Disaster Management Cycle

Disaster
Management:
Concept
Disaster management can be defined
as the organization and execution of
disaster management plans for
preventing disasters and reducing their
risk, undertaking rescue and relief
operations in emergency situations,
and bringing back the region and
affected people to normalcy.

o From the above definitions we can

figure out the idea of disaster
management and can be illustrated as
given.
 Disaster Management Cycle
Disaster management is viewed as a cyclic continuous and integrated process of planning, organizing, coordinating and
implementing, and evaluating actions which are required for:

o Preventing threat to the community due to any emergency or disaster

o Mitigation or risk reduction from any likely disaster or its consequences

o Capacity building, including research and knowledge management, to reduce vulnerability

o Preparedness of individuals and communities to cope with any disaster

o Immediate response to any threatening situation or disaster

o Assessing the severity and consequent effects of any disaster

o Undertaking evacuation, rescue and relief

o Ensuring rehabilitation of affected community and reconstruction for them

In the National Policy on Disaster Management, it is considered that the disaster management
continuum comprises six elements:

➢ The pre-disaster phase includes prevention, mitigation and preparedness.

➢ The post-disaster phase includes response, rehabilitation, reconstruction (and recovery).

In many discussions and
literature on disaster
management, the cycle is
considered to consist of only
four stages as shown in the
following figure.
These four phases are not distinct compartments. It is generally seen that the stages overlap, and two
or more stages may be operational at the same time. Sometimes, these are called the four R’s of
disaster management.

➢ Reduction (Mitigation)

➢ Readiness (Preparedness)

➢ Response

➢ Recovery
Each of these phases can be
further analysed and
segregated into specific
actions as shown in the
figure showing the detailing of
disaster management
phases.
The End.