Pro.

Priyanka Jain

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DEFINITIONS OF DISASTER
 “A disaster can be defined as any occurrence that cause
damage, ecological disruption, loss of human life, deterioration
of health and health services on a scale, sufficient to warrant an
extraordinary response from outside the affected community or
area”.
(W.H.O.)

 “A disaster can be defined as an occurrence either nature or

manmade that causes human suffering and creates human
needs that victims cannot alleviate without assistance”.
American Red Cross (ARC)

 Disasters are hazards that cause destruction or

environmental changes.

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Environmental Disasters
An environmental disaster can sometimes be the result of a
natural disaster but it does not have to be, environmental
disasters can also be the result of human caused incidents
such as an oil spill or a nuclear disaster.
The actual definition of an environmental disaster is an
incident which occurs either as the result of a natural
disaster or a human caused disaster which results in a
negative or “disastrous” impact upon the natural
environment. Some individuals use the term environmental
disaster only to apply to incidents that are a result of
human-caused action; however, it is important to note that
this is actually only one category of environmental disaster.

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Environmental Disaster
Environmental disasters fall into two general categories. Some
disasters are caused by natural climate or weather events. These
include wild fires, landslides, floods, earthquakes, droughts,
tornadoes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions. Although the
causes of these natural environmental disasters do not involve
human activities, in some cases the effects are worsened by the
influence of people.

A second category of environmental disasters includes those

caused by human activities. Examples of human-induced
environmental disasters include oil spills, chemical spills, and
nuclear incidents. In addition, wars and terrorist activities can
be disastrous to ecosystems. In many cases, environmental
disasters caused by humans have longer lasting effects on the
environment than catastrophes brought on by natural events. 4
Classification of Disasters

Natural Man made

Disasters Disasters

Meteorological Technological

Topographical Industrial

Environmental Warfare

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 Meteorological Topographical Environmental
Disasters Disasters Disasters

• Floods • Earthquake • Global

• Tsunami • Volcanic warming
• Cyclone Eruptions • El Niño-
• Hurricane • Landslides and Southern
Avalanches Oscillation
• Typhoon
• Asteroids • Ozone
• Snow storm
• Limnic depletion- UVB
• Blizzard Radiation
eruptions
• Hail storm • Solar flare

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Technological Industrial Warfare

• Transport • Chemical • War

failure spills • Terrorism
• Public place • Radioactive • Internal
failure spills conflicts
• Fire • Civil unrest
• CBRNE

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FLOODS

• Deforestation
• Mistakes in land use
pattern
• Bad zoning
• Bad planning
• Bad agricultural
practices

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Floods are caused when water overflows from a water body.

Flooding may occur as an overflow of water from water bodies,

such as a river lake or ocean, in which the water overtops or
breaks levees resulting in some of that water escaping its usual
boundaries, or it may occur due to an accumulation of
rainwater on saturated ground in an areal flood.

Floods can form where there is no stream, as for example

when abnormally heavy precipitation falls on flat terrain at
such a rate that the soil cannot absorb the water or the water
cannot run off as fast as it falls.

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Can floods be manmade ?
 Floods are caused not only by rain but also by
human changes to the surface of the earth.
Farming, deforestation, and urbanization increase
the runoff from rains; thus storms that previously
would have caused no flooding today inundate
vast areas.
 Not only do we contribute to the causes of floods,
but reckless building in vulnerable areas, poor
watershed management, and failure to control the
flooding also help create the disaster condition.

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Causes of Floods
Some of the major causes are:
 Heavy rainfall
 Heavy siltation of the river bed reduces the water
carrying capacity of the rivers/stream.
 Blockage in the drains lead to flooding of the area.
 Landslides blocking the flow of the stream.
 Construction of dams and reservoirs

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Impact
 Houses washed away
 Flotation of houses
 Damage caused by inundation of house
 Undercutting of house
 Damage caused debris
 Health-Related Effects
 Impact on Agriculture
 Impact on Development

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Types of Floods

Flash Floods
Riverine floods
Storm Surge

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Flash floods
 Flash floods are local floods of great volume and short
duration.
 A flash flood generally results from a torrential rain or
“cloudburst” on relatively small and widely-dispersed
streams.
 Runoff from the intense rainfall results in high flood waves.
Discharges, quickly reach a maximum and diminish almost as
rapidly.
 Flood flows frequently contain large concentrations of
sediment and debris.
 Flash floods also result from the failure of a dam.
 Flash floods are particularly common in mountainous areas
and desert regions but are a potential threat in any area where
the terrain is steep, surface runoff rates are high, streams flow
in narrow canyons, and severe thunderstorms prevail.

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Riverine floods
 Riverine floods are caused by precipitation over large areas
or by melting of the winter’s accumulation of snow, or by
both.
 These floods differ from flash floods in their extent and
duration. Whereas flash floods are of short duration in
small streams, riverine floods take place in river systems
whose tributaries may drain large geographic areas and
encompass many independent river basins
 Floods on large river systems may continue for periods
ranging from a few hours to many days. Flood flows in
large river systems are the distribution of precipitation.
 The condition of the ground (amount of soil moisture,
seasonal variations in vegetation, depth of snow cover,
etc.) directly affects runoff.

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Storm surge
 Storm surge or tidal surge is an offshore rise of water associated with
low pressure weather system, typically a tropical cyclone.
 Storm surge is caused primarily by high winds pushing on the oceans
surface.
 The wind causes the water to pile up higher than the ordinary sea level.
Low pressure at the center of a weather system also has a small secondary
effect, as can the bathymetry of the body of water.
 It is this combined effect of low pressure and persistent wind over a
shallow water body which is the most common cause of storm surge
flooding problems.
 The term "storm surge" in casual (non-scientific) use is storm tide; that
is, it refers to the rise of water associated with the storm, plus tide, wave
run-up, and freshwater flooding.

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 India
Uttarakhand
Himachal Pradesh
Location Uttar Pradesh
Nepal
Far Western Region
Mid Western Region
Deaths 5,748 [
Property damage 4,200 villages were affected

One of the biggest floods in the world is probably the

Yellow river in China 1887 which killed between around
900,000.

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What is a tsunami?

 A tsunami is a series of
waves created when water is
moved very quickly.
Underwater earthquakes are
the most common causes of
tsunamis, but underwater
volcanic activity can also
trigger a displacement in
the water, and create a
mega-wave.
Causes of Tsunami

Earthquake

Volcanic eruption

Underwater explosions

Meteorite impacts
 .Tsunami is one of the earth’s disaster. It was a Japanese
word
meaning “harbor wave,” used as the scientific term for a
class
of abnormal sea wave that can cause catastrophic
damage when it hits a coastline.

.Tsunamis can be generated by an undersea earthquake,

an undersea landslide, the eruption of an undersea volcano,
or by the force of an asteroid crashing into the ocean.
Tsunamis occur most frequently in the Pacific
Ocean, but are
a global phenomenon; they are possible
wherever large bodies of
water are found, including inland lakes, where
they can be caused
by landslides.
Japan is a nation with the most recorded
tsunamis in the
world. The earliest recorded disaster being that
of the 684 A.D.
Plan for a Tsunami

• Develop a Family Disaster Plan

• Learn about tsunami risk in your
community
• If you are visiting an area at risk from
tsunamis, check with the hotel, motel, or
campground operators for tsunami
evacuation information
• Plan an evacuation route from your
home, school, workplace, or any other
place you'll be where tsunamis present a
risk.
 Practice your evacuation route
 Use a NOAA Weather Radio with a tone-
alert feature to keep you informed of local
watches and warnings.
 Discuss tsunami with your family
 Assemble a Disaster Supplies Kit
What to Do After a Tsunami
• Continue listening to a NOAA Weather
Radio, Coast Guard emergency frequency
station, or other reliable source for
emergency information
• Help injured or trapped persons
• Use the telephone only for emergency
calls
• Stay out of the building if waters remain
around it
• Examine walls, floors, doors, staircases,
and windows to make sure that the
building is not in danger of collapsing.
• Inspect foundations for cracks or other
damage
 Look for fire hazards.
 Check for gas leaks
 Look for electrical system damage.
 Check food supplies. Any food that has
come in contact with flood waters may be
contaminated and should be thrown out.
Example
 Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami
 The 2011 earthquake of Tohoku was the most powerful
earthquake to have ever hit Japan, and the fifth most
powerful earthquake in recorded history.
It registered a 9.0 in magnitude and was preceded by large fore-
shocks and hundreds of aftershocks. The main quake lasted
several minutes, producing seismic energy that could provide a
busy city like Los Angeles power for an entire year.
The resulting tsunami produced record high waves of over 30
meters and inundated several hundred kilometers of land. 15,884
people lost their lives in the resulting tsunami and also in the
nuclear disaster of Fukushima. The Tokoku tsunami was the
most expensive natural disaster ever recorded, costing the US
equivalent of $300 billion.

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CYCLONES
Word "Cyclone" is derived from the Greek, word "Cyclos" meaning the
coils of a snake.
‘Cyclone’ is the term used globally to cover tropical weather systems in which
winds equal or exceed ‘gale force’ (minimum of 34 knot, i.e., 62 kmph).
These are intense low pressure areas of the earth atmosphere coupled system and
are extreme weather events of the tropics.
 anti-clockwise direction in the Northern Hemisphere and in clockwise direction
in the Southern Hemisphere.
A cyclone is an area of closed, circular fluid motion. It has low pressure on the
inside and high pressure on the outside.

The center of the storm is called the eye and it has the calmest water and the lowest
pressure
 Cyclones are given many names in different regions of
the world – they are known as typhoons in the China
Sea and Pacific Ocean
 Hurricanes in the West Indian islands in the
Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean
 Tornados in the Guinea lands of West Africa and the
southern USA.
 Willy-willies in north-western Australia and tropical
cyclones in the Indian Ocean.
Mechanism of cyclones
Mechanism of cyclones
 A full-grown cyclone is a violent whirl in the
atmosphere 150 to 1000 km across, 10 to 15 km high.
 The central calm region of the storm is called the
"Eye". The diameter of the eye varies between 30 and
50 km and is a region free of clouds and has light
winds.
 Around this calm and clear eye, there is the "Wall
Cloud Region" of the storm about 5O km in extent,
where the winds, thick clouds with torrential rain,
thunder and lightning prevail.
 Away from the "Wall Cloud Region", the wind speed
gradually decreases.
CONT…
 Once the cyclones reach higher latitudes they often
change their direction and move north and then
north-east (south and south east hemisphere). The
process is known as recurreature.
 When two cyclones exist near to each other, they
inter-act and move anti-clockwise with respect to each
other.
 In India, when cyclones recur they get broken up over
the Himalayas and their further eastward movement
ceases.
Cyclone warning
 Two Stage Warning Scheme“
 The first stage warning known as the "Cyclone Alert" is
issued 48 hours in advance of the expected
commencement of the adverse weather over the coastal
areas.
 The second stage warning known as the "Cyclone
Warning" is issued 24 hours in advance.
 Both cyclone "Alert" and "Warning" messages are passed
to the AIR stations for repeated broadcast.
CYCLONES - Do's & Dont's
 Before the Cyclone season:
 Check the house; secure loose tiles, carry out repair
works for doors and windows
 Remove dead woods or dying trees close to the house;
anchor removable objects like lumber piles, loose tin
sheds, loose bricks, garbage cans, sign-boards etc. which
can fly in strong winds
 Keep some wooden boards ready so that glass windows
can be boarded if needed
 Demolish condemned buildings
 Keep some dry non-perishable food always ready for
emergency use
Example
 The biggest cyclone recorded is the Bhola cyclone. It
hit the coast of today's Bangladesh in 1970 with a death
toll of around 500,000

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Snowstorm
All snowstorms are associated with an area
of low pressure. Snow usually falls to the
north and/or west of a low pressure.

H Snowstorms can be small storms (less than

6 inches) or big storms (greater than 6
inches). They usually occur between
December and March, although we have
had rare snowstorms in November and
L April.
Snowstorms that impact the Philadelphia
region can be the result of a weak low,
moderate low, or strong low. Usually it is
the dynamic interaction between a low
pressure to our south and a high pressure to
our north and/or west that produces our
most significant snowstorms.
Snowstorm
 A Snowstorm is when a lot of snow falls to the ground
with or without super cold temperatures. It is usually
when the school calls for a snow day.
Blizzard
 A Blizzard is strong storm lasting for 3 or 4 hours with
high winds blowing and very cold temperatures
outside. The temperatures are colder than 32 degrees
Fahrenheit. A ground blizzard is a weather condition
where snow is not falling but loose snow on the
ground is lifted and blown by strong winds.
 By definition, the difference between blizzard
and a snowstorm is the strength of the wind.
 To be a blizzard, a snow storm must have winds
in excess of 56 km/h (35 mph) with blowing
 Hail Storm:
 Any thunderstorm which produces hail that reaches
the ground is known as a hailstorm. Hail has a
diameter of 5 millimetres (0.20 in) or more. Hailstones
can grow to 15 centimetres (6 in) and weigh more than
0.5 kilograms (1.1 lb). Unlike ice pellets, hailstones are
layered and can be irregular and clumped together.

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Earthquakes constitute one of the worst natural hazards
which often turn into disaster causing widespread
destruction and loss to human life.

The effects of earthquake vary upon the magnitude and

intensity. Earthquakes occur every now and then all
round the world, except in some places where
earthquakes occur rarely. The devastation of cities and
towns is one of the effects of earthquake.
What is Earthquake?

An Earthquake is the result

of a sudden release of energy
in the earth’s crust that creates
seismic waves.
The seismic activity of an
area refers to the frequency,
type and size of earthquakes
experienced over a period of
time.
For example:
If you throw stone in a
pond of still water,series of
waves are produced on the
surface of water,these waves
spread out in all directions from
the point where the stone strikes
the water.

similarly, any sudden

disturbances in the earth’s crust
may produce vibration in the
crust which travel in all direction
from point of disturbances.
 Earthquakes are the shaking, rolling or sudden shock of
the earth’s surface.
 They are the Earth's natural means of releasing stress.
 Earthquakes can be felt over large areas although they
usually last less than one minute.
 Earthquakes cannot be predicted, although scientists are
working on it.
 There are about 20 plates along the surface of the
earth that move continuously and slowly past each
other. When the plates squeeze or stretch, huge rocks
form at their edges and the rocks shift with great force,
causing an earthquake.

 Ex: pencil test

 What is a fault?
 A fault is an area of stress in the earth where broken rocks
slide past each other, causing a crack in the Earth's
surface.
 The primary cause of an earthquake is faults on the crust
of the earth.
Loss of life and property
Damage to transport system i.e. roads, railways, highways,
airports, marine
Damage to infrastructure.
Chances of Floods – Develop cracks in Dams
Chances of fire short-circuit.
Communications such as telephone wires are damaged.
Water pipes, sewers are disrupted
Economic activities like agriculture, industry, trade and transport
are severely affected.
 A seismograph is an
instrument used for
recording the intensity
and duration of an
earthquake.
If you are in house;
• Don’t use lift for getting down from building.
• Be prepared to move with your family.

If you are in shop ,school or office;

• Don’t run for an exit.
•Take cover under a disk/table.
•Move away from window glass.
•Do not go near electric point and cable. Keep away from weak portion of
the building and false ceiling.
If you are outside;
• Avoid high buildings , walls , power lines and other objects
that could fall and create block.
• Don’t run through streets.
• If possible , move on to an open area away from hazard
including trees.

If you are in vehicle;

• Stop in a safe open place.
• Remain inside vehicle.
• Close window , doors and vents.
Keep calm, switch on the transistor radio and obey
instructions.
Keep away from beaches and low banks of river. A huge
wave may sweep in
Do not re enter badly damaged buildings and do not go
near damage structures.
Turn off the water, gas and electricity.
Do not smoke, light match or use a cigarette lighter
Do not turn on switches there may be gas leak or short
circuit
If there is any fire, try to put it out or call fire brigade.
 Do not drink water from open containers without having
examined it.
If you aware of people have been buried, tell the rescue team. Do
not rush and try not to worsen the situation.
Avoid places where there are loose electric wires and do not
come in contact with any metal object.

Eat something. You will better and more capable of helping

other.

Do not walk around the streets to see what is happening. Keep

the streets clear so rescue vehicles can access the roads easily.
 VOLCANIC ERUPTION
 A volcano is a mountain where lava (hot, liquid
rock) comes from a magma chamber under the
ground. Most volcanoes have a volcanic crater
at the top. When a volcano is active, materials
come out of it. The materials include lava,
steam, gaseous sulfur compounds, ash and
broken rock pieces.
 When there is enough pressure, it causes the
volcano to erupt. The pressure blows off the
top of the volcano. The magma comes out,
sometimes quickly and sometimes slowly.
 TOP 10 DEADLIEST VOLCANIC
ERUPTIONS
1) MT. TAMBORA, INDONESIA
 Date: April 10th -15th, 1816
 Death toll: 92,000

2) MT.UNZEN, JAPAN
 Date: 1792
 Death toll: 12,000-15,000

3) MT.VESUVIUS, ITALY
 Date: August 24th AD 79
 Death toll: 10,000+
4) MT. PELEE, WEST INDIES
 Date: April 25th-May 8th, 1902
 Death toll: 40,000

5) MT. KRAKATOA, INDONESIA

 Date: August 16th-28th 1883
 Death toll: 36,000
7) THE LAKI VOLCANIC SYSTEM,
ICELAND
Date: June 8th 1783- 8th February
1784
Death toll: 9,350

8) MT, VESUVIUS, ITALY

Date: 1631
Death toll: 6,000

9) MT. GALUNGGUNG, JAVA

INDONESIA
Date: 1882
Death toll: 4,011

10) MT. KELUT, INDONESIA

Date: May 19th, 1919
Death toll: 5,110
Landslides And Avalanches
A landslide, also known as a landslip,
 is a geological phenomenon that includes a wide range
of ground movements, such as rock falls, deep failure
of slopes and shallow debris flows.

Landslides can occur in offshore, coastal and on shore

environments. Although the action of gravity is the
primary driving force for a landslide to occur, there are
other contributing factors affecting the original slope
stability.

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 Causes
Heavy rains
Earthquakes
Volcano eruptions
Floods
Ground water changes
Rapid snow melt
Quarrying
Avalanches
 An avalanche (also called a snowslide) is a rapid flow
of snow down a sloping surface. Avalanches are
typically triggered in a starting zone from a
mechanical failure in the snowpack (slab avalanche)
when the forces on the snow exceed its strength but
sometimes only with gradually widening (loose snow
avalanche). After initiation, avalanches usually
accelerate rapidly and grow in mass and volume as
they entrain more snow. If the avalanche moves fast
enough some of the snow may mix with the air
forming a powder snow avalanche, which is a type of
gravity current.

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Limnic eruption,
 A limnic eruption -also referred
to as a lake overturn- is a rare
type of natural disaster in which
carbon dioxide (CO2) suddenly
erupts from deep lake water,
suffocating wildlife, livestock and
humans.
 Such an eruption may also cause
tsunami, in the lake as the rising
CO2 displaces water. Scientists
believe landslides, volcanic
activity, or explosions can trigger,
such an eruption.
 Lakes in which such activity
occurs may be known as
limnically active lakes or
exploding lakes. Some features of
limnically active lakes include:
 CO2-saturated incoming water
 Lake Monoun & Nyos

On August 15, 1984, the lake exploded in a

limnic eruption, which resulted in the release
of a large amount of carbon dioxide, that killed
37 people.
At first, the cause of the deaths was a mystery,
and causes such as terrorism were suspected.
Further investigation and a similar event- two
years later- at Lake Nyos led to the currently
accepted explanation.
Nyos , is a deep lake [208 m] ,
high on the flank of an inactive
volcano, in the Oku volcanic
plain, along the Cameroon line
of volcanic activity. A natural
dam of volcanic rock contains the
lake waters.
WHAT IS GLOBAL WARMING?

Temperatures are rising because we

have dramatically increased the
amount of carbon dioxide in the
Earth’s atmosphere, by burning
fossil fuels such as coal, gas, and oil,
and by clearing forests.
 The earth heats up (the temperature rises)=> It
happens when greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide,
water vapor, nitrous oxide, and methane) trap heat
and light from the sun in the earth’s atmosphere,
which increases the temperature. This hurts many
people, animals, and plants.
What is global warming doing to
the environment?
 Makes the sea rise : the water covers many low land
islands, the plants and causes some of them to die so,
the animals lose a source of food, along with their
habitat,but people lose two sources of food, plant food
and animal food
 The severity of storms
Effects such as hurricanes
and cyclones is
increasing, and
2. More Killer Storms research published in
Nature found that
(quoting) :
3. Heat waves, droughts, and wildfires will be more frequent.
4. More than a million species worldwide could be extinct by 2050.

5. Up to 300,000 people a year will die – partly from the spread of tropical
diseases

6. Global warming, is harming and killing algae in the ocean.=> Fewer

algae is a problem 4because there is less food for us and many animals in
the sea. More than a million species worldwide
could be extinct by 2050.
7. Global warming=> it is also destroying many huge forests,many more
fires that wipe out whole forests. This happens because global warming
can make the earth very hot.

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Causes
 Other greenhouse
gases emission

 Agriculture
 Forestry
 Other land uses
 Waste management
Causes
 Burning of fossil fuels (Coal/Crude oil)
 Power plants generate electricity

 Transportation-----fuels for transports (E.g. LPG,

kerosene, fuel oil)

 Industrial processes (E.g. manufacture of

cement, steel, aluminium)

Another thing that makes global warming worse is when people

cut down trees. Trees and other plants collect carbon dioxide
(CO2), which is a greenhouse gas.(deforestration)
 What are people doing to stop
global warming?

 Carpooling=>is driving with someone to a place that

you are both going to. This minimizes the amount of
greenhouse gases put into the air by a car.

 Another thing that people are doing is being more

careful about leaving things turned on like the
television, computer, and the lights.
Government
* set some laws to limit the amount of pollutants produced by factories

* develop the skills of using renewable fuels, e.g. solar energy, wind energy

* encourage the factories to replace fossil fuels by renewable fuels, which

would not cause environmental pollution

* carry out energy saving scheme → reduce the pollution produced by

burning fossil fuels

* build more plants → reduce the pollutants e.g. CO2

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Citizens
* reduce the use of plastic bags → as burning plastic emit CH4
* recycle the resources, e.g. plastic
* reduce the use of sprays → as CFCs would be emitted out

reduce the use of air-conditioner, which will emit CFCs

* use public transportation instead of private cars → reduce

the pollutants emitted by cars

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Environmental
and Human
Effects
Extreme Events
 Extreme Events:
 Heat waves; Cold waves; Storms; Floods and
Droughts
Global warming

An increase in the frequency of extreme events

More event-related deaths, injuries, infectious

diseases, and stress-related disorders
Direct Temperature Effects
Increase in average temperature

More extreme heat waves during the summer; Less

extreme cold spells during the winter

Harmful to those with heart problems, asthma, the

elderly, the very young and the homeless
Climate-sensitive diseases
 Increase the risk of some infectious diseases
 [particularly that appear in warm areas; are spread by
mosquitoes and other insects]
 E.g. Malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever, encephalitis

 Algal blooms occur more frequently as

temperatures warm (particularly in areas with
polluted waters)

Diseases (e.g. cholera) accompanying algal blooms

become more frequent
Air QualityAn increase in the concentration of
ground-level ozone

Damage lung tissue

Harmful for those with asthma and

other chronic lung diseases
Food supply

Rising temperatures and variable

precipitation

Decrease the production of staple foods in

many of the poorest regions

Increasing risks of malnutrition

Population displacement
Rising sea levels

Increase the risk of coastal flooding

(Necessitate population displacement)

 More than half of the world's population now lives within

60km of the sea.
 Most vulnerable regions: Nile delta in Egypt, the Ganges-
Brahmaputra delta in Bangladesh, many small islands, such as
the Maldives, the Marshall Islands and Tuvalu.
UV Exposure (Australia)

 Skin Cancer
 an abnormal growth of skin tissues.

 Premature aging
 make the skin thick, wrinkled, and leathery

 Cataracts
 No longer have transparent lenses in their eyes
UV Exposure (Australia)
 Other Eye Damages
 Skin cancer around the eyes
 Degeneration of the yellow spot

 Suppression of Immunity
 Overexposure to UV radiation  suppress proper
functioning of the body's immune system and natural
defenses of skin
 UV-B radiation weakens the immune system 
increases the chance of infection and disease