DISASTER   

Disaster is a sudden, calamitous event bringing great damage, loss, destruction and devastation to life and property. WHO defines Disaster as "any occurrence, that causes damage, ecological disruption, loss of human life, deterioration of health and health services, on a scale sufficient to warrant an extraordinary response from outside the affected community or area”

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 flood, 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

DISASTER RISK = HAZARD + VULNERABILITY

 

TYPES OF DISASTER

Disaster Management is the discipline of dealing with and avoiding risks. It is a discipline that involves preparing for disaster before it occurs, 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. In general, any disaster 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 hazard.

Earthquake