Social Science Project

Project Report
On

Disaster Management
(Floods)

Report submitted by:

Gouresh Prashant Parab
Std 10th div A
Roll no. 26
School name: Sharadashram Tantrik Vidyalaya
 ABSTRACT
Flood has been considered as one of the most recurring and frequent disaster in the world. Due to
recurrent prevalence, the economic loss and life damage caused by the flood has put more burdens on
economy than any other natural disaster. India also has continuously suffered by many flood events which
claimed huge loss of life and economy. It has been found that the incidences of the flood are increasing
very rapidly. Causes can be climate change, cloud bursting, tsunami or poor river management, silting etc.
but devastation is increasing both in terms of lives and economies. Disaster management in India has very
organized and structures programs and policies but administration and implementation of these programs
demand more efficiency. In last decade, flood damages more lives and economy than any other disasters.
This paper is an analysis of the trend and preparedness of flood in India. Data from CRED has been used
to analyze the trend of flood and other disasters in last ten years and damaged caused by these events.
Keywords: Disaster, Flood, India, Preparedness

Flood is most prevalent and costliest natural disaster in the world which devastates both life and economy
at a large extent. It is defined as, “High-water stages in which water over flows its natural or artificial
banks onto normally dry land, such as a river inundating its floodplain.” This usually local and short-term
event comes with little or no alarming. When the hazards, imposed by flood, exceed the coping
capabilities of the affected population it become disaster. Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of
Disasters (CRED), a research unit of the Université catholique de Louvain (UCL) situated at the School
of Public Health of the Brussels campus of the university, Belgium, defines a disaster as “a situation or
event [which] overwhelms local capacity, necessitating a request to a national or international level for
external assistance; an unforeseen and often sudden event that causes great
damage, destruction and human suffering.”

Annual time series of the following indices are constructed for these stations.
• Frequency of rainy days. According to the definition followed by India Meteorological
Department, a day is called ‘rainy day’, if the rainfall of that day is 2.5 mm or more.
• Frequency of rain days. A day is considered as ‘rain day’ if the amount of rainfall of that day is
0.1 mm or more.
• Frequency of heavy rainfall days (including very heavy and extremely heavy). A day is called
‘heavy rainfall day’ if the rainfall of that day is 64.5 mm or more according to India
Meteorological Department. This includes very heavy (i.e., 124.5–244.5 mm) and extremely
heavy (i.e., >244.5 mm) rainfall.
• Annual one-day extreme rainfall series. Annual one-day extreme rainfall is usually defined as
the maximum daily rainfall within each year, so one would have as many extreme values as the
total number of years.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

In the accomplishment of this project successfully, many people have best owned upon me their blessings,
this time I am utilizing to thank all the people who have been concerned with this project.
Primarily I would like to thank God for being able to complete this project with success, I would also like
to thank my principal and my teacher Mrs. _________ , whose valuable guidance has been the ones that
helped me to complete this project.
I would especially like to thank my parents for their suggestions and instructions which acted as a major
contributor at various stages of completion of the project.
WHAT IS DISASTER

A disaster is a serious disruption, occurring over a relatively short time, of the functioning of a
community or a society involving widespread human, material, economic or environmental loss
and impacts, which exceeds the ability of the affected community or society to cope using its
own resources.
A disaster occurs when a hazard impacts on vulnerable people. The combination of hazards,
vulnerability and inability to reduce the potential negative consequences of risk results
in disaster".
In contemporary academia, disasters are seen as the consequence of inappropriately
managed risk. These risks are the product of a combination of both hazards and vulnerability.
Hazards that strike in areas with low vulnerability will never become disasters, as in the case of
uninhabited regions.

NATURAL
DISASTER
MAN MADE
NATURAL DISASTER
A natural disaster is a major adverse event resulting from natural processes of the Earth;
examples include firestorms, dust storms, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, volcanic eruptions,
earthquakes, tsunamis, storms, and other geologic processes. A natural disaster can cause
loss of life or damage property, and typically leaves some economic damage in its wake. The
severity of the damage depends on the affected population's resilience and on the infrastructure
available.

MAN MADE DISASTER

Manmade disasters are hazards caused by human action or inaction. They are contrasted with
natural hazards. Manmade disasters may adversely affect humans, other organisms and
ecosystems. The frequency and severity of hazards are key elements in some risk analysis
methodologies.
FLOOD
A flood is an overflow of water (or rarely other fluids) that submerges land that is usually
dry. In the sense of "flowing water", the word may also be applied to the inflow of the tide.
Flooding may occur as an overflow of water from water bodies, such as a river, lake, or ocean,
in which the water overtops or breaks levees, resulting in some of that water escaping its usual
boundaries, or it may occur due to an accumulation of rainwater on saturated ground in an areal
flood.

Floods often cause damage to homes and businesses if they are in the natural flood

plains of rivers. While riverine flood damage can be eliminated by moving away from rivers and
other bodies of water.
Some floods develop slowly, while others such as flash floods, can develop in just a few minutes
and without visible signs of rain. Additionally, floods can be local, impacting a neighborhood or
community, or very large, affecting entire river basins.
The word "flood" comes from the Old English flōd, a word common to Germanic languages
(compare German Flut, Dutch vloed from the same root as is seen in flow, float; also compare
with Latin fluctus, flumen), meaning "a flowing of water, tide, an overflowing of land by water, a
deluge, Noah's Flood; mass of water, river.
Types of Flooding
This section describes some common types of flooding:

 Coastal flooding
 River flooding
 Flash flooding
 Groundwater flooding
 Sewer flooding

If you are worried about the types of floods that may occur in your area and need advice on how to
prepare for them, contact the Environment Agency (EA) or the Scottish Environment Protection
Agency (SEPA) on their shared Floodline - 0845 988 1188. Both the EA website and the SEPA website
allow you to assess flood risk by postcode and contain wide-ranging advice. The EA website includes
sections for families, older people and businesses. Please note that in many cases the advice has legal
implications (see the section on your rights and duties).

Coastal flooding
Heavy storms or other extreme weather conditions combined with high tides can cause sea levels to
rise above normal, force sea water to the land and cause coastal flooding. Proper flood defences need
to be in place to safeguard life and property. The Environment Agency and SEPA constantly monitor
sea levels and release flood warnings when required.

River flooding
This type of flooding, where a river bursts or overtops its banks and floods the areas around it, is
more common than coastal flooding in the UK. River flooding is generally caused by prolonged,
extensive rain. Flooding can be worsened by melting snow. Flooding can also occur if the free flow of a
river gets blocked by fallen trees, natural overgrowth or rubbish.

People who own land around rivers (riparian owners) in England have a legal duty to prevent flooding
by making sure that they avoid blocking the free flow of the river.

Flash flooding
A flash flood is a fast-moving and unexpected flood. Flash flooding is usually due to heavy rain. While
natural events may be responsible for most flash flooding, it may also arise if flood defences fail or
drainage systems are insufficient. It is expected that flash flooding may become more frequent due to
climate change and over-development in flood plains.

Groundwater flooding
Groundwater flooding can occur when water levels underneath the ground rise above normal levels
approaching the surface. It is usually caused by prolonged periods of rainfall. Groundwater flooding
can last for weeks and months. The UK Groundwater Forum estimates that groundwater flooding
affects several hundred thousand properties in the UK. It differs from surface water flooding which is
caused when heavy rain directly hits the ground surface.

Sewer flooding
Sewer flooding may result from a failure of the sewerage system. It may also happen when the sewer
system does not have enough capacity to take water entering the system from heavy rainfall or river
or highway flooding.

Sewage water flowing into a building is classified as internal flooding. When it floods a garden or other
open space such as roads or public grounds it is considered as external flooding.

If sewage flooding on your property is caused by a fault in your private drainage, you are responsible
for sorting out the problem. In England, sewerage undertakers now have responsibility for some
private sewers (as opposed to private drains – the distinction being that sewers drain more than one
property). If the flooding is due to a fault in the public sewerage system, your local sewerage provider
is responsible for fixing it.
Causes of Flooding
Weather events

Flooding is normally caused by natural weather events such as:

 heavy rainfall and thunderstorms over a short period

 prolonged, extensive rainfall

 high tide combined with stormy conditions.

It is also predicted that climate change will increase the risk of flooding in the UK and other parts of
the world. The following factors can also cause or contribute to flooding.

Poor maintenance

 Faulty sewer networks

 Poor or insufficient drainage networks

 Inadequate maintenance of watercourses

Development/planning issues

 Inappropriate development in flood plains

 Building on land in a way that prevents rainfall from draining away naturally - this includes
roads and car parks that are impermeable to water, increasing the risk of flooding from
rainwater runoff

 Flood defence schemes that are defective or badly designed

Major Causes of Flood in India

Common causes of flood can be divided into the factors triggering it. These
factors include -
 Meteorological factors
 Physical factors
 Human factors
 Let’s discuss the factors causing floods in India.
1. Meteorological Factors
The natural causes of flood are discussed below -
  Heavy Rainfall: The season of monsoon enter India in mid-July and stays till
the end of September. During this time, rainwater flows and is collected in
dams. When this tired or collected water reaches beyond the storage capacity
limit, it ends up in flood. Floods caused by rainfall usually occur at the sub-
Himalayan plains of West Bengal, Indo-Gangetic, West coast region of West
Ghat and Assam.
 Cloud Burst: Cloud Burst occurs due to intense precipitation in a short
duration which can sometimes be accompanied by hail and storm and can cause
a flood. These natural incidents occur at the mountain slopes, and water runs
down towards the plains, causing a flood.
 Cyclone: Cyclones occur in a low-pressure zone where winds rotate inwardly.
Cyclones can be accompanied by a massive storm and lead to extreme weather
conditions. Four eastern coastal states in India, such as Tamil Nadu, West
Bengal, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, mostly suffer from cyclonic floods.
 Global Warming: Due to the increased rise in global temperature, glaciers of
the Himalayan range start to melt. As a result, the seawater level also rises,
causing floods in surrounding years.
2. Physical Factors
Those wondering about what physical factors act as flood causes can get a
clear idea from the following section.
 Insufficient Drainage Management: Improper planning of the drainage
system of an area can cause excess water due to heavy rainfall to get stuck and
lead to a flood.
 Catchment Area: Catchment area is an area from where the rainfall water
flows into a river. This can be a lake or reservoir. During monsoon, when
excess water exceeds the limit of holding capacity of the catchment area, it
leads to floods.
3. Human Factor
Following is a list of human causes of flood -
 Siltation: Siltation refers to the flow of silt and sediments in the riverbed. As
particles remain suspended in the river and accumulated in the riverbed, it
disrupts the flow of the river, causing a flood.
 Improper Agricultural Practices: If farmers are not cautious of the effects of
farming practices meaning if they leave the waste material into the river or
cannot handle water management properly, it can lead to a flood. 
 Deforestation: Deforestation is one of the major human causes of floods. Trees
act like a sponge that helps to hold soil and water and prevent flooding. As trees
are being cut down at a fast pace to make way for urbanisation to grow, more
water runs towards a river during heavy rainfall. As a result, a flood occurs.
  Collapse of Dams: Dams are built to store water and provide water to people.
As dams are human-made, these can be worn out and subsequently collapse
causing floods. Also, if heavy rainfall sustains for a long time, State
Governments often declare to open dam gates which can lead to a dangerous
flood.
The piece mentioned above clearly describes what the causes of floods are.
Now let’s learn about the types of floods.
 What Are the Damages Caused by Floods in India?
The consequences of flood depend on the location, duration, and vulnerability
of the area. The impacts of floods affect both individuals and communities and
have social-environmental consequences. Below is a list of damage caused
by floods.
 Human Loss and Property Loss: Every year, millions of people
become homeless and washed away due to floods.
 Spread of Communicable Diseases: Waterborne diseases like
cholera, typhoid fever, hepatitis, and leptospirosis spread in flood-
affected areas. Floods also lead to vector-borne diseases,
transmitted through parasites and pathogens such as a mosquito.
As a result, the health of flood victims deteriorates.
 Destruction of Crops: Every year, floods destroy a large number
of crops.
 Loss of Livestock: Like humans, livestock also get displaced
during floods and die due to the loss of their habitats.
 Disruption of Communication Link and Transportation:
Flood causes damage to transportation links such as bridges, rail,
power plants etc., thus causing communication disruption in those
areas.
 Economic and Social Disruption: The economy comes to a
standstill as people are forced to move to another place, and
revival of this situation takes time.
Apart from learning about the impact of floods, individuals must know about
flood-prone areas.
 List of Flood Hazard Zones in India
Below is a list of flood-prone zones or areas in India.
 Punjab
 Haryana
 North Bihar
 West Bengal
 Uttar Pradesh
 Coastal Andhra Pradesh
 Odisha
 Southern Gujarat
 Brahmaputra Valley
Residents can reduce the impacts of floods in these above-mentioned areas
with some preventive measures.
Take a look at the following section!
Preventive Measures to Control Floods in India
 Planting Mangroves: In order to prevent coastal flooding, State
Governments must actively take part in planting more mangroves
in coastal areas. Mangroves act as a robust barrier against floods.
Hence, governments must focus on mangrove conservation in
coastal areas.
 Optimising Technology: Advancement in technology can help to
predict floods. Here, using intelligent flood warning systems like
IFFLOWS can prove to be extremely beneficial.
 Taking Structural and Non-Structural Measures: Structural
measures refers to the physical changes or acts (such as
redesigning buildings or designing physical barriers to disasters)
to protect against a flood. On the other hand, non-structural
measures refer to bringing social solutions such as planning
evacuation, preparing for emergency situations in flood. These
two types of measures during a flood can help to reduce the
impacts of floods in India.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
WWW.GOOGLE.COM
http://www.environmentlaw.org.uk
https://www.godigit.com/guides/natural-disasters/causes-of-flood
GOOGLE IMAGES