Disasters

Unusual Natural Disasters

Firenadoes
Limnic Eruptions

Firenadoes
A firenado is a column of smoke and
fire caused when fire gets into a
tornado.
Firenadoes are also known as
firewhirls,
fire devils and fire
tornadoes

Limnic Eruptions
A limnic explosion is also called a
lake overturn and is caused by an
explosion of gas from the lake
(normally carbon dioxide) erupting
and suffocating people.
There are only three exploding lakes.
They are Lake Menoun, Lake Nyos
and Lake Kivu

Limnic Eruptions
The biggest eruption ever recorded is
Lake Nyos killing 1800 people and
many animals.
The biggest danger is Lake Kivu which
would cause a methane explosion and
kill around 2 million.
Interestingly all these lakes are in
Africa and both Menoun and Nyos are
in Cameroon.

Man made disasters

An man made disaster is a
threat having an element of
human intent, negligence, or
error, or involving a failure

List of few man made

disasters
The nuclear bombing
Terrorism
Oil spill

Human induced/ man made /

anthropogenic disasters
Chemical , industrial and nuclear related disasters
Accident related disasters forest fires, urban
fires, mine flooding, oil spills, major building
collapse, serial bomb blasts, festival related
disasters, air, road and rail accidents, boat
capsizing, village fires,
Air and water pollution
Power break downs
Toxic waste disposal
Conflict related hazards
Mining

The atomic bombing

The first two atomic bomb were used by the USA
to end the war against Japan in 1945.
The first one was called Little Boy and dropped
by a flight called Enola Gay on Hiroshima with a
death toll of around 166,000 on 6 August 1945.
The second was named The fat man and wad
dropped by a plane called Bockscar on Nagasaki
with a death toll of around 80,000 on 9 August
1945.
If Japan did not surrender the USA planned too
continue dropping atomic bombs until they did.

Terrorism
9/11 is the big act of terrorism on US
On September 11th, 2001, 4 flights
were hi-jacked 2 of them hit the twin
towers in New York and third flight hit
pentagon, in Washington DC killing
4th flight, passengers attacked the hijackers and crashed the flight down.
4th flight was believed to have a target
of White house or the Capitol.

Deepwater Horizon oil spill

The oil spill flowed for 3 months
without being stopped.
About 780,000m3 oil is estimated to
have flowed out
17 people were killed in the
explosion that released the oil.

AIMS OF DISASTER
MANAGEMENT
Reduce (Avoid, if possible)
the potential losses from
hazards.
Assure prompt and
appropriate assistance to
victims when necessary.
Achieve rapid and durable
recovery.

DISASTER MANAGEMENT CYCLE

PRE-DISASTER

&
e
cu ief
s
l
Re Re
Rehabilitation

Mitigation
Re
co

Integration
into NDP*

nst
ruc
tio
n

POSTDISASTER

No
Ph rma
as l
e

Emergency
Phase

n
tio
a
ar
ep
r
P

DURING DISASTER

Stages of Disaster
Cyclone

BEFORE

DURING

AFTER

Jan - Apr

MAY

June- Oct

Well Before
Weeks-Months
Just
Before Hours
Rescu
e

Actual Time
Period

Relief

Rehabilitati
on

Reconstructi
on

Role Players in Disasters

People : Individuals, House -Holds,

Volunteers
Gram Panchayat : Sarpanch, Panchayati
Secretary, Panchayati Members
Village Elders : Caste/Community/Religious
Leaders, Teachers, Doctors, Engineers,
Retired Army & Police Personnel
Govt. Deptl. Officers : Agriculture, Medical,
Engineers (Housing, Roads & Buildings,
Irrigation) Revenue Department, Public
Health, Police etc. NGOs

DEFINITIONS OF
VULNERABILITY
The extent to which a
community, structure, service
or geographic area is likely to
be damaged or disrupted by
the impact of particular
disaster hazard
Vulnerability is the propensity
of things to be damaged by a
hazard.

DISASTER
PREPAREDNESS

Disaster preparedness aims at

minimizing the adverse effects of a
hazard -

Through
actions

effective

precautionary

Ensure
timely,
appropriate
and
efficient organisation and delivery of
emergency response following the
impact of a disaster.

PREPAREDNESS

Vulnerability Analysis and Mapping to

include Resources.
Assess strengthening requirements and
execute.
Funding for preparedness must be
arranged.
Peoples cooperation through Political
leaders, elders, Volunteers and NGOs
Create lead time by interpreting
Warnings
Plan to include movement of resources
with time frame.
Aim to reduce the destructive potential
of cyclones, timely & appropriate relief to
victims and quick & durable recovery

Disaster Preparedness Framework

COMPONENTS OF PREPAREDNESS
Vulnerability
Assessment

Planning

Institutional
Framework

Information
System

Resource
Base

Warning
Systems

Response
Mechanisms

Public
Education
and
Training

Rehearsals

Disaster Response
Activities

Warning
Evacuation/Mitigation
Search and Rescue
Assessment
Emergency Relief
Logistics and Supply
Communication and information
Management
Survivor Response and coping
Security
EOC & coordination
Expedite rehabilitation and
reconstruction.

Floods and Water

Hazards
Elements at Risk
Everything in
the flood plain.
Earthen or
soluble
structures
Buried services
and utilities
Food stores
Crops and
livestock

Main Mitigation
Strategies.
Land use control
Engineering of
strictures
Elevation of
structures
Flood control
structures
Reforestation
projects
(watershed
management)

Strong Winds
Elements at Risk
Lightweight
structures.
Elevated utilities
(Power and
communication
lines)
Fishing boats and
other maritime
industries.

Main Mitigation
Strategies.
Structural
engineering
measures.
Planting of
windbreaks.

For Development to be
Sustainable,
Disaster Mitigation Must be
Built Into
The Planning Process

EVERY DISASTER
MUST BE TREATED
AS
AN OPPORTUNITY
TO BUILD BACK BETTER