An official website of the United States government
Here’s how you know
Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( Lock A locked padlock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites..
FEMA Case Study Library
Collections.
- COVID-19 Best Practice Case Studies
- Interagency Recovery Coordination Case Studies
- Mitigation Best Practices
- Preparedness Grants Case Studies
- Assistance to Firefighters Grant Case Studies
- Loss Avoidance Studies
- Risk MAP Best Practices
- Cooperating Technical Partners Program Success Stories
Search All Case Studies
Rising interest expenses.
On Sept. 30, 2022, the NFIP made a semi-annual interest payment of $300 million to the U.S. Treasury. With this payment, the NFIP has now paid over $5.7 billion in interest since Hurricane Katrina hit the United States in 2005.
NFIP Modifies Benefit-Cost Ratio for Community Grant Programs
There is a Benefit-Cost Analysis (BCA) requirement to access funding through FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) grant programs. The BCA is the method used to calculate the future risk reduction benefits of a hazard mitigation project and compares those benefits to its costs.
Partner Developed Guidance for Mapping Debris Flow and Mudflow Hazards
roads, impact critical infrastructure like water and sewer lines and can be deadly. It is difficult to identify where debris flows and mudflows are likely to happen using existing mapping methods. Professionals need a more effective way to map debris and mudflow risk areas.
Paradise, California: Rebuilding Resilient Homes after the Camp Fire
The Town of Paradise employed innovative tactics with state and federal support to empower low-to-moderate income residents to rebuild their homes safely and navigate disaster assistance options after the Camp Fire. Establishing a Building Resiliency Center provided a single place to assist property owners with their rebuilding needs and questions. Direct engagement with impacted residents and a focus on customer service helped overcome challenges and provides an example of trauma-informed disaster assistance at the local level.
Virginia Department of Emergency Management Office of Diversity Opportunity Inclusion
Challenge Good governance is defined by several characteristics including accountability; transparency; responsiveness; efficiency; integrity; and inclusiveness. By developing data-driven policies and laws that address the diverse needs of the Commonwealth, we can continue to build resilient communities and inter-connected counties, towns, and cities.
Maryland – Equity & Climate Adaptation Projects
Challenge How do we build climate-resilient communities while also advancing equity for all, including people of color and others who have been historically underserved and adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality?
District of Columbia Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency Subrecipient Monitoring Protocol
The DCHSEMA monitoring process follows a risk-based monitoring strategy which looks at prior monitoring, spending performance, number of subawards, average financial risk, audits, quarterly status review, and overall performance.
Maryland Department of the Environment: Promoting Higher Standards with the Climate Ready Action Boundary Map Viewer
Challenge: The Base Flood Elevation (BFE) is how high floodwater is likely to rise during a 1%-annual-chance flood event. It is one way to measure and indicate flood risk. However, the study that established the BFE is only a snapshot in time. There are many factors that can cause floodwaters to rise above the BFE. These factors include debris-blocked bridge and culvert openings; blocked city storm sewer drains; higher-intensity rain events; storm tracks causing coinciding peak flows of flooding sources; high backwater conditions; and heavy rains on frozen ground with considerable snow depths. There is also always the potential for an event more severe than the 1%-annual-chance event. To communicate and reduce flood risk in areas beyond FEMA’s regulatory flood zones, communities need more information (especially spatial information) about flooding that exceeds the 1%-annual-chance event.
This section outlines the current state of the NFIP’s debt to Treasury and proposes potential reforms to address this accumulation of debt.
Flood Grant Program Helps Reduce High Risk Flood Properties and Increases Resilience
An overview of FEMA’s Flood Mitigation Assistance program that provides a summary of the program’s results for FY 2021. Relevant details of the program for FY 2022 are also provided. This program is key to FEMA’s resilience efforts as catastrophic flooding persists.
We've updated our privacy policy. Click here to review the details. Tap here to review the details.
Activate your 30 day free trial to unlock unlimited reading.
Disaster management with case study
You are reading a preview.
Activate your 30 day free trial to continue reading.
Check these out next
Download to read offline
went to help plain B.Com people who are not coming from any professional stream
Recommended
More Related Content
Slideshows for you (20).
Similar to Disaster management with case study (20)
More from Akash Rana (10)
Recently uploaded (20)
- 1. 1 | P a g e SMT.CHANDIBAI HIMATMAL MANSUKHANI COLLEGE ULHASNAGAR- 421003 PROJECT REPORT ON STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT Disaster Management & CASE STUDY SUBMITTED BY AKASH RANA (ROLL NO: 46) M.COM (SEM.II):. SUBMITED TO UNIVERSITY OF MUMBAI 2015-16 PROJECT GUIDE Prof. kishore karia
- 2. 2 | P a g e Department of Commerce Certificate This is to certify that, Mr. AKASH RANA of M.Com.-I, Sem.-I (Roll NO-46) has successfully completed the project titled “Disaster management & case study.” under my guidance for the Academic Year 2015-16. The information submitted is true and original as per my knowledge. Prof. kishore karia (Project Guide) Prof. Gopi Shamnani Dr. Manju Lalwani pathak (Coordinator, M. Com Course) ( I/C Principal)
- 3. 3 | P a g e External Examiner ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I acknowledge the valuableassistance providedby SMT.CHANDIBAIHIMATMAL MANSUKHANI COLLEGE, for twoyearsof degree course inM.Com. I specially thankthe principal Dr. Manju Lalwani pathak for Allowingusto use the facilities suchas library, computerlaboratory, internetetc. I sincerely thankthe M.Comco-ordinator Prof. Gopi Shamnani forGuidingusin the rightdirection go prepare the project. I thankmy guide Prof. kishore karia whohas givenhis/hervaluable time, knowledge andguidance to complete the projectsuccessfully intime. My family andpeerswere greatsource of inspiration throughoutmyprojecttheirsupportisdeeply acknowledged. Signature
- 4. 4 | P a g e DECLARATION I, AKASH RANA OF SMT.CHANDIBAI HIMATMAL MANSUKHANICOLLEGE OF M.Com SEMESTER I, hereby declare thatIhave completed the projecton‘Disaster management & case study’ inthe academicyear2015-16. The information submittedistrue andoriginal tothe bestof myknowledge. (AKASH .P. RANA) M.Com part-1, ROLL NO: 46 SEMESTER II
- 5. 5 | P a g e INDEX Sr.No Topic Name PAGE NO. 1. Introduction 7-8 2. TYPES OF DISASTER 9 3. Disaster management 10 4. Emergency planning ideas 11 5. Implementing ideas 12 6. Phases and personal activities 13-23 7. Response 24-25 8. Recovery 26 9 Indian Armed Force & Jammu & Kashmir Floods, 2014 27-28 10. Disaster Management in India 29 11. Command and control 30 12 Rescue Mission 31-33 13 Relief assistance 34-36 14 National disaster response force (NDFR) 37-38 15 CASE STUDY UTTARAKHAND DISASTER 39-49 16 Conclusion 50-51 17 Bibliography 52
- 6. 6 | P a g e
- 7. 7 | P a g e Introduction A disaster is a serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society involving widespread human, material, economic or environmental losses and impacts, which exceeds the ability of the affected community or society to cope using its own resources. In contemporary academia, disasters are seen as the consequence of inappropriately managed risk. These risks are the product of a combination of both hazard/s and vulnerability. Hazards that strike in areas with low vulnerability will never become disasters, as is the case in uninhabited regions. Developing countries suffer the greatest costs when a disaster hits – more than 95 percent of all deaths caused by hazards occur in developing countries, and losses due to natural hazards are 20 times greater (as a percentage of GDP) in developing countries than in industrialized countries Classifications Researchers have been studying disasters for more than a century, and for more than forty years disaster research 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. 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. Natural Hazard A Natural Hazard is a natural process or phenomenon 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.
- 8. 8 | P a g e Various phenomena like earthquakes, landslides, volcanic eruptions, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards, tsunamis, and cyclones are all natural hazards that kill thousands of people and destroy billions of dollars of habitat and property each year. However, the rapid growth of the world's population and its increased concentration often in hazardous environments has escalated both the frequency and severity of 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 caused by natural hazards. Airplane crashes and terrorist attacks are examples of man-made disasters: they cause pollution, kill people, and damage property. This example is the September 11 attacks in 2001 at the World Trade Center in New York. Human-Instigated Disasters Main article: Man-made disasters Human-Instigated disasters are the consequence of technological hazards. Examples include stampedes, fires, transport accidents, industrial accidents, oil spills and nuclear explosions/radiation. War and deliberate attacks may also be put in this category. As with natural hazards, man-made hazards are events that have not happened, for instance terrorism. Man-made disasters are examples of specific cases where man-made hazards have become reality in an event.
- 9. 9 | P a g e Types of Disasters Disasters are simply defined as any over helming ecological disruption which disturbs environmental and economical positions. Disasters are mainly divided as two types: Natural Disasters and Artificial Disasters. Artificial Disasters are also called as Man Made Disasters. Natural Disasters: Disasters that are caused by Natural causes are called as Natural Disasters. Earthquakes, Landslides, Floods, River erosion, Cyclones, Tsunami, Forest Fires etc… Artificial Disasters: These are the disasters that are occurred due to man made changes over the surface of the Earth. Nuclear Disasters, Chemical Disasters, Mine Disasters, Biological Disasters. These are an example of man-made disasters
- 10. 10 | P a g e Disaster Management Disaster management is the process of addressing an event that has the potential to seriously disrupt the social fabric of the community. Disaster management is similar to disaster mitigation, however it implies a whole-of-government approach to using community resources to fight the effects of an event and assumes the community will be self-sufficient for periods of time until the situation can be stabilized. Through disaster management, we cannot completely counteract the damage but it is possible to minimize the risks through early warning, provide developmental plans for recuperation from the disaster, generate communication and medical resources, and aid in rehabilitation and post-disaster reconstruction. The exchange of correct information following the event is important, in order to ensure the resources necessary to support response and recovery activities. The 72 hours following a major event is the most difficult time because of a lack of coordination among relief organizations. Problems that interrupt rather than coordinate the rescue efforts of all groups involved often occur because of hasty decision-making under complicated circumstances and the large number of organizations, which are unsure of their roles during operations. The process of Disaster Management involves the following phases: Prevention, Mitigation, Preparedness, Response and Recovery. Disaster management (or emergency management) is the creation of plans through which communities reduce vulnerability to hazards and cope with disasters.Disaster management does not avert or eliminate the threats, instead it focuses on creating plans to decrease the impact of disasters. Failure to create a plan could lead to damage to assets, human mortality, and lost revenue. Currently in the United States 60% businesses do not have emergency management plans. Events covered by disaster management include acts of terrorism, industrial sabotage, fire, natural disasters (such as earthquakes, hurricanes, etc.), public disorder, industrial accidents, and communication failures
- 11. 11 | P a g e Emergency planning ideas If possible, emergency planning should aim to prevent emergencies from occurring, and failing that, should develop a good action plan to mitigate the results and effects of any emergencies. As time goes on, and more data becomes available, usually through the study of emergencies as they occur, a plan should evolve. The development of emergency plans is a cyclical process, common to many risk management disciplines, such as Business Continuity and Security Risk Management, as set out below: Recognition or identification of risks Ranking or evaluation of risks o Responding to significant risks o Tolerate o Treat o Transfer o Terminate Resourcing controls Reaction Planning Reporting & monitoring risk performance Reviewing the Risk Management framework There are a number of guidelines and publications regarding Emergency Planning, published by various professional organizations such as ASIS, FEMA and the Emergency Planning College. There are very few Emergency Management specific standards, and emergency management as a discipline tends to fall under business resilience standards. In order to avoid, or reduce significant losses to a business, emergency managers should work to identify and anticipate potential risks, hopefully to reduce their probability of occurring. In the event that an emergency does occur, managers should have a plan prepared to mitigate the effects of that emergency, as well as to ensure Business Continuity of critical operations post-incident. It is essential for an organization to include procedures for determining whether an emergency situation has occurred and at what point an emergency management plan should be activated
- 12. 12 | P a g e Implementations ideas An emergency plan must be regularly maintained, in a structured and methodical manner, ensure it is up-to-date in the event of an emergency. Emergency managers generally follow a common process to anticipate, assess, prevent, prepare, respond and recover from an incident. Pre-incident training and testing Emergency management plans and procedures should include the identification of appropriately trained staff members responsible for decision-making when an emergency occurs. Training plans should include internal people, contractors and civil protection partners, and should state the nature and frequency of training and testing. Testing of a plan's effectiveness should be carried out regularly. In instances where several business or organizations occupy the same space, joint emergency plans, formally agreed to by all parties, should be put into place. Communicating and assessing incidents. Communication is one of the key issues during any emergency, pre-planning of communications is critical. Miscommunication can easily result in events escalating unnecessarily. Once an emergency has been identified a comprehensive assessment evaluating the level of impact and its financial implications should be undertaken. Following assessment, the appropriate plan or response to be activated will depend on a specific pre-set criteria within the emergency plan. The steps necessary should be prioritized to ensure critical functions are operational as soon as possible.
- 13. 13 | P a g e Phases and personal activities Emergency management consists of five phases: prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. Prevention Prevention was recently added to the phases of emergency management. It focuses on preventing the human hazard, primarily from potential natural disasters or terrorist attacks. Preventive measures are taken on both the domestic and international levels, 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.
- 14. 14 | P a g e Mitigation Personal mitigation is a key to national preparedness. Individuals and families train to avoid unnecessary risks. This includes an assessment of possible risks to personal/family health and to personal property, and steps taken to minimize the effects of a disaster, or take procure insurance to protect them against effects of a disaster. Preventive or mitigation measures take different forms for different types of disasters. In earthquake prone areas, these preventive measures might include structural changes such as the installation of an Earthquake Valve to instantly shut off the natural gas supply, seismic retrofits of property, and the securing of items inside a building. 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/stilts. In areas prone to prolonged electricity black-outs installation of a generator. The construction of storm cellars and fallout shelters are further examples of personal mitigate actions. On a national level, governments might implement large scale mitigation measures. After the monsoon floods of 2010, the Punjab government subsequently constructed 22 'disaster-resilient' model villages, comprising 1885 single-stores homes, together with schools and health centers. Preparedness Airport emergency preparedness exercise.
- 15. 15 | P a g e Preparedness focuses on preparing equipment and procedures for use when a disaster occurs. This equipment and these procedures can be used to reduce vulnerability to disaster, to mitigate the impacts of a disaster or to respond more efficiently in an emergency. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has set out a basic four-stage vision of preparedness flowing from mitigation to preparedness to response to recovery and back to mitigation in a circular planning process. This circular, overlapping model has been modified by other agencies, taught in emergency class and discussed in academic papers FEMA also operates a Building Science Branch that develops and produces multi-hazard mitigation guidance that focuses on creating disaster-resilient communities to reduce loss of life and property. Emergency Preparedness can be difficult to measure. CDC focuses on evaluating the effectiveness of its public health efforts through a variety of measurement and assessment programs. Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) are required by the United States Environmental Protection Agency under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act to develop an emergency response plan, review the plan at least annually, and provide information about chemicals in the community to local citizens. This emergency preparedness effort focuses on hazards presented by use and storage of extremely hazardous, hazardous and toxic chemicals.Particular requirements of LEPCs include Identification of facilities and transportation routes of extremely hazardous substances Description of emergency response procedures, on and off site Designation of a community coordinator and facility emergency coordinator(s) to implement the plan Outline of emergency notification procedures Description of how to determine the probable affected area and population by releases Description of local emergency equipment and facilities and the persons responsible for them Outline of evacuation plans A training program for emergency responders (including schedules) Methods and schedules for exercising emergency response plans
- 16. 16 | P a g e According to the EPA, "Many LEPCs have expanded their activities beyond the requirements of EPCRA, encouraging accident prevention and risk reduction, and addressing homeland security in their communities" and the Agency offers advice on how to evaluate the effectiveness of these committees. Preparedness measures can take many forms ranging from focusing on individual people, locations or incidents to broader, government-based "all hazard" planning. There are a number of preparedness stages between "all hazard' and individual planning, generally involving some combination of both mitigation and response planning. Business continuity planning encourages businesses to have a Disaster Recovery Plan. Community- and faith-based organizations mitigation efforts promote field response teams and inter-agency planning. Classroom Response Kit School-based response teams cover everything from live shooters to gas leaks and nearby bank robberies. Educational institutions plan for cyber-attacks and windstorms. Industry specific guidance exists for horse farms, boat owners and more. Family preparedness for disaster is fairly unusual. A 2013 survey found that only 19% of American families felt that they were "very prepared" for a disaster. Still, there are many resources available for family disaster planning. The Department of Homeland Security's Ready.gov page includes a Family Emergency Plan Checklist, has a whole webpage devoted to readiness for kids, complete with cartoon-style superheroes, and ran a Thunderclap Campaign in 2014 The Center for Disease Control has a Zombie Apocalypse website
- 17. 17 | P a g e Kitchen Fire Extinguisher Disasters take a variety of forms to include earthquakes, tsunamis or regular structure fires. That a disaster or emergency is not large scale in terms of population or acreage impacted or duration does not make it any less of a disaster for the people or area impacted and much can be learned about preparedness from so-called small disasters. The Red Cross states that it responds to nearly 70,000 disasters a year, the most common of which is a single family fire. Items on Shelves in Basement Preparedness starts with an individual's everyday life and involves items and training that would be useful in an emergency. What is useful in an emergency is often also useful in everyday life as well. From personal preparedness, preparedness continues on a continuum through family
- 18. 18 | P a g e preparedness, community preparedness and then business, mom-profit and governmental preparedness. Some organizations blend these various levels. For example, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement has a webpage on disaster training as well as offering training on basic preparedness such as Cardiopulmonary resuscitation and First Aid. Other non- profits such as Team Rubicon bring specific groups of people into disaster preparedness and response operations. FEMA breaks down preparedness into a pyramid, with citizens on the foundational bottom, on top of which rests local government, state government and federal government in that order. Non Perishable Food in cabinet The basic theme behind preparedness is to be ready for an emergency and there are a number of different variations of being ready based on an assessment of what sort of threats exist. Nonetheless, there is basic guidance for preparedness that is common despite an area's specific dangers. FEMA recommends that everyone have a three day survival kit for their household.Because individual household sizes and specific needs might vary, FEMA's recommendations are not item specific, but the list includes: Three-day supply of non-perishable food. Three-day supply of water – one gallon of water per person, per day.
- 19. 19 | P a g e Portable, battery-powered radio or television and extra batteries. Flashlight and extra batteries. First aid kit and manual. Sanitation and hygiene items (moist towelettes and toilet paper). Matches and waterproof container. Whistle. Extra clothing. Kitchen accessories and cooking utensils, including a can opener. Photocopies of credit and identification cards. Cash and coins. Special needs items, such as prescription medications, eyeglasses, contact lens Solutions, and hearing aid batteries. Items for infants, such as formula, diapers, bottles, and pacifiers. Other items to meet unique family needs. Along similar lines, but not exactly the same, CDC has its own list for a proper disaster supply kit. Water—one gallon per person, per day Food—nonperishable, easy-to-prepare items Flashlight Battery powered or hand crank radio (NOAA Weather Radio, if possible) Extra batteries First aid kit Medications (7-day supply), other medical supplies, and medical paperwork (e.g., medication list and pertinent medical information) Multipurpose tool (e.g., Swiss army knife) Sanitation and personal hygiene items Copies of personal documents (e.g., proof of address, deed/lease to home, passports, birth certificates, and insurance policies) Cell phone with chargers Family and emergency contact information
- 20. 20 | P a g e Extra cash Emergency blanket Map(s) of the area Extra set of car keys and house keys Manual can opener Children are a special population when considering Emergency Preparedness and many resources are directly focused on supporting them. SAMHSA has list of tips for talking to children during infectious disease outbreaks, to include being a good listener, encouraging children to ask questions and modeling self-care by setting routines, eating healthy meals, getting enough sleep and taking deep breaths to handle stress. FEMA has similar advice, noting that "Disasters can leave children feeling frightened, confused, and insecure" whether a child has experienced it first hand, had it happen to a friend or simply saw it on television. In the same publication, FEMA further notes, "Preparing for disaster helps everyone in the family accept the fact that disasters do happen, and provides an opportunity to identify and collect the resources needed to meet basic needs after disaster. Preparation helps; when people feel prepared, they cope better and so do children." To help people assess what threats might be in order to augment their emergency supplies or improve their disaster response skills, FEMA has published a booklet called the "Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment Guide." (THIRA) This guide, which outlines the THIRA process, emphasizes "whole community involvement," not just governmental agencies, in preparedness efforts. In this guide, FEMA breaks down hazards into three categories: Natural, technological and human caused and notes that each hazard should be assessed for both its likelihood and its significance. According to FEMA, "Communities should consider only those threats and hazards that could plausibly occur" and "Communities should consider only those threats and hazards that would have a significant effect on them." To develop threat and hazard context descriptions, communities should take into account the time, place, and conditions in which threats or hazards might occur. Not all preparedness efforts and discussions involve the government or established NGOs like the Red Cross. Emergency preparation discussions are active on the internet, with many blogs
- 21. 21 | P a g e and websites dedicated to discussing various aspects of preparedness. On-line sales of items such as survival food, medical supplies and heirloom seeds allow people to stock basements with cases of food and drinks with 25 year shelf lives, sophisticated medical kits and seeds that are guaranteed to sprout even after years of storage. One group of people who put a lot of effort in disaster preparations is called Doomsday Peppers. This subset of preparedness-minded people often share a belief that the FEMA or Red Cross emergency preparation suggestions and training are not extensive enough. Sometimes called survivalists, Doomsday Peppers are often preparing for The End of the World as We Know It, abbreviated as TEOTWAWKI. With a motto some have that "The Future Belongs to those who Prepare," this Preparedness subset has its own set of Murphy's Rules, including "Rule Number 1: Food, you still don't have enough" and "Rule Number 26: People who thought the Government would save them, found out that it didn't." Not all emergency preparation efforts revolve around food, guns and shelters, though these items help address the needs in the bottom two sections of Maslow's hierarchy of needs. The American Peppers Network has an extensive list of items that might be useful in less apparent ways than a first aid kid or help add 'fun' to challenging times. These items include: Books and magazines Arts and crafts Children's entertainment Crayons and coloring books Notebooks and writing supplies Nuts, bolts, screws, nails, etc. Religious material Sporting equipment, card games and board games Emergency Preparedness goes beyond immediate family members. For many people, pets are an integral part of their families and emergency preparation advice includes them as well. It is not unknown for pet owners to die while trying to rescue their pets from a fire or from drowning.CDC's Disaster Supply Checklist for Pets includes:
- 22. 22 | P a g e Food and water for at least 3 days for each pet; bowls, and a manual can opener. Depending on the pet you may need a litter box, paper towels, plastic trash bags, grooming items, and/or household bleach. Medications and medical records stored in a waterproof container. First aid kit with a pet first aid book. Sturdy leash, harness, and carrier to transport pet safely. A carrier should be large enough for the animal to stand comfortably, turn around, and lie down. Your pet may have to stay in the carrier for several hours. Pet toys and the pet's bed, if you can easily take it, to reduce stress. Current photos and descriptions of your pets to help others identify them in case you and your pets become separated, and to prove that they are yours. Information on feeding schedules, medical conditions, behavior problems, and the name and telephone number of your veterinarian in case you have to board your pets or place them in foster care. FEMA cautions that emergencies happen while people are travelling as well and provides guidance around emergency preparedness for a range travelers to include commuters Commuter Emergency Plan and holiday travelers. In particular, Ready.gov has a number of emergency preparations specifically designed for people with cars. These preparations include having a full gas tank, maintaining adequate windshield wiper fluid and other basic car maintenance tips. Items specific to an emergency include: Jumper cables: might want to include flares or reflective triangle Flashlights, to include extra batteries (batteries have less power in colder weather) First Aid Kit, to include any necessary medications, baby formula and diapers if caring for small children Non-perishable food such as canned food (be alert to liquids freezing in colder weather), and protein rich foods like nuts and energy bars Manual can opener At least 1 gallon of water per person a day for at least 3 days (be alert to hazards of frozen water and resultant container rupture)
- 23. 23 | P a g e Basic toolkit: pliers, wrench, screwdriver Pet supplies: food and water Radio: battery or hand cranked For snowy areas: cat litter or sand for better tire traction; shovel; ice scraper; warm clothes, gloves, hat, sturdy boots, jacket and an extra change of clothes Blankets or sleeping bags Charged Cell Phone: and car charger In addition to emergency supplies and training for various situations, FEMA offers advice on how to mitigate disasters. The Agency gives instructions on how to retrofit a home to minimize hazards from a Flood, to include installing a Backflow prevention device, anchoring fuel tanks and relocating electrical panels. Marked gas shutoff Given the explosive danger posed by natural gas leaks, Ready.gov states unequivocally that "It is vital that all household members know how to shut off natural gas" and that property owners must ensure they have any special tools needed for their particular gas hookups. Ready.gov also notes that "It is wise to teach all responsible household members where and how to shut off the electricity," cautioning that individual circuits should be shut off before the main circuit. Ready.gov further states that "It is vital that all household members learn how to shut off the water at the main house valve" and cautions that the possibility that rusty valves might require replacement.
- 24. 24 | P a g e 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 organizations. Effective coordination of disaster assistance is often crucial, particularly when many organizations respond and local emergency management agency (LEMA) capacity has been exceeded by the demand or diminished by the disaster itself. The National Response Framework is a United States government publication that explains responsibilities and expectations of government officials at the local, state, federal, and tribal levels. It provides guidance on Emergency Support Functions which may be integrated in whole or parts to aid in the response and recovery process. On a personal level the response can take the shape either of a shelter in place or an evacuation. Evacuation sign In a shelter-in-place scenario, 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 tarpaulinand a bedroll of blankets. Donations are often sought during this period, especially for large disasters that overwhelm local capacity. Due to efficiencies of scale, money is often the most cost-effective donation if fraud is avoided. Money is also the most flexible, and if goods are sourced locally then transportation is minimized and the local economy is boosted. Some donors prefer to send gifts in kind, however these items can end up creating issues, rather than helping. One innovation by Occupy Sandy volunteers is to use a donation registry, where families and businesses impacted by the disaster can make specific requests, which remote donors can purchase directly via a web site.
- 25. 25 | P a g e Medical considerations will vary greatly based on the type of disaster and secondary effects. Survivors may sustain a multitude of injuries to include lacerations, burns, near drowning, or crush syndrome.
- 26. 26 | P a g e Recovery The recovery phase starts after the immediate threat to human life has subsided. The immediate goal of the recovery phase is to bring the affected area back to normalcy as quickly as possible. 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
- 27. 27 | P a g e Indian farmed forces and the Jammu and Kashmir floods, 2014 In the wake of heavy monsoon rain and flash floods in Jammu and Kashmir(J&K), which has killed over four hundred, and rendered hundreds of thousands homeless, the Indian Armed Forces were deployed in increasing numbers starting September 2, 2014 to conduct search, rescue, relief, relocation, humanitarian assistance and rehabilitation missions in J&K. By September 18, over 200,000 people were rescued from the various parts of Jammu and Kashmir by the Armed forces. The J and K floods, the worst in a century according to Omar Abdullah, the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, paralyzed the state government. Omar Abdullah, responding to public criticism, told the media “I had no government” in the first few days following the floods, as “My secretariat, the police headquarters, the control room, fire services, hospitals, all the infrastructure was underwater.” Adding “I had no cell phone and no connectivity. I am now starting to track down ministers and officers.” The J and K Floods 2014 have been blamed on heavy rainfall, about 8 inches on 4 September alone, on climate change, unplanned and uncontrolled development, encroachment of river banks, lakes, ponds, and
- 28. 28 | P a g e massive loss of wet lands, absence of local government flood forecasting system, and poor governance. The Armed Forces humanitarian assistance mission, in response to J and K floods 2014 was named Mission Sahayata (assistances). Norther Command humanitarian assistance in response to J&K floods 2014 to civil authorities in J&K was named 'Operation MEGH RAHAT'.The Indian Army, Air Force, and the Navy, committed large resources to the assistance mission including over 30,000 troops ( 21,000 in Srinagar, and 9000 in Jammu), 15 engineer task forces, 84 Indian Air Force and Army Aviation Corps fixed wing transport aircraft and helicopters, naval commandos and rescue specialists, and Base Hospital, four field hospitals, over 106 medical detachments. "Operation Megh Rahat", ended on 19 September 2014, but "Operation Sadbhavna", the relief and medical assistance support, according to government press release, will continue in "close synergy with the civil administration and the police"
- 29. 29 | P a g e Disaster management in India The organization, structure, laws, protocol, and arrangements for disaster management at the Federal and State level are outlined in a manual titled Disaster Management in India, and the Disaster Management Act, 2005, which provides for "the effective management of disasters" in India. The Disaster Management Division (DM Division), under the Secretary, Border Management, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Government of India, is responsible for “response, relief and preparedness for natural calamities". The Head of Disaster Management Division is G.V.V. Sarma, Joint Secretary. The head of Border management is Ms Sneh Lata Kumar, Secretary, and Border Management. The National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC), is responsible for the preparation of the National Disaster Management Plan for the whole country and to ensure that it is "reviewed and updated annually". The Chief of the Integrated Defense Staff of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, is an ex officio member of the NEC. NEOC is mandated to function twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. The NEOC is responsible for monitoring the disaster or disaster like situation, receive updates from federal Early Warning (EW) Agencies like the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Central Water Commission, and Snow & Avalanche Study Establishment. After processing the information NOEC submits its report and updates to affected States and concerned Central Ministries and organizations. During the monsoon period, it is required to issue daily situation reports. It is not known, whether the NEOC was functioning in prior to the J and K floods 2014, and whether it received the EW from IMD, and reported to the state government.
- 30. 30 | P a g e Command and control Northern Command, along with the Advance Air HQ, located in Udhampur, is responsible for the armed forces humanitarian assistance mission, called Operation Megh [ (मेघ) in English Cloud] Rahat, in the entire J and K. General Officer Commanding in Chief ( GOC-in-C), Northern Command, is Lieutenant General DS Hooda, of 4th Gorkha Rifles. XV Corps also called the ChinarCorps, based in Srinagar, is responsible for the assistance mission in the Kashmir valley. General Officer Commanding (GOC) XV Corps is Lieutenant General Subrata Saha, of the Assam Regiment. XVI Corps also called White Knight Corps, based in Nagrota, is responsible for assistance mission in areas south of the Pir Panjal range. GOC XVI Corps is Lieutenant General Konsam Himalay Singh of the Rajput Regiment. In Delhi, Air Marshal P.P. Reddy, Chief of Integrated DefenseStaff (IDS), who reports to chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, is responsible for coordinating Mission Sahayata, the Armed Forces response to the J and K Floods 2014.
- 31. 31 | P a g e Rescue mission The J and K Floods, described as a ‘tragedy’, by Lt Gen DS Hooda, Northern Army Commander, “became evident”, on 7 September, 14, the third day of incessant rains, when flood waters breached the banks of Jhelum, and submerged Srinagar, including the Badami Bagh Cantonment, disrupted “ electricity, water supply and civil communications” and flooded the headquarters of XV Corps, which was responsible for “coordinating all rescue operations” The flooding of headquarters XV Corps, and the Srinagar Cantonment, Hooda acknowledged, delayed the army’s rescue operations in Srinagar but “only for a few hours ”. The rescue operations however, did not affect rescue work in “South Kashmir”, the worst affected area in the first three days, and the Jammu region. In Srinagar, where the “Army does not operate” except in the “Badami Bagh Cantonment and the area of the airfield”, the General said the rescue operations were mainly conducted by “Kashmiris” from Srinagar based Jammu & Kashmir Light Infantry Centre. Responding to media reports that locals were discriminated against, he said that it is hardly likely that soldier of Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry would discriminate against the Kashmiris in carrying out the rescue mission
- 32. 32 | P a g e During the first few days the search and rescue operation were hindered by shortage of boats and bad weather. Boats were airlifted from all corners of India, including from far away Tamil Nadu. In the absence of civil boats the army pressed into service its BAUTS, more appropriate for assault river crossings than rescue assistance during floods. By the 11 September, there were 224 army boats and 148 NDRF’s inflatable boats in the affected area conducting rescue and search operations for those who were stranded on roof tops as flood water menacingly swirled around them, Air Force helicopters with IAF Garud Commandos help winch the stranded people to safety. Several hundred were rescued from rood tops. In some cases the Indian Air Force (IAF) commandos had to break through the roof to rescue the trapped people. Social media in search and rescue They were just playing Facebook and twitter somewhere in Delhi. The Electricity and Internet Services were out in Kashmir during the flood. The Indian Army, for first time, used social media such as twitter, WhatsApp, a messaging service, and Facebook , in its search and rescue operations, and to collate and feed Person Finder provided by Google to the army’s public information office.According to Indian army’s Major General Shokin Chauhan, who is head of public information office, “a dedicated team of two young officers" are handling the social media “practically around the clock”. An estimated 12,000 people, according to the Indian army official, have been assisted on the basis of reports received over the social media. The Army Commander denied media reports that it had "embedded journalists", and that army has conducted its rescue according to “a hierarchy of importance and influence“, rather than “on the first-seen-first-saved basis”. On the incidents of stone throwing by some people, he said, “the incidents were very few” and “blown out of proportion. Most people rescued were extremely appreciative of the Army's effort”, and that the rescue mission was assisted by “local volunteers who have contributed immensely. Kashmir floods: Come 'hell' or rain, army won't stopuntil lastman is rescued From helicopter sorties to building bridges to tugging makeshift boats through muddied waters. Our jawans have done it all over the last one week to save tens of thousands marooned by the floods in Jammu and Kashmir.
- 33. 33 | P a g e The jawans from the Indian Army, the Air Force and the National Disaster Relief Force braved hostile conditions to pull out 1.3 lakh survivors so far, while the state administration took a backseat. There are nearly four lakh more trapped by the waters in different areas, and the task is still by no means over.
- 34. 34 | P a g e Relief assistance They only helped Indian and Foreign tourists in Kashmir. The numbers are just made up. Water and biscuits (expired in 2008) were dropped on the bridge via helicopter just for the purpose of shooting for news channels. From the start of Mission Sahayata till 10 September, the Armed Forces rescued 1,10,000 persons, and airlifted and distributed 2,24,000 liters of water, 31,500 food packets and ready to eat meals, 375 tons cooked food, 2.6 tons of biscuit, 7 tons baby food, water purifying tablets, 8,200 blankets, 650 tents, to the affected civilian population.Most of this food served was outdated as a result of which people threw stones on the rescue helicopters out of anger. As many as 224 boats of Army and 148 boats of NDRF have been pressed into service.Air transport Because of the massive damage to surface communication, the rescue and relief effort was largely dependent on air transport. Air transport support operations were conducted from air force stations and bases in Delhi, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Jammu, Srinagar, and Avantipur. Helicopters support operation were conducted from Srinagar, Awantipur, Udhampur, Jammu, Pathankot and Sarsawa. Over 80 aircraft were deployed on the humanitarian assistance mission including 13 Chetak and 5 Advance Light Helicopters of the Army Aviation Corps. On 11 September, the IAF deployed its heavy duty MI-26, called Bheem, the largest helicopter in IAF
- 35. 35 | P a g e inventory, from IAF 12 Wing, Chandigarh, to Avantipur Air Force base, Srinagar, with 12 tons of relief material, for Relief and Rescue Mission, in J and K. Wing Commander G S Tung of 12 Wing said that MI 26 was “ especially designed to meet the heavy lift requirements of the IAF and has a carrying capacity of 30 tonnes”. In the first seven days till the 10 September, the army and IAF flew 1081 sorties, 100 to 120 sorties every day, moving 1411 tons of relief materials. Air transport operations included delivery of six large water filtration plants with a capacity to filter 1,20,000 bottles per day, engineering stores like suction and submersible pumps, generator sets with mobile charging stations, communication equipment for Department of Tele communication and some of private companies like Aircel.It airlifted the Base Transmitting Station of BSNL from Kargil to Srinagar By 18 September 2014, over 80,000 affected people were airlifted including over 28,000 from Srinagar and 52,000 from other flood affected area of J and K, by the IAF, Army, and Civil aircrafts. Navy The Indian Navy Marine Commandos rescued 200 personnel at Haigaon on the Srinagar–Sopore highway, and assisted in rescue efforts near Pantha Chowk, Srinagar. In addition to search and rescue assistance, naval medical team, and Diving Teams were placed on alert, ready to move, at New Delhi, Mumbai and Vishakhapatnam. Medical The armed forces have deployed 80 medical teams. In addition it has set up four field hospitals, one each in Avantipur, Pattan, Anantnag and Old Airfield. Over 20,000 patients have received treated at these facilities. Repair and restoration of communication infrastructure The floods and rain ravaged the roads and road communication severing road communication between Jammu and Srinagar, and Jammu and Poonch, and host of other roads. Restoration of communication was urgent priority task. Initially five task forces of Border Roads Organization
- 36. 36 | P a g e (BRO), which included 5700 personnel, were mobilized. By 10 September, the Jammu–Poonch road was cleared, and road traffic between Batote and Kishtwar and Kishtwar - Sinthan Pass was restored By 16 September, the strength of Army Engineers and BRO personnel on road building and bridge construction had increased to 10,0000. Heavy road construction equipment used included 400 bulldozers, excavators and JCBs, and 300 tippers and dumpers, to restore and repair roads damaged in over 1000 places.After opening of the national highway between Jammu and Srinagar, the army, on 16 September, restored communication between Rajouri and Budhal by constructing a 180 feet bailey bridge over Ans River at Kot Ranka on 16 September. Relief camps To complement the rescue work, the Army established 19 relief camps, where the rescued persons were provided food, shelter, and medical assistance. In Srinagar region, camps were at Badami Bagh Cantonment, Avantipur, Old Airfield, Sumbal, Chattargam and Jijamata Mandir.
- 37. 37 | P a g e National disaster response force (NDRF) National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is a force of 12 battalions, organized on paramilitary lines, and manned by persons on deputation from the para-military forces of India. It is headed by O.P. Singh (IPS-1983), with the title of Director General (DG). He is from the Uttar Pradesh cadre, of the Indian Police Service (IPS). He took over as DG of the NDRF on 1 September 2014, a few days before the J and K floods 2014. OP Singh in addition to being DG NDRF is also Additional DG of the Central Industrial Security Force (Airport sector), his current responsibilities. The NDRF is a top heavy organization, which in addition to the DG has an Inspector Generals (IG) and several Deputy IGs. Till 2 September the Disaster Management Division, MHA, had no plans to deploy NDRF in J and K. It was surprised by the floods. A NDRF Officer told the media" We were all caught off guard because there was not a single warning issued by the weather office. The flash floods took us by surprise” NDRF started to arrive in J and K from 6 September on wards. By 9 September there were elements from 5,6, and 7 NDRF Battalions: 5 NDRF Battalion (1 team of 54 personnel), 6 NDRF Battalion (64 personnel )and 7 NDRF Battalion( 370). The total strength of NDRF committed to J and K was 488. On 7 September 7 NDRF battalion had 3 teams in Jammu, 6 teams (244 personnel) in Srinagar. The team in Jammu was engaged in responding to bus stuck under water, and on search and rescue mission in Gharkhal, and Abhor, in Jammu District. On 9 September, 86 personnel ( 3
- 38. 38 | P a g e teams) from 4 NDRF Battalion( CISF), from Arakkonam, in Tamil Nadu, was airlifted from INS Rajali, to Srinagar, to conduct search-cum-rescue operations rescue operations in Nehru Park and Manaswal in Srinagar. The 4 NDRF Be detachment included 24 inflatable boats; with these additions the total of NDRF boats goes up to 148 boats. The NDRF is expected to stay in J and K for a period of 10 days.
- 39. 39 | P a g e CASE STUDY ON UTTARAKHAND DISASTER Introduction The vulnerable nature of global tourism is one of the major concerns for contingency Management. Disaster management is an important aspect for any tourism destination (Especially in the face of a crisis). The specific contingencies such as war, terrorism, crime waves, epidemic and natural disasters have devastating impacts on any community, region, state or nation. Any potential destination is exposed to one or more of the above threats, which can question the safety of residents, tourists and can hamper the market perception of that destination. Consequently, it is crucial for all destination stakeholders to analyze and develop contingency plans to respond to varying levels of threats. Either a specific episode or a series of those may create a change in the perceptions towards a destination. There are a number of factors which can question the safety and security image of tourist destinations and result in a destination crisis. Some of them are: international war / prolonged demonstrations of internal conflict; terrorism which can affect the tourism sector of the state; crime wave, especially when tourists are targeted (murder, sexual exploitation, theft etc); natural disasters, such as an earthquake, storm or floods, causing damage to urban areas or the natural environment and consequently impacting on the
- 40. 40 | P a g e tourism infrastructure and health concerns related to epidemics and diseases; these may be diseases which impact on humans directly or diseases affecting animals, which create constraints for tourism. These events can cause massive aftermaths, individually or in combination, to create a negative image on the safety, security or desirability of tourist destinations. Thereby, it poses challenges for the concerned authorities and local communities to examine the ingredients of disaster management strategies. The degrees to which emergency service is initiated to face crisis can always be critically examined when crisis overrules. Certainly, those factors do not represent the totality of issues which can impact negatively the destination image. However,the concern can extend to analyze how a destination and its tourism industry conduct a marketing campaign to restore its image and recover its market from the damage caused by these events (Varghese, 2012) This study envisages on the repercussions of Uttarakhand as a destination in the plight of a disaster and provides the various steps that make an effective disaster management plan and it seeks to provide a means of disaster recovery through a systematic approach which will help restoring the destinations success, the paper also goes a step ahead in discussing the marketing strategies and campaigns so as to restore the destinations image which would be tainted due to the devastation and finally recommends the importance if destination management by implementation of Destination Management Organizations(DMOs).
- 41. 41 | P a g e A Case Study of Uttarakhand: At the peak of the monsoon season the northern state of Uttarakhand was face to face with floods caused due to the cloud burst that hit three of the four famous Char Dham pilgrim sites, “2013 North India floods” leaving tens and thousands of inhabitants as well as pilgrims stranded or swept away due to the floods, and not to mention the damage cause to life, property and business. The famous Char Dham pilgrimage is now discontinued for three years for repair and restoration ("Plan ahead", 2013).The National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM), in one of its first reports on the Uttarakhand floods, has blamed “climatic conditions combined with haphazard human intervention” in the hills for the disaster (“Down To Earth”, 2013).
- 42. 42 | P a g e Besides the natural disaster various other factors have contributed to the downfall of this famous religious/ tourist site. Uttarakhand’s huge potential in tourism lead to the state intapping its potential towards becoming a major tourist and pilgrim destination, also has a hand in this disaster. The uncontrolled rise of tourism inflow into the sate of Uttarakhand, took a toll on the ecology of the state. With Uttarakhand’s proximity to the national capital, the weekend revelers soon found Uttarakhand to be the destination to beat the heat. Plus, the religious tourists found it much easier to travel to-not-so accessible Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and other shrines, all this lead to an unsustainable rise in the number of people traveling to Uttarakhand (Bisht, 2013). As stated by Jacob (2013) during a live television interview on CNN-IBN that, “the number of 'pilgrims' has been steadily increasing, with people from the plains interested in a quick guided tour of the hills in a vehicle...the local authorities have ignored the carrying capacity and cumulative impact of dams and illegal construction on the fragile Himalayas”. This steady rise in tourist inflow resulted in other detrimental issues such as heavy traffic and roadblocks, with tourists routinely complaining about the bad roads and how it affected their travel time, the government resorted to widen the roads so as to accommodate the tourist’s inflow. Considering the fragility of these mountains, Himalayas being the youngest of the mountain ranges in the world with very poor soil stability the roads would routinely cave in or get washed away during monsoons (Bisht, 2013). The rising tourism industry lured the land sharks and they erected multi-storied hotels, flouting all environmental norms. Thousands of such resorts and hotels have mushroomed in this eco-sensitive zone in the last few years. Some of these hotels were built on banks of several small and big rivers just to give the tourist a bird’s eye view of the pristine river flowing through the valley . The number of hotels has also seen a similar rise in the recent past. For example, Kedarnath Valley has hundreds of such hotels that were vulnerable to these natural calamities. So, when flash floods struck the valley, many of these hotels got swept away and so did the people staying in them (Bisht, 2013). As addressed by Jacob (2013), that “rampant illegal construction of buildings by locals had also contributed to the problems and made a bad situation worse. On top of it all, traffic in the hills has increased hugely, with the number of vehicles registered in the hills going up sharply. Remember the
- 43. 43 | P a g e hills are delicate and unstable, so it takes little to set off landslides. More infrastructure has in fact worsened the situation since much of it is poorly made and constructed by people who have no idea of building in the hills”. All the above factors has had a crucial role to play in the disaster, but as the report provisioned by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) showed that not only was the disaster aggravated due to rise tourism but also blame lands in the faults of the State Disaster Management Authority which was formed in 2007, but never was a meeting convened nor were there any rules, regulations, policies or guidelines framed, "the state disaster management plan was under preparation and actionable programmes were not prepared for various disasters," the report says. Going to show that the state was unprepared to face a sudden crisis, furthermore as Varma (2013) stated, “citing examples of the mismanagement by the Uttarakhand government, the CAG said that although the Geological Survey of India had identified 101 villages as 'vulnerable' in June 2008, the state government did not take any measures for their rehabilitation till date”. Besides this there are also allegations against the government based on the construction of several dams along the river, which is as good as handing out an invitation to disasters, as Jacob (2013) reflects on the same, “illegal construction - of buildings and dams...the government has sanctioned an absurd number of hydro electric power projects that actually overlap with each other”. All this only goes to show the state and in turn the nation’s lack of competency, lack of planning and absences of political accountability is evidently seen through this extensive damage. To highlight the main factors that aggravated the disaster are as follows: the unregulated tourist inflow; the absence of an early warning mechanism as the CAG report mentions “The communication system was inadequate.”(As cited in "Plan ahead", 2013,); a lack of trained medical staff at hospitals; the climatic conditions the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued advance warnings predicting extreme weather conditions in Uttarakhand before the flash-floods though no appropriate action was taken ("Warning had been," 2013) and finally the fact that the state had no action plan in case a disaster struck. "Plan ahead" (2013), states that “Disasters are not learning processes. The authorities will have to do all they can to ensure against such recurrences...the starting point is for the
- 44. 44 | P a g e State Disaster Management Authority to put place a disaster management plan”. Thus, unforeseen disasters calls for having an effective disaster management plan in place and for the State Disaster Management Authority to prepare actionable programmes to deal with disasters. One such action plan is as suggested below, will help in restoring the destinations success. Steps in DisasterManagement:- One of the many means of avoiding extensive damage caused by disasters is by being well prepared to face them. So as to ready the state of Uttarakhand with ways of combating unexpected disasters, an effective disaster management plan is to be implemented. The following are some of the steps that can be taken toward framing a disaster management plan. The Pre-Disaster Stage: This stage focuses on minimizing the damage to life, property and environment is that before the disaster strikes and at the prohibition stage, various schemes are drafted for controlling the losses to lives and property to minimize the effects of disaster. There are
- 45. 45 | P a g e several techniques to embark upon this stage where the disaster has not occurred, wherein there is a call for being better prepared and to have an effective of warning mechanism prior to the disaster. Preparedness It refers to the readiness, on the governmental, social and personal levels, to effectively face the disaster that has already visited and it includes practical disaster-layouts. Here, the local residents along with the state officials need to be sensitized regarding the measures to be taken when faced by a crisis, such as landslides, floods, earthquakes etc. So in case of such emergencies they can take necessary action. The Warning of Disaster It is very crucial that immediately after receiving slightest hint of a disaster, the information about its advent reaches the entire danger-prone area. In the case of Uttarakhand it was seen that the State Disaster Management Authority did not have a scheme so as to curtail the disaster nor were the warnings issued by the meteorology department taken seriously. Responseand Relief Measures: This includes a wide range of activities including the erection of control booths, action according to the action-plan drafted, the broadcasting of danger notice. Post the disaster various relief measures were initiated by the authorities in forms of rescue missions by the Indian Armed Forces, so as to rescue victims and provide rehabilitation and in monetary terms to reconstruct the destination The Post– DisasterStage: While restoring the state to normalcy, it is also equally necessary to ensure that if, unfortunately, the disaster revisits, the extent of damage is lesser. Restoration includes assistance, rehabilitation and reconstruction. “In addition to this, many protective steps will be taken to prevent if same calamity recurs in any case. It is decided to keep a track of the pilgrims – Indian as well as foreigners. Moreover, this time efforts will be made to handle
- 46. 46 | P a g e things thoroughly and systematically” returns ("Char Dham yatra", 2013, para.3). Revival / Resurrection: In revival, the focus is on the erection of facilities of greater competence than those built in pre-disaster stage. Erection of new buildings, taking ultra care of durability while erecting various essential facilities – are some illustrations of revival activities. During this stage care is to be taken to see to it that building do not encroach nature and that they are built in a sustainable manner. The government has curtailed the Char Dham yatra for three years for the purpose of repair and restoration as quoted by B.D. Singh, chief executive officer of the Badrinath - Kedarnath Temple Committee told IANS (2013), that the chances of reviving the pilgrimage "for the next few years" was grim, "what we are seeing is very painful and unbelievable," he said. "We don't expect the Char Dham Yatra to resume in the next three years." . A survivor claims that there is nothing left In Kedarnath except for the temple, which now will take these three years to restore, as from the building to the roads were washed away in the flood (IAN, 2013). Thus this stage will require this ample time to plan appropriately for the revival of this holy destination. Development: The reconstruction of the affected region and bringing back people’s lives to normalcy is a pretty long process – especially because of the existence of severe financial constraints. The government is taking initiative to raise fund from both the public and private fronts. To facilitate the above various funds and relief funds are raised throughout the country to mention a few the donations sent to Doctors For You, Uttaranchal Daivee Aapada Peedith Sahayata Samiti, Uttarakhand relief fund, individuals contributions and relief funds such as the Chief Ministers relief fund, Prime Ministers relief fund etc. all have come to aid the state of Uttarakhand.Besides this the chance of the Char Dham Yatra to resume excluding Kedarnath is also expected by the end of 30th September, 2013 so as to help the locals who survived solely on tourism returns ("Char Dham yatra," 2013). An apt means of ensuring that the destination thrives in spite of being in a crisis is through the adoption of an effective means to restore the destination post the disaster. The following approach showcases a step by step means in destination restoration. This can be an
- 47. 47 | P a g e example of how Uttarakhand can be restored to its former glory. A Systematic Approach - Improves Destination Restoration Success To assist planners in conducting cost-effective monitoring for destination restoration, techniques can be developed consisting of four components, following which is the brief explanation regarding the four components: planning, construction and implementation, assessment of performance and management of the system. Planning: The key element in planning the restoration project would require: conceptual modeling, site assessments, and cost estimation. A conceptual model details the structural aspects of the system that must be developed to meet the goals. Whereas as site assessment is essential where the site lacks the characteristics necessary to reach performance goals, the restoration project will likely fail. Thus in the case of Kedarnath an assessment of the
- 48. 48 | P a g e destination must be made prior to any constructions made. Also cost estimation is to be made to the end of the planning stage. Restoration managers must account for land acquisition, engineering design, and construction, among other factors. Constructionand Implementation: Projects that require less physical restructuring of the site are more likely to develop successfully without human intervention. Projects requiring more engineering to massively rework the site often have a higher degree of uncertainty. These factors are to address while restoring the disaster hit regions of Uttarakhand. AssessmentofPerformance: Post-implementation monitoring should focus on a parameter indicative of the original goal. There are numerous low-cost ways to effectively monitor a restoration project. Within the span of the three years there is a need for continuous assessment to see to it that the destination is being restored as per the action plan and no deviations occur. Management of the System: Restoration management plans should be modified according to the principles of adaptive management, which is nothing but decision making in times of uncertainty, where policies and practices are altered according to learning from outcomes. Thereby restoration policy can be understood well, depending on the application of alterations so as to accommodate changes if necessary. This is further explained through the means of the following diagram.
- 49. 49 | P a g e “Applying the continual evaluation process of adaptive successful restoration projects” (Beirman, 2003)” ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT PLAN ACT MONITOR EVALUATE
- 50. 50 | P a g e Conclusion Five days of heavy rain in the Kashmir valley has had a devastating impact. Almost 400 confirmed deaths so far across India and Pakistan, 600,000 people stranded and the number of roads, bridges, schools and buildings damaged too great even to start counting. For Jammu and Kashmir, this is their worst flood in 100 years, according to the chief minister Omar Abdullah. However for the rest of India, mega floods of this type are becoming ‘the new normal’. However, an extreme weather event only becomes a disaster when it hits assets and causes loss of life and livelihood. Even if climate change was not a factor, scientists tell us that disasters are getting more destructive as people are more exposed to floods and other such events Preparing for a disaster does not just mean putting in place early warning systems and protocols for evacuations. Preparedness is fundamental to the way we plan and do development. Development should protect against the risk of disasters, rather than increasing the risk. This requires understanding and acting upon disaster risk in plans and decisions. Identifying risk and mitigating it is not always straightforward. For example, in Leh district in Jammu and Kashmir, the planting of trees on the edge of streams –to tackle climate change — actually exacerbated the impact of the 2010 flash floods, because the trees fell into the streams forming dams which when they broke proved disastrous. This is a classic case of why addressing climate change and disaster risk cannot be separated. Rather than leaving it as theory, there are opportunities now to build the risk of flooding and other natural disasters into future development programs in the Himalayas and throughout India. Investing in development that also reduces disaster risk will help break the cycle of tragedy UTTARAKHAND DISASTER: The highlight is on the tourism disasters vulnerability of the tourist trade to unforeseen events which also signifies the principles of disaster management, the content also elaborates on how to pro-actively deal with the potential for future crisis related to tourism, steps in disaster management would give a brief overview about the various stages involved in disaster management. Further discussion in this paper leads to a systematic approach –
- 51. 51 | P a g e which improves destination restoration techniques and also describes about the reasons for the collapse of tourism destination areas and enumerating on the aspects of an ideal area development, with relation to Uttarakhand. In terms the losses faced by the tourism industry, due to the disaster are extensive as said by an official to Madhav (2013) that, “speaking on the possible losses…the season accounted for 30 per cent (around Rs 3,500 crore) of the tourism sector's annual earnings. Due to the calamity, they were witnessing 99 per cent cancellations from the affected travelers and from pre-bookings.”. Thus when the Char Dham yatra has been cancelled for three year the possible losses can be imagined. So through the implementation of destination management and the several disaster management techniques, such losses can be avoided and the credibility of a destination restored.
- 52. 52 | P a g e BIBLOGRAPHY Books:- M.comPart 1 S.M. book OXFORD dictionary Notes & journal:- Dr. BindiVarghese& Neha Itty Jose Paul case study On Uttarakhand Disaster Websites:- www.google.com www.wikipedia.com www.slideshare.com www.hindustantimes.com www.economictimes.com www.blog.wsj.com
Share Clipboard
Public clipboards featuring this slide, select another clipboard.
Looks like you’ve clipped this slide to already.
You just clipped your first slide!
Create a clipboard
Get slideshare without ads, special offer to slideshare readers, just for you: free 60-day trial to the world’s largest digital library..
The SlideShare family just got bigger. Enjoy access to millions of ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, and more from Scribd.
You have now unlocked unlimited access to 20M+ documents!
Unlimited Reading
Learn faster and smarter from top experts
Unlimited Downloading
Download to take your learnings offline and on the go
Instant access to millions of ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, podcasts and more.
Read and listen offline with any device.
Free access to premium services like Tuneln, Mubi and more.
Help us keep SlideShare free
It appears that you have an ad-blocker running. By whitelisting SlideShare on your ad-blocker, you are supporting our community of content creators.
We've updated our privacy policy.
We’ve updated our privacy policy so that we are compliant with changing global privacy regulations and to provide you with insight into the limited ways in which we use your data.
You can read the details below. By accepting, you agree to the updated privacy policy.
An official website of the United States government
The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.
The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.
- Publications
- Account settings
- Advanced Search
- Journal List
- Indian J Community Med
- v.37(3); Jul-Sep 2012
Disaster Management in Flash Floods in Leh (Ladakh): A Case Study
Preeti gupta.
Regimental Medical Officer, Leh, Ladakh, India
Anurag Khanna
1 Commanding Officer, Army Hospital, Leh, India
2 Registrar, Army Hospital, Leh, India
Background:
On August 6, 2010, in the dark of the midnight, there were flash floods due to cloud burst in Leh in Ladakh region of North India. It rained 14 inches in 2 hours, causing loss of human life and destruction. The civil hospital of Leh was badly damaged and rendered dysfunctional. Search and rescue operations were launched by the Indian Army immediately after the disaster. The injured and the dead were shifted to Army Hospital, Leh, and mass casualty management was started by the army doctors while relief work was mounted by the army and civil administration.
The present study was done to document disaster management strategies and approaches and to assesses the impact of flash floods on human lives, health hazards, and future implications of a natural disaster.
Materials and Methods:
The approach used was both quantitative as well as qualitative. It included data collection from the primary sources of the district collectorate, interviews with the district civil administration, health officials, and army officials who organized rescue operations, restoration of communication and transport, mass casualty management, and informal discussions with local residents.
234 persons died and over 800 were reported missing. Almost half of the people who died were local residents (49.6%) and foreigners (10.2%). Age-wise analysis of the deaths shows that the majority of deaths were reported in the age group of 25–50 years, accounting for 44.4% of deaths, followed by the 11–25-year age group with 22.2% deaths. The gender analysis showed that 61.5% were males and 38.5% were females. A further analysis showed that more females died in the age groups <10 years and ≥50 years.
Conclusions:
Disaster preparedness is critical, particularly in natural disasters. The Army's immediate search, rescue, and relief operations and mass casualty management effectively and efficiently mitigated the impact of flash floods, and restored normal life.
Introduction
In the midnight of August 6, 2010, Leh in Ladakh region of North India received a heavy downpour. The cloud burst occurred all of a sudden that caught everyone unawares. Within a short span of about 2 h, it recorded a rainfall of 14 inches. There were flash floods, and the Indus River and its tributaries and waterways were overflowing. As many as 234 people were killed, 800 were injured, and many went missing, perhaps washed away with the gorging rivers and waterways. There was vast destruction all around. Over 1000 houses collapsed. Men, women, and children were buried under the debris. The local communication networks and transport services were severely affected. The main telephone exchange and mobile network system (BSNL), which was the lifeline in the far-flung parts of the region, was completely destroyed. Leh airport was flooded and the runway was covered with debris, making it non-functional. Road transport was badly disrupted as roads were washed away and blocked with debris at many places. The civil medical and health facilities were also severely affected, as the lone district civil hospital was flooded and filled with debris.
Materials and Methods
The present case study is based on the authors’ own experience of managing a natural disaster caused by the flash floods. The paper presents a firsthand description of a disaster and its prompt management. The data was collected from the records of the district civil administration, the civil hospital, and the Army Hospital, Leh. The approach used was both quantitative as well as qualitative. It included data collection from the primary sources of the district collectorate, interviews with the district civil administration and army officials who organized rescue operations, restoration of communication, and transport, mass casualty management, and informal discussions with local residents.
Disaster management strategies
Three core disaster management strategies were adopted to manage the crisis. These strategies included: i) Response, rescue, and relief operations, ii) Mass casualty management, and iii) Rehabilitation.
Response, rescue, and relief operations
The initial response was carried out immediately by the Government of India. The rescue and relief work was led by the Indian Army, along with the State Government of Jammu and Kashmir, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP). The Indian Army activated the disaster management system immediately, which is always kept in full preparedness as per the standard army protocols and procedures.
There were just two hospitals in the area: the government civil hospital (SNM Hospital) and Army Hospital. During the flash floods, the government civil hospital was flooded and rendered dysfunctional. Although the National Disaster Management Act( 1 ) was in place, with the government civil hospital being under strain, the applicability of the act was hampered. The Army Hospital quickly responded through rescue and relief operations and mass casualty management. By dawn, massive search operations were started with the help of civil authorities and local people. The patients admitted in the civil hospital were evacuated to the Army Hospital, Leh in army helicopters.
The runway of Leh airport was cleared up within a few hours after the disaster so that speedy inflow of supplies could be carried out along with the evacuation of the casualties requiring tertiary level healthcare to the Army Command Hospital in Chandigarh. The work to make the roads operational was started soon after the disaster. The army engineers had started rebuilding the collapsed bridges by the second day. Though the main mobile network was dysfunctional, the other mobile network (Airtel) still worked with limited connectivity in the far-flung areas of the mountains. The army communication system was the main and the only channel of communication for managing and coordinating the rescue and relief operations.
Mass casualty management
All casualties were taken to the Army Hospital, Leh. Severely injured people were evacuated from distant locations by helicopters, directly landing on the helipad of the Army Hospital. In order to reinforce the medical staff, nurses were flown in from the Super Specialty Army Hospital (Research and Referral), New Delhi, to handle the flow of casualties by the third day following the disaster. National Disaster Cell kept medical teams ready in Chandigarh in case they were required. The mortuary of the government civil hospital was still functional where all the dead bodies were taken, while the injured were handled by Army Hospital, Leh.
Army Hospital, Leh converted its auditorium into a crisis expansion ward. The injured started coming in around 0200 hrs on August 6, 2010. They were given first aid and were provided with dry clothes. A majority of the patients had multiple injuries. Those who sustained fractures were evacuated to Army Command Hospital, Chandigarh, by the Army's helicopters, after first aid. Healthcare staff from the government civil hospital joined the Army Hospital, Leh to assist them. In the meanwhile, medical equipment and drugs were transferred from the flooded and damaged government civil hospital to one of the nearby buildings where they could receive the casualties. By the third day following the disaster, the operation theatre of the government civil hospital was made functional. Table 1 gives the details of the patients admitted at the Army Hospital.
Admissions in the Army Hospital, Leh
The analysis of the data showed that majority of the people who lost their lives were mainly local residents (49.6%). Among the dead, there were 10.3% foreign nationals as well [ Table 2 ]. The age-wise analysis of the deaths showed that the majority of deaths were reported in the age group 26–50 years, accounting for 44.4% of deaths, followed by 11–25 year group with 22.2% deaths.
Number of deaths according to status of residence
The gender analysis showed that 61.5% were males among the dead, and 38.5% were females. A further analysis showed that more females died in <10 years and ≥50 years age group, being 62.5% and 57.1%, respectively [ Table 3 ].
Age and sex distribution of deaths
Victims who survived the disaster were admitted to the Army Hospital, Leh. Over 90% of them suffered traumatic injuries, with nearly half of them being major traumatic injuries. About 3% suffered from cold injuries and 6.7% as medical emergencies [ Table 4 ].
Distribution according to nature of casualty among the hospitalized victims
Rehabilitation
Shelter and relief.
Due to flash floods, several houses were destroyed. The families were transferred to tents provided by the Indian Army and government and non-government agencies. The need for permanent shelter for these people emerged as a major task. The Prime Minister of India announced Rs. 100,000 as an ex-gratia to the next of kin of each of those killed, and relief to the injured. Another Rs. 100,000 each would be paid to the next of kin of the deceased from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund of the State Government.
Supply of essential items
The Army maintains an inventory of essential medicines and supplies in readiness as a part of routing emergency preparedness. The essential non-food items were airlifted to the affected areas. These included blankets, tents, gum boots, and clothes. Gloves and masks were provided for the persons who were working to clear the debris from the roads and near the affected buildings.
Water, sanitation, and hygiene
Public Health is seriously threatened in disasters, especially due to lack of water supply and sanitation. People having lost their homes and living in temporary shelters (tents) puts a great strain on water and sanitation facilities. The pumping station was washed away, thus disrupting water supply in the Leh Township. A large number of toilets became non-functional as they were filled with silt, as houses were built at the foothills of the Himalayan Mountains. Temporary arrangements of deep trench latrines were made while the army engineers made field flush latrines for use by the troops.
Water was stagnant and there was the risk of contamination by mud or dead bodies buried in the debris, thus making the quality of drinking water questionable. Therefore, water purification units were installed and established. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) airlifted a water storage system (Emergency Rescue Unit), which could provide 11,000 L of pure water. Further, super-chlorination was done at all the water points in the army establishments. To deal with fly menace in the entire area, anti-fly measures were taken up actively and intensely.
Food and nutrition
There was an impending high risk of food shortage and crisis of hunger and malnutrition. The majority of food supply came from the plains and low-lying areas in North India through the major transport routes Leh–Srinagar and Leh–Manali national highways. These routes are non-functional for most part of the winter. The local agricultural and vegetable cultivation has always been scanty due to extreme cold weather. The food supplies took a further setback due to the unpredicted heavy downpour. Food storage facilities were also flooded and washed away. Government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and the Indian Army immediately established food supply and distribution system in the affected areas from their food stores and airlifting food supplies from other parts of the country.
There was a high risk of water-borne diseases following the disaster. Many human bodies were washed away and suspected to have contaminated water bodies. There was an increased fly menace. There was an urgent need to prevent disease transmission due to contaminated drinking water sources and flies. There was also a need to rehabilitate people who suffered from crush injuries sustained during the disaster. The public health facilities, especially, the primary health centers and sub-health centers, were not adequately equipped and were poorly connected by roads to the main city of Leh. Due to difficult accessibility, it took many hours to move casualties from the far-flung areas, worsening the crisis and rescue and relief operations. The population would have a higher risk of mental health problems like post-traumatic stress disorder, deprivation, and depression. Therefore, relief and rehabilitation would include increased awareness of the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and its alleviation through education on developing coping mechanisms.
Economic impact
Although it would be too early to estimate the impact on economy, the economy of the region would be severely affected due to the disaster. The scanty local vegetable and grain cultivation was destroyed by the heavy rains. Many houses were destroyed where people had invested all their savings. Tourism was the main source of income for the local people in the region. The summer season is the peak tourist season in Ladakh and that is when the natural disaster took place. A large number of people came from within India and other countries for trekking in the region. Because of the disaster, tourism was adversely affected. The disaster would have a long-term economic impact as it would take a long time to rebuild the infrastructure and also to build the confidence of the tourists.
The floods put an immense pressure and an economic burden on the local people and would also influence their health-seeking behavior and health expenditure.
Political context
The disaster became a security threat. The area has a high strategic importance, being at the line of control with China and Pakistan. The Indian Army is present in the region to defend the country's borders. The civil administration is with the Leh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) under the state government of Jammu and Kashmir.
Conclusions
It is impossible to anticipate natural disasters such as flash floods. However, disaster preparedness plans and protocols in the civil administration and public health systems could be very helpful in rescue and relief and in reducing casualties and adverse impact on the human life and socio economic conditions.( 2 ) However, the health systems in India lack such disaster preparedness plans and training.( 3 ) In the present case, presence of the Indian Army that has standard disaster management plans and protocols for planning, training, and regular drills of the army personnel, logistics and supply, transport, and communication made it possible to immediately mount search, rescue, and relief operations and mass casualty management. Not only the disaster management plans were in readiness, but continuous and regular training and drills of the army personnel in rescue and relief operations, and logistics and communication, could effectively facilitate the disaster management operations.
Effective communication was crucial for effective coordination of rescue and relief operations. The Army's communication system served as an alternative communication channel as the public communication and mobile network was destroyed, and that enabled effective coordination of the disaster operations.
Emergency medical services and healthcare within few hours of the disaster was critical to minimize deaths and disabilities. Preparedness of the Army personnel, especially the medical corps, readiness of inventory of essential medicines and medical supplies, logistics and supply chain, and evacuation of patients as a part of disaster management protocols effectively launched the search, rescue, and relief operations and mass casualty reduction. Continuous and regular training and drills of army personnel, health professionals, and the community in emergency rescue and relief operations are important measures. Emergency drill is a usual practice in the army, which maintains the competence levels of the army personnel. Similar training and drill in civil administration and public health systems in emergency protocols for rescue, relief, mass casualty management, and communication would prove very useful in effective disaster management to save lives and restore health of the people.( 2 – 4 )
Lessons learnt and recommendations
Natural disasters not only cause a large-scale displacement of population and loss of life, but also result in loss of property and agricultural crops leading to severe economic burden.( 3 – 6 ) In various studies,( 3 , 4 , 7 , 8 ) several shortcomings have been observed in disaster response, such as, delayed response, absence of early warning systems, lack of resources for mass evacuation, inadequate coordination among government departments, lack of standard operating procedures for rescue and relief, and lack of storage of essential medicines and supplies.
The disaster management operations by the Indian Army in the natural disaster offered several lessons to learn. The key lessons were:
- Response time is a critical attribute in effective disaster management. There was no delay in disaster response by the Indian Army. The rescue and relief operations could be started within 1 h of disaster. This was made possible as the Army had disaster and emergency preparedness plans and protocols in place; stocks of relief supplies and medicines as per standard lists were available; and periodic training and drill of the army personnel and medical corps was undertaken as a routine. The disaster response could be immediately activated.
- There is an important lesson to be learned by the civil administration and the public health system to have disaster preparedness plans in readiness with material and designated rescue officers and workers.
- Prompt activation of disaster management plan with proper command and coordination structure is critical. The Indian Army could effectively manage the disaster as it had standard disaster preparedness plans and training, and activated the system without any time lag. These included standard protocols for search, rescue, and evacuation and relief and rehabilitation. There are standard protocols for mass casualty management, inventory of essential medicines and medical supplies, and training of the army personnel.
- Hospitals have always been an important link in the chain of disaster response and are assuming greater importance as advanced pre-hospital care capabilities lead to improved survival-to-hospital rate.( 9 ) Role of hospitals in disaster preparedness, especially in mass casualty management, is important. Army Hospital, Leh emergency preparedness played a major role in casualty management and saving human lives while the civil district hospital had become dysfunctional due to damage caused by floods. The hospital was fully equipped with essential medicines and supplies, rescue and evacuation equipments, and command and communication systems.
- Standard protocols and disaster preparedness plans need to be prepared for the civil administration and the health systems with focus on Quick Response Teams inclusive of healthcare professionals, rescue personnel, fire-fighting squads, police detachments, ambulances, emergency care drugs, and equipments.( 10 ) These teams should be trained in a manner so that they can be activated and deployed within an hour following the disaster. “TRIAGE” has to be the basic working principle for such teams.
- Effective communication system is of paramount importance in coordination of rescue and relief operations. In the present case study, although the main network with the widest connectivity was extensively damaged and severely disrupted, the army's communication system along with the other private mobile network tided over the crisis. It took over 10 days for reactivation of the main mobile network through satellite communication system. Thus, it is crucial to establish the alternative communication system to handle such emergencies efficiently and effectively.( 2 , 11 )
- Disaster management is a multidisciplinary activity involving a number of departments/agencies spanning across all sectors of development.( 2 ) The National Disaster Management Authority of India, set up under National Disaster Management Act 2005,( 1 ) has developed disaster preparedness and emergency protocols. It would be imperative for the civil administration at the state and district levels in India to develop their disaster management plans using these protocols and guidelines.
- Health system's readiness plays important role in prompt and effective mass casualty management.( 2 ) Being a mountainous region, the Ladakh district has difficult access to healthcare, with only nine Primary Health Centers and 31 Health Sub-Centers.( 12 ) There is a need for strengthening health systems with focus on health services and health facility network and capacity building. More than that, primary healthcare needs to be augmented to provide emergency healthcare so that more and more lives can be saved.( 7 )
- Training is an integral part of capacity building, as trained personnel respond much better to different disasters and appreciate the need for preventive measures. Training of healthcare professionals in disaster management holds the key in successful activation and implementation of any disaster management plan. The Army has always had standard drills in all its establishments at regular intervals, which are periodically revised and updated. The civil administration and public health systems should regularly organize and conduct training of civil authorities and health professionals in order to be ready for action.( 1 – 4 )
- Building confidence of the public to avoid panic situation is critical. Community involvement and awareness generation, particularly that of the vulnerable segments of population and women, needs to be emphasized as necessary for sustainable disaster risk reduction. Increased public awareness is necessary to ensure an organized and calm approach to disaster management. Periodic mock drills and exercise in disaster management protocols in the general population can be very useful.( 1 , 3 , 4 )
Source of Support: Nil
Conflict of Interest: None declared.
Content Search
World + 7 more
Case Studies: Red Cross Red Crescent Disaster Risk Reduction in Action – What Works at Local Level, June 2018
Attachments.
Community/local action for resilience:
- Building the disaster resilience of asylum seekers
The Australian Red Cross in Queensland adapted a generic preparedness tool to support highrisk marginalised communities of asylum seekers to build their own resilience to disaster. Specific and relevant messaging was developed within a community education programme co-designed with members of the asylum seekers community, who became educators and facilitators to deliver the programme. The programme reached 900 people in a successful pilot, measured through positive shifts in knowledge of key actions to take in preparedness of disaster. The underlying achievement is the acceptance and trust of the communities, reflecting the respect for cultural and language diversity, and recognizing the capacity of asylum seekers communities to contribute and participate in their host country.
- Integrated Coastal Community Resilience and Disaster Risk Reduction in Demak, Central Java
Exacerbated erosion affected the ecology and increased vulnerability of coastal communities in Demak. The Indonesian Red Cross mobilized communities through Community-Based Action Teams to restore the ecosystem through mangrove plantation and implement livelihood generation to improve community resilience. Under an integrated approach, the community is connected with village authorities and scientists from the Bogor Agricultural Institute to implement sustainable local action. The programme has shown concrete results in reducing the risks of tidal disasters, while eco-tourism and crab cultivation farming have increased the income of the communities, along with their heightened awareness and preparedness for disaster.
- Winter shelters for rural herder communities
Rural herders in Mongolia must keep their livestock alive through extreme temperatures and exposure of harsh winters that follow after drought. In efforts to reduce livestock loss, the Red Cross supported herder communities to design and construct winters shelters for livestock in a participatory approach garnering the collective capacity of community, local government and the Red Cross. A strong community focus ensures that the herders drive the activities towards preserving their livelihoods and the traditional nomadic way of life under threat by climatic challenges.
- Youth-led actions for more resilient schools and communities: Mapping of School Safety approaches and Youth in School Safety training for youth facilitators
Over the last two years the Red Cross Red Crescent Southeast Asia Youth Network has improved Youth programming and networks on youth-led initiatives and solutions for DRR. A pilot Youth in School Safety Programme rolled out in six countries, training 150 youth volunteers who in turn conducted countless school safety actions. A comprehensive mapping of school safety actions in all 11 countries of South Asia is underway to showcase activities of RCRC Youth volunteers on the ground.
Private Sector Interventions:
- Australian Business Roundtable for Disaster Resilience and Safer Communities
Leaders of leading commercial organizations jointly commit resources to work constructively with government to make Australian communities safer and more resilient to natural disasters, by shifting national investment from recovery and response to preparedness and mitigation. The Australian Red Cross joins this Roundtable - contributing on emergency management and humanitarian aspects - to collectively deliver on community education, risk information, adaptation research, mitigation infrastructure and strategic alliances.
Disaster Risk Governance:
- A seat at the table: inclusive decision-making to strengthen local resilience
Disaster related laws and policies need to better include and protect those most at risk of disasters. This case study outlines the steps taken by the IFRC Disaster Law Programme - from global research undertaken jointly by IFRC and UNDP, to the provision of technical advice in supporting Asia Pacific National Societies, as the community-based actor and auxiliary to government, to ensure inclusive community empowerment and protection, gender and inclusion in national disaster laws and policies.
Gender and Inclusiveness:
- Participatory Campaign Planning for Inclusive DRR Knowledge and Messaging in Nepal
An innovative approach that embraces the essence of inclusiveness, the Participatory Campaign Planning methodology is applied to develop hazard messages and the means of communicating them that are tailored to different target groups, with the aim of making them more effective in creating behaviour change. This case study focuses on urban communities in Nepal and various elements to be considered within different target groups and their geographic environments.
- Community participatory action research on sexual and genderbased violence prevention and response during disasters
This collaborative research by the IFRC and the ASEAN Committee for Disaster Management was undertaken in recognizing that there are few SGBV studies that focus on low-income developing countries and fewer that go beyond the gendered effects on women and girls, overlooking men and boys and sexual minority groups. Key findings illustrate that the risks to SGBV are exacerbated during natural disaster situations in Indonesia, Lao PDR and the Philippines, and that “disaster responders” and actors addressing needs of SGBV survivors are not working together adequately to reduce these risks.
Early Warning and Early Action:
- Forecast-based Financing: Effective early actions to reduce flood impacts
When four pilot communities in the district of Bogura were affected by severe flood events in July and August of 2017, the Early Action Protocol of the Forecast-based Financing (FbF) approach was activated, and unconditional cash grant was chosen as the early action for floods to give people the flexibility to prepare individually for the impending flood and take the measures they see fit. This case study outlines the steps taken by Bangladesh Red Crescent Society and German Red Cross to implement FbF in Bangladesh. It analyses not only the effectiveness of the activation in Bogura, but the longer term impacts of this early action development.
- CPP Early Warning: Saving Thousands in Cyclone Mora
Through the Bangladesh Cyclone Preparedness Programme (CPP) interventions, a programme jointly run by the Government of Bangladesh and the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS), the communities of the coastal areas in Bangladesh have become more aware of the need to go to safe shelters during emergencies, have understood the significance of early warning and learned to pay heed to advice from CPP and youth volunteers. On 28 May 2017 - the eve of Cyclone Mora, more than 55,260 CPP volunteers and BDRCS youth volunteers were deployed to pass early warning message door to door in the coastal region, and announcing the danger of the approaching cyclone in the local language. Cyclone early warning messages were disseminated across a population area covering 11 million people, and almost half a million people were reached in this process and taken to safe places in less than 24 hours. The CPP has substantially reduce death tolls due to cyclones in Bangladesh.
- Flood Early Warning and Early Action System (FEWEAS)
The Flood Early Warning Early Action System (FEWEAS) was developed through a collaboration between the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) and Institute Teknologi Bandung (ITB) to provide effective solutions for reducing disaster risk through a shared platform for community and government to address issues upstream and downstream in formulating appropriate strategy, planning and ground action for floods. FEWEAS is an internet-based application to predict and monitor rainfall and flooding. PMI Provincial and District staff and volunteers are using the FEWEAS to monitor floods along the Bengawan Solo River in East Java, and along the Citarum River in West Java. While the application provides flood alerts and updates to the community through smartphones, the communities and Community Based Action Teams can update their response, upload photos, videos and relevant information to further inform response actions.
- Forecast-based Financing for the vulnerable herders in Mongolia
The Mongolian Red Cross Society (MRCS) assisted 2,000 herder households in most-at-risk areas (40 soums in 12 provinces) with unrestricted cash grants in December 2017 and with animal care kits in January 2018, before the peak of the winter season. The MRCS used the Dzud Risk Map released by the Government in November 2017 to decide which soums to target for early action with the aim to reach the herders well before the loss of their livestock to reduce the impact of Dzud on the livelihoods of the herders. The Dzud Risk Map highlighted the risk of livestock death throughout the whole of Mongolia. A cost-benefit analysis is being conducted to further inform FbF in Mongolia.
- More than response: Building partnerships to engage communities in preparedness and early warning systems in the Pacific
A community early warning system (CEWS) model was developed in partnership by the Red Cross, government agencies and regional organizations in the Pacific to better link CEWS with national and sub-national systems. Taking these pilots to scale requires i) national mechanisms such as SOPs and action plans that systematically link warnings and climate information provided by National Meteorological Services to early preparedness actions at multiple scales, and; ii) available funding (at multiple scales) to support early actions. Recently a Roadmap for Forecast-based Financing for Drought Preparedness has been developed in the Solomon Islands. Through continued partnership approach, the Roadmap and outcomes from the regional ‘FINPAC’ CEWS project will be used to support the Government of the Solomon Islands and Solomon Islands Red Cross to implement a programme for communities, provincial and national authorities to apply forecast information for early action at scale. The drought thresholds developed in collaboration will form the basis of an FbF trigger system in the Solomon Islands.
Displacement and DRR:
- Preparing and reducing risks of disasters to displaced communities
Cox’s Bazar became the world’s most densely populated refugee settlement following the massive influx of people from Myanmar that started in August 2017. Being a coastal district prone to disaster, existing infrastructure and services cannot cope to cover the host population and incoming refugees, and preparedness interventions became critical. This case study follows actions taken to extend the coverage of the Cyclone Preparedness Programme, successfully integrating displaced people in camp settlements as temporary CPP camp volunteers, to support in establishing early warning system and ensure relevant preparedness and response action.
Urban Community/local action for resilience:
- What is an Urban ‘Community’? – New ways for local DRR actions in cities . Lessons learned from the 2015 Nepal earthquake response show that vulnerable populations in urban context do not often engage with or rely on local disaster management committees in the event of a disaster. Instead they organize themselves around their own networks, both informal and formal, such as family, temples, markets, service-providers, employment. A meaningful DRR intervention in urban communities must first recognize what defines an urban community and how they are organized to guide specific engagement and participatory-led approaches. The target group and network-based approach by Nepal Red Cross are innovations in organizing effective community-owned urban disaster resilience.
Green Response/ Enhancing Preparedness for Effective Response:
- Greening the IFRC Supply Chains; mapping of our GHG emissions
Under the Green Response initiative to improve environmental outcomes of life-saving operations, the IFRC in reviewing practices and policies is mapping the present level of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions generated by relief operations and to implement GHG reduction activities to lower the environmental impact of emergency operations. The mapping contributes to the global emission baseline for IFRC supply chain monitoring, to design the reduction roadmap and build internal capacity.
- Environmental Field Advisor deployment in an emergency response
To improve the environmental outcomes and reduce negative impacts of operations and programmes, the IFRC deployed an Environmental Field Advisor (EFA) to the Population Movement Operation in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. The EFA conducted an environmental impact assessment and worked with project leads to identify and implement improvements. A significant achievement to date is the IFRC joining the UNHCR/IOM/WFP/FAO to provide LPG as cooking fuel to camp community households to combat massive deforestation cause by firewood collection.
Related Content
3 years of covid, 3 myths to debunk, progress towards the sustainable development goals in the arab region (march 2023), regional conference commits to early warnings for all in asia, pandemic preparedness for the real world: why we must invest in equitable, ethical and effective approaches to help prepare for the next pandemic.
- Thematic Issues
- Disaster Risk Reduction
Activities and Initiatives by Country and Region
Priorities for action 1: understanding disaster risks, priorities for action 2: strengthening disaster risk governance to manage disaster risk, priorities for action 3: investing in disaster risk reduction for resilience, priorities for action 4: enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response and to "build back better" in recovery rehabilitation and reconstruction.
- Project Reports in JICA Library
You can find "Project Report" from JICA library website, please access and search from the links provided.
JICA's Cooperation on Disaster Risk Reduction 1990s-Up to Now
- Southeast Asia and the Pacific (PDF/365KB)
- East Asia and Central Asia (PDF/276KB)
- South Asia (PDF/303KB)
- Central and South America (PDF/417KB)
- Africa (PDF/264KB)
- Middle East and Europe (PDF/291KB)
Disseminating Japanese past-disaster lessons and experience to the world
- Disaster Reduction Learning Center (DRLC)
Scientific technology needs to provide a reliable risk assessment based on scientifically analysed data to plan effective disaster countermeasures. Japan maintains and utilizes every type of disaster statistical data. The government closely works with the Science Council of Japan in the Central Disaster Management Council and also promotes evacuation training and disaster risk reduction education with local communities. Based on the experiences in Japan, JICA helps promote "understanding disaster risks."
Disaster Risk Reduction Planning Based on Scientific Risk Assessment
Nepal "Project for Assessment of Earthquake Disaster Risk for the Kathmandu Valley"
Earthquakes had repeatedly struck Kathmandu Valley in the past. There were hardly no regulations on the construction of earthquake resistant structures, or restrictions on land usage or buildings by then. The 7.8 magnitude earthquake that hit Nepal in 2015 caused tremendous damage to the country and the surrounding areas. It killed 8,790 people, injured 22,300, and destroyed 510,000 houses.
The project for the assessment of earthquake disaster risk for Kathmandu Valley had carried out hazard assessment using the most advanced academic knowledge available and the risk assessment based on knowledge and damage estimates using multiple occurrence scenarios. The risk assessment results helped to organize the project models in the local government. Examples are the creation of local disaster risk reduction plans and earthquake resistance plans for public infrastructures.
* Newsletters of the Project for Assessment of EARTHQUAKE DISASTER RISK for the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal
- JICA ERAKV NEWS No. 1 (PDF/1.10MB)
- JICA ERAKV NEWS No. 2 (PDF/1.91MB)
- JICA ERAKV NEWS No. 3 (PDF/1.66MB)
"Disaster Risk Reduction and Management" is a dual approach to a range of different measures for avoiding and reducing the risk of a disaster. In Japan, disaster countermeasures had relied on "public help" for a long time. The experience in the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake and the Great East Japan Earthquake demonstrated the importance of improving "self-help" and "mutual help" during a large-scale disaster. Japan's "Disaster Countermeasures Basic Act" clearly states that disaster risks should be managed and reduced comprehensively through the vertical roles of the national and local governments, the horizontal role of society in the whole area, and collaboration with other stakeholders such as private sectors, NGOs and local communities. -The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction views that "disaster risk governance" and the idea of "cooperation" is indispensable to build a disaster resilient social structure. The Sendai Framework also sets its priorities on "mainstreaming DRR," "disaster risk reduction plans and strategies" and "collaboration between government and multiple stakeholders." Legislations and standards have been developed and improved through history by experience. JICA will promote disaster risk governance by expounding on the importance of disaster risk reduction facilities, cooperation systems between related entities, and cooperation with those in the fields of science and technology.
Promotion of Mainstreaming DRR and Assessment of Underlying Risks
Sri Lanka "Disaster Management Capacity Enhancement Project Adaptable to Climate Change"
After the Sumatra earthquake and tsunami in December 2004, Sri Lanka established new institutions in national and local levels and has been improving its disaster countermeasures since then. JICA provided support for rehabilitation and reconstruction as well as support to further improve disaster risk reduction skills in the country.
In this project, JICA provided technical and financial support to improve the skill of government agencies involved in important public infrastructure projects. JICA helped the National Building Research Organization to increase their ability to improve landslide disaster countermeasures. JICA also assisted in the disaster risk reduction system model covering evacuation and disaster risk reduction activities of the local residents.
As a result of this project, a disaster impact assessment method was developed and is now conducted prior to infrastructure development and maintenance in Sri Lanka. JICA also helped the Meteorological Agency improve their skills to monitor and forecast the weather efficiently and accurately. The Meteorological Agency used to take 50 minutes to collect data in the event of a disaster because the collected data was processed manually. Thanks to improvements in the information network, they are now able to collect observation data within 10 minutes. Their ability to announce warnings more quickly has contributed to reducing the damage.
- Roadmap for Disaster Risk Reduction -Safe and Resilient Sri Lanka- (PDF/1.58MB)
The Ministry of Disaster Management of Sri Lanka and JICA made a Roadmap which, based on the main features of disasters, describes strategies and priority actions to effectively build a safe and resilient Sri Lanka in line with the Sendai Framework.
* Movies as output of the data collection survey in the Philippines may be accessed from the following sites:
- Long version (external link)
- Short version (external link)
In the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction Priorities Action 3, "Investing in Disaster Risk Reduction for Resilience", increasing the amount of investment in disaster risk reduction to reduce the risk of disasters is important, not only to protect human lives, but also for the surrounding environment, including assets and opportunities for development. As a country plagued by many disasters, Japan has been working on disaster preparation and JICA understands from experience that investment in disaster risk reduction is a necessary element for continuous growth. JICA utilizes the best Japanese technologies to reduce disaster risks such as setting standards based on risk assessment, establishing regulations on land use, and promoting suitable disaster risk prevention projects. JICA also promotes "mainstreaming DRR" in development and sector plans.
Risk-Resilient Critical Infrastructure
Thailand: "Subway that can operate in the event of a flood because of prior disaster management –Blue Line Subway in Bangkok"
Traffic congestion and air pollution in Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, have become a serious problem to development from the 1990's. The Blue Line Subway that opened in 2004 was designed with help from Japan to provide an alternative to road transportation, and the design includes many elements of disaster risk reduction. Since Bangkok is located in a flood-prone area, the subway entrance was made higher than the sidewalk. They also incorporated a structure that prevents water from getting into the station in the event of flood, and designed a structure that functions as a water shield at the subway entrance. Some of the vents were set at a higher position, and a drainage pump was installed. A guideline or procedures to close down the stations has been provided. A system is also in place for the safe operation of public transportation. At the time of the 2011 flood when airports and roads were closed, the Blue Line Subway continued to operate even in flooded areas without water getting into the subway stations. This public infrastructure maintenance project contributed not only to resolving environmental problems such as traffic jam and air pollution, but also showed a great example of mainstreaming DRR.
To minimize damage and influence from disasters and to achieve early restoration and recovery, the following three actions are important: (1) Strengthen the preparation for emergency measures in advance; (2) Take action in forecasting disasters; and (3) Improve organizations and structures to respond effectively at all levels. Assuming that disasters will happen, Japan made preparations for various situations in advance. These include memorandums of agreement on disaster response between the national government, local authorities and the private sector. Japan has revised its systems and structures through lessons learnt from large-scale disasters, and aims to utilize limited funds. As the second best choice after an unfortunate and unavoidable disaster, Japan believes that it is necessary to carry out "Build Back Better." This approach will make a country more resilient and will prevent repeated damage from similar disasters. JICA helps disaster-affected countries achieve "Build Back Better" by promoting precautionary measures, and restoring and recovering from disasters.
Seamless Approach from Response to Development and "Build Back Better"
Philippines "The Project on Reconstruction and Recovery from Typhoon Yolanda"
Typhoon Yolanda hit the Philippines with a historically unprecedented scale on November 8, 2013 and inflicted extensive damage to a wide area of the country.
Soon after the disaster, the Government of Japan dispatched a Disaster Relief Medical Team and a team of experts which immediately conducted an investigation to assess the affected areas and a survey on the needs for recovery. The Government of Japan has seamlessly connected its emergency response to assistance activities in order to provide assistance in cooperation with grass-root communities. This includes grant aid projects, technical advices and JICA Partnership Programs. JICA encourages high ranking officials to intensively embrace the concept of "Build Back Better" for sustainable reconstruction from disasters.
JICA projects are not just for recovery and reconstruction, but also help in the complete process of early recovery and reconstruction of affected areas. JICA projects help build disaster-resilient communities and society based on Japan's experience from the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011. JICA encourages partnerships between autonomous bodies with cooperation of the related local governments. In addition, in drawing up the recovery and reconstruction plan, JICA strengthens partnerships among autonomous bodies with the cooperation of local governments. JICA also works on providing comprehensive recovery assistance such as measures to improve local people's income, encouraging the social participation of women.
- Urban and Regional Development
- Transportation
- Energy and Mining
- Private Sector Development
- Agricultural and Rural Development
- Improving Nutrition
- Social Security / Disability and Development
- Sport and Development
- Peacebuilding
- Public Finance and Financial Systems
- Gender and Development
- Digital for Development
- Climate Change
- Natural Environment Conservation
- Environmental Management (JICA Clean City Initiative)
- Water Resources and Water Supply
- Types of Assistance
- Partnerships with Other Development Partners
- Climate Change / Environmental and Social Considerations
- Evaluations
- Compliance and Anti-corruption
- Science and Technology Cooperation on Global Issues
- JICA Development Studies Program / JICA Chair
- Support for the Acceptance of Foreign HRs / Multicultural and Inclusive Community
JICA website uses cookies to provide you with a better service. By closing this message or just continuing to browse the site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies in our Privacy Policy .
- JICA at a Glance
- JICA's Vision
- President's Desk
- Organization
- ODA and JICA
- DX (Digital Transformation)
- Press Releases
- Latin America
- Middle East
- JICA Magazine
- Annual Reports
- Investor Information
- JICA as a Social Issuer
- Issuance Records
RSS Feeds RSS Feeds
- Privacy Policy
- Site Policy
- Global Assessment Report (GAR)
- PreventionWeb
Special Events
- Global Platform
- International Day for Disaster Reduction
- World Tsunami Awareness Day
- Sendai Framework Monitor
- Voluntary Commitments
- Documents and publications
Information on disaster risk management: case study of five countries
This report contains the general conclusions of a project on disaster risk information conducted by IDB and ECLAC in Colombia, Chile, Jamaica, Mexico and Nicaragua. It sheds light on the institutional structures and disaster risk management that exist in the countries studied. By providing a chronological account of the evolution of institutions responsible for emergency and civil defence processes and for risk management as part of planning and development policies the study constitutes a valuable record of national experiences and explains how the countries studied have made changes in recent decades to the institutions in charge of disaster and risk management as well as their information systems. Based on the experiences that have been documented regarding the responses to disasters, some conclusions are drawn that have region-wide implications and recommendations directed at decision makers are formulated.
Please note: Content is displayed as last posted by a PreventionWeb community member or editor. The views expressed therein are not necessarily those of UNDRR, PreventionWeb, or its sponsors. See our terms of use
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
Browse case study reports and best practice articles from across FEMA's areas ... risk reduction benefits of a hazard mitigation project and compares those
Kashmir floods: Come 'hell' or rain, army won't stopuntil lastman is rescued From helicopter sorties to building bridges to tugging makeshift
Management Agency (FEMA) lists 614 major disaster declarations across ... contracts to begin construction, given lack of project funds.
On August 6, 2010, in the dark of the midnight, there were flash floods due to cloud burst in Leh in Ladakh region of North India. It rained 14 inches in 2
Emergency/Disaster Management Case Study ... Commingling assets and responsibilities for project implementation by the City ... given lack of project funds.
The chosen case studies are illustrative of an important range of disaster risk reduction, disaster risk management, and climate change adaptation issues.
Evaluation and Lessons Learned in English on World and 7 other countries about Disaster Management, Cold Wave, Drought and more;
In light of the disaster that occurred in Uttarakhand, were a cloud burst caused flash floods that swept the state, resulting in massive destruction, loss of
It killed 8,790 people, injured 22,300, and destroyed 510,000 houses. The project for the assessment of earthquake disaster risk for Kathmandu Valley had
This report contains the general conclusions of a project on disaster risk information conducted by IDB and ECLAC in Colombia, Chile, Jamaica