Natural Hazards and Disaster Management

Understanding extreme events, vulnerability, and resilience strategies.

Author

Geography Team

Official Syllabus

NEP-2020 Syllabus

NoteCore I Paper XVII β€” Natural Hazards and Disaster Management

**(4 Credit, Theory: 45hrs, Practical: 30hrs)*

**Unit I:* - Understanding Climate Change: Definition, variability, risks - Disasters, Hazards, Risk, Vulnerability (Concept and Classification) - Global warming, Greenhouse effect, sea level rise, Adaptation strategy

**Unit II:* - Physical, social and economic vulnerability - Disaster Management Cycle, Community Based Disaster Management - Role of NDMA and SDMA in Mitigation Strategy

**Unit III:* - Types of Disasters (Natural and Man-made) - Floods, Droughts, Cyclones, Thunderstorms, Tornado, Earthquakes, Landslides, oil spills, chemical attacks

UGC NET Syllabus

TipUGC NET Overlaps
  • Natural Disasters in India (Earthquake, Drought, Flood, Cyclone, Tsunami)
  • Geopolitics of Climate Change
  • Meteorological Hazards and Disasters

Welcome to the Natural Hazards and Disaster Management module of Geography OpenCourseWare.

Part A: Common Topics (NEP-2020 & UGC NET)

These topics are covered in both the NEP-2020 undergraduate syllabus and the UGC NET syllabus.

Concepts of Hazards, Vulnerability, and Risk

WarningπŸ“˜ Syllabus Coverage
Syllabus Topic Details
NEP-2020 Unit I & II β€” Hazards, Risk, Vulnerability (Physical, social, economic)
UGC NET Natural Disasters Fundamentals

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NoteKey Concepts
  • Hazard: A dangerous phenomenon, substance, human activity, or condition that may cause loss of life, injury, property damage, or environmental degradation (The potential threat).
  • Vulnerability: The characteristics and circumstances of a community, system, or asset that make it susceptible to the damaging effects of a hazard. Types: Physical, Social, Economic, Environmental.
  • Risk: The probability of harmful consequences. Equation: \(\text{Risk} = \text{Hazard} \times \text{Vulnerability} / \text{Capacity}\).
  • Disaster: A serious disruption of the functioning of a community involving widespread losses which exceed the ability of the affected community to cope using its own resources. (A hazard becomes a disaster when it hits a vulnerable population).

Climate Change and Global Warming

WarningπŸ“˜ Syllabus Coverage
Syllabus Topic Details
NEP-2020 Unit I β€” Climate change, variability, Global warming, sea level rise
UGC NET Geopolitics of Climate Change

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NoteKey Concepts
  • Greenhouse Effect: Natural process warming the Earth’s surface. Enhanced greenhouse effect due to anthropogenic emissions (\(CO_2, CH_4\), CFCs, \(N_2O\)).
  • Indicators of Climate Change: Rising global average temperatures, melting ice caps and glaciers, ocean acidification, increasing frequency of extreme weather events.
  • Sea Level Rise: Caused by thermal expansion and melting ice. Threatens low-lying coastal areas and island nations.
  • Adaptation vs. Mitigation:
    • Mitigation: Reducing emissions (renewable energy, carbon sinks).
    • Adaptation: Adjusting to the effects of climate change (building sea walls, drought-resistant crops).

Types of Disasters: Natural and Man-Made

WarningπŸ“˜ Syllabus Coverage
Syllabus Topic Details
NEP-2020 Unit III β€” Floods, Droughts, Cyclones, Earthquakes, etc.
UGC NET Natural Disasters in India; Meteorological Hazards

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NoteKey Concepts
  • Geological Disasters: Earthquakes (seismic waves along fault lines), Landslides/Avalanches, Volcanoes, Tsunamis (seismically generated sea waves).
  • Hydrometeorological Disasters: Tropical Cyclones (intense low-pressure systems over warm oceans), Floods (riverine, flash, urban), Droughts (meteorological, hydrological, agricultural), Heat/Cold Waves.
  • Man-Made (Anthropogenic) Disasters:
    • Industrial/Chemical: Bhopal Gas Tragedy (1984), oil spills (Exxon Valdez).
    • Biological: Epidemics, biological warfare.
    • Nuclear: Chernobyl, Fukushima.

Disaster Management and Frameworks

WarningπŸ“˜ Syllabus Coverage
Syllabus Topic Details
NEP-2020 Unit II β€” Disaster Management Cycle, NDMA, SDMA
UGC NET Disaster management applications

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NoteKey Concepts
  • Disaster Management Cycle:
    1. Pre-Disaster: Prevention, Mitigation (structural and non-structural), Preparedness.
    2. During Disaster: Early warning, Response (rescue/relief).
    3. Post-Disaster: Recovery, Rehabilitation, Reconstruction (Build Back Better).
  • Institutional Framework in India: Disaster Management Act 2005 shifted approach from relief-centric to proactive mitigation.
    • NDMA (National Disaster Management Authority) headed by PM.
    • SDMA (State level) headed by CM.
    • DDMA (District level) headed by District Magistrate.
  • Global Frameworks: Yokohama Strategy (1994), Hyogo Framework (2005), Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2030).

Quick Reference

Natural Hazards Quick Reference

Key Concepts and Scales

Hazard / Concept Scale / Measurement
Earthquake Richter Scale (Magnitude), Mercalli Scale (Intensity).
Tropical Cyclones Saffir-Simpson Scale.
Tornadoes Fujita Scale.
Vulnerability & Resilience Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.

Notes compiled by Geography Team