Disaster Blogs

Governance & Organisational Coordination

2010-12-18T08:21:00.003+05:30

The success of disaster risk management efforts is critically dependent on political commitment manifested through good governance. Good governance includes the adoption and promotion of robust and sound policies, legislation, coordination mechanisms and regulatory frameworks, and the creation of an enabling environment that is characterized by appropriate decision making processes to allow effective participation of stakeholders, complemented by the appropriate allocation of resources.

What is DRR

2010-09-18T19:07:00.005+05:30

Disaster risk reduction is defined by the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) as, ‘Action taken to reduce the risk of disasters and the adverse impacts of natural hazards, through systematic efforts to analyse and manage the causes of disasters, including through avoidance of hazards,reduced social and economic vulnerability to hazards, and improved preparedness for adverse events’. A hazard or shock becomes a disaster when it affects vulnerable communities. Community vulnerability is exacerbated by poor social, economic and physical development planning decisions. At the heart of DRR is the need to consider:
(a) in what ways communities and their development are vulnerable to disasters;
(b) how communities’development choices increase or decrease the levels of disaster risk to which they are exposed/ vulnerable; and
(c) to what degree community capacity can be strengthened to better deal with existing and future risk.
There is also a realization that ‘community’ is not a homogeneous entity. Its composition includes women, men, boys, girls, the elderly, poor, rich and the disabled, all of whom have differential access to power and resources, which in turn affects their vulner-ability and capacity. DRR includes efforts to minimise risks and related vulner- abilities. This includes efforts to prevent disaster risk, and to limit the adverse impact of hazards when they occur, through disaster mitigation, preparedness and response. Meaningful progress requires these efforts to be embedded in national development processes and fully institutionalised by government.

DISASTER RISK REDUCTION

2010-08-07T08:02:00.002+05:30

STRATEGIES

- appraisal of likelihood and intensity of hazards
- analysis of vulnerabilities capacities thereto of the community.
- assessment and analysis of disaster risk
- building of institutional capabilities and community preparedness
-developing primary operational functions for effective Disaster Reduction
- managing knowledge and information

SAMBIT

2010-08-06T21:16:00.000+05:30

“Sambit”-the first West Bengal State DRR Congress, was organised by the State Inter-Agency Group in collaboration with the Department of Disaster Management, Government of West Bengal during April 22-24, 2010 in the Yuva Bharati Stadium, Kolkata. There were around 700 participants in the three-day Congress that included representatives from various communities, government officials, and representatives from UN Organisations, NGOs, INGOs, educationists and Students. Importance of this Congress is beyond any doubt in view of increasing episodes of disaster in the last few decades. This Congress has been able to chalk out a roadmap for the future with enthusiastic participation from delegates from the districts, media representatives and other participants. The special significance of this Congress was exchange of opinion towards creating a common platform for integrating disaster risk reduction in mainstreaming development among the DRR experts, PRI representatives, NGO representatives and Government officials.

Natural Disasters and Human Influence

2009-12-18T20:49:00.000+05:30

A. C. Bradley wrote nearly one hundred years ago, “[C]alamities ... do not simply happen, nor are they sent: they proceed mainly from actions, and those the actions of men”. Floods, earthquakes, and other “natural” disaster agents have social consequences only because of the activities of communities before, during, and after a disaster. High-density population concentrations in floodplains, inadequate and non-enforced building codes, housing on slopes, and inadequate warning systems increase damage from natural occurrences. If we think that the number of natural disasters has been increasing, that is not necessarily true. What seems to be happening is that the same number of natural occurrences are resulting in more costly remedies because humans have put themselves in nature’s way. Property and economic loss, psychological stress, and disruption of daily life are concerns for most people rather than the actual hazards themselves.

TRUE COSTS OF DISASTERS

2009-11-30T21:04:00.001+05:30

SELDOM IMAGINED, LEAST CONSIDERED
NEVER ASSESED THE TRUE COSTS OF DISASTERS
LOSS OF PERSONAL BELONGINGS
LOSS OF JOBS
INCREASING SCALE OF POVERTY
WIDENING GAP OF PERSONAL BUDGET
WIDENING GOVT. BUDGET DEFICIT
WIDENING TRADE DEFICIT

Indigenous Knowledge

2009-09-29T23:51:00.000+05:30

Even before we came up with high technology based early warning systems, or standard operating procedures for response, numerous local communities worldwide have prepared, operated, acted, and responded to natural disasters using indigenous methods passed on from one generation to the next. Indigenous knowledge is culture specific, and represents people’s lifestyle. Indigenous knowledge refers to the methods and practices developed by a group of people from an advanced understanding of the local environment, which has formed over numerous generations of habitation. The local people observe signs in the environment which allow them to take precautions before a disaster occurs. This knowledge contains several other important characteristics which distinguish it from other types of knowledge. These include originating within the community, maintaining a non-formal means of dissemination, collectively owned, developed over several generations and subject to adaptation, and imbedded in a community’s way of life as a means of survival.
Darjeeling, situated in extreme north of West Bengal, is prone to landslides, due to topography, unplanned development and rapid population growth, among other causes. Communities have a large and diverse body of knowledge on disaster mitigation based on traditional wisdom. Since they live in remote, isolated and inaccessible hamlets on the ridges or on the foothills, they have their own coping strategies in times of disaster. As a result, many remote and isolated communities have made use of different indigenous mitigation and preparedness practices to minimize the negative impacts of disasters to life and property. Landslide hazard can be reduced if tackled at the appropriate spatial and institutional scales. If stakeholder engagement - from communities to governments - is enabled, the implementation of on the ground risk reduction to effectively reduce landslide hazard is possible.

Kashmir ’s wildlife

2009-08-23T16:26:00.003+05:30

Decades of separatist militancy in Kashmir and the massive response to it by the armed forces have taken a toll on human life. But, what is less known is the fact that this and other human activity have exacerbated dangers posed to the state’s wildlife.
Animals are often get killed, captured or are harmed in retaliation and these conflicts are a major threat to the continued survival of many species.
In the winter of 2006 a frenzied mob burnt a bear to death in a hamlet of Kashmir's Tral township. Over the last few years there have been many such incidents where people have tried to capture the animals or kill them.
This despite the fact that killing the Asian black bear, which has been declared an endangered species under the Indian Wildlife Act, carries a prison sentence of 2-6 years.
The steadily decreasing forest cover, a result of legal and illegal logging operations and human encroachments into the forest, is a direct cause for increasing encounters between humans and animals.
Since the start of the armed insurgency in Kashmir in 1989, the central government has massively boosted the presence of army and paramilitary forces which are mostly deployed in the forest areas, particularly along the fenced Line of Control (LoC).
The conflict between the military and the militants in Kashmir is indirectly contributing to the increase in the number of man-animal conflicts.
Due to human movement in the forests and the fencing of the LoC, the natural habitat of the wild animals has got disturbed; this is one of the reasons that they stray into human settlements.
The army and paramilitary have set up camps in the forest areas where they believe militants often take refuge.
There are several other factors also responsible for increasing incidents of conflict between wild animals and humans. These include shrinkage of habitat due to expanding human population, livestock and developmental activities, changes in the land-use pattern, decline in the natural prey base, climate change and urbanisation.
Wild animals endangered by conflict with humans include the Asiatic Black Bear, Common Leopard, Rhesus Monkey and Langur.
Kashmir is home to several animal species that are listed as endangered like the Kashmiri red stag called 'Hangul' and the Snow Leopard (also called ounce). Hanguls were once a major attraction in the mountain-ringed forests of Dachigam near Srinagar.
The Hangul is the only surviving sub-species of the red deer family in the world, and after its population declined to about 150, the wildlife department began, this year, a programme of captive breeding to save it from extinction.
Efforts by the wildlife department to save the Snow Leopard, listed as 'endangered' in the IUCN (International Conservation Union) red list of threatened animals, include helping sheep and goat farmers to build better barricades and shelters for livestock.
While the Snow Leopard rarely attacks humans, its predatory habits lead them into livestock shelters, entering through ventilators or broken doors and windows. Here they are often trapped and killed.
Recently, the wildlife department began a programme of studying the Asiatic Black Bear’s home ranges, habitat use, breeding nature and behavioural traits.

Satellites Unlock Secrets To Vanishing Water In Northern India

2009-08-16T09:27:00.002+05:30

Beneath northern India's irrigated fields of wheat, rice, and barley ... beneath its densely populated cities of Jaipur and New Delhi, the groundwater has been disappearing.It is being pumped and consumed by human activities - principally to irrigate cropland - faster than the aquifers can be replenished by natural processes. If measures are not taken to ensure sustainable groundwater usage, consequences for the 114 million residents of the region may include a collapse of agricultural output and severe shortages of potable water. Groundwater comes from the natural percolation of precipitation and other surface waters down through Earth's soil and rock, accumulating in aquifers - cavities and layers of porous rock, gravel, sand, or clay. In some of these subterranean reservoirs, the water may be thousands to millions of years old; in others, water levels decline and rise again naturally each year. Groundwater levels do not respond to changes in weather as rapidly as lakes, streams, and rivers do. So when groundwater is pumped for irrigation or other uses, recharge to the original levels can take months or years. Changes in underground water masses affect gravity enough to provide a signal, such that changes in gravity can be translated into a measurement of an equivalent change in water. The northern Indian states of Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana have all of the ingredients for groundwater depletion: staggering population growth, rapid economic development and water-hungry farms, which account for about 95 percent of groundwater use in the region. Data provided by India's Ministry of Water Resources suggested groundwater use was exceeding natural replenishment, but the regional rate of depletion was unknown. it is found that groundwater levels have been declining by an average of one meter every three years (one foot per year). More than 109 cubic km (26 cubic miles) of groundwater disappeared between 2002 and 2008 .The loss is particularly alarming because it occurred when there were no unusual trends in rainfall. In fact, rainfall was slightly above normal for the period. The researchers examined data and models of soil moisture, lake and reservoir storage, vegetation and glaciers in the nearby Himalayas, in order to confirm that the apparent groundwater trend was real. Nothing unusual showed up in the natural environment. The only influence they couldn't rule out was human.

swine flu

2009-05-03T23:18:00.002+05:30

What is H1N1 (swine flu)?
H1N1 (referred to as “swine flu” early on) is a new influenza virus causing illness in people. This new virus was first detected in people in April 2009 in the United States. Other countries, including Mexico and Canada, have reported people sick with this new virus. This virus is spreading from person-to-person, probably in much the same way that regular seasonal influenza viruses spread.

Why is this new H1N1 virus sometimes called “swine flu”?
This virus was originally referred to as “swine flu” because laboratory testing showed that many of the genes in this new virus were very similar to influenza viruses that normally occur in pigs . It has two genes from flu viruses that normally circulate in pigs in Europe and Asia and avian genes and human genes. Scientists call this a “quadruple reassortant” virus.

Do pigs carry this virus and can I catch this virus from a pig?
There are flu viruses that commonly cause outbreaks of illness in pigs. Most of the time, these viruses do not infect people, but influenza viruses can spread back and forth between pigs and people.

Disaster risk, development and the environment

2009-03-20T21:57:00.002+05:30

Disasters are not random and do not occur by accident. They are the convergence of hazards and vulnerable conditions. Disasters not only reveal underlying social, economic, political and environmental problems, but unfortunately contribute to worsening them. Such events pose serious challenges to development, as they erode hard-earned gains in terms of political, social and educational progress, as well as infrastructure and technological development. The Millennium Declaration recognizes the risk to development stemming from disasters and calls on the global community to “intensify our collective efforts to reduce the number and effects of natural hazards and man-made disasters”.
Several studies have recently highlighted the fact that investments in development are in jeopardy unless precautionary action is taken toward reducing disaster risk. Yet few development organizations adopt a precautionary approach in the design and management of projects and fewer still recognize the role of environmental management in reducing disaster risk.
Environmental degradation, settlement patterns, livelihood choices and behaviour can all
contribute to increase disaster risk, which in turn adversely affects human development and contributes to further environmental degradation. The poorest are the most vulnerable to disasters because they are often pushed to settle on the most marginal lands and have least access to prevention, preparedness and early warning. In addition, the poorest are the least resilient in recovering from disasters because they lack support networks, insurance and alternative livelihood options.
A comprehensive approach to disaster risk reduction acknowledges the role of the environment in triggering disasters and protecting communities. At the same time, it recognizes that the environment is itself vulnerable to disasters and post-disaster recovery.
The potential contributions of environmental management (including environmental
science, information, governance and technologies) towards reducing disaster risk. Most
importantly, this approach recognizes the vital role of environmental managers, whether
they live in rural villages or earn their livelihoods in the offices of government buildings.

Megacity poses special challenges

2009-03-19T20:18:00.001+05:30

The megacity poses special challenges for disaster risk reduction for a number of reasons.

First, there is their sheer scale and geographic complexity. They sprawl over large areas, and this alone makes the day-to-day monitoring of hazards and vulnerability difficult and adequate provision and protection of lifeline infrastructure problematic.

Second, these cities require large amounts of energy, water, food, and other “inputs” and create large amounts of solid, liquid, and gaseous effluent and waste heat. Sometimes these characteristics of the urban ecology of megacities (and other large cities) contribute directly to the exacerbation of a natural hazard.

Third, many megacities are located in hazardous locations. These include coastal areas or river deltas, where storms and floods are common.

Finally, megacities are highly diverse socially. In them live some of the richest and poorest people on earth. There is typically significant linguistic, ethnic, and religious diversity, and there is usually a population of recent immigrants, some foreign, and some undocumented or illegal

Sustainable Urban Management

2009-03-19T07:29:00.002+05:30

10 points of Sustainable Urban Management
• Provide a long-term vision for cities based on: sustainability; intergenerational, social, economic and political equity; and their individuality
• Achieve long-term economic and social security
• Recognise the intrinsic value of biodiversity and natural ecosystems, and protect and restore them
• Enable communities to minimise their ecological footprint
• Build on the characteristics of ecosystems in the development and nurturing of healthy and sustainable cities
• Recognise and build on the distinctive characteristics of cities, including their human and cultural values, history and natural systems
• Empower people and foster participation
• Expand and enable cooperative networks to work towards a common sustainable future
• Promote sustainable production and consumption, through appropriate use of environmentally sound technologies and effective demand management
• Enable continual improvement, based on accountability, transparency and good governance

Urban Disaster

2009-03-17T07:35:00.001+05:30

We must emphasize the need for community awareness and participation in the process of urban planning to mitigate urban disasters. Community-level help groups should be created and trained on first aid, fire fighting, search and rescue, etc. These groups could include youth, medical professionals from state hospitals, local police, and fire safety officials who would act as first responders during any emergency.This group could also create awareness among the community, particularly in schools, about disaster preparedness. It can also be suggested that e-learning companies along with NGOs and the police can create e-learning modules for local police. Similar e learning modules can be prepared for educating the communities on disaster management.

Chlorine Gas Leak- a disaster

2009-01-11T18:01:00.003+05:30

On a January night in 2005, a freight train with three tanker cars -- each loaded with 90 tons of chlorine -- slammed into a parked locomotive in the center of Graniteville, S.C., a town of 7,000 people about 15 miles from Augusta, Ga.

One tank ruptured during the 2 a.m. collision, releasing between 42 tons and 60 tons of chlorine gas that seeped into a nearby textile mill, where 180 people were working the overnight shift.

Eight people died at the accident scene, at least 525 people were treated in emergency rooms, and 71 people were admitted to nine hospitals in South Carolina and Georgia.

It was a tragic disaster that shows us what a significant challenge a large-scale chlorine gas release poses to health-care facilities.Hospitals need to be able to quickly recognize the signs of chlorine exposure and have enough mechanical ventilators on hand.

Chlorine gas is an irritating, fast-acting and potentially deadly inhalant. It's also one of the most widely used toxic chemicals -- water treatment and industrial manufacturing are examples of such use. According to the report, many people who were hospitalized showed signs of severe lung damage. More than a third were admitted to intensive care, and 10 percent required mechanical ventilation. Despite their injuries, most recovered quickly and were discharged within a week, according to a report.

Public health agencies and hospitals across the country can learn a lot from this disaster and be better prepared to help in the next emergency.

Millennium Development Goals

2008-11-04T07:56:00.002+05:30

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are eight goals to be achieved by 2015 that respond to the world's main development challenges. The MDGs are drawn from the actions and targets contained in the Millennium Declaration that was adopted by 189 nations-and signed by 147 heads of state and governments during the UN Millennium Summit in September 2000.

The eight MDGs break down into 21 quantifiable targets that are measured by 60 indicators.

Kyoto Protocol

2008-10-31T08:04:00.002+05:30

The Kyoto Protocol is a protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC or FCCC), an international environmental treaty produced at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), informally known as the Earth Summit, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 3–14 June 1992. The treaty is intended to achieve "stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system." The Kyoto Protocol establishes legally binding commitments for the reduction of six greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, sulfur hexafluoride, hydrofluorocarbons, and perfluorocarbons).

BIhar (India) Flood

2008-08-31T06:54:00.003+05:30

Floods have forced Indian government to evacuate up to 300,000 people. The refugees are now living in relief shelters, temples and high-rise government buildings.

The floods are the worst in over 50 years.

Although 300,000 people have been saved, some 600,000 individuals are stranded without food or drinkable water.

As reported, 60 people have died in recent days, and three million people have been affected in one way or another by the floods. India was flooded after ‘the Kosi river breached its banks earlier this month on the border with Nepal and changed course, swamping hundreds of villages in eastern Bihar state.’

WASH

2008-08-16T20:48:00.001+05:30

This is the year of Sanitation. MDG target is to give half the people of the world hygienic water and sanitation by 2015. UNICEF conducts WASH programme in countries where rural people deserve hygienic water and sanitation. We should contribute.

China's Earthquake

2008-07-05T19:21:00.000+05:30

A new analysis of the setting for last month's devastating earthquake in China by a team of geoscientists at MIT shows that the quake resulted from faults with little seismic activity, and that similar events in that area occur only once in every 2,000 to 10,000 years, on average.

However, the researchers caution that because earthquakes can sometimes occur in clusters, people should still be wary of another possible large-scale earthquake.

The magnitude 7.9 quake struck Sichuan province on May 12 at around noontime, which may have increased the human death toll because many people were at school, and the school buildings turned out to be especially vulnerable to collapse because of poor construction. More than 69,000 people have been confirmed dead so far, and more than 374,000 injured, with fears of further casualties because several lakes created by rockfall dams may give way and cause sudden flooding.

Vulnerable lake

2008-06-01T06:41:00.001+05:30

Troops carrying explosives through a quake-devastated area in southwest China attempted to reach a "quake lake" that threatens a secondary disaster.Concerned by a steep rise in the water level of a giant lake at Tangjiashan, authorities want to blast a hole in the barrier before it bursts and causes a flashflood. Thousands have been evacuated below the lake as a precaution.

Mock Drill

2008-05-25T08:02:00.001+05:30

Scientists today(22/5/08) unveiled a hypothetical Scenario describing how a magnitude 7.8 Southern California earthquake -similar to the recent earthquake in China- would impact the region, causing loss of lives and massive damage to infrastructure, including critical transportation, power, and water systems.

In the Scenario, the earthquake would kill 1800 people, injure 50,000, cause $200 billion in damage, and have long-lasting social and economic consequences. This is the most comprehensive analysis ever of what a major Southern California earthquake would mean, and is the scientific framework for what will be the largest earthquake preparedness drill in California history, scheduled for November 13, 2008.

The November preparedness exercise, "Golden Guardian '08," will test the ability of emergency responders to deal with the impact of a magnitude 7.8 earthquake on the San Andreas Fault in Southern California, and is being jointly organized by the Governor's Office of Emergency Services and the California Office of Homeland Security.

Man-made disaster.

2008-05-18T18:23:00.002+05:30

In spite of all of the heartbreaking reports and horrific images coming out of Burma, the only one who had lost his dignity was Burma’s junta leader, Snr-Gen Than Shwe.
In spite of the woefully slow response from the Burmese military authorities-and the heartless blockade and misappropriation of aid and supplies-the people of the delta are taking matters into their own hands, standing strong, taking care of each other, determined to survive.
The UN, by nature, is careful-often timid in its language-and takes a gentle diplomatic approach to each of its myriad concerns. It has no intention of picking a fight with Burma’s generals. Ambassador after ambassador at the UN emphasized that they didn’t want to politicize the issue.
That’s why, this humanitarian crisis has now become a man-made disaster.
Than Shwe and his clique have failed in every regard: to issue cyclone warnings, to plan an evacuation, to allow aid workers and supplies in, even to the point of stealing the food and water marked for those victims who are dying without it.
Thankfully, the brave people in the Irrawaddy delta are not procrastinators by nature. They are survivors. And their dignity will not allow them to sit back and wait while their leaders and the rest of the world abandon them.

Agenda 21

2008-05-16T07:51:00.000+05:30

Agenda 21, like other international documents, is important because it is signed by the community of nations. But the true significance, the historical significance of these documents is afforded by the social and political use that society makes of them. The most remarkable example we have, and which shows that we cannot expect immediate results when we speak of the Agenda 21, is the Declaration of Human Rights, signed in 1948. It remained in oblivion for several decades, until the seventies, when it became an essential document for the contemporary world.

Agenda 21 was a major international negotiating effort to produce a consensus and a program with a certain degree of operationality for mankind for sustainable development.

The implementation of sustainable development implies incorporating the concern for sustainability in all levels of policy formulation; establishing the principles to guide this process, from policy macro statements, through macro guidelines and sectoral strategies, to the execution of programs of actions, going through the conception, implementation, monitoring and assessment of government efforts in partnership with organized society, in order to characterize a large structure capable of constant feedback and allowing for an increasingly more qualified in the formulation of consistent policies.

It is important to highlight that the Rio Conference, in contrast to the 1972 Stockholm Conference, was directed towards development, and that Agenda 21 is not an environmental agenda, but a sustainable development agenda where, obviously, the environment is a major concern. The focus of this planning project, introduced with the name of Agenda 21, is not restricted to issues concerning the preservation and conservation of nature, but it is a proposal that breaks away with the type of planning employed over the past few decades, with a predominantly economic focus. The Agenda considers strategic issues related to the generation of jobs and income; to the decrease of regional and interpersonal income disparities; to the changes in consumption and production patterns; to the building of sustainable cities; to the adoption of new management models and instruments.

In sum, Agenda 21 should express a participatory and strategic planning that establishes the priorities to be defined and executed in a partnership of government and society. Agenda 21, thus, brings to the forefront of the international arena the need for strategic, decentralized and participatory planning.

In terms of initiatives the Agenda leaves no doubt, Governments have the prerogative and the responsibility for initiating and facilitating the process of implementation at all levels. In addition to governments, the Agenda seeks to mobilize all segments of society, calling them "relevant actors" and "sustainable development partners".

This processual and gradual conception for validating the concept implies in assuming that the principles and premises that should guide the implementation of Agenda 21 are not an exhaustive list: to turn the Agenda into reality is above all a social process in which actors slowly agree to new consensus and build a feasible Agenda in direction of an expected sustainable future.

As a result, all the actors participating in the process should concentrate their efforts on the task of recreating the institutional-political mechanisms necessary for long-term actions, inherent to the concept of sustainable development.

The main lesson of the successes and failures of planning experiences has been the understanding that the process is more important that the report-outcome, independent of the technical capacities of those who drafted it. The transforming power of planning depends directly on the involvement of the agents that are significant for a particular issue.

More on Myanmar Cyclone

2008-05-15T18:05:00.000+05:30

CARE's emergency assessment teams report massive destruction and damage in Myanmar's Irrawaddy Delta region--far worse than in Yangon, and warn that the scale of the disaster is only progressively coming to light.

Earthquake in China

2008-05-12T21:16:00.001+05:30

Another major natural disaster may cause catastrophic death and destruction. This time, it's a magnitude 7.8 earthquake in China - centered in Sichuan Province. A 7.8 quake with an epicenter some 60 miles from a heavily populated city and surrounded by a number of other moderately populated cities, and at a depth of 6 miles (not that deep for such a strong quake) seemed destined to cause catastrophic damage. Through the morning, updated reports have been coming in - at latest report the death toll was at 7,651 and rising...but several thousand more seem likely due to collapsing buildings and infrastructure.

Myanmar Cyclone

2008-05-08T19:10:00.001+05:30

More than one million homeless in Myanmar were battling to stave off disease and hunger Thursday, with the military government still limiting foreign assistance six days after a massive cyclone.Aid was only trickling in despite warnings that specialists were needed to deliver food and water through disaster zones strewn with rotting bodies, and it was unclear if the regime was giving visas to foreign aid staff.

How to Converge

2007-12-16T21:32:00.001+05:30

Conceptualization of vulnerability of Social environmental system
Identification of critical points of convergence
Assessing vulnerability of Social environmental system
Formulation of Development programmes according to local needs for creating new assets and maintaining existing assets so that the vulnerability is reduced.

Convergence

2007-12-10T06:33:00.002+05:30

Development and disaster mitigation are required to be converged into one plan. Disaster preparedness planning is an integral part of Development planning. A convergent plan will act as a proactive Crisis Management plan. It is required to include disaster reduction component plan with top priority in the ongoing development plan. Development of critical infrastructure will minimise the impact of Disaster on mankind.

Bigger Odds for Deadly Heat Waves

2007-12-07T20:51:00.000+05:30

A warmer climate means more hot weather. Scientists expect global warming to increase the chance of "killer" heat waves.

Malibu Wildfire

2007-11-25T18:59:00.001+05:30

Nov,24,2007- 49 homes , along with two outbuildings, were destroyed by a fast-moving wildfire pushed by Santa Ana winds. Twenty-seven other homes were damaged and 10,000 to 14,000 people were evacuated. For the second time in little more than a month, residents were left to survey the damage left by flames in Malibu,The coastal community had been recovering from last month's 4,565-acre Canyon Fire that destroyed six homes, two businesses and a church when the winds began whipping up again overnight Saturday.Hundreds of firefighters and equipment from throughout the state had been positioned in Southern California for most of the week because of the predicted Santa Ana winds. Residents said they have grown accustomed to the potential fire danger when the strong gusts blow.

Bangladesh Cyclone

2007-11-25T08:00:00.001+05:30

Appeal 2007

The current situation

On Thursday 15 November 2007, Cyclone Sidr, described as the worst storm in years to hit the disaster-prone country, triggered a six metre high tidal wave that crashed into the south-west coast before sweeping north over the capital Dhaka.

An estimated 3000 people have lost their lives, with authorities estimating the figure could go as high as 10,000, with hundreds of fishermen still missing. Some organisations have estimated that over 1 million people are now homeless, and up to 7 million lives have been affected. The main damage was caused in the coastal districts of Khulna, Barisal, Borguna and Mongla where the cyclone was at its strongest.

Entire stretches of road along the coast were destroyed by the tidal wave, and homes, food stocks, crops, livestock and drinking water were all washed away. Dhaka was also hit badly resulting in loss of power supply, damaged property and uprooted trees.

The area is one of the most impoverished parts of Bangladesh. The recent floods in July caused significant crop loss in northern and central areas. The combined impact of these two disasters to this country is predicted to be massive.

More Droughts Expected

2007-11-25T07:45:00.001+05:30

Higher temperatures cause water to evaporate faster, leading to dried-out soil that increases water shortages and puts crops and livestock at risk.

Higher Risk of Downpours, Floods

2007-11-25T07:25:00.001+05:30

A warmer world will deliver heavier rainfalls and more flooding. Some of that flooding will likely be as disastrous as what occurred in 2005 in New Orleans.

Containment near on wildfire near Prescott

2007-11-09T07:10:00.000+05:30

Mop up operations have taken longer than anticipated as firefighters seek to declare a 630-acre wildfire in the Prescott National Forest contained.

The human-caused August fire, which began Oct. 30, is, burning about 10 miles south of Prescott and is 85 percent contained, with fire managers hoping to declare it fully contained sometime Thursday.

No structures have been damaged or are threatened by the fire.

Another Prescott National Forest wildfire that began Tuesday seven miles south of Crown King has been declared controlled after being held to 7 acres.

Sanborn Makes California Wildfire Threat Maps Available

2007-11-09T07:03:00.000+05:30

John Copple, CEO of Sanborn, an industry leader in geospatial solutions, is pleased to announce that the company has made California wildfire threat maps available online.

In an effort to support the release of accurate, up-to-date information about the California wildfires, Sanborn has published a series of maps online. Specifically designed to meet wildfire fire mitigation and prevention planning requirements, these maps are generated from Sanborn's commercial Wildfire Risk Information Product (WRIP), which depicts maps of wildfire risk (areas most prone to wildfire occurrence), fire behavior potential, and susceptibility of severe damage.

This data is currently presented online at www.sanborn.com, with update fire perimeters obtained from several different agencies to aid recovery and damage assessment efforts. These web maps are updated daily as new fire perimeters become available.

Wildfires on the Rise

2007-10-26T20:14:00.001+05:30

Hot, dry conditions are perfect for sparking wildfires. Scientists are starting to trace the link between our warmer climate and the recent uptick in wildfires.

Fiercer Storms More Likely

2007-10-02T18:43:00.001+05:30

Global warming heats our oceans. Since hurricanes derive their power from warm waters, scientists expect more ferocious hurricanes.

Global Warming and Extreme Weather

2007-09-18T19:39:00.001+05:30

Studies show that global warming will increase the frequency or intensity of many kinds of extreme weather. While we can't attribute a particular heat wave or hurricane to global warming, the trends are clear: Global warming loads the atmospheric dice to roll "heat wave" or "intense storm" more often.

Measured To Be Adopted at grassroot level in cyclone

2007-09-16T13:03:00.003+05:30

Hooks of the type available with the Fire Service Department for cleaning debris,
Rubber tires and tubes for using as floats in water,
Tents,
Kerosene Lanterns,
Large cooking vessels for use in relief camps, Copies of Maps etc.,
torchesRopes, wires, chains, lights with wire fittings,torches,etc.,
Double handle saws (for cutting trees), shovels, candles, land hailers, hose pipes, first aid kits, empty drums, gunny bags and sand bags, polythene bags (for dropping supplies), buckets,
Fodders, pumps etc.

Indonesian Earthquake

2007-09-14T22:16:00.000+05:30

Indonesia has been rocked by another powerful earthquake today, Friday, September 14, 2007, the third in the space of as many days.The 6.9-magnitude tremor was centred in the same area off Sumatra island that was affected by the two more powerful quakes yesterday and on Wednesday.The authorities issued a tsunami warning for the Indian Ocean, but it was later lifted after it became clear no massive tidal wave had been triggered.At least nine people were killed in the first two earthquakes, but it is unclear if any further deaths or damage were caused by today's tremor.

Cyclone:Some relevant topics

2007-09-13T06:48:00.001+05:30

Vulnerability Assessment : Meteorological records of the wind speed and the directions give the probability of the winds in the region. Past records and paths can give the pattern of occurrence for particular wind speeds. A hazard map will illustrate the areas vulnerable to the cyclone in any given year. It will be useful to estimate the severity of the cyclone and various damage intensities in the region. The map is prepared with data inputs of past climatological records, history of wind speed, frequency of flooding etc. List of most vulnerable villages based on past disasters and rainfall position should be prepared.

Land use control: It is designed so that least critical activities are placed in vulnerable areas. Location of settlements in the flood plains is utmost risk. Siting of key facilities must be marked in the land use.

Engineered Structures: Structures need to be built to withstand wind forces. Good site selection is also important. Majority of buildings in coastal areas are built with locally available materials and have no engineering inputs. Good constructions practice should be adopted.

Community Based Mitigation: Construction of cyclone resistant houses and strengthening of existing houses should be done through community participation. Local engineers and masons can take part in the construction of the buildings in their area and demonstrate to the people about disaster resistant construction methods. Multipurpose cyclone shelters should be used as schools or community centers in normal times. In case of cyclone or floods, community should take shelter in these designed buildings. The local communities will be responsible for the maintenance and management of these community shelters. Protection measures should be taken for the livestocks, the boats, fishing nets, household items and other possessions.

Warning System:Cyclone

2007-09-12T07:38:00.001+05:30

Cyclones have the best predictability among all disaster phenomena. Low pressure and the development can be detected hours or days before its damage effects start. Satellite tracking can track the movement since the build up and the likely path is projected. Warning and evacuation is done along the projected path. The magnitude of the accompanying hazard of storm surge is also predictable through techniques which takes into account the parameters of the approaching cyclone as well as the physical and oceanographic characteristics of the coast in the area of anticipated landfall i.e., the place where the cyclone is expected to hit the coast.

It is difficult to predict the accuracy. Accurate landfall predictions can give only a few hours’ notice to threatened populations. In addition, people generally opt to wait until the very last minute before abandoning their home and possessions. Deaths from drowning in the high tides and sudden flooding and material losses are therefore often very high.

Forecasting is the next step in disaster reduction. But forecasting should be based on sound scientific principles and operationally proven techniques. Forecasting should be done by an authorized agency who, besides being competent, experienced, responsible and accountable, is conscious of the end use of the forecast, its implications, and the dependence of the success of disaster reduction on the forecast.

Once a forecast is available regarding an anticipated disaster event, it should be converted quickly into an area-specific and time-specific warning. Furthermore, the warning should be user-specific because the capacity of different user to withstand the onslaught of disaster is different.

Cyclone warning is disseminated by several means such as satellite based disaster warning systems, radio, television, telephone, fax, high priority telegram, public announcements and bulletins in press. Advancement in Information Technology in the form of Internet, Geographical Information System (GIS), Remote Sensing, Satellite communication, etc. can help a great deal in planning and implementation of hazards reduction schemes. Once the current status of a cyclone and its forecast behaviour are available, the next is to formulate the area-specific cyclone warnings.

Mitigation Strategy: Cyclone

2007-09-11T07:17:00.000+05:30

a) Measures for more efficient storm tracking,

b) Measures for rapid dissemination of warnings issued by the Area Cyclone Warning Center,

c) Emergency measures like evacuation from threatened areas during cyclone situation,

d) Post disaster measures,

e) Long term measures for preparedness to combat cyclone in general and

f) Community preparedness programme.

Typical Effects Of Cyclone

2007-09-04T07:43:00.001+05:30

First, in a sudden, brief onslaught, high winds cause major damage to infrastructure and housing, in particular fragile constructions. They are generally followed by heavy rains and floods, and in flat coastal areas by storm surge riding on tidal waves and inundating the land over long distances of even upto 15km inland.

Physical damage - Structures will be damaged or destroyed by the wind force, flooding and storm surge. Light pitched roofs of most structures especially the ones fitted on to industrial buildings will suffer severe damage.

Casualties and public health – Caused by flooding and flying elements, contamination of water supplies may lead to viral outbreaks, diarrhea and malaria.

Water supplies – Ground and piped water supply may get contaminated by flood waters.

Crops and food supplies – High winds and rains will ruin the standing crop and food stock lying in low lying areas. Plantation type crops such as banana and coconut are extremely vulnerable. Salt from the sea water maybe deposited on the agricultural land and increase ht salinity. The loss of the crop may lead to acute food shortage.

Communication – Severe disruption in the communication links as the wind may bring down the electricity and communication towers, electricity and telephone poles, telephone lines, antennas and satellite disk and broadcasting services. Transport lines (road and rail) may be curtailed. Relief materials may not reach the affected site.

Elements At Risk In Cyclone

2007-09-02T07:23:00.001+05:30

All lightweight structures and those built of mud, wood, older buildings with weak walls and structures without proper anchorage to the foundations will be at great risk. Settlements located in low lying coastal areas will be vulnerable to the direct effects of the cyclones such as wind, rain and storm surge. Settlements in adjacent areas will be vulnerable to floods, mud-slides or landslides due to heavy rains. Other elements at risk are fences, telephone and electricity poles, cables, light elements of structures – roofs, signboards, hoardings, coconut crowns, fishing boats and large trees.

Cyclone accompanied by sea wave

2007-08-23T06:53:00.000+05:30

A heavy cyclone accompanied by a sea wave, is the worst kind of disaster which may occur in Indian delta. Disasters of this kind have caused appalling mortality in the past and will possibly do so again. Practically, nothing can be done to avoid them but fortunately they are not frequent.

They are most likely to occur at the beginning or at the end of rains, i.e., either before the winter paddy is planted or at a time when it is almost ripe. Under such circumstances the damage to crops may be small in comparison with the mortality among men and cattle which may be enormous.

CYCLONES

2007-08-19T10:16:00.001+05:30

It is an intense vortex or a whirl in the atmosphere, characterized by high winds rotating about a calm center of low atmospheric pressure in anti-clockwise direction in the Northern Hemisphere and in clockwise direction in the southern Hemisphere. This center moves onwards and pressure increases outwards. The force of the pressure in the center and the rate at which it increases outwards gives the intensity of the cyclone and the strength of winds.

Cyclones form in certain favourable atmospheric and oceanic conditions. There are marked seasonal variations in their places of origin, tracks and attainment of intensities. These behaviours help in predicting their movements.

Onset Type : They strike suddenly although it takes time to build up. They can be tracked on the development but accurate landfall is predictable barely within few hours. The onset is extensive and often very destructive.

Approach to Flood Management

2007-08-15T23:56:00.001+05:30

Structural measures:

Attempts to Modify Flood.

(a) Dams and Reservoirs, (b) Embankment, (c) Drainage Improvements , (d) Channel improvements , (e) Diversion of Flood Waters , (f) Using Natural Detention Basin.

Non- Structural Measures:
(a) Attempts to modify susceptibility of Flood.
Flood plain zoning :- It aims to regulate the developments in the flood plains, so that it is compatible with ‘Flood Risk’. It recognises the basic fact that the flood plains are essentially the domain of the river, and as such all developmental activities must be compatible with the flood risk involved.
Steps:
1) Demarcate area liable to floods of different frequency. 2) Prepare detailed maps. 3) Detail out the use to which the flood zones can be put.

Flood forecasting :- Involves observing and collecting hydrological and meteorological data, transmission and then processing the data with a view to work out the likely level to be achieved at a particular site, i.e. to give advance warning .

Flood proofing( including disaster preparedness):–

The objectives and scope:

(i) flood proofing of civic amenities, (ii) relieve drainage congestion.

It is essentially a combination of structural change and emergency action without evacuation. A programme of the flood proofing provides the raised platforms for flood shelter for men and cattle and raising the public utility installations above flood levels.

(b) Attempts to modify loss burden

1)Disaster relief, 2)Flood fighting ,3)Flood insurance

( c) Living with flood.

· Encourage ancient wisdom

To Be Ready or Not to Be Ready?: What a Stupid Question

2007-08-13T22:11:00.001+05:30

There is an old adage that claims it is better to be safe than sorry. Most people living on planet Earth would agree. The art of preparation is a skill every old person wants the youth to possess. Business leaders want their employees to be better prepared. Simple everyday people want to be ready for all kinds of disasters that life may have in store for them. Someone who was trying to be wise once said, “Dig the well before you are thirsty.” This person was obviously relatively smart. Preparation is an essential tool for making life a more positive experience.

First, success could come more easily if enough work was done beforehand. Second, preparation can make lives of thousands more pleasant. Lastly, people would have an overall feeling of security if they were better prepared.

In conclusion, being prepared can improve the quality of every life on this planet. People could be more successful if they put in a little effort before disaster struck. Relationships would flourish. People would not be so moody or tired. The society as a whole could be calmer. Everyone would have a more pleasant life because they could avoid various problems that could have occurred otherwise. Preparation radiates a general feeling of security in life.

local and global disaster

2007-07-20T08:17:00.000+05:30

Industrial logging is the main cause of forest loss throughout the tropics. It is the starting point of a process leading to the forests' final destruction and substitution by agricultural crops, cattle raising or monoculture tree plantations. These are well known facts supported by more than sufficient evidence.
Even more importantly, industrial logging destroys the livelihoods of forest and forest-dependent peoples who, deprived of the resources they depend on, become poor. Contrary to the official discourse, logging does not lead to development; it results in impoverishment and social disintegration. Women are disproportionately affected by logging activities, which provide them with no employment opportunities while depleting the resources they traditionally use and manage.
In tropical countries, the process begins with the violation of the territorial rights of indigenous peoples and other traditional communities, who are the righteous owners of the forest. As most people confronted with such situation would, they frequently resist the entry of logging companies to their territories, which in turn usually results in state repression to protect the companies' legal "rights".
Forest destruction, human rights abuses, poverty creation is the local part of the equation. On the other side there is wealth creation for transnationals and local elites and an abundant supply of cheap --though very valuable-- raw material to provide rich consumers with elegant toilet seats, sumptuous coffins and other equally "important" symbols of wealth.
Some actors are crucial to make logging and end-consumers meet, among which the World Bank, the Inter American, African and Asian Development Banks and the International Monetary Fund. The banks provide the necessary funding for the road infrastructure needed to access the forest, while the IMF --as well as the banks-- force tropical countries into increasing natural resources' exports in order to ensure external debt payments. Being forests one of the main resources available, they are at the front line of exports and are later substituted by other export oriented crops grown in place of the forest. Another very powerful player has now been added to ensure that transnational corporations make wood flow to the consumer markets: the World Trade Organization.
The whole process leading to forest destruction is clearly at odds with the international community's commitments to protect biodiversity and to counter climate change and desertification, agreed upon in three legally-binding conventions. At the same time, it also violates human rights commitments, including the protection of indigenous peoples' rights, and the commitments agreed upon at the 1995 Social Summit and the 1995 Conference on Women. The list of environmental and social instruments being violated by industrial logging --and its national and international backers-- is indeed very long, only shorter than the list of the actual violations themselves.
The global market's demand for wood cannot continue being used as an excuse to justify forest destruction. Consumption of wood --and other raw materials produced in forest lands-- needs to be drastically reduced to a level that ensures social justice and environmental conservation. Wood is necessary, but the need to respect local peoples' rights and to protect the local and global environment is far more necessary. Industrial logging in the rainforest is a recipe for local and global disaster and must be made to stop.

Main Mitigation Strategies in flood management :

2007-06-04T21:23:00.000+05:30

Mapping of flood prone areas is a primary step involved in reducing the risk of the region. Historical records give the indication of flood inundation areas and the period of occurrence and the extent of the coverage. The basic map is combined with other maps and data to form a complete image of the flood-plain. Warning can be issued looking into the earlier marked heights of the water levels in case of potential threat. In the coastal areas, the tide levels and land characteristics will determine areas liable to inundation. Flood hazard mapping will give the proper indication of water flow during floods.

Causes of Flood :

2007-06-01T07:21:00.000+05:30

(i) Excessive rainfall in river catchments or concentration of runoff from the tributaries and river carrying flows in excess of their capacities.

(ii) Backing of water in tributaries at their confluence with the main river.

(iii) Synchronization of flood peaks of the main rivers and tributaries.

(iv) Landslides causing obstruction to flow and change in the river course.

(v) Poor natural drainage.

(vi) Cyclone and very intense rainfall.

(vii) Intense rainfall when river is flowing full.

Types of Flood:

2007-05-31T07:27:00.000+05:30

1.Flash floods:- It is defined as floods which occurs within six hours of the beginning of heavy rainfall, and are usually associated with cloud bursts, storms and cyclones requiring rapid localized warning and immediate response if damage is to be mitigated. In case of flash floods, warning for timely evacuation may not always be possible.

2.River floods :- Such floods are caused by precipitation over large catchment’s areas. These floods normally build up slowly or seasonally and may continue for days or weeks as compared to flash floods.

3.Coastal floods :- Some floods are associated with the cyclonic activities like Hurricanes, tropical cyclone etc. Catastrophic flooding is often aggravated by wind-induced strom surges along the coast.

Mitigation:

2007-05-28T19:29:00.000+05:30

Mitigation embraces all measures taken to reduce both the effect of the hazard itself and the vulnerability conditions to it in order to reduce the scale of a future disaster. Therefore mitigation activities can be focused on the hazard itself or the elements exposed to the threat. Mitigation, on the other hand, means capacity building of the community or individual vulnerable to hazards.

Relief and danger of demoralisation :

2007-05-27T11:16:00.001+05:30

Although the responsibility not only for preservation of life but also for maintenance of a certain economic standard of people rests with the State in the present context of things, the danger of demoralisation should also be guarded against. The energy and initiative of the people themselves will no less count in helping them recover from economic distress. If the relief measures do not stimulate people to work hard to restore prosperity, if they encourage people only to remain passive and to depend unduly on the hope of Government help, the purpose of relief will be defeated. When demoralisations sets in, normal economic conditions are difficult to restore.

Therefore, only those genuinely impelled by want should be given relief. Great care must be taken to see that relief does not give a fillip to indolence.

DEVELOPMENT REDUCES RISK OF DISASTER:

2007-05-26T11:13:00.001+05:30

A growing recognition that natural disaster are not only an account of hazard themselves but also socio-economic condition of societies that render them vulnerable to natural disasters is slowing gaining recognition. This strengthens the argument in favour of long term perspective on disaster preparedness and response and its integration with development planning.

1. Development can reduce the vulnerability of disaster, so the development of an area should be according to the –

Vulnerability of the place
Ecology of the place
Active participation of the people.

2. Vulnerability maps should be prepared on macro and micro basis, updated annually. Flood zone maps should be provided to all development authorities with full information of upstream and downstream habitat.

3. All development projects including irrigation projects should be targeting towards disaster mitigation. They should have a very careful planning and consideration for –

Ecology and environment,
Disaster vulnerability,
Displacement of people, flora and fauna,
Careful study of upstream and downstream of river

4. Development schemes should be linked with disaster mitigation. Rural Housing Schemes should be used for constructing Earthquake proof, Cyclone resistant houses. Integrated Waste land Development Projects should be worked for Drought mitigation.

5. Multipurpose Community building that act as Cyclone/Flood shelters should be set up in development projects. The construction of roads, railways etc. should take care of proper drainage system.

DISASTER LIMITS SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT -

2007-05-26T11:11:00.001+05:30

A population that has weakened and depleted by natural disaster, particularly when it coincides with losses from malnutrition etc., will be less likely to have the organizational capacity to maintain irrigation works, bunds in fields for water harvesting, hillslope terraces, shelter belts. Without these social assets communities become more vulnerable. In addition to the loss of social assets themselves, there are many examples of disaster events destroying the gains of the health, sanitation, drinking water, housing and education sectors that underpin social development.

Women suffer additional stresses in disaster situations and also bear a disproportionate burden of the additional domestic & income-generating work necessary for survival following a disaster event. When women are exposed to additional stresses, the level of social development reduced.

DISASTER LIMITS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

2007-05-26T11:09:00.000+05:30

– Disaster can wipe out the grains of economic development. Disasters result in the destruction of fixed assets and physical capital, interruption of production and trade, diversion and depletion of savings and public and private investment. At the local level, disaster can seriously impact household livelihoods and push already vulnerable groups into poverty. The loss of income earners, through death or injury, the interruption of production or access to markets and destruction of productive assets, are all examples of ways in which disasters affect local and household economies. The capacity of a household or local community to absorb the impact and recover from a major natural disaster will be seriously limited if already weakened over time by a series of smaller-scale losses.

Pets and Animals Predicting Natural Disasters

2007-05-12T10:27:00.000+05:30

It has long been believed by many that animals have a keen sense for earthquakes, storms and impending disasters and can therefore predict their arrival.

In spite of the numerous death toll and large path of destruction left behind by the recent Tsunami, scientists have reported a surprising low loss of wildlife. Sri Lankan wildlife officials reported that the they had not yet found any dead wild animals, including elephants.

An amazing fact when you consider that the flood waters traveled up to 2 miles inland into the wildlife reserve, home to hundreds of wild elephants, monkeys, leopards, jackals and more. This leaves many to ponder the idea that the wildlife may have sensed the arrival of the impending tidal wave and headed to higher ground accordingly.

Potential theories suggest that the animal's acute skills of perception, even a kind of sixth sense may have alerted them to the approaching tsunami. It may even be something as simple as their keen sense of hearing picking up on the sound of the approaching wave while it was still far enough away to give them enough time to head for higher ground. It has also been suggested that the animals may have been able to pick up on resulting vibrations or changing air pressure as well.

What is sustainable development

2007-03-19T07:15:00.000+05:30

Sustainable development is ‘meeting the needs of present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs’.
We have used the phrase sustainable development as it attempts to embrace the relation between the socio-economic and environmental and has gained widespread recognition.

An organisation, therefore, in its objective to achieve maximum profit should not rule out the preparedness manifesto of Disaster Management. The whole activity of an organisation hit by a calamity. If alternative plan is not ready in hand the ultimate organisational goal will suffer.

Sustainable Development

2007-03-16T08:29:00.000+05:30

It is felt that the companies do not bother to allocate fund for disaster management in their budgetary provisions. But now the idea of reducing risk of a disaster is gaining momentum. For a company any adversity in achieving the desired goal is the disaster to the company. If a calamity poses threat to the profit then it may be handled likewise. So, this handling of threat is a type of disaster management.For a sustainable development and growth it is desired that the companies should prepare a disaster mangement plan.

BHOPAL TRAGEDY

2007-03-11T18:42:00.000+05:30

this reminds me the Union Carbide's callousnes in the field of disaster management. Disaster Management is a part of sustainable development-that's it.

Community Participation

2007-03-11T18:30:00.000+05:30

Bulk of the population rarely participate, rarely are consulted and are apparently content with this inactive role. Disinterest reigns and there is little or no search for information or the reading of same when it is delivered to their door. With contact with their political representatives, there is little engagement though there is more contact with the service providers. However, this does not mean that in the event of an emergency these people will be inactive or that they will not have local networks on which to build. But, nor does it mean that they have the desire to band together with others who they may or may not ‘get along’ with or that they will have adequate knowledge along with the necessary skills which would bring empowerment to their situation.

Community Building

2007-03-04T07:58:00.000+05:30

With community building there is a need for better and more informed data concerning the nature and culture of the communities of interest and of the individuals that reside within the geographical boundaries of the municipality for more inclusiveness in the approaches adopted. The residents also need access to such information so that they are able to make informed decisions whilst having a greater understanding of their locality.
Bonding social capital should be encouraged in the field of community engagement but not to the exclusion of the ‘non-bonded’ citizens.
Good governance should involve not only a top down approach but encompass bottom up
and bottom across as well. Empowerment is the result and with that a more resilient ‘community’ able to deal with their risks and able to draw on their local resources, their social capital, in times of stress.

Hi!tech

2007-02-26T07:29:00.000+05:30

Technorati Profile

Nest of economy

2007-02-21T21:39:00.001+05:30

Political reality gives primacy to the economy.This largely treats the environment and society
as a resource to be exploited, both natural and human, and as a sink where problems are
dumped, whether unemployment, ill health or waste. In contrast, the material reality is that the economy is dependent on society and the environment .Society embraces the multitude of human actions and interactions that make up human life. Without society, humans would not survive, as our very existence, in both evolutionary and present terms, is based on social interaction. Human activity takes place within the environment. Nearly all our actions have an
impact on the environment. Human life itself depends on the environment. Our material
needs, heat, light, food, medicines, clothing, as well as modern consumer goods are made with
materials and energy that come from it. Products, regardless of whether they are described
as waste or as goods, eventually end up returning into the environment. As well as satisfying
needs, the environment provides the source of much of culture and leisure enjoyment. Much
of art and spiritual beliefs and most of science and technology draws on the environment.

Emergency Preparedness planning

2007-02-17T21:21:00.000+05:30

Communication, information and public participation become important aspects of a Community’ s ability to recover from a disaster event. Community emergency preparedness plans need to more carefully consider how warnings should be disseminated. This is particularly true for crises that do not involve widespread physical evidence that community residents are at risk, such as biological pathogens or radiation.
Men and women rely on different sources of information. Thus, a multifaceted approach to the provision of warnings must be implemented. Community emergency preparedness should also more clearly lay out how information and services will be provided during the aftermath of a crisis. Further, since some of a household s daily chores are still divided along gender lines, emergency preparedness should consider how to ease the burden of these activities on women who may be themselves sick or in other ways affected by the disaster.
Women s private work , while unseen and unrecognized contributes to the household s ability to recover from the disaster event.
Communities really do pull together during a crisis. They utilised existing social networks such as community groups and family relationships to provide or receive assistance from fellow citizens. When disaster strikes, victims themselves use whatever existing resources they have to help themselves and their neighbours; they do not wait passively for others to intervene. It appears that the type of assistance included the more obvious tasks such as water distribution as well as less recognized, but very important activities such as listening to others concerns and providing advice. The type of networks that exist within communities, the nature of the assistance provided as well as the other resources that are utilised by residents should be more clearly recognized during emergency preparedness planning.

GROUND MOTION:

2007-02-04T07:46:00.000+05:30

The impact of the ground motion on the building can be predicted on the basis of its design and construction. Engineers have focused on the nature, distribution, and level of damage from earthquakes. Such investigations have increased our understanding of the performance of various types of buildings and structures over a wide range of ground motion.
The process of assembling the data on geologic and engineering data can be facilitated by geographic information systems (GIS). GIS may combine data on past quakes with modeling capabilities for estimating future disasters. It enables scientists to efficiently estimate the average rate of loss from earthquakes, but also the damage expected from specific earthquake scenarios.Based on this information, one can get annual probability of the damage or loss from a series of scenario events.

Vulnerability Of Building

2007-01-30T18:30:00.001+05:30

The ingredients for evaluating the vulnerability of buildings to earthquakes or other natural hazards are broadly categorized as risk assessment and societal conditions.

Ideally a risk assessment specifies the probability of events of different intensities or magnitudes occurring and the direct and indirect impacts of these events to the affected interested parties. Societal conditions include the residential structures and those who inhabit them, along with their socio-economic features (e.g., age, education, income).

One also needs to understand the decision processes of the residents in the area. The term decision processes refers to the type of information and data collected by these individuals and how they are utilized in making choices.

Based on an understanding of the vulnerability of the building and the decision processes of the apartment dwellers, one needs to develop a disaster management program for reducing losses and providing financial protection to victims of future disasters.

Emergency Support Functions (ESF)

2007-01-23T21:50:00.000+05:30

ESF 1-Transportation
ESF 2-Communications
ESF 3-Public Works
ESF 4-Firefighting
ESF 5-Information and Planning
ESF 6- Mass Relief
ESF 7-Resource Support
ESF 8-Health and Medical
ESF 9-Search and Rescue
ESF 10-Hazardous Materials
ESF 11-Food and Water
ESF 12-Energy
ESF 13-Military Support
ESF 14-Public Information
ESF 15-Volunteers and Donations
ESF 16-Law Enforcement
ESF 17-Animal Services

2006-08-20T07:23:00.000+05:30

Behaviour in resettlement

Human behaviour in emergency situations almost always shows a strong willingness to cope - this natural disaster response mechanism is likely to exist in every community. People suffer trauma and may show a variety of symptoms of stress such as periods of depression, dejection, fatigue, irritability etc., but this does not tend to be incapacitating. Stress is often a reaction to living conditions following the disaster, and emotional reactions can be limited if people are surrounded by family or supportive groups. This has important implications for planning of shelter in resettlements.

The way in which people will behave when resettled depends on the combination of their socio-cultural characteristics, the nature of the disaster, and the context into which they are resettled. Following a long period of displacement, repatriation resettlements can exhibit many of the same environmental threats as resettlements immediately following a disaster. This occurs when the socio-cultural characteristics of a population change to accommodate conditions in which they have been living during their displacement.

Organisational behaviour in Disaster

2006-05-31T06:49:00.000+05:30

Community: Organisational behaviour in Disaster

A growing appreciation that natural disaster are not only an account of hazard themselves but also socio-economic condition of societies that leave them vulnerable to natural disasters is slowly gathering its momentum. Disaster can seriously force already vulnerable groups into poverty. A population that has destabilized and depleted by natural disaster will be less likely to have the organizational capacity to maintain Social assets. This strengthens the case in favour of long term standpoint on disaster preparedness and response and its integration with development planning.

Reducing risks to human disasters, meeting the wider human development objectives, and implementing a successful response management system are aims that can only be proficient if they are undertaken in an integrated manner. Currently, policy responses to deal with each of these independently seems to be at variance. This conflict can be endorsed primarily to a lack of understanding of organisational behaviour .

River System In West Bengal (INDIA)

2006-05-02T06:53:00.000+05:30

The Ganga-Padma river artery divides the state in two parts, north and south. Being a part of Ganga-Bhrammhaputra-Meghna basin, North Bengal is extremely flood prone. The rivers Teesta, Torsa, Jaldhaka, Raidak-I, Raidak-II and their numerous tributaries belonging to the Brammhaputra basin and flowing through a part of Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and Coochbehar originate in the Himalayas of Sikkim and Bhutan and flows south-east to Bangladesh. A part of Darjeeling and the districts of Uttar Dinajpur, Dakshin Dinajpur and Malda are drained through the rivers of Mahananda, Dauk, Tangon, Nagar, Atreyee, Punarbhaba and their tributaries. These are part of Ganga basin. Except the Mahananda, all other rivers originate in the plain of West Bengal and Bangladesh and join the Ganga-Padma at downstream of Farakka in Bangladesh. The Mahananda emerges from the Himalayas of Nepal. He Malda through which the river Ganga Flows receives its flood water from about eleven states and batters by the run-off flow generated from these vast areas.

In central and southern part of this state, there are certain distinctive features of drainage condition which gives rise to flood situation. Basin-wise there are a number of rivers on the right bank of the Bhagirathi-Hoogly. These are Pagla-Bansloi, the Dwarka-Bramhani, the Mayurakshi-Babla-Uttarasan, the Bakreswar-Kuye and also the Ajoy. They emerge from the Jharkhand Plateau an flow southeast to meet Bhagirathi-Hoogly. These rivers drain An area of 17,684 km. spread over the State Jharkhand and Birbhum, western part of Murshidabad and Burdwan. Originating from Ganga-Padma, the Bhairab-Jalangi-Sealmari system of rivers drained the eastern part of Murshidabad and meet the Bhagirathi at Swarupnagar in Nadia. Nadia is drained partly by Jalangi and partly by the Churni which is a part of Mathabhanga-Churni-Ichamati system, taking off from Ganga-Padma flowing southwest, to meet Bhagirathi on the east bank at Ranaghat. The other part viz. the Ichamati flows east through Bangladesh, enters the district of Uttar 24 Paraganas, flows in the south direction to fall into the tidal creek of the Raimangal. Part of Howrah and Uttar and Dakshin 24 Paraganas are drained mainly by the Hoogly and its tidal creeks and other internal drainage canals. Burdwan, Howrah and Hoogly districts are mainly drained by Damodar and Bhagirathi-Hoogly Rivers. In the Damodar-Barakar basin system, the rivers originate at Chotanagpur plateau and flow down the plains of West Bengal to meet Bhagirathi. the Ajoy forms the border between Birbhum and Burdwan. Purulia and Bankura are drained by the rivers of Kangsabati, Kumari, Shilabati, Keleghai, Dwarakeswar and their tributaries. The Keleghai also drains Paschim Medinipur and a part of Purba Medinipur. These rivers originate from the western highland of the state and flow in southeast direction to form the tidal rivers of the Rupnarayan and the Haldi to meet the Hoogly on the west bank. The Rupnarayan forms the boundary between Hoogly and Purba Medinipur. A part of Purba Medinipur is drained by the river Subarnarekha originating from the Jharkhand Plateau and flowing in southwest direction to meet the Bay of Bengal in Orissa.

Preparedness:

2006-04-10T06:59:00.000+05:30

Preparedness is the readiness of the society to combat a potential hazard. This is protective process embraces measures which enables administrations, communities and individuals to respond rapidly to disaster situations to cope with them effectively. Preparedness includes the formulation of viable emergency plans, the development of warning systems, the maintenance of inventories and the training of personnel. It may also embrace search and rescue measures as well as evacuation plans for areas that may be at risk from a recurring disaster.

Preparedness therefore encompasses those measures taken before a disaster event which are aimed at minimizing loss of life, disruption of critical services, and damage when the disaster occurs. All preparedness planning needs to be supported by appropriate legislation with clear allocation of responsibilities and budgetary provisions.

The phases of preparedness planning are ; (i) Risk Analysis, (ii) Capacity analysis and (iii) co-operation and participation.

2006-03-25T06:28:00.001+05:30

Lack of city planning:Human factors such as lack of city planning in poor countries will increase exposure to natural disasters. City planning may help to alleviate disasters in some wealthy countries. But in poor countries, planning regulations are often used to the detriment – rather than to the benefit – of their citizens. Many residents of poor countries lack secure tenure to their properties and so are unable to benefit from improvements that they make to those properties. As a result, they do not build substantial dwellings, living instead in ramshackle tin huts, which represent a minimal investment. Many such homes were swept
away in the tsunami, even though construction methods and technologies have been developed that would have spared homes from the potentially devastating effects of the sea. Planning regulations are likely to make the problem worse by providing bureaucrats with a justification to interfere with the construction of buildings . The disparity between the world’s rich and poor is growing larger, and that this may lead to more people exposed to the effects of natural disasters. This view is contradicted by numerous economic studies in recent years. However, the governments who perpetuate poverty should not be excused for their resolute failure to promote policies that support economic development.

Climate & Disaster

2006-03-13T12:44:00.000+05:30

Disasters have traditionally been seen as events that affect a large population but they are in fact any shock that has an impact on communities so that their capacity to cope is overwhelmed. Natural disasters related to existing climate variability frequently occur in the poorest countries and the poor are usually the hardest hit.
In responding to the potential increase in natural disasters due to climate change, lessons can be learned from coping with existing climate variability. Climate change may result in more frequent or severe disasters and climatic shocks than experienced to date, so this provides further grounds for integrating risk management into development practices, and for considering strategically how to integrate long-term climatic change into risk management.
Current trends including globalization, environmental degradation, and increasing urbanization are all contributing to an increase in vulnerability of populations within developing countries.

Radiation

2006-03-05T19:45:00.000+05:30

Radiation

Type of energy, like heat or light, emitted through space and matter and which cannot be detected by any of our five senses

Atomic Structure

Basic unit of matter is the atom
Central portion of the atom is the nucleus, which contains protons and neutrons
Electrons orbit the nucleus

Isotopes

Atoms of the same element which have the same number of protons but different number of neutrons

Charge of an Atom

Number of electrons and protons determine the overall electrical charge of the atom

Ionization

Process of creating ion pairs

Ionizing Radiation

Carries enough energy to cause ionization in the atoms which it interacts

a Alpha, b Beta, g Gamma , h Neutron

Non-Ionizing Radiation
Does not have the amount of energy needed to ionize an atom with which it interacts

Examples include:

Infrared lamps
Microwaves
Visible light

Radioactivity

Property of unstable (or radioactive) atoms trying to become stable by emitting radiation

Radioactive Contamination

Radioactive contamination is radioactive material in an unwanted place

Fixed
Removable
Airborne

Disaster Reduction

2006-02-20T21:18:00.000+05:30

The effectiveness of disaster reduction actions could be improved if upto date information on disaster reduction and risk, at a suitable scale is made available systematically. The administration should be prepared beforehand at each level. EOC plays a vital role in the Disaster Management activation. It coordinates the flow of information with respect to activities associated with relief operations. The principal role involves collection of data , analysis and dissemination of information to different organisation. During the normal time it maintains a systematic database of the resources available, important phone numbers, names and addresses of important government officials, International bodies, NGOs. During a crisis it functions as a center for decision- making and helps flow of information horizontally and vertically to the respected departments for smoother relief operations.

2006-02-17T20:57:00.001+05:30

EMERGENCY OPERATION CENTER
The effectiveness of disaster reduction actions could be improved if upto date information on disaster reduction and risk, at a suitable scale is made available systematically. The administration should be prepared beforehand at each level.EOC plays a vital role in the Disaster Management activation. It coordinates the flow of information with respect to activities associated with relief operations. The principal role involves collection of data , analysis and dissemination of information to different organisation. During the normal time it maintains a systematic database of the resources available, important phone numbers, names and addresses of important government officials, International bodies, NGOs. During a crisis it functions as a center for decision- making and helps flow of information horizontally and vertically to the respected departments for smoother relief operations.

2006-02-09T20:47:00.000+05:30

Warnings about natural calamities : Timely warnings about impending cyclones, heavy rainfall, sudden variations in temperature and barometric pressure, failure of monsoon and such other phenomea will enable the Emergency Response services to foresee certain types of natural calamities and prepare themselves for organising quick relief to the affected people. Arrangements exist in the various States, under which local authorities in the districts to receive warnings of impending disaster whenever feasible. But in the absence of a suitable central agency for evaluating the warnings and of adequate well equipped emergency services standing by, to receive and act upon the warnings according to a pre-determined programme, these warnings have perhaps not served their purpose fully in the past.

Emergency Management

2006-02-05T17:04:00.000+05:30

Past experience of handling disasters have highlighted that there is often delay in decision making, dissemination of early warning, flow of information horizontally and vertically, mobilizing and deploying resources at the site of incident in the event of an emergency. Resources at the incident site may not be utilized in the most effective and efficient manner due to lack of developed planning process and logistic support. The effectiveness of disaster reduction actions could be improved if upto date information on disaster reduction and risk, at a suitable scale is made available systematically. The administration should be prepared beforehand at each level.

Vulnerable to Accidents

2006-01-25T20:13:00.000+05:30

Those persons, structures, livestock, crops, and environment closest to the scene of an accident are most vulnerable, however, large scale releases of airborne pollutants may spread for hundreds of kilometres.
Damages Increase
Lack of safety features or lack of evacuation plan.
Unawareness by vulnerable persons of the potential danger.
Physical damage – Damage or destruction may occur to structures and infrastructure. Transportation accidents damage vehicles and other objects on impact. Industrial fires may reach high temperatures and affect large areas.
Casualties – Many people may be killed or injured and require medical treatment.
Environmental – Contamination of air, water supply, land, and animal life may occur. Areas may become uninhabitable for humans and animals. Ecological systems may be disrupted even on a global scale.

Chemical and industrial accidents

2006-01-23T11:33:00.000+05:30

Chemical and industrial accidents:
Causes

Disaster/explosion in a plant or storage facilities handling toxic substances
Accidents during the transportation of chemicals

Contamination of food or the environment by misuse of chemicals

Improper waste management of toxic chemicals

Technological system failures

Failures of plant safety design or components

Natural hazards such as fire, earthquake or landslides
Arson or sabotage

Incidences of chemical and industrial accidents are expected to increase as industrialization increases in developing countries.

Tsunami

2006-01-14T19:57:00.000+05:30

The general causes of Tsunamis are geological movements. It is fashioned in three major ways. The most common of these is fault movement on the sea floor, accompanied by an earthquake. It is important to move away from the coastal areas since a tsunami may go along with the earthquake. During subduction earthquake, the offshore ocean bed lifts up the land along the coast. That’s why a retreating sea usually precedes a tsunami wave. If the earthquake or under water land movement is near the coast then tsunami may strike suddenly and if the earth movement is far in the sea then it may take few minutes to hours before striking the coast. Both earthquakes and tsunami is outcome from fault movements. Probably the second most common cause of tsunamis is a landslide either taking place under water or originating above the sea and then plummeting into the water. The third major cause of tsunamis is volcanic activity. The edge of a volcano, located near the shore or underwater, may be uplifted or depressed similar to the action of a fault. Or, the volcano may actually go off.

Types of Disaster:

2006-01-13T07:58:00.000+05:30

Types of Disaster:

i) Natural Disaster: a) Flood, b) Cyclone, c) Earthquake, d) Hailstorm, e) Drought, f)Landslide, g) Erosion, h) Heat wave and i) Tornado j)Tsunami. ii) Man-made Disaster: a) Air, Rail and Sea disaster, b) Fire/ Explosion, c) Building Collapse, d) Industrial Accident and f) Terrorism.

Hazard is also classified as follows: i) Geological, ii) Biological and iii) Chemical. i) Geological: a) Earthquake, b) Landslides and iii) Dam Failure/Dam Burst. ii) Biological: a) Bacteria Related, b) Food Contamination and iii) Other Fungal. iii) Chemical: a) Toxic Gases and Nuclear Radiation, b) Food Contamination, and c) Soil Contamination and Pesticides.

2006-01-08T07:04:00.000+05:30

Tsunami-hit people

Last year when I was in port on 7^th January, a passenger-vessel harboured with 78 tsunami victims. I can still remember the scene. The huge vessel just harboured. At one side the dock-labours were arranging to load the accessories of tents, meant for relief camp and at other side the disaster-stricken beings were eagerly awaiting for some help in a place where no one was known to themThey were penny-less, had nothing to eat, nowhere to go. They had left the mainland many years ago. They didn’t even no if they had anyone there at their ancestral place to receive them. We arranged to feed them and arranged to send them to their villages where they once used to live. I don’t know what fate had in store for them.

2005-12-14T08:08:00.000+05:30

Types of vulnerability:
Physical Vulnerability: It relates to the physical location of people and element at risk; buildings, infrastructure etc and proximity to hazard.
Socio-economic vulnerability: This relates to the degree to which a population is affected by the calamity in relation to the prevailing social and economic conditions. The impact of disaster is determined by the event, its effect on people and their environment, as well as the consequential effect on human activities within a given society; these include the size of the economy and its economic structure, and the sectors affected by the disaster.
Some sectors of economy are more vulnerable to hazards than others. Most obviously, the agricultural sector is potentially vulnerable, implying that the countries which rely heavily on agriculture may be particularly threatened by hazards. However, even here, the types of crops cultivated and techniques for growing them play a role in determining the scale of vulnerability.
Psychological Vulnerability: This relates to hopelessness, helplessness, negative attitude towards change, unawareness, passivity, negative belief etc.

2005-12-11T17:49:00.000+05:30

Vulnerability:
It is defined as “the extent to which a community, structure, service and geographic area is likely to be damaged or disrupted by the impact of a particular hazard, on account of their nature, construction and proximity to hazardous terrain or a disaster prone area”.
Vulnerability to disasters is a function of human action and behaviour. It is determined by a combination of several factors, including awareness of hazards, the condition of human settlements and infrastructures, public policy and administration, the wealth of a given society and organized abilities in all fields of disaster and risk management.
There is a close correlation between the trends of increased demographic pressure, escalated environmental degradation, increased human vulnerability and the intensity of impact of hazards. Poverty and vulnerability is integrally linked and mutually reinforcing.

2005-11-27T20:09:00.000+05:30

Who is VULNERABLE
Around middle of January '05. I was in the camp office at Kolkata Port. A man approached me with a request to give him a free pass in the ship set for Andaman. He told me his miraculous saving from the wrath of nature. The high tide of TSUNAMI flooded his workplace. He was few miles away from his home, which was in Hutbay. By chance he was rescued by the Airforce rescuers. The rescuers bought him to Chennai, because there was no landing facility in Andaman at that time. From that place he contacted his family by phone and came to know that they are safe but worried for him. The man, let his name be Rajesh, told me that the Railway Personnel gave him a free passage to Kolkata for his onward journey to Andaman by any ship from Kolkata Port. He was pennyless. So, we arranged a free boarding pass in a ship.
I am still in wonder to note the supernatural event caused by nature. She destroyed most protected and safest human being in TSUNAMI but saved the man who is a mere creature of Nature. Who is VULNERABLE?

Natural disasters

2005-11-17T07:32:00.000+05:30

Natural disasters are a potentially serious shock to an economy. Estimation of total cost of disasters are typically based on only the direct, visible, financial impact of a disaster such as damage to homes, hospitals, schools, factories, infrastructure and crops .The true cost of disasters, taking into account less quantifiable effects such as the loss of personal belongings or jobs, widening trade or government deficits, or the increasing scale & death of poverty, are even higher.

Unconditional love

2005-11-15T10:32:00.000+05:30

Unconditional love of Nature

Nature doesn’t care any condition in love. Her love is expressed through the manifestation of beautiful things, her love has another side of manifestation – it is expressed through Natural disasters. Through these phenomena nature declares that she is present. Before her might most powerful human system becomes vulnerable. She spares none.