What is disaster management?

Disaster management can be defined as the organization and management of resources and responsibilities for dealing with all humanitarian aspects of emergencies, in particular preparedness, response and recovery in order to lessen the impact of disasters.1
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Types of disasters Disaster prevention Disaster preparedness Disaster relief Disaster recovery

Types of disasters
There is no country that is immune from disaster, though vulnerability to disaster varies. There are four main types of disaster.
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Natural disasters. These disasters include floods, hurricanes, earthquakes and volcano eruptions that can have immediate impacts on human health, as well as secondary impacts causing further death and suffering from floods causing landslides, earthquakes resulting in fires, tsunamis causing widespread flooding and typhoons sinking ferries Environmental emergencies. These emergencies include technological or industrial accidents, usually involving hazardous material, and occur where these materials are produced, used or transported. Large forest fires are generally included in this definition because they tend to be caused by humans. Complex emergencies. These emergencies involve a break-down of authority, looting and attacks on strategic installations. Complex emergencies include conflict situations and war. Pandemic emergencies. These emergencies involve a sudden onset of a contagious disease that affects health but also disrupts services and businesses, bringing economic and social costs.

Any disaster can interrupt essential services, such as the provision of health care, electricity, water, sewage/garbage removal, transportation and communications. The interruption can seriously affect the health, social and economic networks of local communities and countries. Disasters have a major and long-lasting impact on people long after the immediate effect has been mitigated. Poorly planned relief activities can have a significant negative impact not only on the disaster victims but also on donors and relief agencies. So it is important that physical therapists join established programmes rather than attempting individual efforts. Local, regional, national and (where necessary) international organisations are all involved in mounting a humanitarian response to disasters. Each will have a prepared disaster management plan. These plans cover prevention, preparedness, relief and recovery (see below).

isaster prevention
These are activities designed to provide permanent protection from disasters. Not all disasters, particularly natural disasters, can be prevented, but the risk of loss of life and injury can be mitigated with good evacuation plans, environmental planning and design standards. In January 2005, 168 Governments adopted a 10-year global plan for natural disaster risk reduction called the Hyogo Framework. It offers guiding principles, priorities for action, and practical means for achieving disaster resilience for vulnerable communities.

Disaster preparedness
These activities are designed to minimise loss of life and damage for example by removing people and property from a threatened location and by facilitating timely and effective rescue, relief and rehabilitation. Preparedness is the main way of reducing the impact of disasters. Community-based preparedness and management should be a high priority in physical therapy practice management.

Disaster relief
This is a coordinated multi-agency response to reduce the impact of a disaster and its long-term results. Relief activities include rescue, relocation, providing food and water, preventing disease and disability, repairing vital services such as telecommunications and transport, providing temporary shelter and emergency health care.

Disaster recovery
Once emergency needs have been met and the initial crisis is over, the people affected and the communities that support them are still vulnerable. Recovery activities include rebuilding infrastructure, health care and rehabilitation. These should blend with development activities, such as building human resources for health and developing policies and practices to avoid similar situations in future. Disaster management is linked with sustainable development, particularly in relation to vulnerable people such as those with disabilities, elderly people, children and other marginalised groups. Myths and Realities of Disaster Assistance2 summarises some of the common misunderstandings about disaster management.
Updated on: Mon 11 Oct 2010

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WHAT IS DISASTER?

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. Thus, a disaster may have the following main features:o o o o o o Unpredictability Unfamiliarity Speed Urgency Uncertainty Threat

Thus, in simple terms we can define disaster as a hazard causing heavy loss to life, property and livelihood. e.g. a cyclone killing 10,000 lives and a crop loss of one crore can be termed as disaster.

TYPES OF DISASTER Generally, disasters are of two types Natural and Manmade. Based on the devastation, these are further classified into major/minor natural disaster and major/minor manmade disasters. Some of the disasters are listed below,

Minor natural disasters: Major natural disasters: y y y y y Flood y Cyclone y Drought y Earthquake y Storm Mud slides Heat waves Thunderstorms Cold wave

y Major manmade disaster: y y y y Setting of fires Epidemic Deforestation Pollution due to prawn cultivation y Chemical pollution. y Wars

Minor manmade disaster: Road / train accidents, riots y y y Food poisoning Industrial disaster/ crisis Environmental pollution

Risk: Risk is a measure of the expected losses due to a hazardous event of a particular magnitude occurring in a given area over a specific time period. Risk is a function of the probability of particular occurrences and the losses each would cause. The level of risk depends on:    Nature of the Hazard Vulnerability of the elements which are affected Economic value of those elements

Vulnerability: It is defined as the extent to which a community, structure, service, and/or geographic area is likely to be damaged or disrupted by the impact of particular hazard, on account of their nature, construction and proximity to hazardous terrain or a disaster prone area

Hazards: Hazards are defined as Phenomena that pose a threat to people, structures, or economic assets and which may cause a disaster. They could be either manmade or naturally occurring in our environment. The extent of damage in a disaster depends on: 1) The impact, intensity and characteristics of the phenomenon and 2) How people, environment and infrastructures are affected by that phenomenon This relationship can be written as an equation:

Disaster Risk = Hazard +Vulnerability

DISASTER MANAGEMENT CYCLE

C R I S I S Mitigation M A N A Development Prevention Reconstruction Preparedness Disaster Impact

C R I S Response I Rehabilitation S

M A N A

OVERVIEW OF THE DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME [2002-2007]

Government of India [GoI], Ministry of Home Affairs [MHA] and United Nations Development Programme [UNDP] have signed an agreement on August 2002 for implementation of Disaster Risk Management Programme to reduce the vulnerability of the communities to natural disasters, in identified multihazard disaster prone areas. Goal : Sustainable Reduction in Natural Disaster Risk in some of the most hazard prone districts in selected states of India. The four main objectives of this programme are: National capacity building support to the Ministry of Home Affairs Environment building, education, awareness programme and strengthening the capacity at all levels in natural disaster risk management and sustainable recovery 3. Multi-hazard preparedness, response and mitigation plans for the programme at state, district, block and village/ward levels in select programme states and districts 4. Networking knowledge on effective approaches, methods and tools for natural disaster risk management, developing and promoting policy frameworks Programme Phases: The programme has been divided into two phases over a period of six years. Phase I [2002-2004] would provide support to carry out the activities in 28 select districts in the states of Bihar, Gujarat and Orissa. In phase II [2003-2007], the Programme would cover 141 districts in the states of 1. 2.

Assam, Meghalaya, Sikkim, West Bengal, Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra, Tamilnadu, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland. Special Focus: 38 Earthquake prone cities having more than half a million population

EARTHQUAKES

SAFETY TIPS

Earthquakes usually give no warning at all.

Prepare your family

Before the earthquake Now is the time to formulate a safety plan for you and your family. If you wait until the earth starts to shake, it may be too late. Consider the following safety measures:

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Always keep the following in a designated place: bottled drinking water, non-perishable food (chura, gur, etc), first-aid kit, torchlight and battery-operated radio with extra batteries. Teach family members how to turn off electricity, gas, etc. Identify places in the house that can provide cover during an earthquake. It may be easier to make long distance calls during an earthquake. Identify an out-of-town relative or friend as your familys emergency contact. If the family members get separated after the earthquake and are not able to contact each other, they should contact the designated relative/friend. The address and phone number of the contact person/relative should be with all the family members.

Safeguard your house y Consider retrofitting your house with earthquake-safety measures. Reinforcing the foundation and frame could make your house quake resistant. You may consult a reputable contractor and follow building codes. Kutchha buildings can also be retrofitted and strengthened.

During quake Earthquakes give no warning at all. Sometimes, a loud rumbling sound might signal its arrival a few seconds ahead of time. Those few seconds could give you a chance to move to a safer location. Here are some tips for keeping safe during a quake.

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Take cover. Go under a table or other sturdy furniture; kneel, sit, or stay close to the floor. Hold on to furniture legs for balance. Be prepared to move if your cover moves. If no sturdy cover is nearby, kneel or sit close to the floor next to a structurally sound interior wall. Place your hands on the floor for balance. Do not stand in doorways. Violent motion could cause doors to slam and cause serious injuries. You may also be hit be flying objects. Move away from windows, mirrors, bookcases and other unsecured heavy objects. If you are in bed, stay there and cover yourself with pillows and blankets Do not run outside if you are inside. Never use the lift. If you are living in a kutcha house, the best thing to do is to move to an open area where there are no trees, electric or telephone wires.

If outdoors: y y y y Move into the open, away from buildings, streetlights, and utility wires. Once in the open, stay there until the shaking stops. If your home is badly damaged, you will have to leave. Collect water, food, medicine, other essential items and important documents before leaving. Avoid places where there are loose electrical wires and do not touch metal objects that are in touch with the loose wires. Do not re-enter damaged buildings and stay away from badly damaged structures.

If in a moving vehicle: Move to a clear area away from buildings, trees, overpasses, or utility wires, stop, and stay in the vehicle. Once the shaking has stopped, proceed with caution. Avoid bridges or ramps that might have been damaged by the quake.

After the quake Here are a few things to keep in mind after an earthquake. The caution you display in the aftermath can be essential for your personal safety.

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Wear shoes/chappals to protect your feet from debris After the first tremor, be prepared for aftershocks. Though less intense, aftershocks cause additional damages and may bring down weakened structures. Aftershocks can occur in the first hours, days, weeks, or even months after the quake. Check for fire hazards and use torchlights instead of candles or lanterns. If the building you live in is in a good shape after the earthquake, stay inside and listen for radio advises. If you are not certain about the damage to your building, evacuate carefully. Do not touch downed power line. Help injured or trapped persons. Give first aid where appropriate. Do not move seriously injured persons unless they are in immediate danger of further injury. In such cases, call for help. Remember to help your neighbours who may require special assistance-infants, the elderly, and people with disabilities.

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y y y

Listen to a battery-operated radio for the latest emergency information. Stay out of damaged buildings. Return home only when authorities say it is safe. Clean up spilled medicines, bleaches or gasoline or other flammable liquids immediately. Leave the area if you smell gas or fumes from other chemicals. Open closet and cupboard doors cautiously. If you smell gas or hear hissing noise, open windows and quickly leave the building. Turn off the switch on the top of the gas cylinder. Look for electrical system damages - if you see sparks, broken wires, or if you smell burning of amber, turn off electricity at the main fuse box. If you have to step in water to get to the fuse box, call an electrician first for advice. Check for sewage and water lines damage. If you suspect sewage lines are damaged, avoid using the toilets. If water pipes are damaged, avoid using water from the tap. Use the telephone only for emergency calls. In case family members are separated from one another during an earthquake (a real possibility during the day when adults are at work and children are at school), develop a plan for reuniting after the disaster. Ask an out of state / district relative or friend to serve as the family contact. Make sure everyone in the family knows the name, address, and phone number(s) of the contact person (s). CYCLONE SAFETY TIPS Before the Cyclone Season y y y y Keep watch on weather and listen to radio or TV. Keep alert about the community warning systems loudspeakers, bells, conches, drums or any traditional warning system. Get to know the nearest cyclone shelter / safe houses and the safest route to reach these shelters. Do not listen to rumours. Prepare an emergency kit containing: o o o o o y A portable radio, torch and spare batteries; Stocks dry food Chura, Chhatua, Mudhi, gur, etc. Matches, fuel lamp, portable stove, cooking utensils, waterproof bags A first aid kit, manual, etc. Katuri, pliers, small saw, axe and plastic rope

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Check the roof and cover it with net or bamboo. Check the walls, pillars, doors and windows to see if they are secure. If not, repair those at the earliest. In case of tin roofs, check the condition of the tin and repair the loose points. Cover the mud walls with polythene or coconut leaves mats or straw mats on a bamboo frame. Bind each corner of the roof with a plastic rope in case of thatched roof.

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Trim dry tree branches, cut off the dead trees and clear the place/courtyard of all debris, including coconuts and tree branches. Clear your property of loose materials that could blow about and cause injury or damage during extreme winds. If your area is prone to storm surge, locate safe high ground or shelter.

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Keep important documents, passbook, etc. in a tight plastic bag and take it along with your emergency kits if you are evacuating. Identify the spot where you can dig holes to store food grains, seeds, etc. in polythene bags. Keep a list of emergency addresses and phone numbers on display. Know the contact telephone number of the government offices /agencies, which are responsible for search, rescue and relief operations in your area.

If you are living in an area where CBDP exercises have taken place, ensure:    Vulnerability list and maps have been updated Cyclone drill including search & rescue, first aid training have taken place Stock of dry food, essential medicines and proper shelter materials maintained

Upon a cyclone warning y Store loose items inside. Put extra agricultural products/ stock like paddy in plastic bags and store it by digging up a hole in the ground, preferably at a higher elevation and then cover it properly. Fill bins and plastic jars with drinking water. y y y Keep clothing for protection, handy Prepare a list of assets and belongings of your house and give information to volunteers and other authorities about your near and dear ones. Fill fuel in your car/motorcycle and park it under a solid cover. Tie bullock carts, boats securely to strong posts in an area, which has a strong cover and away from trees. Fallen trees can smash boats and other assets. y y y y Close shutters or nail all windows. Secure doors. Stay indoors, with pets. Pack warm clothing, essential medications, valuables, papers, water, dry food and other valuables in waterproof bags, to be taken along with your emergency kit. Listen to your local radio / TV, local community warning system for further information. In case of warning of serious storm, move with your family to a strong pucca building. In case of warning of cyclones of severe intensity, evacuate the area with your family, precious items and documents and emergency kit. Take special care for children, elders, sick, pregnant women and lactating mothers in your family. Do not forget your emergency food stock, water and other emergency items. GO TO THE NEAREST y CYCLONE SHELTER. Do not venture into the sea for fishing.

On warning of local evacuation Based on predicted wind speeds and storm surge heights, evacuation may be necessary. Official advice may be given on local radio / TV or other means of communication regarding safe routes and when to move. y Wear strong shoes or chappals and clothing for protection.

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Lock your home, switch off power, gas, water, and take your emergency kit. If evacuating to a distant place take valuable belonging, domestic animals, and leave early to avoid heavy traffic, flooding and wind hazards. If evacuating to a local shelter or higher grounds carry the emergency kit and minimum essential materials.

When the cyclone strikes y y y y y Disconnect all electrical appliances and turn off gas. If the building starts crumbling, protect yourself with mattresses, rugs or blankets under a strong table or bench or hold on to a solid fixture (e.g. a water pipe) Listen to your transistor radio for updates and advice. Beware of the calm `eye . If the wind suddenly drops, don t assume the cyclone is over; violent winds will soon resume from the opposite direction. Wait for the official all clear . If driving, stop but well away from the sea and clear of trees, power lines and watercourses. Stay in the vehicle.

After the cyclone y y y y y y y Do not go outside until officially advised it is safe. Check for gas leaks. Do not use electric appliances, if wet. Listen to local radio for official warnings and advice. If you have to evacuate, or did so earlier, do not return until advised. Use a recommended route for returning and do not rush. Be careful of snake bites and carry a stick or bamboo Beware of fallen power lines, damaged bridges, buildings and trees, and do not enter the floodwaters. Heed all warnings and do not go sightseeing.

FLOODS SAFETY TIPS This guide lists simple things you and your family can do to stay safe and protect your property from floods. Before flooding occurs. y y All your family members should know the safe route to nearest shelter/ raised pucca house. If your area is flood-prone, consider alternative building materials. Mud walls are more likely to be damaged during floods. You may consider making houses where the walls are made of local bricks up to y the highest known flood level with cement pointing. Have an emergency kit on hand which includes a:

o o o o

A portable radio, torch and spare batteries; Stocks of fresh water, dry food (chura, mudi, gur, biscuits), kerosene, candle and matchboxes; Waterproof or polythene bags for clothing and valuables, an umbrella and bamboo stick (to protect from snake), salt and sugar. A first aid kit, manual and strong ropes for tying things

When you hear a flood warning or if flooding appears likely y Tune to your local radio/TV for warnings and advice. o o o y y y Keep vigil on flood warning given by local authorities Don t give any importance to rumours and don t panic Keep dry food, drinking water and clothes ready

Prepare to take bullock carts, other agricultural equipments, and domestic animals to safer places or to higher locations. Plan which indoor items you will raise or empty if water threatens to enter your house Check your emergency kit

During floods y y y y y y Drink boiled water. Keep your food covered, don t take heavy meals. Use raw tea, rice-water, tender coconut-water, etc. during diarrhoea; contact your ANM/AWW for ORS and treatment. Do not let children remain on empty stomach. Use bleaching powder and lime to disinfect the surrounding. Help the officials/volunteers distributing relief materials.

If you need to evacuate y y y y y y y y Firstly pack warm clothing, essential medication, valuables, personal papers, etc. in waterproof bags, to be taken with your emergency kit. Take the emergency kit Inform the local volunteers (if available), the address of the place you are evacuating to. Raise furniture, clothing and valuables onto beds, tables and to the top of the roof (electrical items highest). Turn off power. Whether you leave or stay, put sandbags in the toilet bowl and over all laundry / bathroom drain-holes to prevent sewage back-flow. Lock your home and take recommended/known evacuation routes for your area. Do not get into water of unknown depth and current.

If you stay or on your return y y y Stay tuned to local radio for updated advice. Do not allow children to play in, or near, flood waters. Avoid entering floodwaters. If you must, wear proper protection for your feet and check depth and current with a stick. Stay away from drains, culverts and water over knee-deep. Do not use electrical appliances, which have been in floodwater until checked for safety. Do not eat food, which has been in floodwaters. Boil tap water (in cities) until supplies have been declared safe. In case of rural areas, store tube well water in plastic jars or use halogen tablets before drinking. Be careful of snakes, snakebites are common during floods.

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TIPS ON FIRE ACCIDENTS

a) y y y y

High-Rise Fires: Calmly leave the apartment, closing the door behind you. Remember the keys! Pull the fire alarm near the closest exit, if available, or raise an alarm by warning others. Leave the building by the stairs. Never take the elevator during fire! If the exit is blocked by smoke or fire:

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Leave the door closed but do not lock it. To keep the smoke out, put a wet towel in the space at the bottom of the door. Call the emergency fire service number and tell them your apartment number and let them know you are trapped by smoke and fire. It is important that you listen and do what they tell you. Stay calm and wait for someone to rescue you.

If there is a fire alarm in your building which goes off: y y y Before you open the door, feel the door by using the back of our hand. If the door is hot or warm, do not open the door. If the door is cool, open it just a little to check the hallway. If you see smoke in the hallway, do not leave. If there is no smoke in the hallway, leave and close the door. Go directly to the stairs to leave. Never use the elevator.

If smoke is in your apartment: y y y y y y y Stay low to the floor under the smoke. Call the Fire Emergency Number which should be pasted near your telephone along with police and other emergency services and let them know that you are trapped by smoke. If you have a balcony and there is no fire below it, go out. If there is fire below, go out to the window. DO NOT OPEN THE WINDOW but stay near the window. If there is no fire below, go to the window and open it. Stay near the open window. Hang a bed sheet, towel or blanket out of the window to let people know that you are there and need help. Be calm and wait for someone to rescue you.

A) A) Kitchen Fires: It is important to know what kind of stove or cooking oven you have in your home gas, electric, kerosene or where firewood is used. The stove is the No. 1 cause of fire hazards in your kitchen and can cause fires, which may destroy the entire house, especially in rural areas where there are thatched roof or other inflammable materials like straw kept near the kitchen. For electric and gas stoves ensure that the switch or the gas valve is switched off/turned off immediately after the cooking is over. An electric burner remains hot and until it cools off, it can be very dangerous. The oven using wood can be dangerous because burning embers remain. When lighting the fire on a wooden fuel oven, keep a cover on the top while lighting the oven so that sparks do not fly to the thatched roof. After the cooking is over, ensure that the remaining fire is extinguished off by sprinkling water if no adult remains in the kitchen after the cooking. Do not keep any inflammable article like kerosene near the kitchen fire. Important Dos in the Kitchen: y Do have an adult always present when cooking is going on the kitchen. Children should not be allowed alone. Do keep hair tied back and do not wear synthetic clothes when you are cooking. Do make sure that the curtains on the window near the stove are tied back and will not blow on to the flame or burner. Do check to make sure that the gas burner is turned off immediately if the fire is not ignited and also switched off immediately after cooking. Do turn panhandles to the centre of the stove and put them out of touch of the children in the house. Do ensure that the floor is always dry so that you do not slip and fall on the fire. Do keep matches out of the reach of children.

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Important Donts y y Dont put towels, or dishrags near a stove burner. Dont wear loose fitting clothes when you cook, and dont reach across the top of the stove when you are cooking.

Dont put things in the cabinets or shelves above the stove. Young children may try to reach them and accidentally start the burners, start a fire, catch on fire. Dont store spray cans or cans carrying inflammable items near the stove. Dont let small children near an open oven door. They can be burnt by the heat or by falling onto the door or into the oven. Dont lean against the stove to keep warm. Dont use towels as potholders. They may catch on fire. Dont overload an electrical outlet with several appliances or extension cords. The cords or plugs may overheat and cause a fire. Dont use water to put out a grease fire. ONLY use baking soda, salt, or a tight lid. Always keep a box of baking soda near the stove. Dont use radios or other small appliances (mixers, blenders) near the sink.

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COMMON TIPS: y Do keep the phone number of the Fire Service near the telephone and ensure that everyone in the family knows the number. Do keep matches and lighters away from children. Do sleep with your bedroom closed to prevent the spread of fire.

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Do you know that you should never run if your clothes are on fire and that you should - STOP DROP-ROLL. LANDSLIDE

During a Landslide: y Stay alert and awake. Many debris-flow fatalities occur when people are sleeping. Listen to a Weather Radio or portable, battery-powered radio or television for warnings of intense rainfall. Be aware that intense, short bursts of rain may be particularly dangerous, especially after longer periods of heavy rainfall and damp weather.

If you are in areas susceptible to landslides and debris flows, consider leaving if it is safe to do so. Remember that driving during an intense storm can be hazardous. If you remain at home, move to a second story if possible. Staying out of the path of a landslide or debris flow saves lives.

Listen for any unusual sounds that might indicate moving debris, such as trees cracking or boulders knocking together. A trickle of flowing or falling mud or debris may precede larger landslides. Moving debris can flow quickly and sometimes without warning.

If you are near a stream or channel, be alert for any sudden increase or decrease in water flow and for a change from clear to muddy water. Such changes may indicate landslide activity upstream, so be prepared to move quickly. Don't delay! Save yourself, not your belongings.

Be especially alert when driving. Embankments along roadsides are particularly susceptible to landslides. Watch the road for collapsed pavement, mud, fallen rocks, and other indications of possible debris flows.

What to Do if You Suspect Imminent Landslide Danger: y Contact your local fire, police, or public works department. Local officials are the best persons able to assess potential danger.

Inform affected neighbors. Your neighbors may not be aware of potential hazards. Advising them of a potential threat may help save lives. Help neighbors who may need assistance to evacuate.

Evacuate. Getting out of the path of a landslide or debris flow is your best protection.

Media and Community Education Ideas: y In an area prone to landslides, publish a special newspaper section with emergency information on landslides and debris flows. Localize the information by including the phone numbers of local emergency services offices, the Red Cross, and hospitals.

Report on what city and county governments are doing to reduce the possibility of landslides. Interview local officials about local land- use zoning regulations.

Interview local officials and major insurers. Find out if debris flow is covered by flood insurance policies and contact your local emergency management office to learn more about the program.

Work with local emergency services to prepare special reports for people with mobility impairments on what to do if evacuation is ordered.

Support your local government in efforts to develop and enforce land-use and building ordinances that regulate construction in areas susceptible to landslides and debris flows. Buildings should be located away from steep slopes, streams and rivers, intermittent-stream channels, and the mouths of mountain channels.

After the Landslide: y Stay away from the slide area. There may be danger of additional slides.

Check for injured and trapped persons near the slide, without entering the direct slide area. Direct rescuers to their locations.

Help a neighbor who may require special assistance - infants, elderly people, and people with disabilities. Elderly people and people with disabilities may require additional assistance. People who care for them or who have large families may need additional assistance in emergency situations.

Listen to local radio or television stations for the latest emergency information.

Watch for flooding, which may occur after a landslide or debris flow. Floods sometimes follow landslides and debris flows because they may both be started by the same event.

Look for and report broken utility lines to appropriate authorities. Reporting potential hazards will get the utilities turned off as quickly as possible, preventing further hazard and injury.

Check the building foundation, chimney, and surrounding land for damage. Damage to foundations, chimneys, or surrounding land may help you assess the safety of the area.

Replant damaged ground as soon as possible since erosion caused by loss of ground cover can lead to flash flooding.

Seek the advice of a geotechnical expert for evaluating landslide hazards or designing corrective techniques to reduce landslide risk. A professional will be able to advise you of the best ways to prevent or reduce landslide risk, without creating further hazard.

Media and Community Education Ideas: y In an area prone to landslides, publish a special newspaper section with emergency information on landslides and debris flows. Localize the information by including the phone numbers of local emergency services offices, the American Red Cross chapter, and hospitals.

Report on what city and county governments are doing to reduce the possibility of landslides. Interview local officials about local land- use zoning regulations.

Interview local officials and major insurers regarding the National Flood Insurance Program. Find out if debris flow is covered by flood insurance policies from the National Flood Insurance Program and contact your local emergency management office to learn more about the program.

Work with local emergency to prepare special reports for people with mobility impairments on what to do if evacuation is ordered.

Support your local government in efforts to develop and enforce land-use and building ordinances that regulate construction in areas susceptible to landslides and debris flows. Buildings should be located away from steep slopes, streams and rivers, intermittent-stream channels, and the mouths of mountain channels.

Before a Landslide: How to Plan: Develop a Family Disaster Plan. Please see the "Family Disaster Plan" section for general family planning information. Develop landslide-specific planning. Learn about landslide risk in your area. Contact local officials, state geological surveys or departments of natural resources, and university departments of geology. Landslides occur where they have before, and in identifiable hazard locations. Ask for information on landslides in your area, specific information on areas vulnerable to landslides, and request a professional referral for a very detailed site analysis of your property, and corrective measures you can take, if necessary.

If you are at risk from landslides: y y y Talk to your insurance agent. Develop an evacuation plan. Discuss landslides and debris flow with your family. Everyone should know what to do in case all family members are not together. Discussing disaster ahead of time helps reduce fear and lets everyone know how to respond during a landslide or debris flow.

Disaster
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search For other uses, see Disaster (disambiguation).

Ruins from the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, remembered as one of the worst natural disasters in United States history A disaster is a natural or man-made hazard that has come to fruition[citation needed], resulting in an event of substantial extent causing significant physical damage or destruction, loss of life, or drastic change to the environment. A disaster can be ostensively defined as any tragic event with

great loss stemming from events such as earthquakes, floods, catastrophic accidents, fires, or explosions. In contemporary academia, disasters are seen as the consequence of inappropriately managed risk. These risks are the product of hazards and vulnerability. Hazards that strike in areas with low vulnerability are not considered a disaster, as is the case in uninhabited regions.[1] Developing countries suffer the greatest costs when a disaster hits more than 95 percent of all deaths caused by disasters occur in developing countries, and losses due to natural disasters are 20 times greater (as a percentage of GDP) in developing countries than in industrialized countries.[2][3]

[edit] Etymology
The word derives from Middle French dsastre and that from Old Italian disastro, which in turn -, (dus-) "bad"[4] + (aster), "star".[5] The root comes from the Greek pejorative prefix of the word disaster ("bad star" in Greek) comes from an astrological theme in which the ancients used to refer to the destruction or deconstruction of a star as a disaster.

[edit] Classification
Researchers have been studying disasters for more than a century, and for more than forty years disaster research has been institutionalized through the University of Delaware's Disaster Research Center. The studies reflect a common opinion when they argue that all disasters can be seen as being human-made, their reasoning being that human actions before the strike of the hazard can prevent it developing into a disaster. All disasters are hence the result of human failure to introduce appropriate disaster management measures.[6] Hazards are routinely divided into natural or human-made, although complex disasters, where there is no single root cause, are more common in developing countries. A specific disaster may spawn a secondary disaster that increases the impact. A classic example is an earthquake that causes a tsunami, resulting in coastal flooding.
[edit] Natural disaster

Main article: Natural Disaster A natural disaster is a consequence when a natural calamity affects humans and/or the built environment. Human vulnerability, and often a lack of appropriate emergency management, leads to financial, environmental, or human impact. The resulting loss depends on the capacity of the population to support or resist the disaster: their resilience. This understanding is concentrated in the formulation: "disasters occur when hazards meet vulnerability". A natural hazard will hence never result in a natural disaster in areas without vulnerability.
[edit] Man-made disaster

Main article: Man-made disasters

Various disasters like earthquake, landslides, volcanic eruptions, flood and cyclones are natural hazards that kill thousands of people and destroy billions of dollars of habitat and property each year. The rapid growth of the world's population and its increased concentration often in hazardous environment has escalated both the frequency and severity of natural disasters. With the tropical climate and unstable land forms, coupled with deforestation, unplanned growth proliferation non-engineered constructions which make the disaster-prone areas more vulnerable, tardy communication, poor or no budgetary allocation for disaster prevention, developing countries suffer more or less chronically by natural disasters. Asia tops the list of casualties due to natural disaster. Among various natural hazards, earthquakes, landslides, floods and cyclones are the major disasters adversely affecting very large areas and population in the Indian sub-continent. These natural disasters are of (i) geophysical origin such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, land slides and (ii) climatic origin such as drought, flood, cyclone, locust, forest fire. Though it may not be possible to control nature and to stop the development of natural phenomena but the efforts could be made to avoid disasters and alleviate their effects on human lives, infrastructure and property. Rising frequency, amplitude and number of natural disasters and attendant problem coupled with loss of human lives prompted the General Assembly of the United Nations to proclaim 1990s as the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (IDNDR) through a resolution 44/236 of December 22, 1989 to focus on all issues related to natural disaster reduction. In spite of IDNDR, there had been a string of major disaster throughout the decade. Nevertheless, by establishing the rich disaster management related traditions and by spreading public awareness the IDNDR provided required stimulus for disaster reduction. It is almost impossible to prevent the occurrence of natural disasters and their damages. However, it is possible to reduce the impact of disasters by adopting suitable disaster mitigation strategies. Disaster mitigation mainly addresses the following:
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minimize the potential risks by developing disaster early warning strategies prepare and implement developmental plans to provide resilience to such disasters, mobilize resources including communication and tele-medicinal services to help in rehabilitation and post-disaster reduction.

Disaster management, on the other hand involves:

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pre-disaster planning, preparedness, monitoring including relief management capability prediction and early warning damage assessment and relief management.

Disaster reduction is a systematic work which involves with different regions, different professions and different scientific fields, and has become an important measure for human, society and nature sustainable development.

[edit] Management
Main articles: Emergency management and Business continuity planning

The local communities at the time of disaster or before the disaster make groups for helping the people from suffering during the disaster. These groups include First Aid group, Health group, Food and Welfare group etc. They all are well trained by some local community members. All the groups are sent for helping any other local community that is suffering from a disaster. They also ask people to move from the area affected from disaster to some other safe regions. They are given shelter and every possible facilities by those local management communities. Today, Government is also making effort to provide good facilities during the disaster. In India, in the rural areas, the community (group of families) are choosing a leader and developing their Disaster management skills to protect themselves and other local communities as well.
Disasters portal

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Act of God

1 DEFINITION OF DISASTER Disaster is a crisis situation that far exceeds the capabilities. - Quarentelly, 1985. Disaster is defined as a crisis situation causing wide spread damage which far exceeds our ability to recover. Thus, by definition, there cannot be a perfect ideal system that prevents damage, because then it would not be a disaster. It has to suffocate our ability to recover. Only then it can be called as disaster. Disasters are not totally discrete events. Their possibility of occurrence, time, place and severity of the strike can be reasonably and in some cases accurately predicted by technological and scientific advances. It has been established there is a definite pattern in their occurrences and hence we can to some extent reduce the impact of damage though we cannot reduce the extent of damage itself. Types of Disaster Disasters are mainly of 2 types, 1. Natural disasters. Example earthquakes, floods, landslides, etc. 2. Man made disasters. Example war, bomb blasts, chemical leaks, etc. The phases of all disasters, be it natural or man made, are the same. The disasters often differ in quantity of damage caused or in quality of the type of medical consequences. For example earthquakes cause a lot of physical injury and fractures, floods cause drowning deaths and infections, chemical leaks cause toxic manifestations, etc. Business Definition for: Disaster Management

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the actions taken by an organization in response to unexpected events that are adversely affecting people or resources and threatening the continued operation of the organization. Disaster management includes: - the development of disaster recovery plans,( for minimizing the risk of disasters and for handling them when they do occur,) and the implementation of such plans. Disaster management usually refers to the management of natural catastrophes such as fire, flooding, or earthquakes. Related techniques include crisis management, contingency management, and risk management. Disaster/emergency management is the discipline of dealing with and avoiding risks. It involves preparing for a disaster before it happens, disaster response (e.g. emergency evacuation, quarantine, mass decontamination, etc.), as well as supporting, and rebuilding society after natural or human-made disasters have occurred. 2 In general, any Emergency management is the continuous process by which all individuals, groups, and communities manage hazards in an effort to avoid or ameliorate the impact of disasters resulting from the hazards. Actions taken depend in part on perceptions of risk of those exposed. Effective emergency management relies on thorough integration of emergency plans at all levels of government and non-government involvement. Activities at each level (individual, group, community) affect the other levels. It is common to place the responsibility for governmental emergency management with the institutions for civil defense or within the conventional structure of the emergency services. In the private sector, emergency management is sometimes referred to as business continuity planning. Other terms used for disaster management include: -Emergency Management which has replaced Civil defense, can be seen as a more general intent to protect the civilian population in times of peace as well as in times of war. -Civil Protection is widely used within the European Union and refers to governmentapproved systems and resources whose task is to protect the civilian population, primarily

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in the event of natural and human-made disasters. -Crisis Management is the term widely used in EU countries and it emphasizes the political and security dimension rather than measures to satisfy the immediate needs of the civilian population. -Disaster risk reduction An academic trend is towards using the term is growing, particularly for emergency management in a development management context. This focuses on the mitigation and preparedness aspects of the emergency cycle (see below). DISASTER MANAGEMENT CYCLE- GENERAL Disaster management cycle includes the following stages/ phases 1. Disaster phase 2. Response phase 3. Recovery/ Rehabilitation phase 4. Risk Reduction/ Mitigation phase 5. Preparedness phase *1Disaster phase The phase during which the event of the disaster takes place. This phase is characterized by profound damage to the human society. This damage / loss may be that of human life, loss of property, loss of environment, loss of health or anything else. In this phase, the population is taken by profound shock.
1 Not

generally considered as phase, but the incident that promotes the actual 4 phases

3 Response phase This is the period that immediately follows the occurrence of the disaster. In a way, all individuals respond to the disaster, but in their own ways Recovery phase When the immediate needs of the population are met, when all medical help has arrived and people have settled from the hustle bustle of the event, they begin to enter the next phase, the recovery phase which is the most significant, in terms of long term outcome. It is during this time that the victims actually realize the impact of disaster. It is now that they perceive the meaning of the loss that they have suffered. Risk reduction phase During this phase, the population has returned to predisaster standards of living. But, they recognize the need for certain measures which may be needed to reduce the extent or impact of damage during the next similar disaster. For

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example, after an earthquake which caused a lot of damages to improperly built houses, the population begins to rebuild stronger houses and buildings that give away less easily to earthquakes. Or, in the case of tsunami, to avoid housings very close to the shore and the development of a green belt- a thick stretch of trees adjacent to the coast line in order to reduce the impact of the tsunami waves on the land. This process of making the impact less severe is called Mitigation. Preparedness phase This phase involves the development of awareness among the population on the general aspects of disaster and on how to behave in the face of a future disaster. This includes education on warning signs of disasters, methods of safe and successful evacuation and first aid measures. It is worth to note that the time period for each phase may depend on the type and severity of the disaster.

Phases and professional activities

The nature of emergency management is highly dependent on economic and social conditions local to the emergency, or disaster. Experts have long noted that the cycle of emergency management must include long-term work on infrastructure, public awareness, and even human justice issues. This is particularly important in developing nations. The process of disaster management involves four phases: mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.

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4
A graphic Representation of the Four Phases in Disaster Management

1-Mitigation Mitigation efforts attempt to prevent hazards from developing into disasters altogether, or

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to reduce the effects of disasters when they occur. The mitigation phase differs from the other phases because it focuses on long-term measures for reducing or eliminating risk. The implementation of mitigation strategies can be considered a part of the recovery process if applied after a disaster occurs. However, even if applied as part of recovery efforts, actions that reduce or eliminate risk over time are still considered mitigation efforts. Mitigative measures can be structural or non-structural. Structural measures use technological solutions, like flood levees. Non-structural measures include legislation, land-use planning (e.g. the designation of nonessential land like parks to be used as flood zones), and insurance. Mitigation is the most cost-efficient method for reducing the impact of hazards. However, mitigation is not always suitable and structural mitigation in particular may have adverse effects on the ecosystem. A precursor activity to the mitigation is the identification of risks. Physical risk assessment refers to the process of identifying and evaluating hazards. In risk assessment, various hazards (e.g. earthquakes, floods, riots) within a certain area are identified. Each hazard poses a risk to the population within the area assessed. The hazardspecific risk (Rh) combines both the probability and the level of impact of a specific hazard. The equation below gives that the hazard times the populations vulnerability to that hazard produce a risk. The higher the risk, the more urgent that the hazard specific vulnerabilities are targeted by mitigation and preparedness efforts. However, if there is no vulnerability there will be no risk, e.g. an earthquake occurring in a desert where nobody lives. 5
Components of Risk Management
(natural event) (social factors)

Risk Factors Hazards potentially damaging exogenous events whose probable characteristics and frequency of occurrence can be estimated Vulnerability

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intrinsic characteristics of the elements at risk that determine how damaged they would be if they experienced a hazard event of some level Dimensions of vulnerability assessment Physical vulnerability-analyze impacts of events on assets such as building, infrastructure, agriculture Social Vulnerability- estimate impacts of events on highly vulnerable groups such as the poor, coping capacity, status institutional structure designed to help coping, awareness of risk Economic vulnerability-potential impacts of hazards on economic assets and processes (business interruption, secondary effects) Environmental vulnerability-Degraded environmental quality limits the natural resilience to hazard effects and reduces environmental buffering of effects Elements at risk: examples people (communities, countries, the poor) infrastructure economic activities/assets plant/animal species environmental services . . . 6 2- Preparedness In the preparedness phase, emergency managers develop plans of action for when the disaster strikes. Common preparedness measures include the communication plans with easily understandable terminology and chain of command development and practice of multi-agency coordination and incident command proper maintenance and training of emergency services development and exercise of emergency population warning methods combined with emergency shelters and evacuation plans stockpiling, inventory, and maintenance of supplies and equipment An efficient preparedness measure is an emergency operations center (EOC) combined with a practiced region-wide doctrine for managing emergencies. Another preparedness measure is to develop a volunteer response capability among civilian populations. Since, volunteer response is not as predictable and planable as professional response, volunteers are most effectively deployed on the periphery of an emergency. Another aspect of preparedness is casualty prediction, the study of how many deaths or injuries to expect for a given kind of event. This gives planners an idea of what resources

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need to be in place to respond to a particular kind of event. 3- Response The response phase includes the mobilization of the necessary emergency services and first responders in the disaster area. This is likely to include a first wave of core emergency services, such as firefighters, police and ambulance crews. They may be supported by a number of secondary emergency services, such as specialist rescue teams. In addition volunteers and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) such as the local Red Cross branch may provide immediate practical assistance, from first aid provision to providing food and counseling. A well rehearsed emergency plan developed as part of the preparedness phase enables efficient coordination of rescue efforts. Emergency plan rehearsal is essential to achieve optimal output with limited resources. In the response phase, medical assets will be used in accordance with the appropriate triage of the affected victims. Where required, search and rescue efforts commence at an early stage. Depending on injuries sustained by the victim, outside temperature, and victim access to air and water, the vast majority of those affected by a disaster will die within 72 hours after impact. Individuals are often compelled to volunteer directly after a disaster. Volunteers can be both a help and a hindrance to emergency management and other relief agencies. 7 4-Recovery The aim of the recovery phase is to restore the affected area to its previous state. It differs from the response phase in its focus; recovery efforts are concerned with issues and decisions that must be made after immediate needs are addressed. Recovery efforts are primarily concerned with actions that involve rebuilding destroyed property, reemployment, and the repair of other essential infrastructure. An important aspect of effective recovery efforts is taking advantage of a window of opportunity for the implementation of mitigative measures that might otherwise be unpopular. Citizens of the

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affected area are more likely to accept more mitigative changes when a recent disaster is in fresh memory.

Phases and personal activities

1- Mitigation Personal mitigation is mainly about knowing and avoiding unnecessary risks. This includes an assessment of possible risks to personal/family health and to personal property. One example of mitigation would be to avoid buying property that is exposed to hazards, e.g. in a flood plain, in areas of subsidence or landslides. Homeowners may not be aware of a property being exposed to a hazard until it strikes. However, specialists can be hired to conduct risk identification and assessment surveys. Purchase of insurance covering the most prominent identified risks is a common measure. Personal structural mitigation in earthquake prone areas includes installation of an Earthquake Valve to instantly shut off the natural gas supply to a property, seismic retrofits of property and the securing of items inside a building to enhance household seismic safety. The latter may include the mounting of furniture, refrigerators, water heaters and breakables to the walls, and the addition of cabinet latches. In flood prone areas houses can be built on poles, as in much of southern Asia. In areas prone to prolonged electricity black-outs installation of a generator would be an example of an optimal structural mitigation measure. The construction of storm cellars and fallout shelters are further examples of personal mitigative actions. Mitigation involves Structural and Non-structural measures taken to limit the impact of disasters. Structural Mitigation:This involves proper layout of building, particularly to make it resistant to disasters. Non Structural Mitigation:This involves measures taken other than improving the structure of building. 8 2-Preparedness

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Unlike mitigation activities, which are aimed at preventing a disaster from occurring, personal preparedness focuses on preparing equipment and procedures for use when a disaster occurs, i.e. planning. Preparedness measures can take many forms including the construction of shelters, installation of warning devices, creation of back-up lifeline services (e.g. power, water, sewage), and rehearsing evacuation plans. Two simple measures can help prepare the individual for sitting out the event or evacuating, as necessary. For evacuation, a disaster supplies kit may be prepared and for sheltering purposes a stockpile of supplies may be created. The preparation of a survival kit, commonly referred to as a "72-hour kit", is often advocated by authorities. These kits may include food, medicine, flashlights, candles and money. 3-Response The response phase of an emergency may commence with search and rescue but in all cases the focus will quickly turn to fulfilling the basic humanitarian needs of the affected population. This assistance may be provided by national or international agencies and organisations. Effective coordination of disaster assistance is often crucial, particularly when many organisations respond and local emergency management agency (LEMA) capacity has been exceeded by the demand or diminished by the disaster itself. On a personal level the response can take the shape either of a home confinement or an evacuation. In a home confinement a family would be prepared to fend for themselves in their home for many days without any form of outside support. In an evacuation, a family leaves the area by automobile (or other mode of transportation) taking with them the maximum amount of supplies they can carry, possibly including a tent for shelter. If mechanical transportation is not available, evacuation on foot would ideally include carrying at least three days of supplies and rain-tight bedding, a tarpaulin and a bedroll of blankets being the minimum.

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4-Recovery The recovery phase starts after the immediate threat to human life has subsided. During reconstruction it is recommended to consider the location or construction material of the property. The most extreme home confinement scenarios include war, famine and severe epidemics and may last a year or more. Then recovery will take place inside the home. Planners for these events usually buy bulk foods and appropriate storage and preparation equipment, and eat the food as part of normal life. A simple balanced diet can be constructed from vitamin pills, whole-meal wheat, beans, dried milk, corn, and cooking oil. One should add vegetables, fruits, spices and meats, both prepared and fresh-gardened, when possible. 9 EXTRA READING CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION AND RISK MANAGEMENT Terminology Hazard- A potentially damaging physical event, phenomenon and/or human activity which may cause the loss of life, injury, property damage, social and economic disruption and environmental degradation Vulnerability-Set of conditions and processes resulting from physical, social, economic, environmental factors (and development decisions) which increase the susceptibility of community (or project) to the impact of hazards Risk-Probability of harmful consequences and expected loss resulting from interaction between natural or human hazards and vulnerable conditions. Physical vulnerability-analyze impacts of events on assets such as building, infrastructure, agriculture Social Vulnerability- estimate impacts of events on highly vulnerable groups such as the poor, coping capacity, status institutional structure designed to help coping, awareness of risk Economic vulnerability-potential impacts of hazards on economic assets and processes (business interruption, secondary effects) Environmental vulnerability-Degraded environmental quality limits the natural resilience to hazard effects and reduces environmental buffering of effects

The Cycle of Disaster Management

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What is at risk?

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Possible Socio-Economic Scenarios Needed For Climate Change Impact and Adaptation Analyses General Population growth Economic growth Adaptation capacity (economic, technological, institutional) Water resources Water use for agriculture, domestic, industrial and energy sectors Land use (for run-off) Adaptation capacity (economic, technological, institutional) Coastal zones Population density Economic activity and investments Land use Agriculture Land use

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Water use Food demand Atmospheric composition and deposition Agricultural policies (incl. international trade) Adaptation capacity (economic, technological, institutional) Human health Food and water accessibility and quality Health care (incl. basic) Demographic structure Urbanisation Adaptation capacity (economic, technological, institutional) 12
EVENT PREPAREDNESS STATUS
Return period,Duration Magnitude,Seasonality Uncertainty Self protection Income Distribution Generation & allocation (location, building Livelihood surplus quality Opportunity Social Protection Social power&control Hurricanes (Building regulations GENDER Debt crises level of scientific Household Environmental degradation knowledge/use) Security,Nutrition Flood Drought RESILIENCE ETHNICITY STATE Earthquakes Strength of assets Income,Assets Institutional Volcanic Discrimination support Activity Recovery of - Regional livelihood - Local Landscape Impacts of previous interventions Biases, Training Disease HEALTH Social precaution/ Infrastructure, Individual robustness Household activities,Access to reliable potable water, treatment __________________________________________________________________________________________________

Hazard Vulnerability Socio-economic National and Political Economy International Policy

D I S A S T E R Hazard Information Past incidence:Maps, factors affecting occurrence What is the expected degree of loss? Who, what are vulnerable

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Why? Site and Feature Characteristics Specific damage/loss estimate Physical suite characteristics, structural strength, content exposure Element of Concern Critical facilities, natural resources, agriculture, population, development (existing./proposed) What are the hazards? What severity? What return periods? Formulation of desired risk reduction strategy Risk Assessment Hazard Assessment Vulnerability Assessment Economic Analysis Of risk reduction options Identification of risk reduction options

From assessment to managing risk

OAS,2003 13
Evaluation & feedback Public communication Response strategy Risk analysis vulnerability assessment Disease watch, alert, warning Ongoing epidemiological surveillance & environmental observations Climate information Include forecasts& projections of change
Steps in a simplified Vulnerability Assessment Step 1. What? Identifying the event and timescales of variability/change Probability, Magnitude, Frequency, Scope, Duration Step 2. Who? Identifying exposure and capacity to withstand changes Proximate: Individuals, groups, communities,

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Quantifying economic-property risks and opportunities Step 3. Why? Identifying the types and sources of risk Complexity and interrelatedness of natural, social, and development factors Why does a particular risk exist? Causal factors: What happened to make vulnerability high/low? Whose decisions and choices are involved? Who is most affected by the decisions and choices? Step 4. Where and When? Time and space dimensions Dynamic change: Reversible, irreversible, cumulative or compounding Interconnected scales, beneficial outcomes

14 QUESTIONS Note: Answers should not exceed 1 paragraph. 1. Explain the link between Disaster Management and Climate Change. 2. Which of the 4 phases do you consider to be the most important? Support your answer. 3. Giving examples (from your own country) state situations where Disaster Management could have been better implemented. 4. In the case of a natural disaster, both government and individuals are responsible for how citizens are affected. List 3 actions/activities/methods each for both government and individuals, which can be carried out to mitigate the effects of a known natural disaster. 5. Using Climate Change as your Hazard: Complete the following matrix.
Behavioral/Incentives How does the community view its ability to create change? Social/Organizational What are the relations and organizations among people? Physical/material What hazards,skills, productive resources exist?

Resources Vulnerability Capability

Capabilities and vulnerabilities matrix 15 Sources: An Integrated Approach to Disaster Management http://www.icm.tn.gov.in/article/disaster.htm BNET Business Dictionary http://dictionary.bnet.com/definition/Disaster+Management.html Disaster Management http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_management PULWARTY NOTES\2007-2008- UWI Cave Hill, CERMES

ENVT 6132 Climate Change Vulnerability and