2. CONTENTS:
Introduction
Types of Disasters,
Hazards,
Disaster Management,
Personal Protection in Different Types of Emergencies,
Man Made Disasters
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3. DISASTER
The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR)
(2009) defines disaster as:
"A serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society
involving widespread human, material, economic or environmental
losses and impacts, which exceed the ability of the affected community
or society to cope using its own resources".
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4. DISASTER
The Disaster Management Act 2005 of India:
"Disaster means a catastrophe, mishap, calamity or grave occurrence in
any area, arising from natural or manmade causes, or by accident or
negligence which results in substantial loss of life or human suffering or
damage to, and destruction of property, or damage to, or degradation of,
environment, and is of such a nature or magnitude as to be beyond the
coping capacity of the community of the affected area"
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5. HAZARD
As per the definition adopted by UNISDR,
"hazard" is a dangerous phenomenon, substance, human activity, or
condition that may cause loss of life, injury or other health impacts,
property damage, loss of livelihoods and services, social and
economic disruption, or environmental damage.
India , due to its physiographic and climatic conditions is one of the
most disaster prone areas in the world.
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6. TYPES OF DISASTERS
1. Natural hazards
2. Human-induced
NATURAL HAZARDS:
Classified based on Disaster Information Management System of
Deslnventar into 5 major categories (Deslnventar 2016).
1. Geophysical – earthquakes, volcanos, tsunami
2. Hydrological – Flood, landslides (Avalanche, debriflow, mud flow,
rockfall), Wave action - Wind generated surface waves of water over
oceans, rivers or lakes.
3. Meteorological: Cyclone, storm surge, tornado, high wind 6
8. B. HUMAN-INDUCED DISASTERS
The rise in population, rapid urbanization and industrialization,
environmental degradation, and climate change aggravates the
vulnerabilities to various kinds of disasters
- (industrial, road, air, rail, on river or sea, building collapse, fires, mine
flooding, oil spills, etc.).
- Chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) hazards.
Terrorist activities, Warfare.
Some can be predicted several hours or days before-hand, as in the
case of cyclones or floods, others such as earthquakes occur without
warning.
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9. The relative number of injuries and deaths differ, depending on
various factors such as the type of disaster, the density and
distribution of the population, condition of the environment, degree of
the preparedness and opportunity of the warning.
Injuries usually exceed death in explosions, earthquakes, typhoons,
hurricanes, fires, tornadoes etc.
Death frequently exceeds injuries in landslides, avalanches, volcanic
eruptions, tidal waves, floods etc.
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11. On the whole, morbidity which results from a disaster situation can be
classified into four types :
a. Injuries;
b. Emotional stress;
c. Epidemic of disease; and
d. Increase in indigenous diseases.
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14. FUNDAMENTAL ASPECTS OF DISASTER
MANAGEMENT
Disaster response; Most injuries are sustained during the impact, thus
the greatest need for the emergency is in the first few hours. help to
the affected people.
Disaster mitigation; lessen the effect of disaster.
Disaster preparedness; ensuring appropriate systems, procedures
and resources are in place to provide prompt effective assistance to
disaster victims.
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16. GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION OF DISASTER AREA
1.Impact area: where disaster has struck
causing maximum damage.
2.Filter area: undamaged area surrounding
impact area from where immediate aid starts.
3.Community aid area: outside filter area from
where organized rescue &relief flows.
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1
2
3
17. DISASTER IMPACT AND RESPONSE
Search, rescue and first aid
Should be the immediate response.
Most immediate help comes from the uninjured survivors.
Field care
Health service resources be redirected to this new priority.
Bed availability and surgical services should be maximized.
Food and shelter should be provided.
Victim identification.
Adequate mortuary space should be provided. 17
19. TRIAGE
It is the process of prioritizing the patient based on the severity of their
condition.
Black- Morgue(No pulse / No breathing)
Red- High priority(life threatening but requires simple intensive
care)
Yellow- Moderate priority(serious non life threatening)
Green- Mild priority(walking wounded)
Tagging – all patients should be identified with tags stating their name,
age, place of origin, triage category, diagnosis and initial treatment.
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22. RELIEF PHASE
The immediate requirements are ;
Critical health supplies for treating casualties and preventing the
spread of communicable diseases.
Supply of food, blankets, clothing, shelter, sanitary engineering
equipment and construction material.
Rapid damage assessment is done in order to identify needs and
resources.
There are four principal components in managing humanitarian
supplies :
- (a) acquisition of supplies; (b) transportation; (c) storage; and (d)
distribution. 22
24. EPIDEMIOLOGICAL SURVEILLANCE AND DISEASE
CONTROL
Disasters increase the transmission of communicable diseases due to
poor sanitation, migration, contamination of water etc.,
Preventing and controlling communicable diseases after disaster are
to-
- Implement public health measures
- Organize disease reporting system to identify outbreaks and to
promptly initiate control measures.
- Investigate all reports of disease outbreak rapidly.
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25. VACCINATION
Usually given against typhoid, cholera and tetanus due to public and
political pressure.
WHO does not recommend typhoid and cholera vaccine- supplying
safe drinking water and proper disposal of excreta is the most
effective strategy.
If the patient with open wounds has received tetanus immunization 5
years ago then a tetanus toxoid booster dose is an effective
preventive measure.
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26. NUTRITION
Immediate steps.
Assessing food supplies after the disaster.
Gauging the nutritional needs of the affected population.
Calculating daily food rations and need for large population groups.
Monitoring the nutritional status of the affected population.
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27. REHABILITATION
– final phase in a disaster response which leads to the restoration of
pre-disaster conditions(normal living). It includes;
Starts from the very first moment of the disaster
Causality care to primary health care
Priorities shift from health care towards environmental health
measures
- Safe water supply
- Food safety
- Basic sanitation and personal hygiene
- Vector control
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28. DISASTER MITIGATION
-involves either to prevent hazards causing emergency or to lessen the
effects of emergencies.
E.g.
Flood mitigation works,
Appropriate land-use planning
Improved building codes for earthquakes
Planting trees in the coastal areas
Japan has built many tsunami walls of up to 4.5 metres (15 ft) to
protect populated coastal areas.
Other localities have built floodgates and channels to redirect the
water from incoming tsunami
Protection of vulnerable population and structures 28
31. DISASTER PREPAREDNESS
It is a program of long term development activities whose goals are to
strengthen the overall capacity and capability of a country to manage
efficiently all types of emergencies.
Objective:
- To ensure that appropriate systems, procedures and resources are in
place to provide prompt and effective assistance,thus facilitating relief
measures and rehabilitation of services
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32. PERSONAL PROTECTION IN DIFFERENT TYPES
OF EMERGENCIES
A number of measures must be observed by all persons in all types of
emergency:
- Don’t use telephone, except to call for help, to leave telephone lines free
- Listen to the messages broadcast by radio and the various media so as to
be informed of development.
- Carry out the official instructions given over the radio or by loudspeaker.
- Keep a family emergency kit ready.
In all the different types of emergency, it is better:
- to be prepared than to get hurt;
- to get information so as to get organized;
- to wait rather than act too hastily
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33. A. FLOODS
BEFORE-HAND DURING AFTER
1. Town planning
2. watching the water level
3. listening to the weather forecasts
4. hurricanes and cyclones often
occur at the same time of year,
therefore vigilance to be kept
5. They are often announced
several hours or days before they
arrive.
1. Turn off the electricity to reduce
the risk of electrocution.
2. Protect people and property:
3. Take vulnerable people to an
upper floor;
4. move personal belongings
upstairs or go to raised shelters
provided for use in floods .
5. Beware of water contamination -
if the taste, colour, or smell of the
water is suspicious, it is vital to
use some means of purification.
6. Evacuate danger zones as
ordered by the local authorities it
is essential to comply strictly with
the evacuation advice given.
1. do not return home until told to do
so by the local authorities, who
will ensure that buildings have not
been undermined by water.
2. wait until the water is declared
safe before drinking,
3. clean and disinfect room that has
been flooded;
4. sterilize or wash with boiling
water all dishes & kitchen
utensils;
5. get rid of any food that was near
the water, including canned foods
and any food kept in refrigerators
and freezers;
6. get rid of all consumables (drinks,
medicines, cosmetics, etc.
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34. 34
BEFORE-HAND DURING AFTER
1. Find out about the kinds of storm
liable to strike their region to take
optimum preventive measures,
2. choose a shelter in advance,
3. a cellar, a basement, or an alcove
may be perfectly suitable;
4. minimize the effects of the storm -
fell dead trees, branches,
regularly check the state of roofs,
the state of the ground, and the
drainage around houses;
5. prepare a family emergency kit
1. Listen to the information and
advice provided by the
authorities.
2. Do not go out in a car or a boat
3. Evacuate houses if the authorities
request.
4. If possible, tie down any object
liable to be blown away by the
wind;
5. if there is time, nail planks to the
doors and shutters, open the
windows and doors slightly on the
side opposite to the direction from
which the wind is coming so as to
reduce wind pressure
1. Follow the instructions given by
the authorities;
2. stay indoors and do not go to the
stricken areas;
3. give the alert as quickly as
possible;
4. give first aid to the injured;
5. make sure the water is safe to
drink and check the contents of
refrigerators and freezers;
6. check the exterior of dwellings
and call for assistance if there is a
risk of falling objects (tiles,
guttering, etc.).
B.STORMS, HURRICANES AND TORNADOES-1
35. 35
BEFORE-HAND DURING AFTER
1. Find out about the kinds of storm
liable to strike their region to take
optimum preventive measures,
and:
2. choose a shelter in advance,
before the emergency occurs
3. a cellar, a basement, or an alcove
may be perfectly suitable;
4. minimize the effects of the storm -
fell dead trees, branches,
regularly check the state of roofs,
the state of the ground, and the
drainage around houses;
5. take measures against flooding;
6. prepare a family emergency kit
6. If caught outside in a storm, take
refuge as quickly as possible in a
shelter; if there is no shelter, lie
down flat in a ditch.
7. In a thunderstorm keep away
from doors, windows, and
electrical conductors, unplug
electrical appliances
8. Anyone who is outside should
look for shelter in a building
(never under a tree) ;
9. if out in a boat, get back to the
shore asap;
10.keep away from fences and
electric cables;
11.kneel down rather than remain
standing.
1. Follow the instructions given by
the authorities;
2. stay indoors and do not go to the
stricken areas;
3. give the alert as quickly as
possible;
4. give first aid to the injured;
5. make sure the water is safe to
drink and check the contents of
refrigerators and freezers;
6. check the exterior of dwellings
and call for assistance if there is a
risk of falling objects (tiles,
guttering, etc.).
B.STORMS, HURRICANES AND TORNADOES-2
36. 36
BEFORE-HAND DURING AFTER
1. Build in accordance with urban
planning regulations for risk
areas.
2. Ensure that all electrical and gas
appliances in houses, together
with all pipes connected to them,
are firmly fixed.
3. Avoid storing heavy objects and
materials in high positions.
4. Hold family evacuation drills and
ensure that the whole family
knows what to do in case of an
earthquake.
5. Prepare a family emergency kit.
1. Keep calm, do no panic.
2. People who are indoors should
stay there but move to the central
part of the building.
3. Keep away from the stairs, which
might collapse suddenly.
4. People who are outside should
stay there, keeping away from
buildings to avoid collapsing walls
and away from electric cables.
5. Anyone in a vehicle should park
it, keeping away from bridges and
buildings.
1. Obey the authorities' instructions.
2. Do not go back into damaged
buildings since tremors may start
again at any moment.
3. Give first-aid to the injured and
alert the emergency services in
case of fire , burst pipes, etc.
4. Do not go simply to look at the
stricken areas: this will hamper
rescue work.
5. Keep emergency packages and a
radio near at hand.
6. Make sure that water is safe to
drink and food stored at home is
fit to eat (in case of electricity cuts
affecting refrigerators and
freezers).
C. EARTHQUAKES
37. 37
BEFORE-HAND DURING AFTER
1. Find out about evacuation plans
and facilities;
2. familiarize themselves with the
alarm signals used in case of
emergency;
3. equip doors and windows with the
tightest possible fastenings;
4. prepare family emergency kits.
1. Do not use the telephone; leave
lines free for rescue services.
2. Listen to the messages given by
radio and other media.
3. Carry out the instructions
transmitted by radio or
loudspeaker.
4. Close doors and windows.
5. Stop up air intakes.
6. Seal any cracks or gaps around
windows and doors with adhesive
tape.
7. Organize a reserve of water (by
filling wash basins, baths, etc.).
8. Turn off ventilators and air
conditioners.
1. Comply with the authorities'
instructions and do not go out
until there is no longer any risk.
2. Carry out necessary
decontamination measures.
D. CLOUDS OF TOXIC FUMES
38. MAN-MADE DISASTERS
These can be three categories. (a) SUDDEN DISASTERS
1. Bhopal Gas Tragedy in India on 3rd December 1984
Leakage in the storage tank of Union Carbide Pesticide Plant released tons
of methyl isocyanate into the air.
Wind conditions and an atmospheric inversion, along with delayed warning
and a population that had not been taught the nature of risks and the
appropriate response increased the impact.
About 2 million people were exposed to the gas leaving about 3,000 dead.
2. The accident at reactor 4 of the Chernobyl nuclear power station in the
Soviet Union on April 26, 1986,
resulted in the largest reported accidental release of radioactive material in
the history of nuclear power.
It deposited more than 7 million curies of Iodine 131, Cesium 134 and 137,
Strontium 90 and other isotopes throughout the northern hemisphere
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39. (B) INSIDIOUS DISASTERS
Insidious chemical exposure and insidious radiation exposure, as in
nuclear weapons production factories , research laboratories resulting
in release of radioactive substances into the air, soil and underground
water.
Chemical plants releasing their toxic by-products into rivers and other
water sources is another example.
Other form of long term and continuing human-made disaster include
global warming (the "green house effect")
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40. (C) WARS AND CIVIL CONFLICTS
The latest example is the attack on twin buildings of World Trade
Centre in New York in which about 6000 people lost their lives and
thousands were injured.
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41. DISASTERS IN INDIA
With a wide range of topographic and climatic conditions, India is the
highly disaster-prone country in Asia-Pacific region with an average of
8 major natural calamities a year.
While floods, cyclones, draughts, earthquakes and epidemics are
frequent from time to time, major accidents happen in railways, mines
and factories causing extensive damage to human life and property.
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42. DISASTERS IN INDIA
Orissa: super cyclone on 29th October 1999, thousands lost their lives
and many more became homeless.
Gujarat: severe earthquake ,16,480 people died and lakhs became
homeless.
Indian ocean tsunami: killed >200,000 persons in India in Dec. 2004
major earthquake in Jammu & Kashmir (7.4 RS) left 2 ,100 dead and
30,000 injured,
June 2013 in Uttarakhand, cloudburst causing floods that killed about
5,748 people in Kedarnath, and the floods in Kashmir vally in 2014.
More recently, floods in Karnataka 2019,India.
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43. In the federal structure of India, the state governments are responsible
for the execution of relief work in wake of natural disasters.
Government of India plays a supportive role, in terms of
supplementation of final resources to the states.
An administrative system has been developed to combat and
minimize the adverse impact of the natural disasters.
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44. Ministry of Home
Affairs (MHA).
The Cabinet
Committee on
Security (CCS)
the National Crisis
Management
Committee (NCMC)
44
The National Disaster Management Authority (NOMA) is the lead
agency responsible for the preparation of Disaster Management (OM)
plans and the execution of OM functions at the national level.
45. In a vast country like India, it is not practicable for the government
machinery alone, to undertake disaster reduction programmes without
involvement of NGOs.
Public education and community involvement plays a vital role here.
As part of the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction
activities, every year, the second Wednesday of October has been
designated as World Disaster Reduction Day.
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46. INDIAN METEOROLOGICAL DEPARTMENT (IMD)
Plays a key role in forewarning the disaster.
5 centres: Kolkata, Bhubaneshwar, Vishakhapatnam, Chennai and
Mumbai
Satellite imagery facilities and cyclone warning radars are provided to
various Cyclone Warning Centres.
For all ships out at sea, warnings are issued six times a day.
Insat Disaster Warning System (DWS) receivers have been installed
primarily in the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.
The Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment (SASE) in Manali:
issues warning to people about avalanches 24 to 48 hours in
advance.
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47. INTERNATIONAL AGENCIES PROVTDING HEALTH
HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE
United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
(OCHA),
WHO, UNICEF, World Food Programme (WFP),
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Inter-governmental organizations are European Community
Humanitarian Office (ECHO).
Organization of American States (OAS), Centre of Coordination for
Prevention of Natural Disasters in Central America, Caribbean
Disaster Emergency Response Agency.
Some NGOs are CARE, Red Cross, International Council of Voluntary
Agencies (ICVA), International Federation of Red Cross and Red
Crescent Societies (IFRC) etc.
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48. COVID- 19
48
BEFORE-HAND DURING AFTER
1. Strict Hand hygiene measures
always,
2. Do not eat uncooked meat or
other non veg food items
3. Practice nutritious food intake to
boost natural immunity
4. Always follow cough ettiquets
5. Follow a known diet
style/pattern
6. prepare family emergency kits.
7. Protect nature
DURING
1. Strict Hand hygiene measures
always and use of alcohol
containing hand rubs
2. Display IEC materials
1. Stay home stay safe and
healthy
2. Wear mask when going outside
3. N95 masks to be worn by all
health care personnel directly
caring such patients
4. Patients to be given 3 layer
surgical mask & to follow cough
etiquette
5. BMW waste disposal protocols
to be followed
6. General infection control
measures to be followed
7. Refer patient to designated
hospital
8. Screen suspected person with
history of contact
9. Follow guidelines of the Govt
10.Do not travel unnecessarily.
1. Strict Hand hygiene measures
always and use of alcohol
containing hand rubs
2. Comply with the authorities'
instructions and do not go out
until there is no longer any risk.
3. Carry out necessary
decontamination measures.
Tsunami -A series of waves (with long wavelengths when traveling across the deep ocean) that are generated by a displacement of massive amounts of water through underwater earthquakes, volcanic eruptions or landslides.
Tsunami waves travel at very high speed across the ocean but as they begin to reach shallow water, they slow down and the wave grows steeper.
Avalanche:a mass of snow, ice, and rocks falling rapidly down a mountainside.
Tornado: a mobile, destructive vortex of violently rotating winds having the appearance of a funnel-shaped cloud and advancing beneath a large storm system.
Blizzard: a severe snowstorm with high winds.
Every catastrophic event has its own special features.
The UNISDR defines disaster risk management as the systematic process of using administrative decisions, organizations, operational skills and capacities to implement policies, strategies and coping capacities of the society and communities to lessen the impacts of natural hazards and related environmental and technological disasters. This comprises of all forms of activities, including structural and non-structural measures to avoid (prevention) or to limit (mitigation and preparedness) adverse effects of hazards.
The health hazards associated with cadavers are minimal if death results from trauma, and corps are quite unlikely to cause outbreaks of disease such as typhoid fever, cholera or plague. If human bodies contaminate streams, wells, or other water sources as in floods etc., they may transmit gastroenteritis or food poisoning to survivors. The dead bodies represent a delicate social problem.
This begins when assistance from outside starts to reach the affected area.
Earthquake proof houses- Japan k/a Dome houses/soccer ball shaped houses.
In addition to considering action by rescuers, thought must be given to personal protection measures in different types of emergencies.
Vulnerable people: children, old, sick, disabled, pregnant women etc.
Hurricane: a storm with a violent wind, in particular a tropical cyclone in the Caribbean.
Alcove:a recess in the wall of a room or garden. Nook/cavity in a wall
Essential Items for Your Emergency Kit
Water (at least one gallon per person, per day)
Food (more on this below)
Battery-powered or hand-powered radio and extra batteries.
High-powered flashlight.
First aid kit.
Whistle (to signal for help)
Baby wipes, garbage bags, and twist ties (for sanitation)
Local maps.
The movement of the ground in an earthquake is rarely the direct cause of injuries; most are caused by falling objects or collapsing buildings. Many earthquakes are followed (several hours or even days later) by further tremors, usually of progressively decreasing intensity. To reduce the destructive effects of earthquakes a number of precautions are essential for people living in risk areas:
global warming (the "green house effect") caused by the heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere released by burning of fossil fuels, and depletion of ozone layer due to the use of the aerosolized chlorofluorohydrocarbons etc.;
The Disaster Management Act of 2005 provides for the setting up of NDMA at national level and the SDMA at the state level (1).
Since health is an important part of disaster management, in the DGHS under the ministry of Health and Family Welfare
there is a special wing called the Emergency Medical Relief Wing which coordinates all activities related to health
5 centers: for detection and tracing of cyclone storms.