Handout on Disaster Management by Mrs.

Vaishali Anand

SENDAI FRAMEWORK- SEVEN GLOBAL TARGETS

To support the assessment of global progress in achieving the outcome and goal of the
present Framework, seven global targets have been agreed. These targets will be measured
at the global level and will be complemented by work to develop appropriate indicators.
National targets and indicators will contribute to the achievement of the outcome and goal of
the present Framework. The seven global targets are:
(a) Substantially reduce global disaster mortality by 2030, aiming to lower the average per
100,000 global mortality rate in the decade 2020–2030 compared to the period 2005– 2015;
(b) Substantially reduce the number of affected people globally by 2030, aiming to lower the
average global figure per 100,000 in the decade 2020–2030 compared to the period 2005–
2015;9
(c) Reduce direct disaster economic loss in relation to global gross domestic product (GDP)
by 2030;
(d) Substantially reduce disaster damage to critical infrastructure and disruption of basic
services, among them health and educational facilities, including through developing their
resilience by 2030;
(e) Substantially increase the number of countries with national and local disaster risk
reduction strategies by 2020;
(f) Substantially enhance international cooperation to developing countries through adequate
and sustainable support to complement their national actions for implementation of the
present Framework by 2030;
(g) Substantially increase the availability of and access to multi-hazard early warning
systems and disaster risk information and assessments to people by 2030.

Page 1 of 10
2017 Guidelines for Preparation of Action Plan – Prevention and Management of Heat-
Wave
Heat wave: Heat wave is a condition of atmospheric temperature that leads to physiological
stress, which sometimes can cause deaths as well. The World Meteorological Organization
defines a heat wave as five or more consecutive days during which the daily maximum
temperature exceeds the average maximum temperature by five degrees Celsius. Different
countries define heat wave differently in context of their local conditions. In India, heat wave
is considered if maximum temperature of a station reaches at least 40°C or more for plains,
37°C or more for coastal stations and at least 30°C or more for hilly regions. Many States
are affected during the heat wave season, such as Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha,
Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka,
Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Haryana, Punjab and Delhi.
Past experience on Heat-wave plan implementations-
In 2013, the Ahmadabad Heat Action Plan was developed, which outlined several
interventions such as public awareness and community outreach, building capacity of
medical community, reducing heat exposure and promoting adaptive measures, and finally,
developing an early warning system along with an inter-agency response plan. Ahmedabad
Heat wave Action provides a framework the following key lessons for other cities:
• Recognize Heat Wave as a major Health Risk. • Map out the High Risk Communities. •
Setting up of Public Cooling Places. • Issue Heat wave alerts through different media.

Odisha State Disaster Management Authority has taken the following steps to tackle heat
wave:

 Early warning systems: Temperature and humidity levels, considered together, will
determine the threshold for heat wave alerts. Bhubaneswar experiences up to 85 percent
humidity in the summers, with Odisha’s coastal regions facing even higher humidity.

 Public outreach: Temperature forecasts and heat alerts will be sent as bulk messages on
mobile phones, including to the media for wider broadcast. Electronic screens at busy traffic
intersections and market places will also display the information. The State is also
developing a website and a mobile phone app that would not only provide heat alerts but
also help users identify, via maps, heat shelters and drinking water availability along
highways through the State.

 Medical up-gradation and administrative measures: Heat treatment wings have been
planned in hospitals, and heat alerts would trigger early morning shifts for schools and
offices.

Key strategies (2017) outlined by NDMA

Severe and extended heat waves can also cause disruption to general, social and economic
services. Government agencies will have a critical role to play in preparing and responding
to heat waves at the local level, working closely with health and other related departments
on a long-term strategic plan.

 Establish Early Warning System and inter-agency coordination

Page 2 of 10
 Developing inter-agency response plan

 Preparedness at the local level for health system

 Health system capacity building

 Public awareness and community outreach

 Collaboration with non-government and civil society

 Assessing the impact – feedback for reviewing and updating the plan

Page 3 of 10
 DISASTER MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES 2010 by NDMA for various disasters
(given in the year 2010)

2010 Guidelines on Management of Earthquakes-

Given the high seismic risk and earthquake vulnerability in India, these Guidelines require all
stakeholders to ensure that, hereafter, all new structures are built in compliance of
earthquake resistant building codes and town planning byelaws. This will be taken up as a
national resolve.
These Guidelines emphasise the need for carrying out the structural safety audit of existing
lifeline structures and other critical structures in earthquake-prone areas, and carrying out
selective seismic strengthening and retrofitting.
1. Ensure the incorporation of earthquake resistant design features for the construction
of new structures.
2. Facilitate selective strengthening and seismic retrofitting of existing priority and
lifeline structures in earthquake-prone areas.
3. Improve the compliance regime through appropriate regulation and enforcement.
4. Improve the awareness and preparedness of all stakeholders.
5. Introduce appropriate capacity development interventions for effective earthquake
management (including education, training, R&D, and documentation).
6. Strengthen the emergency response capability in earthquake-prone areas.

2010 Guidelines on Management of Tsunamis-

In order to protect the coastal environment and the life and property of the people along the
coastal areas from natural hazards including tsunami, the M.S. Swaminathan Committee
Report has recommended that:
• Mangrove wetlands should be regenerated. • Coral reefs, grass beds, and coastal forests
should be preserved and conserved for both short-term and long-term ecological and
livelihood benefits. • Raising coastal plantations like casuarinas, saliconia, palm, bamboo,
etc. will act as an effective bio-shield and provide protection to the coastal communities. •
Geomorphologic features like sand dunes, beaches, coastal cliffs should be protected. •
Impact of natural hazards in the coastal and marine areas should be taken into account
while formulating coastal area management schemes.
The goals and objectives of Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) are: • Reduction
of the impact of natural disasters (storm surges, high winds and flooding) • Optimisation of
the use of coastal resources (economic development and environmental protection), and •
Improvement of livelihoods of the coastal communities (poverty alleviation and achieving
equity)
It is necessary to associate local panchayati raj institutions and local communities in the
management of coastal resources for safeguarding human safety and ecological integrity in
the coastal areas. Enhancing the economic well-being of the fishing and farming
communities along the shoreline through an integrated bio-shield programme need to be
assigned high priority. In the medium term, integrated and ecologically-socially sustainable
coastal zone management systems should be put in place jointly by government agencies
and coastal communities.

Page 4 of 10
The island states must have their own coping capacities and adequate capabilities to
respond to any emergency, without waiting for assistance from the Central Government.
They must set up the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) from their existing police force
and train these SDRF personnel with the help of master trainers from NDRF. The medical
facilities in the island territories will also be adequately strengthened and the possibilities of
deploying medical ships or medical boats to remote islands will be explored by the health
administration. The availability of floating jetties and strengthening of refuelling capabilities in
various air strips in Andaman and Nicobar islands will be explored. Wherever necessary, the
existing resources of the Coast Guards, Indian Navy, Pawan Hans helicopters and Indian Air
Force will also be utilised by the administration of the island territories to meet emergency
requirements with the approval of the Central Government.

2010 Guidelines on Management of Cyclones-

The following are some of the salient initiatives recommended for implementation as part of
the National Guidelines for Management of Cyclones:
Establishing a state-of-the-art cyclone EWS involving observations, predictions, warnings
and customised local-scale advice for decision-makers (national/state/district level) for
managing the impact of cyclones.
Commissioning of Aircraft Probing of Cyclone (APC) facility for India with a combination of
manned aircraft and high altitude Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) which can effectively fill
the critical observational data gaps in the case of cyclones over the Bay of Bengal and the
Arabian Sea to a great extent. An actual flight by an aircraft into and around the tropical
cyclone during various stages of its development and movement can provide invaluable data
for studying and understanding the structure and movement of a cyclone, thus reducing
track and intensity prediction errors significantly. National flight by an aircraft into and around
the tropical cyclone during various stages of its development and movement can provide
invaluable data for studying and understanding the structure and movement of a cyclone,
thus reducing track and intensity prediction errors significantly.
National Commissioning of the National Disaster Communication Infrastructure (NDCI) at the
NDMA/MHA, State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs) of coastal states/UTs and
District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMAs) of the 84 coastal districts vulnerable to
cyclones with the adoption of state-of-the-art operational infrastructure.
The following specific actions will be carried out for taking structural measures for cyclone
risk mitigation: i) Structural safety of lifeline infrastructure in coastal areas; ii) Establishing a
robust system of locating multi-purpose cyclone shelters and cattle mounds; iii) Ensuring
cyclone resistant design standards are incorporated in the rural/ urban housing schemes in
coastal areas; iv) Building all-weather road links to all coastal habitations, between
habitations and cyclone shelters/cattle mounds; v) Maintaining the full designed carrying
capacity of main drains and canals along with feeder primary/secondary/ tertiary channels,
creating additional flood flow canals in frequently inundated areas; vi) Construction of saline
embankments to prevent ingress of saline water associated with cyclonic storm surge; and
Encouraging public-private partnership with corporate/trusts.
Actions for effective cyclone risk reduction through management of coastal zones include: i)
Mapping and delineation of coastal wetlands, patches of mangroves and shelterbelts,
identification of potential zones for expanding bio-shield spread based on remote sensing
tools. ii) Regulating infrastructure and development activities in coastal zones. iii) Monitoring

Page 5 of 10
of water quality as well as the carrying and assimilative capacities of open waters with
institutionalised remedial measures. iv) Developing Integrated Coastal Zone Management
(ICZM) frameworks for addressing the sustainability and optimal utilisation of coastal
resources as also cyclone impact minimisation plans. v) Evolving eco-system restoration
plans for degraded ecological zones. vi) Developing delta water management and
freshwater recharge/management options. vii) Coastal bio-shields spread, preservation and
restoration/ regeneration plans. viii) Implementing coastal flood zoning, flood plain
development and flood inundation management and regulatory plans. ix) Groundwater
development and augmentation of freshwater requirement in coastal urban centres. x)
Development of Aquaculture Parks in the identified potential zones.
Setting up of an exclusive eco-system monitoring network to study the impact of changing
climate.
Developing integrated hazard mitigation framework taking into account cyclone and
associated storm surge, wind hazard, rainfall-runoff, river flood and Geographical
Information System (GIS) models for estimating possible areas of inundation along with the
depth of inundation (levels), possible damage to infrastructure, crops, houses, etc.,
evaluating not only the vulnerability but also the changing profile of vulnerability from time to
time

2010 Guidelines on Management of Floods-

 Continuous modernisation of flood forecasting, early warning and decision support

systems.
 Ensuring the incorporation of flood resistant features in the design and construction
of new structures in the flood prone areas.
 Drawing up time-bound plans for the flood proofing of strategic and public utility
structures in flood prone areas.
 Improving the awareness and preparedness of all stakeholders in the flood prone
areas.
 Introducing appropriate capacity development interventions for effective FM
(including education, training, capacity building, research and development, and
documentation.)
 Improving the compliance regime through appropriate mechanisms.
 Strengthening the emergency response capabilities.

2010 Guidelines on Management of Urban Flooding-

1. Ministry of Urban Development will be the Nodal Ministry for Urban Flooding
2. Establishment of the Urban Flooding Cell in Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD), State
Nodal Departments and ULBs
3. Establishing a Technical Umbrella for Urban Flood Forecasting and Warning both at the
National Level and State/UT levels
4. IMD will establish a 'Local Network Cell'
5. Establishment of Local Network of Automatic Rainfall Gauges (ARGs) for Real-time
Monitoring with a density of 1 in every 4 sq km in all 2325 Class I, II and III cities and towns

Page 6 of 10
6. Strategic Expansion of Doppler Weather Radar Network in the country to cover all Urban
Areas for enhanced Local-Scale Forecasting Capabilities with maximum possible Lead-time
7. India Meteorological Department (IMD) will develop a Protocol for Sub-Division of Urban
Areas on the basis of Watershed and issue Rainfall Forecast on the Watershed-basis
8. Establishing Urban Flood Early Warning System
9. Catchment will be the basis for Design of Stormwater Drainage System
10. Watershed will be the basis for all Urban Flooding Disaster Management Actions
11. All 2325 Class I, II and III cities and towns will be mapped on the GIS platform
12. Contour Mapping will be prepared at 0.2 - 0.5 m contour interval
13. Inventory of the existing stormwater drainage system will be prepared on a GIS platform
14. Future Stormwater Drainage Systems will be designed with a Runoff Coefficient of up to
0.95 in using Rational Method taking into account the Approved Land-use Pattern
15. Pre-Monsoon De-silting of Drains will be completed before March 31 every year
16. Involve the Residents' Welfare Associations (RWAs) and Community Based
Organisations (CBOs) in monitoring this and in all Urban Flood Disaster Management
(UFDM) actions
17. Every building shall have Rainwater Harvesting as an integral component of the building
utility
18. Encroachments on Drains and in Floodplains will be removed by providing alternative
accommodation to the poor people
19. Better Compliance of the Techno-legal Regime will be ensured
20. Establish the Incident Response System for Coordinated Response Actions
21. Capacity Development at the Community and Institutional level to enhance UFDM
capabilities
22. Massive Public Awareness programmes covering Solid Waste Disposal, problems of
Encroachments, relevance of Techno-legal Regime besides all other important aspects
23. Involve elected Public Representatives in Awareness Generation

2010 Guidelines on Management of Landslides & Snow Avalanches-

Landslide risk treatment is the ultimate objective of the risk management process which aims
to mitigate the effects of the hazard. This encompasses a five-pronged strategy comprising:
i) Treating vulnerable slopes and existing hazardous landslides. ii) Restricting development
in landslide-prone areas. iii) Preparing codes for excavation, construction and grading. iv)
Protecting existing developments. v) Monitoring and warning systems. vi) Putting in place
arrangements for landslide insurance and compensation for losses.
Monitoring of landslides includes: i) Surface measurements of landslide activity. ii) Sub-
surface measurements of landslide activity. iii) Total regime measurements. These methods
are very useful in comprehending slope movement. However, only real-time monitoring of

Page 7 of 10
landslides can pick up minor changes from minute to minute and helps in understanding the
dynamic behaviour of a landslide. Real-time monitoring can give a sound technological basis
for issuing warning signals.
Another important aspect is the development of early warning systems for landslides. Early
warning is a process which involves three components: i) Scientific and technical
communities. ii) Government authorities and civil agencies. iii) Local communities.
In addition to the first two, the third one, i.e., involvement of local communities in the process
of early warning is crucially important. An aware and vigilant community sensitised to the
warning signs of impending landslides is the vital pillar for implementation of an effective
early warning system. Early warning systems also comprise a scientific and technological
base, mechanisms of dissemination and transmission of information, and response
capability on receipt of warning information. It is imperative to execute a few pilot projects as
pace setters of early warning systems which will also promote confidence in their operational
capabilities.
Although management of landslides requires coordinated and multi-faceted activities among
many stakeholders in the total disaster management cycle, a few of the important
recommendations made are listed below:
i) Developing and continuously updating the inventory of landslide incidences affecting the
country.
ii) Landslide hazard zonation mapping in macro and meso scales after identification and
prioritisation of the areas in consultation with the Border Roads Organisation, state
governments and local communities.
iii) Taking up pilot projects in different regions of the country with a view to carry out detailed
studies and monitoring of selected landslides to assess their stability status and estimate
risk.
iv) Setting pace setter examples for stabilisation of slides and also setting up early warning
systems depending on the risk evaluation and cost-benefit ratio.
v) Complete site specific studies of major landslides and plan treatment measures, and
encourage state governments to continue these measures.
vi) Setting up of institutional mechanisms for generating awareness and preparedness about
landslide hazard among various stakeholders.
vii) Enhancing landslide education, training of professionals and capacity development of
organisations working in the field of landslide management.
viii) Capacity development and training to make the response regime more effective.
ix) Development of new codes and guidelines on landslide studies and revision of existing
ones.
x) Establishment of an autonomous national centre for landslide research, studies and
management.

2010 Guidelines on Management of Nuclear & Radiological Emergencies-

Page 8 of 10
After due consideration of the nature and consequences of all the possible scenarios, these
emergencies have been broadly classified into the following five categories: i) An accident
taking place in any nuclear facility of the nuclear fuel cycle including the nuclear reactor, or in
a facility using radioactive sources, leading to a largescale release of radioactivity in the
environment. ii) A ‘criticality’ accident in a nuclear fuel cycle facility where an uncontrolled
nuclear chain reaction takes place inadvertently, leading to bursts of neutrons and gamma
radiations. iii) An accident during the transportation of radioactive material. iv) The
malevolent use of radioactive material as a Radiological Dispersal Device by terrorists for
dispersing radioactive material in the environment. v) A large-scale nuclear disaster,
resulting from a nuclear weapon attack (as had happened at Hiroshima and Nagasaki) which
would lead to mass casualties and destruction of large areas and property.
The main step to prevent a Radiological Dispersal Device or Improvised Nuclear Device
incident is to ensure implementation of the regulatory requirements regarding security and
safety of radioactive sources throughout the country. This will be backed by administrative
measures to prevent smuggling or illicit trafficking of the radioactive materials.
i)The fact that one cannot see, feel or smell the presence of radiation, coupled with a lack of
credible and authentic information on radiation and radiation emergencies, there is a fear in
the public mind that a small accident in a nuclear facility will lead to a situation like that at
Hiroshima, Nagasaki or Chernobyl. These misconceptions of the general public can be
removed only through conducting intense public awareness generation programmes in the
country. Once people are sensitised on this issue, they are likely to accept a
nuclear/radiological emergency like any other type of emergency.
ii) In the event of an off-site emergency situation, the emergency response plan envisages
evacuation of the public from the affected zone. The availability of adequate transport
vehicles and good motorable roads along the evacuation routes are the main issues to be
tackled at the district level.
iii) Some emergency scenarios envisage sheltering a large number of people, and that calls
for an adequate number of shelters/camping facilities to be identified.
iv) In case of a nuclear emergency, it is also likely that the food and water in the affected
area are contaminated and hence become unsuitable for consumption. Accordingly,
alternate sources of food and water have to be identified in advance and included in the
plan.
v) In addition to the specially trained teams of the National Disaster Response Force, the
involvement of civil defence personnel and home guards as the first responders, besides the
police force, will be very useful.
vi) High-strength radioactive sources are used in industry and hospitals with very low
possibility of loss of the sources. Even then, there is an urgent need to further strengthen the
regulatory and security aspects in these areas.
vii) To cope with the increasing demand for Nuclear Power, in cases where private industry
is involved in the nuclear power programme, regulatory authority must ensure that necessary
knowledge-base does exist and expertise is available with the private industry concerned, to
cope with any radiation emergency arising within and outside the plant.
viii) For a large and densely populated country like India, the 18 Emergency Response
Centres established so far by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre are highly inadequate.
Many more are to be set up as mandated in this document.

Page 9 of 10
ix) To handle a nuclear emergency in the public domain, a large number of monitoring
instruments and personal protective gear are needed. Presently, the holding of such items is
very small and needs to be augmented to upgrade the capability to handle nuclear
emergencies.
x) Because of very few cases of radiation related incidents, there are insufficient number of
trained doctors in this field. It is, therefore, essential that a large number of doctors are
trained to handle radiation related injuries. This capacity needs to be built on priority.

Page 10 of 10