Choose two places to meet:
̶ Right outside your home in case of a sudden emergency, such as a fire

̶ Outside your neighborhood, in case you cannot return home or are asked to evacuate

 Choose an out-of-area emergency contact person. It may be easier to text or call long
distance if local phone lines are overloaded or out of service. Everyone should have
emergency contact information in writing or saved on their cell phones.

Plan what to do if you have to evacuate

 Decide where you would go and what route you would take to get there.
 You may choose to go to a hotel/motel, stay with friends or relatives in a safe location or
go to an evacuation shelter if necessary.
 Practice evacuating your home twice a year.
 Drive your planned evacuation route and plot alternate routes on your map in case roads
are impassable.
 Plan ahead for your pets. Keep a phone list of pet-friendly hotels/motels and animal
shelters that are along your evacuation routes.

· Disaster Preparedness for Infrastructure:

Disaster preparedness has become an increasingly important issue for local jurisdictions.
Entrusted with mitigating the effects of disasters, local jurisdictions regard a quick response and
effective recovery a paramount goal of disaster planning. For local jurisdictions, the concept of
resiliency should be an integral part of disaster preparedness. Resiliency emphasizes the capacity
of infrastructure, operations, and even social systems to respond to and recover from extreme

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events. Resilient systems reduce the probabilities of failure, the consequences of failure (such as
deaths and injuries, physical damage, and negative economic and social effects), and the time for
recovery. A resiliency-based approach is not reactionary to the effects of a disaster, but
establishes parameters to contain the effects and because of this, a jurisdiction can measure its
resiliency by how quickly it can rebound.

Traditional disaster preparedness emphasizes reacting to a disaster to effectively minimize losses

rather than establishing a capital program to invest in assets that can better withstand and recover
from extreme events. A growing sentiment within local jurisdictions recognizes that reactive
policies may not be enough. Instituting a resiliency-based approach to capital planning can help
sustain local services and assure that local jurisdictions remain functional or recover more
rapidly following a disaster.

Building resiliency into the capital planning process includes setting appropriate parameters for
new construction and the continued maintenance of key assets and infrastructure in order to
strengthen a community’s ability to withstand and respond to a disaster. Examples of resiliency
in capital projects may include: engineering a new fire station to withstand a category 5
hurricane, designing a community center that could also serve as a critical emergency workforce
shelter in the event of a disaster, retrofitting existing infrastructure such as drainage pump
stations to sustain high winds or an earthquake, establishing engineering standards for new
construction, developing maintenance schedules for critical infrastructure, and instituting
redundancy plans for critical services. Establishing a resilient capital program aids local
jurisdictions by identifying costs associated with building, rebuilding or retrofitting infrastructure
prior to disasters, and emphasizes the constant need for continued maintenance and
improvement. A resiliency based capital program helps local jurisdictions identify critical assets,
prioritize infrastructure risk, build in the appropriate and necessary costs, and establish a system
that reduces the impact of disasters and the time required for a community to recover and get
critical services back up and running.

· Community based Disaster Preparedness Plan:

Preparedness to face disasters is required at all levels right from the Household to the state
Government to minimize the impact of Disasters. The Government cannot reach out immediately
to each and every Household/village at the time of disaster. The community is the first responder
of any disaster and develops some traditional coping mechanisms to reduce their vulnerabilities.
Such communities living in a common territory comprise of women, men, elders and students,
teachers etc can be recognized as RWAs, resettlement colonies, BPL houses, villages, wards,
slums, juggles etc where people of different social and economic background live together.
These people are also responsible for their peace, prosperity and protection. The involvement of

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the community is the key factor in any disaster preparedness. The participation of the community
is vital to sustain the activities of rebuilding the shattered community life. Community Based
Disaster Preparedness is: - A response mechanism to save life, livelihood, livestock and assets
with available resources within the community. - Leads to multi pronged development
interventions to address the root cause of vulnerability. - Leads to a self-reliant disaster proof
community. In order to generate the preparedness and response within the people, Community
Based Disaster Preparedness Plans (CBDP) has to be developed in all the vulnerable areas of
Delhi. A CBDP is a list of activities a community decides to follow to prevent loss of life,
livelihoods and property in case of a disaster. It also identifies well in advance, actions to be
taken by individuals in the community so that each one is aware of his/ her responsibilities when
an emergency warning is received. The plans involve providing training to the community
people to make them aware and responsible to protect themselves during and post disasters.

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UNIT-II Roles & Responsibilities of Different Agencies and Govt.

· Role of Information, Education, Communication & Training:

Information, Education and Communication (IEC) are important components of the TSC. In the
past supply driven CRSP was implemented under which large number of toilets have been
constructed. Unfortunately, this massive effort could not achieve the desirable success, as the
toilets were not put to use largely due to lack of demand, lack of participation in programme
implementation and, lack of awareness among the community regarding health and hygiene
aspects of safe drinking water and clean sanitation facilities. There is an increasing realization
that, in any water and sanitation programmes, continued access to water and sanitation services is
not enough to sustain hygienic behaviors. It is the awareness and the education component of a
sanitation programme that leads to sustained behavioral change. Experience has shown that
information, education, and communication (IEC) campaigns involving communities and
grassroots organizations can accelerate the process of change and hasten the adoption of sanitary
practices. However these efforts must include addressing sociocultural attitudes toward owning a
household toilet. The intensity of the hygiene promotion and education is important in leading to
sustained practices. Intensive hygiene activities also use different channels to reach people such
as community meetings, home visits, contacts in classes, traditional media, different IEC
materials etc. It is very important to know which strategies to adopt for hygiene promotion and
education in a particular situation, which will help people continue safe practices after an
intervention has ended.

Under TSC, the emphasis is to educate the public; create awareness among them regarding good
health and proper hygiene; provide solutions to areas in need; build alliances with likeminded
organizations and the community as a whole; and create long term success by facilitating
community involvement and ownership. IEC activities under TSC are area and culture specific,
involve all sections of the rural population, in a manner, focusing on different various aspects of
the programme, including creating willingness of the people to construct latrines, providing
information on different designs, cost and technical options, environmental sanitation aspects,
use and maintenance of structures, and above all it is aimed at changing hygiene behaviours, for
sustained impacts of improved water and sanitation conditions.

A national communication strategy and plan has been developed by Government of India giving
emphasis on inter personal communication at the grassroots level. As part of this strategy
motivators can be engaged at the village level for demand creation and taking up behaviour
change communication. The motivator can be given suitable incentive from the funds earmarked
for IEC. The incentive will be performance based i.e. in terms of motivating the number of
households and schools/ Anganwadis to construct latrines and soakage pits and also use the same

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subsequently. Few activities under IEC include wall painting on a community building or
hoardings to display different messages, print and audio visual materials including flip charts,
posters, manuals, picture booklets, radio jingles, films and documentaries, mass media like kala
jathas etc. IEC funding will be in the ratio of 80:20 between GOI and the State Governments and
the total IEC cost should not be less than 15 per cent of the project. Each project district should
prepare a detailed IEC action plan with defined strategies to reach all sections of the community.
Funds available under IEC may be used for imparting hygiene education to the people as well as
children in schools.

· Role and Responsibilities of Central, State, District and local administration.

NATIONAL LEVEL:

The response from the Central Government is based keeping in view the following factors:

1. The gravity of the disaster

2. The scale of the relief operations

3. The requirements of the Central assistance for augmenting financial resources and logistics
support at the disposal of the State Government. The Ministry of Home Affairs is the Nodal
Ministry at the centre for coordinating disaster management activities for all natural hazards
except drought which is taken care by Ministry of Agriculture under the Department of
Agriculture and Cooperation. Other Ministries are assigned the responsibility of providing
emergency support in case of disasters that fall within their preview.

STATE:

The responsibility to cope up with natural disasters is essentially that of the State Government.
The role of the Central Government is to support in terms of physical and financial resources.
The Chief Minister or the Chief Secretary of the State heads a state level committee which is in
overall charge of the relief operations at the State and the Relief Commissioner who is in charge
of the relief and rehabilitation measures in the wake of natural disasters. In many of the states,
Secretary, Department of Revenue is also in charge of relief operations. The states have the relief
manual called as the ‘State Relief Code’ and the State Contingency Plan which guides them to
manage disaster scenarios.

DISTRICT:

The district administration is the focal point for implementation of all governmental plans and
activities. The actual day-to-day function of administering relief is the responsibility of the
District Magistrate/ District Collector/ Deputy Commissioner who exercises coordinating and
supervising powers over all the departments at the district level. The 73rd and the 74th

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constitutional amendments recognise Panchayati Raj Institutions as ‘Institutions of self-
government’. These local bodies can be effective instruments in tackling disasters through early
warning system, relief distribution, providing shelter to the victims, medical assistance etc. A
Disaster Management Committee has been set up at the district level headed by the District
Magistrate and officials from the health department, Irrigation Department, Veterinary
Department, Department of Water and Sanitation, Police, Fire Services, representatives from
National and International NGOs, etc. The Disaster Management Committee which is basically
the decision making body takes the help of the Disaster Management Teams, like the Fire
Services, Police, Health practioners etc. are:

BLOCK:

The Block Development Officer/ Taluka Development Officer is the nodal officer at the Block
level for all the disaster management activities. The Disaster Management Committee at the
Block/ Taluka level is headed by this Nodal Officer. The other members of the committee are
officers from the Social Welfare department, Health department, Rural water supply and
Sanitation Department, Police, Fire Services, representatives from youth organizations,
Community Based Organizations, Non-Governmental Organizations, eminent senior citizens,
elected representatives etc. The main functions of Block Disaster Management Committee are:

● Helping the Block administration in preparation of the Block Disaster Management Plan

● Coordinating training for the members of the Disaster Management Teams

● Carry out mock drills

VILLAGE:

At the village level, the Village Disaster Management Committee headed by the Sarpanch/
Village Headman is responsible for preparing the Village Disaster Management Plans and also
coordinating with various agencies for providing training to the Disaster Management Teams.
The members should see to it that mock drills are carried out by the villagers at regular intervals
by the villagers for various hazards. It is accepted that the Government alone cannot take on the
entire responsibility of Disaster Management. Apart from national, state, district and local levels
there are various institutions who are involved in disaster management at various levels in the
country. This includes the police and Para-military forces, Civil Defence and Home Guards, fire
services, National Cadet Corps (NCC), Youth Organizations, UN agencies, International and
National voluntary groups, public and private sector enterprises, media etc. play a major role in
managing disasters.

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· Role and Responsibilities of Armed Forces, Police, Para Military Forces.
In disaster situations, relief, rescue and response operations have to be undertaken immediately
and in the most appropriate manner. The development oriented civil administration is presently
not well equipped for undertaking large scale disaster response activities in the event of major
and wide spread disasters. The Indian Armed Forces are one of the most dedicated, professional
and modernized armed forces in the world. They have made rapid strides in technology
development and are adequately equipped with the necessary technical competence, man power
and material resources to undertake any major disaster rescue and response operations. The
Armed Forces are always in a state of operational readiness to move quickly to any disaster
affected area and their ability to work under adverse ground & climatic conditions is of immense
help to any civil authority during disaster situations. So far in India, the role' played by the
Armed Forces & other specialized forces during disaster rescue and response operations has been
exemplary.

In view of increased frequency of disasters, the Armed Forces will continue to play a major role
in providing rescue and response operations in the disaster situations in the years to come. Since
the Government of India has decided to implement the Incident Command System (ICS) with in
the Indian system of disaster management, there is a greater need for institutionalizing the
Incident Command systems and strengthening professional approach towards disaster response
activities Abstracts: Thematic Session – Role of Armed Forces in the country in addition to
emerging coordination and cooperation between various agencies and organizations. The Armed
Forces and other specialized forces have to be mandated to play an important role in disaster
rescue and response operations. This paper briefly discusses about the greater role that can be
played by the Armed Forces & other Para-military forces during disaster response operations in
which their services can be better utilized. It also indicates the necessary guidelines to the civil
authorities while utilizing the services of the Armed Forces persolll1el and various measures to
ensure greater co-ordination and enhance efficiency during disaster response operations.

· Role and Responsibilities of NGO’s:

GO-NGO collaboration specifically at the district and Panchayat levels is imperative for disaster
preparedness NGOs play a vital role and can be made responsible at various levels in developing
capacity and skills for disaster preparedness. At state level, NGOs have been organized to take
coordinated action for disaster preparedness. Government officials in many states are active
partners of such coordinated action and both stakeholders are known to benefit from this
collaboration. The DM Act, 2005 provides the legislative back-up to enable collaborative
mechanisms at all levels for participation and joint/coordinated action by Government and NGOs
in planning, learning and action for disaster preparedness. The SDMAs and the DDMAs will

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invite representative NGOs regularly to chalk out strategy and action points, which could help in
enhancing the preparedness through better coordination.

Areas of Intervention

(a) Advocacy: NGOs are powerful advocacy institutions and would collaborate with the
Government in reviewing various sectorial policies to ensure that Disaster Preparedness concerns
are addressed. NGOs may develop an advocacy plan envisaging the opportunities for investing in
preparedness activities and take up with the district administration, Panchayati Raj Institutions,
District level elected representatives and Corporate for mobilizing resources for disaster
preparedness interventions. Such advocacy may facilitate policy formulation, strategy
development and programme design at different levels towards disaster preparedness.

(b) Assessment: NGOs may contribute in initiating Participatory Assessment of Disaster Risk
(PADR) processes at the community level to assess the vulnerabilities and risks to various
hazards in their respective areas of operation. The process may also identify available resources
and capacities within the community to overcome vulnerabilities and address risks. Members of
the PRI and the district level elected representatives would be involved in these processes. The
NGOs may also facilitate documenting the findings of the assessments and provide the
information to the district administration for joint planning measures, which would lead to better
integration of initiatives in the District Disaster Management Plans (DDMPs).

(c) Capacity building: NGOs may build the capacities of the community (Disaster Management
Committees & Taskforces) and other government officials at district and state level to undertake
activities in various thematic areas which will result in the integration of the same in the Disaster
Management or other departmental plans and may also facilitate preparation of the Plans by
involving the local communities and the Panchayat Raj Institutions.

(d) Knowledge Management: NGOs may play an important role in generating awareness and
building capacity on Disaster Management at various levels Coordination & Partnership: NGOs
will have dialogue with Government counterparts to develop coordination mechanism at
different levels. NGOs may also promote exchange of information and coordination with all
stakeholders concerned with the aim of fostering a holistic approach towards disaster
preparedness. NGOs may promote regular disaster preparedness exercises in coordination with
the Government Stakeholders, with a view to ensuring rapid and effective disaster response.

NGOs may facilitate GO-NGO coordination platforms at the state and district levels as well.
NGOs may facilitate establishment of modalities with Panchayat Raj Institutions/District
administration to endorse or validate beneficiary lists, especially in cases where disasters have
destroyed family documents, such as BPL cards, ration cards and other identity cards, in order to
ensure no exclusion takes place and the most vulnerable are provided assistance. NGOs in
collaboration with the district administration may organize joint consultations with the
community members, elected representatives and the PRI members to strengthen the

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preparedness capacities of the community. Subsequent to the consultation, NGOs may facilitate
formation of Disaster Management Teams from among the community members and assist in
linking them with the PRIs and the district administration. Based on the local context, the DM
teams may be formed on early warning dissemination, search and rescue, first-aid (public
health), shelter maintenance, water and sanitation, relief and coordination, carcasses disposal,
psycho-social support and damage assessment.

NGOs may also facilitate appropriate representation of women in each of the DM teams. NGOs
in coordination with the District Administration may organize mock drills to strengthen the
understanding of the DM Teams with regard to their role in preparedness. As part of the DM
plan, NGOs in coordination with Local Government may support the communities to prepare
disaster specific Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) to be followed during disaster situations
at the community level. NGOs may help the DM teams familiarize with the SOPs and the
households, with the household preparedness checklist by conducting periodic mock drills jointly
with the district administration.

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UNIT-III Technologies for Disaster Management

· Role of IT in Disaster Preparedness

Now in the age of technology it has been easier to manage the disasters both natural and men
made. We can manage them by using the various features of information technology. IT is useful
to prevent as well as recover them... It may be observed that advancement in Information
Technology in the form of Internet, GIS, Remote Sensing, satellite communication, etc. can help
a great deal in planning and implementation of hazards reduction measures. GIS can improve the
quality and power of analysis of natural hazards assessments, guide development activities and
assist planners in the selection of lessening measures and in the implementation of emergency
preparedness and response action. Remote Sensing, on the other hand, as a tool can very
effectively contribute towards identification of hazardous areas, monitor the planet for its
changes on a real time basis and give early warning to many impending disasters.

Communication satellites have become vital for providing emergency communication and timely
relief measures. Integration of space technology inputs into natural disaster monitoring and
mitigation mechanisms is critical for hazard reduction. It is absolutely necessary to create
awareness amongst the public as well as decision makers for allocating resources for appropriate
investments in information technology. In this paper an attempt has been made to highlight the
role of information technology in management of natural disasters in India. Though it is not
possible to completely avoid the natural disasters, but the sufferings can be minimized by
creating proper awareness of the likely disasters and its impact by developing a suitable warning
system, disaster preparedness and management of disasters through application of information
technology tools. The changing trends have opened up a large number of scientific and
technological resources and skills to reduce disaster risk.

· Remote Sensing, GIS and GPS

GIS provides a tool for effective and efficient storage and manipulation of remotely sensed data
and other spatial and non-spatial data types for both scientific management and policy oriented
Information. This can be used to facilitate measurement, mapping, monitoring and modeling of
variety of data types related to natural phenomenon. The specific GIS application in the field of
Risk Assessment are:- Hazard Mapping to show earthquake, landslides, floods or fire hazards.
Theses map could be created for cities, districts or even for the entire country and tropical
cyclone Threat Maps are used by meteorological Departments to improve the quality of the
tropical storm warning services and quickly communicate the risk to the people likely to get
affected by the cyclone.

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Remote sensing makes observation of any object from a distance and without coming into actual
contact. Remote sensing can gather data much faster than ground based observation, can cover
large area at one time to give a synoptic view. Remote sensing comprises Aerial Remote Sensing
which is the process of recording information, such as photographs and images from sensor on
aircrafts and Satellite Remote Sensing which consists of several satellite remote sensing system
which can be used to integrate natural hazard assessments into development planning studies.
These are: Land sat, SPOT Satellite, Satellite Radar System, Advanced Very High Resolution
Radio. Some applications of GIS and Remote Sensing in various disasters are as follows:-

A) Drought
GIS and Remote Sensing can be used in drought relief management such as early warnings of
drought conditions will help to plan out the strategies to organize relief work. Satellite data may
be used to target potential ground water sites for taking up well-digging programmers. Satellite
data provides valuable tools for evaluating areas subject to desertification. Film transparencies,
Photographs and digital data can be used for the purpose of locating, assessing and monitoring
deterioration of natural conditions in a given area.

B) Earthquake
GIS and Remote Sensing can be used for preparing seismic hazards maps in order to assess the
exact nature of risks.

C) Floods
Satellite data can be effectively used for mapping and monitoring the flood inundated areas,
flood damage assessment, flood hazard zoning and post- flood survey of rivers configuration and
protection works.

D) Landslides
Landslide zonation map comprise a map demarcating the stretches orarea of varying degree of
anticipated slope stability or instability. The map has an inbuilt element of forecasting and is
hence of probabilistic nature. Depending upon the methodology adopted and the
comprehensiveness of the input data used, a landslide hazard zonation map able to provide help
concerning location,-extent of the slop area likely to be affected, and rate of mass movement of
the slope mass.

E) Search And Rescue

GIS can be used in carrying out search and rescue operations in a more effective manner by
identifying areas that are disasters prone and zoning them accordingly to risk magnitudes.

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· Application of Modern Technologies for the Emergency communication:
1. Indian Meteorological Department (Imd)
IMD provides cyclone warnings from the Area Cyclone Warning Centers (ACWCs) It has
developed the necessary infrastructure to originate and disseminate the cyclone warnings at
appropriate levels. It has made operational a satellite based communication system called
Cyclone Warning Dissemination System for direct dissemination of cyclone warnings to the
cyclone prone coastal areas. IMD runs operationally a Limited-area Analysis and Forecast
System (LAFS), based on an Optimal Interpretation (OI) analysis and a limited area Primitive
Equation (PE) model, to provide numerical guidance.

2. National Remote Sensing Agency (Nrsa)

Long term drought proofing programmes on the natural resources of the district have been
greatly helped by the use of satellite data obtained by NRSA. Satellite data can be used very
effectively for mapping and monitoring the flood inundated areas, flood damage assessment,
flood hazard zoning and past flood survey of river configuration and protection works.

3. Seismological Observations
Seismological observations in the country are made through national network of 36 seismic
stations operated by the IMD, which is the nodal agency. These stations have collected data over
long periods of time.

4. Warning System for Drought

The National Agricultural Drought Assessment and Management System (NADAMS) has been
developed by the Department of Space for the Department of Agriculture and Cooperation, and
is primarily based on monitoring of vegetation status through National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) Advanced Very High Resolution (AVHR) data. The drought
assessment is based on a comparative evaluation of satellite observed green vegetation cover
(both area and greenness) of a district in any specific time period, with that of any similar period
in previous years.

5. Flood Forecasting
Flood forecasts and warnings are issued by the Central Water Commission (CWC) , Ministry of
Water Resources. These are used for alerting the public and for taking appropriate measures by
concerned administrative and state engineering agencies in the flood hazard mitigation.
Information is gathered from the CWC's vast network of Forecasting Stations on various rivers
in the country.

6. Cyclone Tracking
Information on cyclone warnings is furnished on a real-time basis to the control room set up in
the Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India. High-power Cyclone Detection Radars

16
(CDRs) that are installed along the coastal belt of India have proved to be a very useful tool to
the cyclone warning work. These radars can locate and track approaching Tropical Cyclones
within a range of 400 km. Satellite imagery received from weather satellite is extensively used in
detecting the development and movement of Tropical Cyclones over oceanic regions,
particularly when they are beyond the range of the coastal radars. The existing mode of
dissemination of cyclone warnings to various government officials is through high priority
telegrams, telephones, telex and fax.

· Application and use of ICST for different disasters:

The first important steps towards reducing disaster impact are to correctly analyze the potential
risk and identify measures that can prevent, mitigate or prepare for emergencies. ICT can play a
significant role in highlighting risk areas, vulnerabilities and potentially affected populations by
producing geographically referenced analysis through, for example, a geographic information
system (GIS). The importance of timely disaster warning in mitigating negative impacts can
never be underestimated. For example, although damage to property cannot be avoided,
developed countries have been able to reduce loss of life due to disasters much more effectively
than their counterparts in the developing world (see Table 1). A key reason for this is the
implementation of effective disaster warning systems and evacuation procedures used by the
developed countries, and the absence of such measures in the developing world.

he following are some of the media – both traditional and new – that can be effectively used for
disaster warning purposes. Some may be more effective than the rest, depending on the nature of
the disaster, the regions affected, the socio-economic status of the affected communities and their
political architecture. However, it is not a question of one medium against another. All are means
to a common goal of passing along disaster warnings as quickly and as accurately as possible.
Any one or combination of the following media can be used for that purpose.

Radio and Television

Considered the most traditional electronic media used for disaster warning, radio and television
have a valid use. The effectiveness of these two media is high because even in developing
countries and rural environments where the tele-density is relatively low, they can be used to
spread a warning quickly to a broad population.The only possible drawback of these two media
is that their effectiveness is significantly reduced at night, when they are normally switched off.
A study on media, perception and disaster-related behaviour in Bangladesh revealed that early,
easily understandable and language-appropriate warning dissemination through radio can reduce
the potential death toll of catastrophic cyclone and tidal bore. The study, conducted by the Forum
for Development, Journalism and Communication Studies, recommended that relevant
authorities develop innovative warning signal systems and take necessary steps to disseminate
17
the warning in easily understood language through radio at least two days before a cyclone hits,
hence mitigating the loss of lives and property every year in Bangladesh. Mohammad Sahid
Ullah, the Chittagong University professor who led the study, suggests that part of the process is
increasing public confidence in broadcast media since self-evacuation and the poor quality of
shelters are the major causes of death (Sahid Ullah, 2003). After the Indian Ocean tsunami of
2004,many radio manufacturers considered introducing new digital radio alert systems that react
even if the set is switched off. In order to trigger this alarm, a special flag integrated into the
received signal from a terrestrial transmitter or a satellite would be used and the set would
automatically tune to the emergency broadcast channel.

Telephone (Fixed and Mobile)

Telephones can play an important role in warning communities about the impending danger of a
disaster.There were many examples of how simple phone warnings saved many lives in South
Asian countries during the 2004 tsunami. Perhaps the most famous was an incident that occurred
in one small coastal village of Nallavadu in Pondicherry, India. A timely telephone call –
warning about the impending tsunami – was said to have saved the village’s entire population of
3,600 inhabitants, as well as those of three neighbouring villages. Villagers of Nallavadu were
involved in the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation’s Information Village Research Project.
Vijayakumar, a former project volunteer, was working in Singapore and heard a tsunami alert
issued there. He immediately phoned the research centre in Nallavadu, which issued an alert. His
quick thinking, followed by swift and coordinated action, led to the evacuation of the four
villages before the tsunami hit the coast (Subramanian, 2005). In some countries, mechanisms
called ‘telephone trees’ are used to warn communities of impending dangers. An individual
represents a ‘node’ in a telephone tree.When that individual receives a warning message (either
through phone or by other means), s/he is supposed to make a pre-determined number of phone
calls (usually four or five) to others in a pre-prepared list. This arrangement not only ensures the
timely delivery of the warning message, but also ensures the minimum duplication of efforts.
However, there are two drawbacks to using telephones for disaster warning. Telephone
penetration in many areas is still not satisfactory – particularly in rural and coastal areas most at
risk. Even with the exponential increase in the number of phones that has occurred in recent
years, there are still many regions in the Asia-Pacific region, where a telephone is considered a
luxury. The other drawback is the congestion of phone lines that usually occurs immediately
before and during a disaster, resulting in many phone calls in that vital period that cannot be
completed.

Short Message Service

Short message service (SMS) is a service available on most digital mobile phones that permits
the sending of short messages (also known as ‘text messages’, ‘SMSes’, ‘texts’ or ‘txts’)
between mobile phones, other handheld devices and even landline telephones. During the 2005

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Hurricane Katrina disaster in the US, many residents of affected coastal areas were unable to
make contact with relatives and friends using traditional landline phones. However, they could
communicate with each other via SMS more easily when the network was functional. This is
because SMS works on a different band and can be sent or received even when phone lines are
congested. SMS also has another advantage over voice calls in that one message can be sent to a
group simultaneously.

Cell Broadcasting

Most of today's wireless systems support a feature called cell broadcasting. A public warning
message in text can be sent to the screens of all mobile devices with such capability in any group
of cells of any size, ranging from one single cell (about 8 kilometers across) to the whole country
if necessary. CDMA, D-AMPS, GSM and UMTS [4] phone have this capability. There are four
important points to recall about the use of cell broadcasting for emergency purposes:

 There is no additional cost to implement cell broadcasting. It is already resident in most

Network infrastructure and in the phones, so there is no need to build any towers, lay any
cable, write any software or replace handsets.

 It is not affected by traffic load; therefore it will be of use during a disaster, when load
spikes Tend to crash networks, as the London bombings in 2005 showed. Also, cell
broadcasting does not cause any significant load of its own, so it would not add to
congestion.

 Cell broadcasting is geo-scalable, so a message can reach hundreds of millions of people

Across continents within a minute.

 It is geo-specific, so that government disaster managers can avoid panic and road
jamming by telling each neighborhood specifically if they should evacuate or stay put.

Satellite Radio

A satellite radio or subscription radio is a digital radio that receives signals broadcast by
communications satellite, which covers a much wider geographical range than terrestrial radio
signals. Satellite radio functions anywhere there is line of sight between the antenna and the
satellite, given there are no major obstructions such as tunnels or buildings.Satellite radio
audiences can follow a single channel regardless of location within a given range. Satellite radio
can play a key role during both disaster warning and disaster recovery phases. Its key advantage
is the ability to work even outside of areas not covered by normal radio channels. Satellite radios
can also be of help when the transmission towers of the normal radio station are damaged in a
disaster.

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Internet/Email

The role Internet, email and instant messages can play in disaster warning entirely depends on
their penetration within a community and usage by professionals such as first responders,
coordinating bodies, etc. While these media can play a prominent role in a developed country,
where nearly half of all homes and almost all offices have Internet connections, this is not the
case in the developing world. In many developing countries, less than 5 percent of the population
uses the Internet and even those who are users do not use it on a regular basis. In such a situation,
it is difficult to expect Internet and email to play any critical role. In spite of that drawback,
many disaster-related activities are already underway within the Internet community. For
example, a new proposal for using the Internet to quickly warn large numbers of people of
impending emergencies is currently being drafted by the Internet Engineering Task Force.

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UNIT-IV Disaster Mitigation

· Disaster Mitigation: meaning and concept

Disaster mitigation measures are those that eliminate or reduce the impacts and risks of hazards
through proactive measures taken before an emergency or disaster occurs.

Preventive or mitigation measures take different forms for different types of disasters. In
earthquake prone areas, these preventive measures might include structural changes such as the
installation of an earthquake valve to instantly shut off the natural gas supply, seismic retrofits of
property, and the securing of items inside a building. The latter may include the mounting of
furniture, refrigerators, water heaters and breakables to the walls, and the addition of cabinet
latches. In flood prone areas, houses can be built on poles/stilts. In areas prone to prolonged
electricity black-outs installation of a generator ensures continuation of electrical service. The
construction of storm cellars and fallout shelters are further examples of personal mitigative
actions.

On a national level, governments might implement large scale mitigation measures. After the
monsoon floods of 2010, the Punjab government subsequently constructed 22 'disaster-resilient'
model villages, comprising 1885 single-storey homes, together with schools and health centers.

Disaster mitigation measures are those that eliminate or reduce the impacts and risks of hazards
through proactive measures taken before an emergency or disaster occurs.

“Primary” Mitigation:
•reducing the PRESENCE of the Hazard
•reducing Vulnerability

“Secondary” Mitigation:
Reducing the EFFECTS of the Hazard
(Preparedness)

Principal Objectives of Mitigation:

„ Save lives
„ Reduce economic disruption
„ Decrease vulnerability/increase capacity
„ Decrease chance/level of conflict

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· Disaster Mitigation Strategies:

Losses due to disasters have shown growing trend in terms of lives and property throughout the
world due to urbanization, increasing population and increasing degradation of environment. The
global efforts to manage disasters are not matched with the frequency and magnitude of
disasters.

However, for the last 15 years or so some new thinking on disaster management has emerged at
global level which pleads for a proactive and preventive approach and integrates disaster
management with ongoing development activities that is sustainable development.

According to World Disaster Report 2009, hydro meteorological event, linked to climate change
– floods, storms, heat waves and drought together accounted for nearly 60 percent of Disaster
Relief Emergency Fund (DREF). In Myanmar alone, cyclone Nargis claimed some 1, 38,000
lives last years.

Earthquake in China’s Sichuan Province killed some 88,000 people, affected 46 million people;
a major US flood 11 million and a drought in Thailand 10 million. But there were fewer disasters
worldwide in 2008 than in any other year of the preceding decade; 326 natural and 259
technological disasters.

At central level, an administrative ministry has been identified as nodal agency for each disaster
to coordinate the activities of disaster management operations at different levels.

· Disaster Management – A New Approach:

Disaster Management is an effort to inquire into the process of a hazard turning to disaster to
identify its causes and rectify the same through public policy. Therefore disaster management is
a policy issue concerned with minimizing and preventing the damaging impact of a natural or
manmade hazard.

Some of the policy and administrative factors relevant to disaster management are such as poor
and weak or overcrowded buildings in earthquake prone zone, poor land use planning in flood
prone areas, inadequate and faulty laws regulating various processes and facilities, general low
risk perception towards among people etc.

The above description of disaster management underlines the difference between the hazard and
the disaster. A hazard is a natural or manmade damaging event which is beyond the effective

22
control of human being, whereas the disaster is the sum total of consequences of natural hazard
due to vulnerability of people or regions subject to hazard.

Thus same natural hazard may produce different amount of disastrous impact on different group
of people or regions. The new approach to disaster management evolved gradually in 1990s
beginning with the declaration of 1990-2000 by UN General Assembly as the International
Decade of Natural Disaster Reduction.

The major disasters such as tsunami in Asia in 2004, Hurricane Katrina in U.S. in 2005 and
Muzaffarabad Earthquake in 2005 and underlined the importance of the new approach across the
world. The United Nation Report titled “Living with risk” claims that though there has been
decline in the number of losses to human lives from disaster the occurrence of disaster is rising.

The Yakohama Strategy for disaster management was renewed at the world conference on
Disaster Reduction held at Hyogo (Japan) in Jan. 2005. The conference laid emphasis on some
crucial but neglected aspects of disaster management such as governance and policy framework,
risk identification and early warning, knowledge management, reducing risk factors and
preparedness for effective response and recovery.

The Hyogo conference adopted the framework of Action, 2005-2015 called “Building the
Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disaster.”

As panic swept across India’s eastern coast in the aftermath of the massive 8.6 magnitude
earthquake off the Indonesian coast on 12 April, 2012, the National Disaster Management
Authority (NDMA) set off the biggest disaster drill the country has seen since the body was
created.

The alert brought back memories of the devastating tsunami of 2004, in which 2.4 lakh people
were killed worldwide. Before that, among the major quakes India has seen was the one on April
4, 1905, an 8.25 rocker that hit the Kangra region in Himachal. It had killed around 20,000
people. Then there were two very large magnitude earthquakes in Bihar (1934) and Assam
(1950).

Through these earthquakes and the authorities’ response to those, a “quake philosophy” has been
evolving continuously. Till the end of last century, the essential administrative approach was,
“Earthquakes cannot be predicted.”

This attitude experienced a thaw sometime after the disastrous Bhuj earthquake of magnitude 8.0
on January 26, 2001. The administration started considering how to save lives and manage
disaster. Various state governments were requested to set up a disaster management office. At
the Government of India level, two institutes were set up in New Delhi — the National Institute

23
of Disaster Management (NIDM) and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
The aim was to mitigate the damage potential of natural disasters in future.

For once, the subject of disaster management had been taken seriously at the governmental level.
However, subsequent earthquakes proved that the organizations were not able to check disasters.
After Bhuj, there were two major seismic events — the Andaman (Sumatran) earthquake-cum-
tsunami of 26 December, 2004, and the Kashmir earthquake of October 8, 2005.

The disaster management bodies were not able to do anything to prevent deaths. Even a
moderate earthquake of magnitude 6.8 on September 18, 2011, in Sikkim was a disaster. Most
disaster management plans have thus far focused on the post-seismic period of rescue,
rehabilitation and reconstruction (RRR). In a typical scenario, seismic shaking of moderate to
large earthquakes lasts 35-45 seconds.

If that time is divided into three parts of 12-15 seconds, then during the first part, disaster
managers are highly excited watching the terrain shake. During the second part, they are in awe
to see the collapse of structures. The third part has them near tears, seeing the horrific deaths and
destruction.

After the shaking stops, they rush to affected sites with stretchers, medicine, rescue equipment,
etc. All this amounts to rescue, not prevention. Tragically, this is all that disaster management is
about at present. There is no activity during the pre-seismic and co- seismic period.

The problem has attained severe dimensions. The Geological Survey of India (GSI), in a report
presented to the Uttarakhand Government in July 2007, observed that the probability of
occurrence of a large magnitude earthquake — more than magnitude 8.0 — in Uttarakhand was
as high as 0.98%.

In seismological lexicon, one may say that as the magnitude of the probabilistically predicted
earthquake is very large, the statement is equally applicable to Himachal Pradesh. Such an
earthquake could severely affect an area of about 200 km radius or more.

It could be said that the probability of occurrence of a large-magnitude earthquake in the

conglomerate of Uttarakhand and Himachal is as high as 0.98%.

Plan in Advance:

Under such unforeseen conditions, our managers need to plan some activities during the pre-
seismic period and also discuss what should be done during the co-seismic period. Take every
section of society in confidence and explain to them the limits of earthquake prediction and how
the administration plans to overcome the odds.

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It is a fact that the subject of earthquake prediction has not reached perfection. It is difficult to
predict earthquakes. On the other hand, if the administration predicts an earthquake, and it does
not occur, the administration has to face public criticism.

The best way for disaster management offices is to create seismic awareness, inform people
about reliable seismic precursor’s events and indicators that may be noted ahead of an impending
earthquake.

· National Disaster Management Act 2005:

National Disaster Management Act, 2005 defines events that cause substantial less of life,
prosperity and environment. It read, “Disaster means catastrophe, mishap, calamity or grave
occurrence in any area, arising from nature or man-made causes, or by accident or negligence
which result in substantial loss of life, of human suffering or damage to, and destruction of
property, or damage to, or degradation of environment, and is of such nature or magnitude as to
be beyond the coping capacity of the community of affected areas.”

About 60 percent of landmass in India is prone to earthquakes of various intensities, over – 40

million hectares is prone to floods, about 8 percent of the total area is prone to cyclones and 68
percent of area is susceptible to drought.

Disaster management Act, 2005 defines Disaster Management as, a continuous cycle and
integrated process of planning, organizing, coordinating and implementing, coordinating and
implementing measures which are necessary or expedient for-

(i) Prevention of danger or threat of any disaster;

(ii) Mitigation or reduction of risk of any disaster or its severity or consequences;

(iii) Capacity-building;

(iv) Preparedness to deal with any disaster;

(v) Prompt response to any threatening disaster situation or disaster;

(vi) Assessing the severity or magnitude of effects of any disaster;

(vii) Evacuation, rescue and relief;

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(viii) Rehabilitation and Reconstruction. Disaster Management Amendment Bill, 2006 aims at
broadening the meaning of Disaster in Disaster Management Act.

· Main Provisions of National Disaster Management Act, 2005:

The Act provides for three tier mechanism for Disaster Management that includes National
Disaster Management Authority, State Disaster Management Authority and District Disaster
Management Authority.

National Disaster Management Authority:

Its chairperson is the Prime Minister. Not more than nine other members can be there. Vice
Chairpersons is appointed from amongst members by the Chairperson. Executive Committee is
chaired by the Secretary of the Ministry entrusted with the work of the Disaster Management.

State Disaster Management Authority:

Its Chairperson is the Chief Minister of the concerned State. Other members not exceeding eight
are there. And in addition, Chairperson of the State Executive Committee (who is Chief
Secretary) is also included. Vice Chairperson is appointed by Chairpersons from amongst
members. Chairperson of the State Executive Committee is the Chief Executive Officer. State
Executive Committee is chaired by the State Chief Secretary.

National Disaster Response Fund:

To be constituted by the Central Government for emergency response, relief and rehabilitation.

· National Policy on Disaster Management 2009:

(a) The National Policy on Disaster Management was approved by the Government in November
2009. This comprehensive policy document lays down policies on every aspect of holistic
management of disasters in the country.

Salient Features of India’s National Policy on Disaster Management: India’s National Policy on
Disaster Management was approved by the Union Cabinet of India on 22nd October, 2009 with
the aim to minimize the losses to lives, livelihoods and property, caused by natural or manmade
disasters with a vision to build a safe & Disaster resilient India by developing a holistic,
proactive, integrated, Multi-disaster oriented and technology driven strategy.

26
With this national Policy in place in India, a holistic and integrated approach will be evolved
towards disaster management with emphasis on building strategic partnerships at various levels.

The themes underpinning the policy include Community based Disaster Management, Capacity
development in all spheres, Consolidation of past initiatives and best practices and Cooperation
with agencies at National and International levels with multi-sectoral synergy.

(b) The Policy is also intended to promote a culture of prevention, preparedness and resilience at
all levels through knowledge, innovation and education. It encourages mitigation measures based
on environmental sustainability.

It seeks to mainstream disaster management into the developmental planning process and
provides for Institutional and Financial arrangements at national, State, and District-levels for
Disaster Prevention, Mitigation, Preparedness and Response as it ensures adequate budgeting for
disaster mitigation activities in all Ministries and Departments.

(c) State Policies on Disaster Management % The States of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Kerala
have formulated State Disaster Management Policies. Tamil Nadu, Chattisgarh, Uttranchal,
Meghalaya, Bihar, Rajasthan, Delhi, Orissa and West Bengal have prepared draft policies.

(d) State Relief Codes/ DM Codes: Many States have manuals and codes for management of
drought, floods etc. Now many states are in the process of changing their State Relief codes into
Disaster Management Manuals.

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 UNIT-V · Manmade Disasters and Coping Techniques:

A. Man Made Disasters

1. Terrorist Attacks:

9/11 and 7/7 exposed the world to deadly terrorist attacks that had far-reaching consequences.
Civilized world watched in horror how a small gang of terrorists with deadly intentions caused
untold destruction of human lives and property bringing life to a standstill for days. In London
the city had to be shut down for a day or two when the underground metro rail was subjected to a
number of bomb attacks that destroyed the trains, killed a few and injured many and brought the
system to a temporary haut. It caused utter chaos and confusion. The intention of terrorists was
just that-to disrupt normal life and instill fear in common man, in which they succeeded to some
extent. But the resilient Londoners rose to the occasion and life returned to almost normalcy
within three days thanks to the inner strength of the people and the steps taken by the authorities
who spared no effort to bring the situation under control.

Then there are cases where kidnappers, who are terrorists, have held men, women and children to
ransom, making outrageous demands. It could be money or release of other terrorists or any
other thing, depending on the context in which it takes place. The case of terrorists who held
operagoers as hostages in Moscow is a case in point. Another case was in Chechnya where
hundreds of school children were held as hostages, till commandos rescued them through the
tragic death of some of the children could not be avoided.

Coping with a terrorist attack:

 Negotiate with the terrorists if it can accomplish release of hostages without use of force.
 Buy time. Use a mediator(s), if it helps.
 Plan for a rapid action force to surprise the terrorists, if there is no other alternative.
 Use minimal force but take care of the hostages.
 Evacuate people and provide them first-aid.
 Alert neighborhood hospitals on the possibility of armed action that could hurt people.
 There is no substitute to eternal vigilance against terrorists.
 Address core issues that could minimize terrorism.

2. Gas Leaks:

A small gas leak could turn into a lethal wave. It is important to take early action to evacuate the
people from the neighborhood. For this, experts and specialists well versed in tackling gas leaks
should be deployed with protective clothing & facemasks. There should be a good
communication between the rescue team members, among themselves, as well as with the

28
 outside task force that could coordinate rescue efforts. The most important matter is to find out a
early as possible, the type of gas that has leaked so that immediate measures can be taken to give
medical treatment to the affected persons. A delay in treatment could be the difference between
life and death for patients.

Following is a brief account, how a gas leak could be handled:

 Plug the leak forthwith.

 Constitute a special task force to tackle the gas leak.
 The personnel should have proper safety clothing, gas mask and cell phones.
 Evacuate quickly those trapped inside or those affected by gas leak.
 Find out reason for gas leak.
 Alert the hospitals and nursing homes nearby about the impending arrival of patients.
 Take preventive actions so that such leaks do not occur again.
 Have surprise checks on safety aspect.

3. Nuclear Radiation Leaks:

Nuclear power stations are ‘safe’, claim the experts. However, the sceptics point to the numbers
of accidents, some of them deadly, like the Chernobyl nuclear reactor, that have occurred from
time-to-time. Leakage of radiation from the core is a problem that has dogged the designers
despite the best efforts to prevent such leakages or melt down of the core that could have serious
nuclear radiation problem. Regular health checkups of those working within the nuclear power
plant are mandatory. Safety of the plant should get the topmost priority and no shortcuts are to be
taken, as the consequences of a nuclear radiation leak can be disastrous.

Reprocessing of nuclear waste under controlled supervision is one solution. But then, there is
always the worry that some rogue nations could be turning such material into weapon grade fuel
in the race to acquire nuclear arms. The spent fuel is sealed in airtight drums and sent to safe
dumping grounds beneath the soil, like in abandoned mines, with suitable safety precautions as
well as strict security. Since the nuclear radiation takes several hundreds of years to come
anywhere within acceptable limit of radiation, the disposal of spent nuclear fuel is a problem that
has no easy solution.

4. Toxic waste and Hazardous Waste Dumping:

Special actions are needed to handle toxic waste and hazardous wastes, like hospital waste.
Vehicles that handle these should be marked clearly and boldly, along with the skull mark to
indicate ‘danger’. Thorough training should be given to the carriers of such waste as who should
be contacted in an emergency like an accident spill during transportation. Safe handling and
disposal under professional guidance is a must to avoid spread of diseases, pollution of air, soil

29
 and water. Personnel should be trained to handle such toxic and hazardous waste. Special
landfills and safe disposal through incineration should be given importance in dealing with these
types of wastes. In no case such wastes should be dumped into general landfills.

5. Accidents:

Accidents involving vehicles on the roads, trains, airplanes and ships/boats/ferries are occurring
at any point of time somewhere in the world. A few are minor where damage or loss of life is
minimal. Then there are serious accidents where an entire bus falls down in a river or tank killing
many passengers. Train accidents occur due to track failures, bridge collapse, signal failure or
negligence on the part of engine driver. Air crashes are due to poor visibility, engine or technical
problems or error in judgment of either the ground control staff or the cabin crew. Overloaded
ferries, accidental fires on ships, ferries and boats can result in deaths and injuries. Then there are
freak accidents in either in dancing halls or cinema theatres, melas or other crowded places
where a rumor or otherwise of a fire can cause a stampede. The victims in most of the cases of
stampedes are old people, women and children who get crushed in the mad rush to escape.
Stampedes are difficult to control once it begins and once it subsides, hundreds are left dead and
many injured in one fell swoop.

Following is the list of few factors that could address the accidents involving various types of
transport vehicles:

 Vehicle drivers should get sufficient rest and should not be overworked.
 Periodical maintenance is a must for all vehicles.
 Unsafe and old vehicles/boats/ships should not be allowed to run.
 Rules against overloading of buses/trucks/boats/ferries must be strictly implemented.
 Activate an emergency rescue team when a vehicle is in serious trouble.
 First priority in any accident is to rescue those trapped.
 Improve quality of roads.
 Have regular medical checkups of drivers and other staff who are directing traffic.

B. Coping Techniques

1. Human Error:

“To err is human,” may appear ok in most cases but not when a human being is responsible for
the lives of hundreds of people. Fatigue is a factor that needs careful study and remedial
measures. If a train driver is tired or not too well, it is better he is not asked to drive that day.
Any lapse of attention could prove costly. Just skipping one red signal means there is real danger
of collision, especially when the train is speeding at over 120 kmph. The margin of error is very
small in such case. The driver, even if he knows he has made mistake, cannot correct that error
as the brake system cannot cope with high speed and the braking distance is a few hundreds of

30
 meters. Thus, one serious mistake can cause a serious disaster. We have to pay more attention to
the human factor to avoid disasters when the safety margin is often very small. Training and
motivation are the important for a driver who should realize his sense of responsibility to many
human lives who expect to travel in comfort and safety.

With larger payloads, the modern airliner carries over 400 passengers over long distances. The
safety features in these aircrafts are almost foolproof and of the state-of-the-art technology with a
variety of electronic gadgets that helps the pilots to fly the huge machines safely. Yet sometimes
these aircraft crash due to mechanical/electrical/electronic/hydraulic failures. A finger is pointed
out at the age of the aircraft and the maintenance schedules, which should be followed strictly.
Personnel servicing these are themselves need to be ‘certified’ to satisfy that they are competent.
Training/retraining/motivational programmes must be carried out for these service personnel
regularly. Latest techniques in servicing should be adopted so that both productivity and quality
of maintenance/service improves constantly.

The work of radar controller who controls air traffic is important. A vigilant operator can spot
any problems earlier that could lead to a disaster. Eyestrain is a cause of fatigue and the
controllers are asked to take a few minutes off after every hour or so that they are vigilant and
alert all the time. Eternal vigilance is a small price to pay for safety.

2. Pollution:

The Bhopal gas tragedy of December ¾, 1984 was one of the worst industrial disasters of
anytime. A sheer negligence on the part of the plant operators resulted in a deadly gas escaping
from the storage tanks hat killed hundreds and injured thousands, some of whom are still bearing
the ill-effects of that gas leak. Compensation has been delayed and is small compared to the
hardship suffered by the victims for no fault of theirs. A minor ‘accident’ tuned into a deadly
‘disaster’. It highlights the need for safety in all industrial operations without which the lives of
citizens and factory operatos are endangered. Safety audit, internal as well as external
independent, is a must to make sure all safety precautions are taken day in and day off. If any
deviation is noticed, it should be set right immediately. In case of serious prob;lems, the entire
factory unit should be shut down pending repairs.

What they do not appreciate the fact is that pollution laws are not only to ensure safety of the
plant but intended to protect the environment. In fact, experience tells us that controlling waste
increases productivity and further reduction in waste hence dese have to be observed in letter and
in spirit. Pollution control equipment should be installed where necessary. Effluent should be
treated before discharging into factory settling ponds, underground, into the soil, or into the
nearby river/sea. Polluting underground water or extracting excessive water from beneath could
harm the local community. Arsenic and fluoride poisoning of water is limited to certain
geographical areas of our country for which there is no easy remedy. This is mostly due to
geological factors.

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3. Social Problems:

Even children as child labourers are put to work under unhygienic considerations. The society is
turning a blind eye to such exploitation of young children who are denied the right to live in a
clean environment and attend schools. The parents are too poor and the income earned by each
family member adds to the meager kitty of the family. Such a social problem exists mostly in
poor countries due to economic reasons. Child labour problem cannot be wished away but has to
be tackled in a sympathetic manner. As a first step, the children who are working in small units
should receive adequate compensation, safe working conditions and clean environment at work
place. This problem is not seen as a ‘disaster’ as people tend to ignore it, as it does not concern
them directly. However, it is a blot on any country that it cannot look after its young children
who are getting a raw deal at the hands of unscrupulous operators. Law against employment of
child labour is followed more in its breach than practice. It could turn out to be one of the biggest
disasters in the social context if our children, instead of going to school and enjoying their
childhood, are forced by circumstances to work under the most trying conditions in return for a
pittance. Mid-day meals, free education for the girl child and other incentives are meant as
incentives for the parents to send their children to school. Yet most of the parents do not see
education as a necessary investment for the future of a child.

4. Terrorism:

Terrorists are on the rampage in various parts of the world, including our own country. The
recent terrorist attack in Bangalore that killed a scientist is evidence that their tentacles have
spread far and wide. It seems they are picking up ‘soft’ targets to get the maximum impact and
publicity. They spare no one, as they do not care for their own lives, in a misguided attempt to
spread their vague ideology that is directly opposite to all democratic norms. The havoc caused
by a handful of armed terrorists, fully motivated, and with scant respect to human lives,
including their own, is well known as in the following incidents: destruction of the WTO Centers
in New York, serial bombings in London underground, Mumbai blasts, Delhi serial blasts,
random suicide attacks on leaders and so on. These man-made disasters have caused untold
hardships to innocent citizens. Security has been beefed up everywhere at high costs to the
society. Endless checks have resulted in delays as well as hardships to genuine people. We have
got to live with this high security situation for a long time o come. There is no relaxing given the
fact the terrorists have a long reach and do not respect any national frontier.

During the last few years after 9/11, the concern of the governments and the people everywhere
is about security and steps to ward-off terrorist attacks. It should be understood that the terrorists
have an advantage over law-enforcement people-the element of surprise. The terrorists choose
the time and place of attack careful planning. They scout the place and stalk the victim(s) before
attack that is often suicidal.

32
There is no foolproof way of detecting and disarming terrorists who are one step ahead of the
police and military. Penetrating into their tight set up is almost impossible. Informers are killed-
off before they squeal. Given such a situation, we can only hope that vigilance, by one and all,
could minimize risks.

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UNIT-VI Awareness and Motivation

· Vigilance:
Vigilance is what is needed to prevent or minimize the threat of militants who respect no law.
For them a human life is nothing. The government as well as NGO’s, social activists and
religious leaders should tell the people from every platform that they have to guard themselves
against the evil designs of the terrorists. Nowadays we notice warnings like, “Do not entrust your
baggage to strangers. Do not leave your baggage unattended. Do not touch any suspicious
looking packet or bag. Inform the police in case you find suspicious movement of people or on
sighting a strange un-attended package.” The idea is to see that the people do not fall prey to
bombs hidden in strange packages. Enlightened and watchful citizens are expected to inform the
police or the army about any package that is lying unattended for long or if they feel someone is
moving suspiciously. Such advance information could foil the designs of the terrorists whose
sole objective is to create chaos.

Unfortunately, a few pranksters delight in creating panic among citizens, and confusion among
police and law-enforcers by issuing ‘fake threats’ over the telephone. “There is a time bomb on
the train. Take care.” Immediately the authorities codon-off the area and ask the passengers to
alight while the search for that elusive bomb continues. Dog squads and bomb detectors are
pressed into service. After a couple of futile but thorough search the train is declared to be safe
and the delayed journey commences much to the relief of the waiting harassed passengers. The
authorities do not want to take any risk by ignoring any threat. Even if one per cent of such calls
prove to be genuine then the trouble and expense of searching thoroughly is worth the while.
Life is too precious to take needless risks.

We are poorly organized as far as safety aspect is concerned. We crowd buses, trains, boats and
ferries. Trucks are often loaded double the allowed capacity to cut costs but often jeopardizing
the safety of the truck and the driver. We pack many more passengers in a car or a taxi than the
permitted numbers. School children are packed like sardines, (about ten), in a three-wheeler
auto-rickshaw exposing the innocent children to great risk. Parents find this arrangement of
picking up the child at the doorstep so convenient that they are ready to sacrifice the safety of
their children to convenience. It suits the auto-rickshaw driver too as he gets an assured income
every month. Police bans and notifications are ignored. “Not more than six children should be
carried in an auto-rickshaw” is a commandment that is followed more in its breach than practice.

Nobody tells them to fasten seat belts. A child has to be put in the car seat and secured with a
belt and put always in the back seat while travelling. Cyclists and two-wheelers drivers wear
helmets on their own initiative whereas in our country despite regulations the riders try to avoid
using a helmet as far as possible. The State governments have been less than enthusiastic in

34
enforcing the helmet rule for fear of losing popular support. Over-crowding or even standing in a
bus is very rare in advances countries. Everyone has to be seated before the bus takes off.

Over people will have to understand and appreciate that safety is not just for the individual’s
sake but for the sake of others too. For example, there are daredevils who violate the one-way
rules and jump signals. There are others who drive recklessly. A road hump is for slowing down
the speed but the reckless take delight in speeding over this like in a motto-cross. How do we
discipline such reckless people who do not care for their own safety or the safety of others? They
understand that safety is important only when it is too late-when they meet with a serious
accident.

It is not enough if only the government is involved in promoting safety measures. Every person,
young and old has to think and practice safety measures as a habit, without compromise. This is
only sure recipe to avoid accidents that could easily lead to major disasters. Often in the electric
wiring, two wires are twisted are twisted to make a connection. This could prove fatal to a child
or anyone who accidentally touches this. Short – circuits are caused by shoddy wiring or
defective switches and plugs. Carelessness and shoddiness in work can lead to a disaster.

· Motivation:
Right from a young age children should be taught the importance of safety and vigilance. They
should get the message, clear and strong, ‘life is precious, do not take short cuts.’ Shoddy work
should not be allowed in anything. If someone notices a violation in traffic rule, he/she should
gently remind that person not to do so as it would be unsafe not only for the offender but for
others too.

It might sound strange that in our country government has to enforce the helmet rule designed to
prevent head injuries among individuals. The question arises, “Is the government more
concerned about the individual’s head than the individual himself? Why can’t people take care of
their own heads?” There is a simple answer-an amazing number of people think that accidents
happen only to others and not to them! Foolhardy and complacent is the approach to one’s own
safety with the generality of people. We need to motivate people to regard life as precious, that
man has only one life unlike the proverbial cat that has nine lives. We need to think, act and
dream of safety and prevent an accident or a disaster with all the power at one’s command. We
need to rush in help and rescue teams when a disaster strikes. It is unfortunately considered a less
glamorous activity to be pro-active in preventing a disaster or an accident. That’s the bane of
most governmental approach. If only funds are channelized towards short term and long term
efforts to prevent a disaster we would have spared the nation and the people many difficulties.
For example, investing in good roads could avoid many accidents that happen due to bends and
potholes on the road surface. If a proper study is done in any city or town about the rainfall
pattern and waterlogging, many of the areas that get regularly waterlogged could be saved.

35
That’s why the government should encourage any investment in preventive action, to take care
of a problem before it leads to a disaster.

The need of the day is training and motivation of people, common as well as specialists, on
disaster management. This is comparatively new area for training personnel. International
cooperation in disaster management is assuming importance as various nations in different
regions are facing similar problems. Cooperation between countries as well as people to people
exchange of ideas and strategies could be useful in tackling disasters. The idea is to equip
professionals with various backgrounds with strategies for disaster management. Even NGO’s
are likely to be involved, especially in caring for those who have faced the onslaught of the
recent tsunami and who are still suffering from psychological problems of fear and anxiety. In all
likelihood, educating the children on disaster management will start an early stage so that the
students are made aware of strategies to be adopted for disaster management.

36
Do's & Don’ts in Tsunami:
 You should find out if your home, school, workplace, or other frequently visited locations
are in tsunami hazard areas along sea-shore.
 Know the height of your street above sea level and the distance of your street from the
coast or other high-risk waters. (Local administration may put sign boards).
 Plan evacuation routes from your home, school, workplace, or any other place you could
be where tsunamis present a risk.
 If your children's school is in an identified inundation zone, find out what the school
evacuation plan is.
 Practice your evacuation routes.
 Use a Weather Radio or stay tuned to a local radio or television station to keep informed
of local watches and warnings.
 Talk to your insurance agent. Homeowners' policies may not cover flooding from a
tsunami. Ask the Insurance Agent about the benefits from Multi-Hazard Insurance Schemes.
 Discuss tsunamis with your family. Everyone should know what to do in a tsunami
situation. Discussing tsunamis ahead of time will help reduce fear and save precious time in
an emergency. Review flood safety and preparedness measures with your family.

If you are in an area at risk from tsunamis:

 You should find out if your home, school, workplace, or other frequently visited locations
are in tsunami hazard areas.
 Know the height of your street above sea level and the distance of your street from the
coast or other high-risk waters. (Local administration may put sign boards). Also find out the
height above sea level and the distance from the coast of outbuildings that house animals, as
well as pastures or corrals.
 Plan evacuation routes from your home, school, workplace, or any other place you could
be where tsunamis present a risk. If possible, pick areas (30 meters) above sea level or go as
far as 3 kilometres inland, away from the coastline. If you cannot get this high or far, go as
high or far as you can. Every meter inland or upward may make a difference. You should be
able to reach your safe location on foot within 15 minutes. After a disaster, roads may become
blocked or unusable. Be prepared to evacuate by foot if necessary. Footpaths normally lead
uphill and inland, while many roads parallel coastlines. Follow posted tsunami evacuation
routes; these will lead to safety. Local emergency management officials can advise you on the
best route to safety and likely shelter locations.
 If your children's school is in an identified inundation zone, find out what the school
evacuation plan is. Find out if the plan requires you to pick your children up from school or
from another location. Telephone lines during a tsunami watch or warning may be overloaded
and routes to and from schools may be jammed.
 Practice your evacuation routes. Familiarity may save your life. Be able to follow your
escape route at night and during inclement weather. Practicing your plan makes the
appropriate response more of a reaction, requiring less thinking during an actual emergency
situation.
 Use a Weather Radio or stay tuned to a local radio or television station to keep informed
of local watches and warnings.

37
 Talk to your insurance agent. Homeowners' policies may not cover flooding from a
tsunami. Ask the Insurance Agent about the benefits from Multi-Hazard Insurance Schemes.
 Discuss tsunamis with your family. Everyone should know what to do in a tsunami
situation. Discussing tsunamis ahead of time will help reduce fear and save precious time in
an emergency. Review flood safety and preparedness measures with your family.

If you are visiting an area at risk from tsunamis:

 Check with the hotel or campground operators for tsunami evacuation information and
find out what the warning system is for tsunamis. It is important to know designated escape
routes before a warning is issued.
 One of the early warning signals of a tsunami is that the sea water recedes several metres,
exposing fish on shallow waters or on the beaches. If you see the sea water receding, you
must immediately leave the beach and go to higher ground far away from the beach.
 Protect Your Property
 You should avoid building or living in buildings within 200 meters of the high tide
coastline.
 These areas are more likely to experience damage from tsunamis, strong winds, or coastal
storms.
 Make a list of items to bring inside in the event of a tsunami.
 A list will help you remember anything that can be swept away by tsunami water.
 Elevate coastal homes.
 Most tsunami waves are less than 3 meters. Elevating your house will help reduce
damage to your property from most tsunamis.
 Take precautions to prevent flooding.
 Have an engineer check your home and advise about ways to make it more resistant to
tsunami water.
 There may be ways to divert waves away from your property. Improperly built walls
could make your situation worse. Consult with a professional for advice.
 Ensure that any outbuildings, pastures, or corrals are protected in the same way as your
home. When installing or changing fence lines, consider placing them in such a way that your
animals are able to move to higher ground in the event of a tsunami.

What to Do if You Feel a Strong Coastal Earthquake:

If you feel an earthquake that lasts 20 seconds or longer when you are in a coastal area, you
should:
 Drop, cover, and hold on. You should first protect yourself from the earthquake damages.
When the shaking stops.
 Gather members of your household and move quickly to higher ground away from the
coast. A tsunami may be coming within minutes.
Avoid downed power lines and stay away from damaged buildings and bridges from which
Heavy objects might fall during an aftershock.
If you are on land
 Be aware of tsunami facts. This knowledge could save your life! Share this knowledge
with your relatives and friends. It could save their lives!
If you are in school and you hear there is a tsunami warning,
 You should follow the advice of teachers and other school personnel.
38
If you are at home and hear there is a tsunami warning.
 You should make sure your entire family is aware of the warning. Your family should
evacuate your house if you live in a tsunami evacuation zone. Move in an orderly, calm and
safe manner to the evacuation site or to any safe place outside your evacuation zone. Follow
the advice of local emergency and law enforcement authorities.
If you are at the beach or near the ocean and you feel the earth shake,
 Move immediately to higher ground, DO NOT wait for a tsunami warning to be
announced. Stay away from rivers and streams that lead to the ocean as you would stay away
from the beach and ocean if there is a tsunami. A regional tsunami from a local earthquake
could strike some areas before a tsunami warning could be announced.
 Tsunamis generated in distant locations will generally give people enough time to move
to higher ground. For locally-generated tsunamis, where you might feel the ground shake, you
may only have a few minutes to move to higher ground.
 High, multi-storied, reinforced concrete hotels are located in many low-lying coastal
areas. The upper floors of these hotels can provide a safe place to find refuge should there be
a tsunami warning and you cannot move quickly inland to higher ground.
 Homes and small buildings located in low-lying coastal areas are not designed to
withstand tsunami impacts. Do not stay in these structures should there be a tsunami warning.
 Offshore reefs and shallow areas may help break the force of tsunami waves, but large
and dangerous wave can still be a threat to coastal residents in these areas.
 Staying away from all low-lying areas is the safest advice when there is a tsunami
warning.
If you are on a boat,
 Since tsunami wave activity is imperceptible in the open ocean, do not return to port if
you are at sea and a tsunami warning has been issued for your area. Tsunamis can cause rapid
changes in water level and unpredictable dangerous currents in harbours and ports.
If there is time to move your boat or ship from port to deep water (after a tsunami warning has
been issued), you should weigh the following considerations:
 Most large harbours and ports are under the control of a harbour authority and/or a vessel
traffic system. These authorities direct operations during periods of increased readiness
(should a tsunami be expected), including the forced movement of vessels if deemed
necessary. Keep in contact with the authorities should a forced movement of vessel be
directed.
 Smaller ports may not be under the control of a harbour authority. If you are aware there
is a tsunami warning and you have time to move your vessel to deep water, then you may
want to do so in an orderly manner, in consideration of other vessels.
 Owners of small boats may find it safest to leave their boat at the pier and physically
move to higher ground, particularly in the event of a locally-generated tsunami.
 Concurrent severe weather conditions (rough seas outside of safe harbour) could present
a greater hazardous situation to small boats, so physically moving yourself to higher ground
may be the only option.
 Damaging wave activity and unpredictable currents can affect harbours for a period of
time following the initial tsunami impact on the coast. Contact the harbour authority before
returning to port making sure to verify that conditions in the harbour are safe for navigation
and berthing.

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What to do after a Tsunami:
 You should continue using a Weather Radio or staying tuned to a Coast Guard
emergency frequency station or a local radio or television station for updated emergency
information.
 The Tsunami may have damaged roads, bridges, or other places that may be unsafe.
 Check yourself for injuries and get first aid if necessary before helping injured or trapped
persons.
 If someone needs to be rescued, call professionals with the right equipment to help.
 Help people who require special assistance— Infants, elderly people, those without
transportation, large families who may need additional help in an emergency situation, people
with disabilities, and the people who care for them.
 Avoid disaster areas.
 Your presence might hamper rescue and other emergency operations and put you at
further risk from the residual effects of floods, such as contaminated water, crumbled roads,
landslides, mudflows, and other hazards.
 Use the telephone only for emergency calls. Telephone lines are frequently overwhelmed
in disaster situations. They need to be clear for emergency calls to get through.
 Stay out of a building if water remains around it. Tsunami water, like floodwater, can
undermine foundations, causing buildings to sink, floors to crack, or walls to collapse.
 When re-entering buildings or homes, use extreme caution. Tsunami-driven floodwater
may have damaged buildings where you least expect it. Carefully watch every step you take.
 Wear long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, and sturdy shoes. The most common injury
following a disaster is cut feet.
 Use battery-powered lanterns or flashlights when examining buildings. Battery-powered
lighting is the safest and easiest to use, and it does not present a fire hazard for the user,
occupants, or building. DO NOT USE CANDLES.
 Examine walls, floors, doors, staircases, and windows to make sure that the building is
not in danger of collapsing. Inspect foundations for cracks or other damage. Cracks and
damage to a foundation can render a building uninhabitable.
 Look for fire hazards. Under the earthquake action there may be broken or leaking gas
lines, and under the tsunami flooded electrical circuits, or submerged furnaces or electrical
appliances. Flammable or explosive materials may have come from upstream. Fire is the most
frequent hazard following floods.
 Check for gas leaks. If you smell gas or hear a blowing or hissing noise, open a window
and get everyone outside quickly. Turn off the gas using the outside main valve if you can,
and call the gas company from a neighbour’s home. If you turn off the gas for any reason, it
must be turned back on by a professional.
 Look for electrical system damage. If you see sparks or broken or frayed wires, or if you
smell burning insulation, turn off the electricity at the main fuse box or circuit breaker. If you
have to step in water to get to the fuse box or circuit breaker, call an electrician first for
advice. Electrical equipment should be checked and dried before being returned to service.

40
 Check for damage to sewage and water lines. If you suspect sewage lines are damaged
under the quake, avoid using the toilets and call a plumber. If water pipes are damaged,
contact the water company and avoid using water from the tap. You can obtain safe water
from undamaged water heaters or by melting ice cubes that were made before the tsunami hit.
Turn off the main water valve before draining water from these sources. Use tap water only if
local health officials advise it is safe.
 Watch out for wild animals, especially poisonous snakes that may have come into
buildings with the water. Use a stick to poke through debris. Tsunami floodwater flushes
snakes and animals out of their homes.
 Watch for loose plaster, drywall, and ceilings that could fall.
 Take pictures of the damage, both of the building and its contents, for insurance claims.
Open the windows and doors to help dry the building.
 Shovel mud before it solidifies.
 Check food supplies.
 Any food that has come in contact with floodwater may be contaminated and should be
thrown out.
 Expect aftershocks. If the earthquake is of large magnitude (magnitude 8 to 9+ on the
Richter scale) and located nearby, some aftershocks could be as large as magnitude 7+ and
capable of generating another tsunami. The number of aftershocks will decrease over the
course of several days, weeks, or months depending on how large the main shock was.
 Watch your animals closely. Keep all your animals under your direct control. Hazardous
materials abound in flooded areas. Your pets may be able to escape from your home or
through a broken fence. Pets may become disoriented, particularly because flooding usually
affects scent markers that normally allow them to find their homes. The behaviour of pets
may change dramatically after any disruption, becoming aggressive or defensive, so be aware
of their well-being and take measures to protect them from hazards, including displaced wild
animals, and to ensure the safety of other people and animals.

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 Do's & Don’ts during Earthquake:

What to Do Before an Earthquake:

 Repair deep plaster cracks in ceilings and foundations. Get expert advice if there are signs of
structural defects.
 Anchor overhead lighting fixtures to the ceiling.
 Follow BIS codes relevant to your area for building standards
 Fasten shelves securely to walls.
 Place large or heavy objects on lower shelves.
 Store breakable items such as bottled foods, glass, and china in low, closed cabinets with
latches.
 Hang heavy items such as pictures and mirrors away from beds, settees, and anywhere that
people sit.
 Brace overhead light and fan fixtures.
 Repair defective electrical wiring and leaky gas connections. These are potential fire risks.
 Secure water heaters, LPG cylinders etc., by strapping them to the walls or bolting to the floor.
 Store weed killers, pesticides, and flammable products securely in closed cabinets with latches
and on bottom shelves.
 Identify safe places indoors and outdoors.
 Under strong dining table, bed
 Against an inside wall
 Away from where glass could shatter around windows, mirrors, pictures, or where heavy
bookcases or other heavy furniture could fall over
 In the open, away from buildings, trees, telephone and electrical lines, flyovers and bridges
 Know emergency telephone numbers (such as those of doctors, hospitals, the police, etc)
 Educate yourself and family members

Have a disaster emergency kit ready

 Battery operated torch with extra batteries
 Battery operated radio
 First aid kit and manual
 Emergency food (dry items) and water (packed and sealed)
 Candles and matches in a waterproof container
 Knife
 Chlorine tablets or powdered water purifiers
 Can opener.
 Essential medicines

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 Cash and credit cards
 Thick ropes and cords
 Sturdy shoes

Develop an emergency communication plan

 In case family members are separated from one another during an earthquake (a real
possibility during the day when adults are at work and children are at school), develop a plan
for reuniting after the disaster.
 Ask an out-of-state relative or friend to serve as the 'family contact' after the disaster; it is
often easier to call long distance. Make sure everyone in the family knows the name, address,
and phone number of the contact person.

Help your community get ready

 Publish a special section in your local newspaper with emergency information on earthquakes.
Localize the information by printing the phone numbers of local emergency services offices
and hospitals.
 Conduct week-long series on locating hazards in the home.
 Work with local emergency services and officials to prepare special reports for people with
mobility impairment on what to do during an earthquake.
 Provide tips on conducting earthquake drills in the home.
 Interview representatives of the gas, electric, and water companies about shutting off utilities.
 Work together in your community to apply your knowledge to building codes, retrofitting
programmes, hazard hunts, and neighbourhood and family emergency plans.

What to Do During an Earthquake:

Stay as safe as possible during an earthquake. Be aware that some earthquakes are actually
foreshocks and a larger earthquake might occur. Minimize your movements to a few steps that
reach a nearby safe place and stay indoors until the shaking has stopped and you are sure exiting
is safe.

If indoors
 DROP to the ground; take COVER by getting under a sturdy table or other piece of furniture;
and HOLD ON until the shaking stops. If there is no a table or desk near you, cover your face
and head with your arms and crouch in an inside corner of the building.
 Protect yourself by staying under the lintel of an inner door, in the corner of a room, under a
table or even under a bed.
 Stay away from glass, windows, outside doors and walls, and anything that could fall, (such as
lighting fixtures or furniture).
 Stay in bed if you are there when the earthquake strikes. Hold on and protect your head with a
pillow, unless you are under a heavy light fixture that could fall. In that case, move to the
nearest safe place.
 Use a doorway for shelter only if it is in close proximity to you and if you know it is a strongly
supported, load bearing doorway.

43
 Stay inside until the shaking stops and it is safe to go outside. Research has shown that most
injuries occur when people inside buildings attempt to move to a different location inside the
building or try to leave.
 Be aware that the electricity may go out or the sprinkler systems or fire alarms may turn on.

If outdoors
 Do not move from where you are. However, move away from buildings, trees, streetlights, and
utility wires.
 If you are in open space, stay there until the shaking stops. The greatest danger exists directly
outside buildings; at exits; and alongside exterior walls. Most earthquake-related casualties
result from collapsing walls, flying glass, and falling objects.

If in a moving vehicle
 Stop as quickly as safety permits and stay in the vehicle. Avoid stopping near or under
buildings, trees, overpasses, and utility wires.
 Proceed cautiously once the earthquake has stopped. Avoid roads, bridges, or ramps that might
have been damaged by the earthquake.

If trapped under debris

 Do not light a match.
 Do not move about or kick up dust.
 Cover your mouth with a handkerchief or clothing.
 Tap on a pipe or wall so rescuers can locate you. Use a whistle if one is available. Shout only
as a last resort. Shouting can cause you to inhale dangerous amounts of dust.

Do's & Dont's during Floods:

What to do before a flood

To prepare for a flood, you should:
 Avoid building in flood prone areas unless you elevate and reinforce your home.
 Elevate the furnace, water heater, and electric panel if susceptible to flooding.
 Install "Check Valves" in sewer traps to prevent floodwater from backing up into the drains of
your home.
 Contact community officials to find out if they are planning to construct barriers (levees,
beams and floodwalls) to stop floodwater from entering the homes in your area.
 Seal the walls in your basement with waterproofing compounds to avoid seepage.

If a flood is likely to hit your area, you should:

 Listen to the radio or television for information.
 Be aware that flash flooding can occur. If there is any possibility of a flash flood, move
immediately to higher ground. Do not wait for instructions to move.

44
 Be aware of streams, drainage channels, canyons, and other areas known to flood suddenly.
Flash floods can occur in these areas with or without such typical warnings as rain clouds or
heavy rain.

If you must prepare to evacuate, you should:

 Secure your home. If you have time, bring in outdoor furniture. Move essential items to an
upper floor.
 Turn off utilities at the main switches or valves if instructed to do so. Disconnect electrical
appliances. Do not touch electrical equipment if you are wet or standing in water.

If you have to leave your home, remember these evacuation tips:

 Do not walk through moving water. Six inches of moving water can make you fall. If you have
to walk in water, walk where the water is not moving. Use a stick to check the firmness of the
ground in front of you.
 Do not drive into flooded areas. If floodwaters rise around your car, abandon the car and move
to higher ground if you can do so safely. You and the vehicle can be quickly swept away.

Do's & Dont's in Nuclear Disaster:

DO's
1. Go indoors. Stay inside.
2. Switch on the radio/television and look out for public announcements from your local
authority.
3. Close doors/windows.
4. Cover all food, water and consume only such covered items.
5. If in the open, cover your face and body with a wet handkerchief, towel, dhoti or sari.
Return home, change/remove clothes. Have a complete wash and use fresh clothing.
6. Extend full cooperation to local authorities and obey their instructions completely -- be
it for taking medication, evacuation, etc.
7. You must be aware of nuclear radiation hazard. Discuss on Nuclear radiation safety
among children and family members, to reduce their fear of radiation.

Dont's
1. Do not panic.
2. Do not believe in rumours passed on by word of mouth from one person to another.
3. Do not stay outside/or go outside.
4. As far as possible, AVOID water from open wells/ponds; exposed crops and
vegetables; food, water or milk from outside.
5. Do not disobey any instruction of the district or civil defence authorities who would be
doing their best to ensure the safety of you, your family and your property.

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