DISASTER MANAGEMENT
Disaster is a sudden, calamitous event bringing great damage, loss, and destruction and devastation to life and property. The damage caused by disasters is immeasurable and varies with the geographical location, climate and the type of the earth surface/degree of vulnerability. This influences the mental, socio-economic, political and cultural state of the affected area. Generally, disaster has the following effects in the concerned areas,
1. It completely disrupts the normal day to day life
2. It negatively influences the emergency systems
3. Normal needs and processes like food, shelter, health, etc. are affected and deteriorate depending on the intensity and severity of the disaster.
It may also be termed as "a serious disruption of the functioning of society, causing widespread human, material or environmental losses which exceed the ability of the affected society to cope using its own resources."
With the tropical climate and unstable landforms, coupled with high population density, poverty, illiteracy and lack of adequate infrastructure, India is one of the most vulnerable developing countries to suffer very often from various natural disasters, namely drought, flood, cyclone, earth quake, landslide, forest fire, hail storm, locust, volcanic eruption, etc. Which strike causing a devastating impact on human life, economy and environment. Though it is almost impossible to fully recoup the damage caused by the disasters, it is possible to---
(i) minimize the potential risks by developing early warning strategies.
(ii) prepare and implement developmental plans to provide resilience to such disasters.
(iii) mobilize resources including communication and telemedicinal services, and
(iv) to help in rehabilitation and post-disaster reconstruction. Space technology plays a crucial role in efficient mitigation of disasters. While communication satellites help in disaster warning, relief mobilization and tele-medicinal support, earth observation satellites provide required database for pre-disaster preparedness programmes, disaster response, monitoring activities and post-disaster damage assessment, and reconstruction, and rehabilitation. The article describes the role of space technology in evolving a suitable strategy for disaster preparedness and operational framework for their monitoring, assessment and mitigation, identifies gap areas and recommends appropriate strategies for disaster mitigation vis-à-vis likely developments in space and ground segments.
A disaster is an overwhelming ecological disruption occurring on a scale sufficient to require outside assistance.
A disaster is an event located in time and space which produces conditions whereby the continuity of structure and process of social units becomes problematic. It is an event or series of events which seriously disrupts normal activities
The magnitude of the effects of the event will be viewed differently.
Disasters are classified in various ways.
The dividing line between these types of disasters is imprecise
Activities related to man may exacerbate natural disasters.
Disaster. A disaster is a serious disruption of the functioning of a society, causing widespread human, material, or environmental losses which exceed the ability of the affected society (or community) to cope using only its own resources. Disasters are often classified according to their speed of onset (slow or sudden), or according to their cause (natural, man-made or complex).
Career in disaster management
Disasters may take many forms, and occur as a result of one or more wide range of events, both natural and man induced. The duration of these events may range from a few seconds to many years. The severity of the effects of a disaster may vary according to the degree to which man has created an environment susceptible to damage, that is, an environment in which life and property are at risk.
Disaster management and emergency preparedness, once the exclusive domain of large government and corporate entities, are now being utilized by regular people like you and me to hedge against uncertainty.
When disaster strikes, we are often incapacitated by fear and confusion. Rational planning and decision-making are not always easy in such situations. Fortunately, we can learn a lesson or two from our corporate counterparts. Almost all large organizations have a comprehensive disaster management and emergency preparedness plan, documenting every conceivable action the organization will take in the wake of an emergency.
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