UNIT 1.

2
NATURAL DISASTERS
 NATURAL DISASTER
• Can be predicted with reasonable accuracy with advances in modern
technology
• E.g. Cyclones have become very predictable with remote sensing

• Disaster itself is unavoidable, but necessary preventive measures can

help reduce impact
• Natural disasters classified based on genesis:
i. Geological: Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides, avalanches
ii. Meteorological: Cyclones, blizzards, cloud bursts, heavy rainfall, droughts, cold
waves, heat waves, hailstorms, wild fires
iii. Hydrological: Floods, flash floods, tsunami
iv. Biological/ Medical: Epidemics, extinction event
 1. EARTHQUAKES
• Earthquakes occur due to movement of earth’s crust releasing
enormous amounts of energy creating seismic waves
• Submarine quakes: earthquakes happening under the sea – can
lead to tsunami
• Seismicity of an area – frequency, size & type of earthquakes that
happen in that area over a period of time
• Aftershocks may occur following major earthquake event ( smaller
intensity & may last for days)
• Foreshocks of smaller intensity precede main quake of higher
intensity
• Foreshocks can act as warning of impending disaster
 WHAT IS AN EARTHQUAKE ?
• Any seismic event that generates seismic waves
either due to natural or man-made causes
• Natural causes: movement of large land masses
across geological faults, landslides, volcanic
activity
• Man-made causes: mine blasts, nuclear
explosions
• Focus (hypocenter): point where initial rupture
takes place, beneath Earth surface (can be
shallow or deep)
• Epicenter: point on the surface directly above
the focus
 TECTONIC PLATES AND FAULTS
• Earthquake occurs due to movement of
earth’s tectonic plates along a fault plane

• Tendency of one plate to mover another is

halted by obstruction – accumulates
enormous amounts of energy

• Sides of fault plane can move smoothly

only if there are no obstructions

• When movement takes place after

sufficient storage of elastic strain energy,
there is sudden release of this energy
 TECTONIC PLATE MOVEMENT
a) Convergent: 2 plates
moving towards each
other ( one plate goes
below the other resulting
in destruction of crust)
b) Divergent: plates
moving away from each
other ( results in creation
new crust)
c) Strike-slip fault:
movement is horizontal
along length of a fault
 MEASURING EARTHQUAKES

1. Mercalli intensity scale

• Intensities in level of 1 to 12 based on effects
• Quantifies effects of earthquake on earths surface, people &
natural or man-made structures
• Intensity values vary depending upon distance from
epicenter of tremor
• Intensity values decrease as distance from epicenter
increases
 MEASURING EARTHQUAKES

2. Magnitude scale - Richter

• Assigns a single number to quantify energy released during
an earthquake
• Logarithmic of base 10 – every consecutive number
indicates a 10 fold increase in amplitude of waves
• Magnitude scales are based on energy released during an
earthquake
 MEASURING EARTHQUAKES

3. Moment Magnitude scale

• Based on seismic moment dependent on earth’s rigidity &
amount & area of slip on fault planes
• MM scales used to indicate size of Earthquakes > 5
• Richter magnitude scale used to report magnitudes < 5
 IMPACTS OF EARTHQUAKE
• Damages to infrastructure
like buildings, bridges etc.
• Power supply and
communication lines may be
snapped
• Roofs, walls & other
structures falling on people
• Secondary disasters: if small
dams & embankments
damaged – lead to flooding
• Submarine earthquakes can
cause tsunamis
 SURVIVAL TIPS
• Earthquake drills must be conducted in
schools, colleges & for general public for
training

• If inside building: drop down & take cover

• Once tremor starts: stay away from heavy

furniture

• If outdoors: stay away from buildings, trees,

power lines etc.

• If driving vehicle: drive to clear place &

stay there till tremors stop
 2. VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS
• Volcano: vent or opening through which heated
materials consisting of gases, water, lava & fragments
of rocks are ejected from highly heated interior to
surface of earth

• Volcanic eruption takes place by forceful ejection of

lava & other forms of debris through the vent on
surface

• Measured using scale known as volcanic explosivity

index [0 – 8]

• Volcanic hazard – potentially dangerous volcanic

activity that puts human life, livelihood & infrastructure
at risk of harm
 VOLCANIC ERUPTION
• Types of volcanoes:
i. Active

ii. Dormant

iii. Extinct

• Impacts of volcanic eruptions:

 Debris thrown out & flowing magma can
exterminate all vegetation, animals & habitats
 Area becomes completely barren after an
eruption
 Evacuation is best choice of disaster
management
 3. LANDSLIDES
• Geological event - includes range of movement of earth materials, rocks &
other debris
• Movement takes place essentially due to gravity
• There is a buildup of conditions that cause landslide – a trigger invariably
makes it happen:
• Removal of support from below to materials above through natural/artificial means
• Increase in gradient & height of slopes
• Overloading through addition of materials naturally/artificially
• Indiscriminate removal of natural vegetation

• Size & shape of detached mass depends on nature of discontinuities in rock,

degree of weathering & steepness of slope
FAILING of SLOPING
SURFACE
 LANDSLIDE CAUSES

• Absence of vegetation on slope due to

natural causes like fires or by
deforestation
• Groundwater pressure from within
pushing the material
• Base or toe material of slope being
washed away
• Natural causes like earthquakes or
volcanic eruptions destabilizing the
weak slope
• Liquefaction of slope material
 IMPACTS OF LANDSLIDE
• People living on slopes in houses is very hazardous
• Damages can be severe depending upon amount of
material & speed with which slide occurs & reaction
time available
• Houses, trees & everything in the way of slide are
damaged or uprooted
• People die due to debris falling on them & burying
them
• Precautionary measures:
• Stabilizing slope
• Providing nets for other obstruction for debris falling
• Ensuring vegetation & trees remain on slope
 AMRITA WNA
• Internationally recognized for
successful development &
deployment of world’s first wireless
sensor network (WSN) system for
Detection and Early Warning of
Landslides in Munnar region of
Kerala
• Issues real-time alerts before an
impending landslide, facilitating
evacuation efforts and saving lives
• Detection system’s signals are
available online
 AMRITA WNA
• Principal scientific advisor to GoI praised
the project stating “ The wireless sensor
system developed by Amrita University &
successfully tested at Munnar in Kerala to
forecast natural disasters like landslides
can be replicated in similar disaster prone
areas elsewhere in the country”

• Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham was

awarded the ‘World Centre of Excellence
on Landslide Disaster Reduction’ by
International Program on Landslides (IPL)
at 4th World Landslide Forum in 2017
 4. AVALANCHES
• Snow slides characterized by rapid movement of snow on a slope
• Can be triggered by mechanical failure or by loosening up of snow due to
many causes
• Avalanches can be initiated by:
 Skiers

 Snow mobiles

 Animals

 Any explosion or seismic activity

• Once triggered it moves down very rapidly due to gravity – increases in size &
mass collecting material including trees and debris on it’s way
• Common in many mountain ranges, particularly during winter or spring
 DAMAGES AND PRECAUTIONS
• Damages:
• Can cause severe damage & loss of
life
• Great destructive capability due to
large mass of snow it accumulates &
its capacity to carry rock materials,
trees & debris
• If people get caught in the path of
avalanche they may not survive

• Precautions:
• Look for avalanche warning signal &
avoid being on hill slopes