GS Paper 3
Syllabus: Disaster Management
Source: TH
Context: The article discusses the impact of human actions on natural disasters, particularly in the context of increasing incidents during the monsoon season in India.
What are natural disasters?
A natural disaster is a catastrophic event that is caused by the forces of nature. Examples of natural disasters include earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, and wildfires. E.g, The 2020 Haiti earthquake, a recent landslide in Himachal Pradesh.
Although natural disasters are natural, many natural disasters are exacerbated by poor planning and human activities:
| Natural Disaster | Human Influence/Contribution | Examples |
| Flooding | Deforestation, urbanization, | Flooding in urban areas due to |
| improper land use, drainage issues | inadequate drainage systems (e.g., Mumbai floods). | |
| Wildfires | Forest mismanagement, arson, climate change | California wildfires are caused by human activity and dry conditions. |
| Landslides | Deforestation, construction on slopes, heavy rainfall | Landslides in hilly regions due to deforestation and improper land use. |
| Drought | Over-extraction of water resources, climate change | Prolonged droughts in regions with excessive water use (e.g., California). |
| Hurricanes/Cyclones | Climate change, sea-level rise, inadequate infrastructure | More intense hurricanes due to global warming and poor coastal planning. |
| Earthquakes | Induced seismicity from activities like hydraulic fracturing (fracking) | Earthquakes triggered by hydraulic fracturing (fracking) operations. |
| Tsunamis | Underwater explosions, coastal engineering | Tsunamis caused by underwater nuclear tests or improper coastal engineering. |
| Volcanic Eruptions | Human activity near active volcanoes | Volcanic eruptions are exacerbated by settlements near active volcanic zones. |
Urbanization, increased population density, and unsustainable development practices pose significant challenges for disaster management in the country:
- Infrastructure Strain: Rapid urbanization often leads to inadequate infrastructure such as roads, water supply, and sewage systems, causing congestion and public health issues.
- Environmental Degradation: Unsustainable development harms ecosystems, leading to deforestation, pollution, and loss of biodiversity.
- Natural Disaster Vulnerability: Rapid urban growth in hazard-prone areas can increase vulnerability to natural disasters like floods and earthquakes.
Solutions to mitigate the impact of natural disasters:
| Natural Disaster | Solution | Examples that India can learn from |
| Flooding | Improved drainage systems, floodplain zoning, early warning systems, flood-resistant, infrastructure, flood insurance | The Netherlands’ extensive network of dikes and levees to prevent river flooding. |
| Wildfires | Controlled burns, firebreaks, forest management, public awareness campaigns, and firefighting infrastructure. | Australia’s “Prepare, Act, Survive” strategy to educate and prepare communities for bushfires. |
| Landslides | Slope stabilization, reforestation, landslide monitoring systems, land-use planning. | Japan’s extensive efforts in slope stabilization and warning systems. |
| Drought | Efficient water management, rainwater harvesting, drought-resistant crops, water conservation, drought monitoring and early warning. | Israel’s advanced drip irrigation systems to maximize water efficiency. |
| Hurricanes/Cyclones | Advanced storm tracking, early warning systems, coastal defences, building codes, and evacuation plans. | The United States National Hurricane Center’s forecasts and evacuation plans for hurricane-prone regions. |
| Earthquakes | Seismic building codes, retrofitting existing structures, early warning systems, community | Japan’s stringent earthquake building codes and disaster preparedness. |
| Tsunamis | Tsunami warning systems, coastal land-use planning, public education on tsunami safety. | The Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System (IOTWS) for early warnings. |
| Volcanic Eruptions | Monitoring volcanic activity, evacuation plans, hazard mapping, and resilient infrastructure. | Iceland’s comprehensive monitoring and response system for volcanic eruptions. |
Some best practices of nature-based solutions against disasters:
Conclusion:
While knowledge exists of disaster management, awareness and risk assessment are often lacking. Underestimating risks and inadequate data contribute to the problem. The need for transformative thinking, involving experts from both public and private sectors, is needed to address the conflict between development goals and environmental preservation.
Insta Links:
