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LAW AND DISASTER MANAGEMENT

NATURAL DISASTERS: CAUSES, CONSEQUENCES AND

PREVENTION

JAMIA MILLIA ISLAMIA

Submitted to - Dr. Faizanur Rahman

Submitted by -HALA ZAFAR

B.A LLB(hons) 10TH SEMESTER
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SECTION – A
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Acknowledgement
I take this opportunity to express my profound gratitude and deep regards to my mentor
Dr. Faizanur Rahman for his exemplary guidance, monitoring and constant encouragement
throughout the course of this research paper. I thank sir for his cordial support and valuable
information, which helped me in completing this task through various stages.

I am obliged to staff members of Jamia Millia Islamia for the valuable information
provided by them in their respective fields. I am grateful for their cooperation during the
period of my assignment.

Last but not the least I thank my parents, my sister, and my friends for their constant support
and encouragement without which this assignment would not have been possible.
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Abstract

Disaster is defined as a crisis situation causing wide spread damage which far exceeds our
ability to recover. Disaster is a sudden, calamitous event bringing great damage, loss,
destruction and devastation to life and property. The damage caused by disaster is
immeasurable and varies with the geographical location, climate and the type of the earth
surface. Natural disasters are relatively sudden and cause large scale, widespread death,
loss of property and disturbance to social systems and life over which people have a little
or no control.1 Thus, any event can be classed as disaster when the magnitude of destruction
and damage caused by it is very high. Communities will always face natural hazards, but
today’s disasters are often generated by, or at least exacerbated by, human activities. At the
most dramatic level, human activities are changing the natural balance of the earth,
interfering as never before with the atmosphere, the oceans, the polar ice caps, the forest
cover and the natural pillars that make our world a liveable home. But we are also putting
ourselves in harm’s way in less visible ways. This paper seeks to determine the natural
disasters, causes and consequences and its prevention. Nature is bountiful full of resources
used by the living organisms use for their survival and well-being. However, nature has its
own control systems. Resources used up are replenished excesses are checked, all naturally
through the biogeochemical cycles, the food chains and webs and other natural phenomena.
Thus, equilibrium is maintained in nature. This is called ecological balance and has in
recent times been disturbed by human activities.

1
Md. Barbar (ed.), Environmental Changes and Natural Disasters 227-233 (New India Publishing Agency,
New Delhi, 2007).
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Table of Contents

Acknowledgement ........................................................................................................................... 3
Abstract............................................................................................................................................ 4
Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 6
Causes of Natural Disasters ............................................................................................................. 8
The Impact of Human Activities on Natural Disasters .................................................................... 9
Prevention and Control of Natural Disasters ................................................................................. 11
Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................... 13
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Introduction

Disaster is an undesirable occurrence resulting from forces that are largely outside human
control, strikes quickly with little or no warning, which causes or threatens serious
disruption of life and property including death and injury to a large number of people, and
requires therefore, mobilisation of efforts in excess of that which are normally provided by
statutory emergency services. As compared to natural hazards, natural disasters are
relatively sudden and cause large scale, widespread death, loss of property and disturbance
to social systems and life over which people have a little or no control.2 Thus, any event
can be classed as disaster when the magnitude of destruction and damage caused by it is
very high. A natural hazard is an atmospheric or hydrological and geophysical, event (e.g.,
Flood or Drought, Earthquake, Tsunami, Landslide, Windstorm) that has the potential to
cause harm or loss, however a natural disaster is the occurrence of an extreme hazardous
event that impacts on communities causing damage, disruption and casualties, and leaving
the affected communities unable to function normally without outside assistance.3

According to the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (2013) annual
disaster statistics review, 357 natural disasters occurred worldwide in the year 2012, which
was less than the average natural disaster frequency from 2002 to 2011(394). 9,655 people
were killed in 2012 by natural disasters and 124.5 million people were affected globally.
Hydro-meteorological disasters accounted for 74% (US$2.6 trillion) of total reported
losses, 87% (18,200) of total disaster events, and 61% (1.4 million) of total lives lost. From
1980 to 2012, disaster-related losses amounted to US$3,800 billion worldwide. Some 87%
of these reported disasters (18,200 events), 74% of losses (US$2,800 billion (Munich Re
2013). The economic damages from natural disasters in 2012 were estimated at US$ 157
billion.4

2
Rayees Ibrahim Lone and Dr. S. Subramani, “Natural Disasters: Causes, Consequences and Its Preventive
Role in Sustainable Development” 3 IJIP 12 (2016).
3
Charlotte Benson, John Twigg, et.al., Tools for Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction: Guidance Notes
for Development Organisations, (International federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent societies/ the
proVention consortium, Switzerland, 2007).
4
Aaron Popp, “The effect of natural disasters on long run growth”, 62, Major Themes in Economics,
Spring 2006.
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Since 1960, in the all over the world natural disasters have resulted in the loss of more
than three million lives and affected many more. 90% of the natural disasters and 95% of
the total disaster related deaths occur only in developing countries. It is because most of
the world’s worst disasters tend to occur between the area of Tropic of Cancer and the
Tropic of Capricorn.

The natural disasters directly impact economies, agriculture, food security, water,
sanitation, the environment and health each year. Therefore it is one of the single largest
concerns for most of the developing nations. Different natural hazards cause varying levels
of physical damage to infrastructure and agriculture with implications for their indirect and
secondary impacts. Drought causes heavy Crop and Livestock losses over wide areas of
land but typically leave infrastructure and productive capacity largely unaffected. Floods
and Cyclones cause extensive whereas damage to both infrastructure and agriculture,
depending on their timing relative to the agricultural cycle. While Earthquakes have little
impact on standing crops excluding localized losses but can cause wide spread devastation
of infrastructure and other productive capacity over relatively large areas. India is hit by
one major natural disaster or the other almost every year where in the loss of life is
accompanied by losses of the magnitude that is difficult to comprehend. The decade (1990-
99), which was the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (1990-99), it
witnessed a spate of large-scale disasters that defied all attempts to stem them.
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Causes of Natural Disasters

There are different types on natural disasters and depending on different types of disasters
the causes are also different. For example, the causes of earthquake cannot be same as that
of forest fire. Natural disasters are caused due to different reasons like soil erosion, seismic
activity, tectonic movements, air pressure, and ocean currents etc. natural disaster is not a
new phenomenon these natural events have occurred since the earth began forming and
continue to cause serious damage and loss of life all over the globe from many years. The
root causes of most of the natural disasters that occur on earth can be attributed to the
imbalance created in our environment. This imbalance may either be in the form of air
pollution, noise pollution or water pollution and the collective effect of these imbalances
are also one of the few reasons for natural disaster. Though it also a fact that we cannot
blame anyone because this is just one of the few reasons. Natural disasters like earthquake,
floods etc have also occurred in past era when human was far away from modernization5.
So it would not be fair enough to blame modernization for the same. Natural Disasters are
a set of naturally occurring events which can directly or indirectly cause severe threats to
human health and well-being and adversely affects the human life for quite some time. It
has been witnessed that the natural disasters have their root causes in the normal activities
of the earth. However during past few years we have witnessed some rapid modernization
and growth, man's increased knowledge and technology has served to trigger for some
natural disasters. Flooding and erosion can occur is really prone to the areas where mining,
deforestation, and manufacturing have taken place. Global warming, which could
eventually effect the ocean currents, has its roots in modern man's overuse of fossil fuels.
Earthquakes resulting as a result of tectonic movements and movements of plates inside
the earth’s crust can also be triggered by drilling, bombing, mining, and construction.

5
National Policy on Disaster Management, 2009, available at:
http://www.ndma.gov.in/images/guidelines/national-dm-policy2009.pdf (last visited on April 19, 2018).
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The Impact of Human Activities on Natural Disasters

It has been estimated that rapidly growing modernization is leading to ignorance towards
the environment. Today we are growing at rapid rate neglecting the harm that we are
causing to our environment. Environmental bylaws are being neglected for personal gains
by few businessmen. The dual forces of global warming as well as poor human
management in the field of land and water resources combine to the cause of natural
disasters. Humans have created a situation where ordinary events like earthquakes and
hurricanes become increasingly elevated to the level of natural disasters which results in
heavy losses in the terms of human life as well as property. Scientists researching on this
topic from past many years have found that the increase in hydro-meteorological disasters
can be attributed to a combination of natural and human-caused factors. The main problem
is global warming which is increasing the temperatures of Earth's oceans and atmosphere,
leading to more intense storms of all types, including hurricanes and floods due to melting
of these oceans. Unplanned urbanization is at its peak, no one is really caring about the
environmental risks and everyone is busy making money. There are a lot of constructions
coming up in flood-prone regions which has increasing the likelihood that their towns and
villages will be affected by flash floods and coastal floods.6 A recent flood in Uttarakhand
is one such example. Human greed is increasing day by day and people are not at all
hesitant in ignoring the environmental laws and result is the destruction. In one way or the
other we are hampering our environment, the rapidly growing industrialization has led to
a lot of air as well as water pollution. Though there are environmental laws that these
industries need to follow to treat the waste before disposing off into environment but most
of the times the industry owners neglect these laws for their personal gain and even
authorities are also quite relaxed and do not take a prompt action against the culprits. Rapid
construction has led to large land areas being covered with cement, which means that the
flow of water becomes very strong, and the runoff from the water can't get absorbed by the
soil anymore, so it keeps collecting and rushing down, getting heavier and faster, which
may ultimately lead to much bigger floods. It is not that everyone is being ignorant in the
race to be the best. There are also a lot of people who really cares about the environment
and are really serious about taking up the matter at larger scale. There are many societies

6
Annie George, Building and Enabling Disaster Resilience of Coastal Communities (BEDROC) Reports
and Humanitarian field studies, 2004, Nagapattinam, South India.
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and group of people who are working in the field of environmental awareness and are
working day and night out to make people aware of the harmful effects of the pollution and
other practices that are harmful for our environment. Several NGO’s are taking up the issue
of pollution and global warming publically by taking out rallies and organizing various
campaigns to save environment and such initiatives need to be appreciated.
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Prevention and Control of Natural Disasters

Natural disasters are inevitable, even if we have technology to predict disasters we cannot
stop it from occurring. The best that we can do is to stop the practices that are harmful for
our environment and leading to environmental degradation and at the same time we should
also be prepared for a disaster with our disaster management plan. Beyond damaging and
destroying physical infrastructure, natural disasters can lead to outbreaks of infectious
disease. Once a disaster strikes it leaves behind a lot of destruction and loss of life. In the
case of disasters like floods, earthquake etc. where a large number people are displaced
there is also a great loss of life and after the disaster there are a lot of causalities also7. This
is the time when emergency preparedness comes into effect giving first aid to injured and
providing rescue and relief operation.

The overwhelming majority of deaths immediately after a natural disaster is directly

associated with blunt trauma, crush-related injuries and burn injuries. The risk of infectious
disease outbreaks in the aftermath of natural disasters has usually been overemphasized by
health officials and the media, leading to panic, confusion and sometimes to unnecessary
public health activities. After a disaster strikes there is a great risk of epidemic hence it is
very important to control the causalities as well as it is also required to dispose of the dead
animals as well human bodies properly before an epidemic outbreaks. The risk factors for
increased infectious diseases transmission and outbreaks are mainly associated with the
after-effects of the disasters rather than to the primary disaster itself or to the corpses of
those killed. It is very important to deal with these problems which in turn can pose a
greater threat.These after-effects include displacement of populations, environmental
changes and increased vector breeding sites. Unplanned and overcrowded shelters, poor
water and sanitation conditions, poor nutritional status or insufficient personal hygiene are
often the case which may cause diarrhoea and other water bone diseases. Consequently,
there are low levels of immunity to vaccine-preventable diseases, or insufficient
vaccination coverage and limited access to health care services. Hence it is very important
to be prepared with a proper disaster management team who can take charge as soon a
disaster strikes.

7
Charlotte Benson, John Twigg, et.al., Tools for Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction: Guidance Notes
for Development Organisations, (International federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent societies/ the
proVention consortium, Switzerland, 2007).
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Conclusion

In brief, it is evident that disaster management is not a stand-alone activity. A well-

structured people-centric, coordinated and integrated effort is the need, of the hour, to deal
with disaster and emergency situations in the country. The work should start from the
bottom to the top: the community should take up the ownership of the activity. The
community can act immediately in a cohesive and efficient manner, when they are well
trained with their boosted and they recognized. The role of local self-government in
managing natural disasters is of paramount importance and effective, technical and
practical oriented capacity development exercises need to be provided to the Panchayathi
Raj Institutions throughout the country, as India is considered the “theatre of disasters”.
Undoubtedly, we can say that team effort, with the “effective” participation of government
and community8, can make a difference to disaster management programmes. Effective
management is possible only if a comprehensive plan and implementation mechanism
programmes are chartered out. The post-tsunami scenario gives us a grave lesson to learn
concerning the do’s and don’ts that should be practiced giving insight into activities that
need to be employed; the role and responsibilities of each and every person who are directly
or indirectly affected by the disaster; and so on. Such a study, analysis and implementation
could help contribute in reducing or eliminating the consequences arising in the wake of a
disaster or any kind of emergency which shakes the entire fabric of a community or the
lives of the people.

8
Sharma, V.K., “Natural Disaster Management in India–Environment and development view point”, (IIPA,
2004), available at:
http://www.teriuniversity.ac.in/mct/pdf/Environment/Disaster_risk_reduction_through_environment_mana
gement_and_disaster_management/Prof%20Vinod%20Sharma/Natural_Disaster.pdf (last visited on
April19, 2018).