1 Introduction to Disasters Definition: Disaster, Hazard, Vulnerability, Resilience, Risks ~ Disasters: Types of disasters — Earthquake, Landslide, Flood, Drought, Fire etc - Classification, Causes, Impacts including social, economic, political, environmental, health, psychosocial, etc. - Differential impacts- in terms of caste, class, gender, age, location, disability - Global trends in disasters: urban disasters, pandemics, complex emergencies, Climate change - Dos and Don’ts during various types of Disasters. 4.1. DISASTERS According to the “Disaster Management Act, 2005” by Government of India, A “Disaster” means a catastrophe, mishap, calamity or grave occurrence in any area, arising from natural or manmade causes, or by accident or negligence which results in substantial loss of life or human suffering or damage to, and destruction of, property, or damage to, or degradation of, environment, and is of such a nature or magnitude as to be beyond the coping capacity of the community of the affected area. As stated by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), adisaster can be defined as “a serious disruption of the functioning of a community or society involving widespread human, material, economic or environmental losses and impacts, which exceeds the ability of the affected community or society to cope with using its own resources." In the last few decades, societies have become increasingly aware of the fact that disasters can be analysed as the result of long-term processes; whereby the risk is created years or decades before the disaster manifests itself. 1.2, HAZARD As stated by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), Hazard is defined ag “a process, phenomenon or human activity that may cause loss{1.2] Disaster Managemen of life, injury or other health impacts, property damage, social and economic disruption or environmental degradation”. Hazards may be single, sequential or combined in their origin and effects. Each hazard is characterized by its "location, intensity or magnitude, frequency, ang probability". Vulnerability Vulnerability describes the characteristics and circumstances of a community, system or asset that make it susceptible to the damaging effects of a hazard. There are many aspects of vulnerability, arising from various physical, social, economic, and environmental factors. Examples may include: “poor design and construction of buildings, + inadequate protection of assets, ° lack of public information and awareness, es limited official recognition of risks and preparedness measures, and ° “disregard for wise environmental management. Vulnerability varies significantly within a community and over time. This definition identifies vulnerability as a characteristic of the element of interest (community, system or asset) which is independent of its exposure. However, in common use the word is often used more broadly to include the element’s exposure. The above explanation was taken from the United Nations (UN) International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) Terminology on Disaster Risk Reduction. To determine people’s vulnerability, two questions need to be asked: to what threat or hazard are they vulnerable? “what makes them vulnerable to that threat or hazard? L.3. RISK AND RESILIENCE Risk is the combination of probability of an event to happen and its negative Risk = (Hazard x Vulnerability) Capacity onsequences.ea I IIEEEIIOSSS'-S EES Introduction to Disasters 1.3 S.NO HAZARD DISASTER A dangerous situation needing to be | A dangerous situation that has 1 heeded because it can lead to a| become out of control and is a disaster. disaster ie A threat that can be managed by | An international danger and threat observing warning signs and | to humanity that needs 2 | keeping in harmony with the | intervention to bring the situation environment. under control. Hazard can be used as a verb and a | Disaster is used as a noun. 3 noun. Hazards are known to have specific | Disasters are the outcomes of 4 |wamings usually man-made to | hazards when warning signs were prevent disastrous events. ignored. Hazards can lead to disasters. A disaster is the result of a hazard 5 but at the same time is also a hazardous event. Resilience Resilience is the capability of systems and individuals to cope with significant adversity or risk. Resilience is the ability of a system, community or society exposed to hazards tu resist, absorb, accommodate to and recover from the effects of a hazard in a timely and efficient manner, including through the preservation and restoration of its essential basic structures and functions. Disaster resilience is the ability of individuals, communities, organisations and states to adapt to and recover from hazards, shocks or stresses without compromising long-term prospects for development. The ability of countries, communities and houscholds to manage change, by maintaining or transforming living standards in the face of shocks or stresses — such as earthquakes, drought or violent conflict — without compromising their long-term Prospects’. Hyogo Framework of Action: ‘the capacity of a system, community or society Potentially exposed to hazards to adapt, by resisting or changing in order to reach and ‘maintain an acceptable level of functioning and structure’.Disaster Managemen oT = 1.4, GENERAL EFFECTS OF DISASTERS The typical effects of disasters may be one or more of the following: Loss of life Injury Damage to and destruction of property Damage to and destruction of plantations and crops e Disruption of production Disruption of lifestyle, Disruption of transport Loss of livelihood and occupation to people Disruption to essential services like electricity, water supply and gas supply Pee eee ees Damage to national infrastructure Disruption of communication and other networks Disruption to government systems and schemes ~ Shortage of food resources “Spreading of diseases + National economic loss % Sociological effects Psychological after effects. 1.5. TYPES OF DISASTER In general, disasters are classified as Natural disasters and Man Made disasters. Natural Disasters are disasters which occur naturally without the intervention of human, whereas the manmade disasters as the name defines they occur as a consequences of the human intervention in the nature. Based on the physical occurrence and characteristics of disaster, it is further lassified as * Geophysical (e.g. Earthquakes, Landslides, Tsunamis and Volcanic Activity) “ Hydrological (e.g. Avalanches and Floods)