Concept of Disaster

A disaster is a serious disruption of the functioning of a

community or a society involving widespread human,
material, economic or environmental losses and
impacts, which exceeds the ability of the affected
community or society to cope using its own resources.

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 is the case
in uninhabited regions.
 Contd…
Developing countries suffer the greatest costs
when a disaster hits – more than 95 percent of
all deaths caused by hazards occur in developing
countries, and losses due to natural hazards are
20 times greater (as a percentage of GDP) in
developing countries than in industrialized
countries.
 Definitions of Disaster
‘’A disaster is an occurrence that causes damage,
ecological disruption, loss of human life, deterioration of
health and health services on a scale sufficient to warrant
an extraordinary response from outside the affected
community area’’ (WHO, 1998). 
‘’Any event, typically occurring suddenly, that causes
damage, ecological disruption, loss of human life,
deterioration of health and health services and which
exceeds the capacity of the affected community on a scale
sufficient to require outside assistance’’ (Landesman,
2004). 
 Contd…
‘’A disaster is characterized as an encounter
between forces of harm and a human population in
harm’s way, influenced by the ecological context, in
which demands exceed the coping capacity of the
affected community’’ (Shultz, 2003, 2006a,b,
2007).
In conclusion, we can say that disaster is a sudden,
calamitous event bringing great damage, loss, and
destruction and devastation to life and property.
The damage caused by disasters is immeasurable.
 Disaster Management
Disaster management is the discipline of dealing with and
avoiding risks. It is a discipline that involves preparing,
supporting, and rebuilding society when natural or
human-made disasters occur.
In general, any emergency management is the continuous
process by which all individuals, groups, and communities
manage hazards in an effort to avoid or reduce the
impact of disasters resulting from the hazards. Actions
taken depend in part on perceptions of risk of those
exposed. Effective emergency management relies on
thorough integration of emergency plans at all levels of
government and non-government involvement.
 Contd…
Activities at each level (individual, group,
community) affect the other levels. It is common to
place the responsibility for governmental
emergency management with the institutions for
civil defense or within the conventional structure of
the emergency services. In the private sector,
emergency management is sometimes referred to
as business continuity planning. 
 Water Induced Disasters
Floods, landslides and debris flow, avalanches and glacier
lake outburst flood (GLOF) are the main water induced
disasters in Nepal.
Floods, landslides and debris flow are often interrelated.
Some landslides are triggered(Drive) by riverbank erosion,
and some flash floods are aggravated by landslides in the
areas adjoining riverbanks. Both these phenomena occur
during the monsoon season. Debris flow is another serious
natural disaster which occurs frequently. Glacial lake
outburst floods (GLOF) are common in the Himalayan
region. GLOF are triggered/generated by a wide range of
global warming, hydrological and seismic factors.
 Water Induced Disasters Management: Process
Water induced disaster or risk management is systematic
process of using administrative decisions, organizations,
operational capacities to implement policies, strategies
and coping capacities to lessen the impacts of disasters. It
comprises basically the following components:
1. Mitigation: Measures taken prior to the disaster to
minimize its effects.
2. Preparedness: Measures taken in
anticipation/expectation of a disaster.
3. Response: Actions taken aftermath/result of disaster.
4. Recovery: Re-establishment of services and provisions.
Clips of water induced disasters
 Major Policies Related to Disaster and Water
Induced Disaster Management in Nepal
Disaster Management:
 Natural Calamity (Relief ) Act, 1982
 Prime Minister Natural Calamity Rescue Fund
 Local Self Governance Act, 1999
 five Years Plans
 National Strategy for DRM 2009
 Sectoral Laws and Policies: Health, Environment, Forest, Building
etc.
Water Induced Disaster Management:
 Establishment of Department of Water Induced Disaster Prevention
under Ministry of Irrigation in 7 October 1991 and implementation
of different programs and projects under it.
 Water Induced Disaster Management Policy, 2062 B.S. (2006 A.D.)
 Water Induced Disaster Management Targets of
Nepal
 By 2007, potential disaster zones are identified by
type and are located on district maps,
 By 2007, emergency relief materials are available in
all five regions.
 By 2017, infrastructures for mitigating predictable
disaster are put into place in twenty districts.
 By 2017, warning systems are established and
functioning, encompassing the country and
 By 2027, social and economic losses reduced to the
levels experienced in other developed countries.
 Nepal and Disaster Profile
Nepal falls in:
 20th topmost disaster prone in the world
 4th rank in climate change vulnerability
 11th rank in earthquake vulnerability
 30th rank in flood vulnerability
 Kathmandu valley is exposed to high risk
among 21 megacities in the world