Disaster:

A disaster can be defined as “A serious disruption in the functioning of the community

or a society causing wide spread material, economic, social or environmental losses

which exceed the ability of the affected society to cope using its own resources”.

Classification of Disaster :

Natural Disaster:
Natural disasters are events that cause loss of life and properties and sometimes disturb the
ecosystem.

Natural disasters are major negative events that are caused by natural processes on the Earth.

Man Made Disaster :

Man-made disasters have an element of human intent, negligence, or error involving a failure
of a man-made system, as opposed to natural disasters resulting .

These disasters are the result of technological or human hazards.

Man-made disasters are the result of carelessness or human errors during technological and
industrial use. The disasters are in the form of accidents, which occur all of a sudden and take a
huge toll on life and property. Mostly such disasters cause injuries, diseases and casualties
where they occur.

Floods:
Flood is a state of high water level along a river channel or on the coast that leads to inundation
of land, which is not usually submerged. Floods may happen gradually and also may take hours
or even happen suddenly without any warning due to breach in the embankment, spill over,
heavy rains etc.

Causes of Floods:
 Heavy rainfall

 Heavy siltation of the river bed reduces the water carrying capacity of the

rivers/stream.

 Blockages in the drains lead to flooding of the area.

 Landslides blocking the flow of the stream.

 Construction of dams and reservoirs

 In areas prone to cyclone, strong winds accompanied by heavy down pour along with

storm surge leads to flooding

Warning:
 With the advancement of technology such as satellite and remote-sensing

equipments flood waves can be tracked as the water level rises.

 Heavy precipitation will give sufficient warning of the coming river flood.

 High tides with high winds may indicate flooding in the coastal areas.

 Evacuation is possible with suitable monitoring and warning. Warning is issued by

the Central Water Commission (CWC), Irrigation & Flood Control Department, and

Water Resources Department.CWC maintains close liaison with the administrative

and state engineering agencies, local civil authorities to communicate advance

warning for appropriate mitigation and preparedness measures.

Typical Adverse Effects:
 The most important consequence of floods is the loss of life and property.

 Structures like houses, bridges; roads etc. get damaged by the gushing water,

landslides triggered on account of water getting saturated, boats and fishing nets get

damaged. There is huge loss to life and livestock caused by drowning.

 Lack of proper drinking water facilities, contamination of water (well, ground water,

piped water supply) leads to outbreak of epidemics, diarrhoea, viral infection, malaria

and many other infectious diseases.

 Flooding also leads to a large area of agricultural land getting inundated as a result

there is a huge crop loss. This results in shortage of food, and animal fodder.

 Floods may also affect the soil characteristics. The land may be rendered infertile

due to erosion of top layer or may turn saline if sea water floods the area.

DROUGHTS:
Drought is either absence or deficiency of rainfall from its normal pattern in a region for an
extended period of time leading to general suffering in the society. It is interplay between
demand that people place on natural supply of water and natural event that provides the water
in a given geographical region.

 It is a slow on-set disaster and it is difficult to demarcate the time of its onset and the

end.

 Any unusual dry period which results in a shortage of useful water.

 Drought is a normal, recurrent feature of climate. Climate is expected to show some

aberrations and drought is just a part of it.

 Drought can occur by improper distribution of rain in time and space, and not just by

its amount.

 Drought is negative balance between precipitation and water use (through

evaporation, transpiration by plants, domestic and industrial uses etc) in a geographical

region.
Causes of Droughts:
 Deficit rainfall

 Over population

 Over grazing

 Deforestation

 Soil erosion

 Excessive use of ground and surface water for growing crops

 Loss of biodiversity

Types of droughts:
Drought proceeds in sequential manner. Its impacts are spread across different domains as
listed below.

Meteorological drought:

Meteorological drought is simple absence/deficit of rainfall from the normal. It is the least
severe form of drought and is often identified by sunny days and hot weather.

Hydrological drought:

Hydrological drought often leads to reduction of natural stream flows or ground water levels,
plus stored water supplies. The main impact is on water resource systems.

Agricultural drought:

This form of drought occurs when moisture level in soil is insufficient to maintain average crop
yields. Initial consequences are in the reduced seasonal output of crops and other related
production. An extreme agricultural drought can lead to a famine, which is a prolonged
shortage of food in a restricted region causing widespread disease and death from starvation.

Socio-economic drought:

Socio-economic drought correlates the supply and demand of goods and services with the three
above-mentioned types of drought. When the supply of some goods or services such as water
and electricity are weather dependant then drought may cause shortages in supply of these
economic goods.
CYCLONES:
Cyclone is a region of low atmospheric pressure surrounded by high atmospheric pressure
resulting in swirling atmospheric disturbance accompanied by powerful winds blowing in
anticlockwise direction in the Northern Hemisphere and in the clockwise direction in the
Southern Hemisphere. They occur mainly in the tropical and temperate regions of the world.

General Characteristics:
Cyclones in India are moderate in nature. Some of the general characteristics of a cyclone are:

1. Strong winds

2. Exceptional rain

3. Storm surge

Warning:
 Low pressure and the development can be detected hours or days before it causes

damage.

 The satellites track the movement of these cyclones based on which the people are

evacuated from areas lively to be affected. It is difficult to predict the accuracy.

 Accurate landfall predictions can give only a few hours’ notice to threatened

population.

 India has one of the best cyclone warning systems in the world. The India

Meteorological Department (IMD) is the nodal department for wind detection, tracking

and forecasting cyclones.

 Cyclone tracking is done through INSAT satellite.

 Cyclone warning is disseminated by several means such as satellite based disaster

warning systems, radio, television, telephone, fax, high priority telegram, public

announcements and bulletins in press. These warnings are disseminated to the

general public, the fishing community especially those in the sea, port authorities,

commercial aviation and the government machinery.

Typical Adverse effects:
High winds cause major damage to infrastructure and housing, in particular fragile
constructions. They are generally followed by heavy rains and floods and, in flat coastal areas
by storm surge riding on tidal waves and inundating the land over long distances of even up to
15 kilometres inland.

Physical damage: structures will be damaged or destroyed by the wind force, flooding and
storm surge. Light pitched roofs of most structures especially the ones fitted on to industrial
buildings will suffer severe damage.Casualties and public health: caused by flooding and flying
elements, contamination of water supplies may lead to viral outbreaks, diarrhoea, and malaria.

Water supplies: Ground and pipe water supply may get contaminated by flood waters. Crops
and food supplies – high winds and rains ruin the standing crop and food stock lying in low lying
areas. Plantation type crops such as banana and coconut are extremely vulnerable. Salt from
the sea water may get deposited on the agricultural land and increase the salinity. The loss of
the crop may lead to acute food shortage.

Communication: severe disruption in the communication links as the wind may bring down the
electricity and communication towers, telephone poles, telephone lines, antennas and satellite
disk and broadcasting services. Transport lines (road and rail) may be curtailed, Lack of proper
communication affects effective distribution of relief materials.

Volcanic Erruptions:
Volcanoes are ruptures in the crust of our planet Earth that allow hot gases, molten lava and
some rock fragments to erupt by opening and exposing the magma inside.

Volcanic Eruption happens when hot lava comes to the surface of the earth.

Volcanic Eruption Stages

Based on the type of material erupted, the type of eruption, and the type of alteration since
these volcanoes occurred, volcanoes can take on a variety of shapes. Volcanoes are mostly
categorised into three groups:
Active Volcanoes: Volcanoes that are currently erupting or are likely to do so at some point
in the future are considered active volcanoes.

Dormant Volcanoes: Volcanoes that are categorised as being dormant are ones that are not
anticipated to erupt anytime soon.

Extinct Volcanoes: Volcanoes that are extinct are ones whose eruption is not anticipated by
anyone. Nobody is aware of the frequency of these volcanoes.

CAUSES OF VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS:

1. It is under high pressure.

2. It will melt.

3. at tectonic plate boundaries

4. a decrease in pressure

5. Magma erupts from the mantle at divergent

boundaries and hardens.

6. Oceanic crust is more dense.

7. Water released from the subducting plate

mixes with the mantle and causes it to melt.

8. a place where volcanoes form far from plate

boundaries

9. Dormant volcanoes may erupt again, but

extinct volcanoes probably won’t.

10. Gas dissolved in the magma may bubble out

and be emitted at the volcano.

11. Rising magma pushes it up

EARTHQUAKES
Earthquake can be defined as the sudden shaking of the earth crust. It is one of the most
destructive natural hazards. They may occur at any time of the year, day or night, with sudden
impact and little warning.
Cause of Earthquake:
The earth’s crust is a rocky layer of varying thickness ranging from a depth of about 10
kilometres under the sea to 65 kilometres under the continents. The crust is not one piece but
consists of portions called ‘plates’ which vary in size from a few hundred to thousands of
kilometres. The ‘theory of plate tectonics’ holds that the plates ride up on the more mobile
mantle, and are driven by some yet unconfirmed mechanisms, perhaps thermal convection
currents. When these plates contact each other, stress arises in the crust. These stresses can be
classified according to the type of movement along the plate’s boundaries:

a) Pulling away from each other,

b) Pushing against one another and

c) Sliding sideways relative to each other.

All these movements are associated with earthquakes.

Earthquakes can be of three types based on the focal depth:

(i)Deep:- 300 to 700 kms from the earth surface

(ii)Medium:- 60 to 300 kms

(iii)Shallow: less than 60 kms

The deep focus earthquakes are rarely destructive because by the time the waves reach the
surface the impact reduces. Shallow focus earthquakes are more common and are extremely
damaging because of their proximity to the surface.

Typical adverse effects:

 Damage occurs to human settlement, buildings, structures and infrastructure, especially
bridges, elevated roads, railways, water towers, pipelines, electrical generating facilities.

 Aftershocks of an earthquake can cause much greater damage to already weakened

structures.

 Secondary effects include fires, dam failure and landslides which may block water ways
and also cause flooding.

 Damage may occur to facilities using or manufacturing dangerous materials resulting in

possible chemical spills.

 There may also be a breakdown of communication facilities.

 There are large number of casualties because of the poor engineering design of the
buildings and close proximity of the people. About 95 per cent of the people who are
killed or who are affected by the earthquake is because of the building collapse.
  There is also a huge loss to the public health system, transport and communication and
water supply in the affected areas.

TSUNAMI
The term Tsunami has been derived from a Japanese term Tsu meaning 'harbor' and nami
meaning 'waves'. Tsunamis are popularly called tidal waves but they actually have nothing to do
with the tides. These waves which often affect distant shores, originate by rapid displacement
of water from the lake or the sea either by seismic activity, landslides, volcanic eruptions or
large meteoroid impacts. Whatever the cause may be sea water is displaced with a violent
motion and swells up, ultimately surging over land with great destructive power.

Causes of Tsunami:
The geological movements that cause tsunamis are produced in three major ways.

Earthquake: The most common of these are fault movements on the sea floor, accompanied by
an earth-quake. They release huge amount of energy and have the capacity to cross oceans.
The degree of movement depends on how fast the earthquake occurs and how much water is
displaced.

Landslide: The second most common cause of the tsunami is a landslide either occurring
under water or originating above the sea and then plunging into the water. The largest tsunami
ever produced by a landslide was in Lituya Bay, Alaska 1958. The massive rock slide produced a
wave that reached a high water mark of 50 - 150 meters above the shoreline.

Volcano: The third major cause of tsunami is volcanic activity. The flank of a volcano located
near the shore or under water may be uplifted or depressed similar to the action of a fault, or,
the volcano may actually explode. In 1883, the violent explosion of the famous volcano,
Krakotoa in Indonesia, produced tsunami measuring 40 meters which crushed upon Java and
Sumatra. Over 36,000 people lost their lives in this tyrant waves.

Predictability:
There are two distinct types of tsunami warning:

a) International tsunami warning systems and

b) Regional warning systems.

International Tsunami Warning Systems: Shortly after the Hilo Tsunami (1946), the Pacific
Tsunami Warning System (PTWS) was developed with its operational center at the Pacific
Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) near Honolulu, Hawaii. The PTWC is able to alert countries
several hours before the tsunami strikes. The warning includes predicted arrival time at
selected coastal communities where the tsunami could travel in few hours. A tsunami watch is
issued with subsequent arrival time to other geographic areas.

Regional Warning Systems: usually use seismic data about nearby earthquakes to determine
if there is a possible local threat of a tsunami. Such systems are capable enough to provide
warnings to the general public in less than 15 minutes. In India, the Survey of India maintains a
tide gauge network along the coast of India. The day_to-day maintenance of the gauge is
carried with the assistance from authorities of the ports. Apart from the tide gauge, tsunami
can be detected with the help of radars. The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, recorded data from
four radars and recorded the height of tsunami waves two hours after the earthquake. It should
be noted that the satellites observations of the Indian Ocean tsunami would not have been of
any use in delivering warnings, as the data took five hours to process and it was pure chance
that the satellites were overhead at that time. However, in future it is possible that the
space-based observation might play a direct role in tsunami warning.

Typical adverse effects:

 Local tsunami events or those less than 30 minutes from the source cause the majority
of damage. The force of the water can raze everything in its path.

 It is normally the flooding affect of the tsunami that causes major destruction to the
human settlements, roads and infrastructure thereby disrupting the normal functioning
of the society.

 As the waves withdraw towards the ocean they sweep out the foundations of the
buildings, the beaches get destroyed and the houses carried out to sea.

 Damage to ports and airports may prevent importation of needed food and medical
supplies.

 Apart from the physical damage, there is a huge impact on the public health system.

 Deaths mainly occur because of drowning as water inundates homes. Many people get
washed away or crushed by the giant waves and some are crushed by the debris,
causes.

 Availability of drinking water has always been a major problem in areas affected by a
disaster.

 Sewage pipes may be damaged causing major sewage disposal problems.

 Open wells and other ground water may be contaminated by salt water and debris and
sewage.

 Flooding in the locality may lead to crop loss, loss of livelihood like boats and nets,
environmental degradation etc.
 LANDSLIDES
The term ‘landslide’ includes all varieties of mass movements of hill slopes and can be
defined as the downward and outward movement of slope forming materials composed
of rocks, soils, artificial fills or combination of all these materials along surfaces of
separation by falling, sliding and flowing, either slowly or quickly from one place to
another.

Causes of Landslides:
There are several causes of landslide. Some of the major causes are as follows:

 Geological Weak material: Weakness in the composition and structure of rock or

soil may also cause landslides.

 Erosion: Erosion of slope toe due to cutting down of vegetation, construction of

roads might increase the vulnerability of the terrain to slide down.

 Intense rainfall: Storms that produce intense rainfall for periods as short as
several hours or have a more moderate intensity lasting several days have
triggered abundant landslides. Heavy melting of snow in the hilly terrains also
results in landslide.

 Human Excavation of slope and its toe, loading of slope/toe, draw down in
reservoir, mining, deforestation, irrigation, vibration/blast, Water leakage from
services.

 Earthquake shaking has triggered landslides in many different topographic and

geologic settings. Rock falls, soil slides and rockslides from steep slopes involving
relatively thin or shallow disaggregated soils or rock, or both have been the most
abundant types of landslides triggered by historical earthquakes.

 Volcanic eruption: Deposition of loose volcanic ash on hillsides commonly is

followed by accelerated erosion and frequent mud or debris flows triggered by
intense rainfall.

Typical Adverse Effects of Landslides:

 The most common elements at risk are the settlements built on the steep slopes, built
at the toe and those built at the mouth of the streams emerging from the mountain
valley.

 All those buildings constructed without appropriate foundation for a given soil and in
sloppy areas are also at risk.

 Roads, communication lines are vulnerable.

COASTAL EROSION:
Coastal erosion is the process by which local sea level rise, strong wave action, and
coastal flooding wear down or carry away rocks, soils, and/or sands along the coast.

Factors causing Coastal Erosion:

Typical Adverse Effects of Coastal Erosion:

Effects of coastal processes
• Environmental quality
• Habitat sustainability
• Near shore destructions

Impacts of Coastal Erosion:

1.Loss of habitat/beach and landscape quality.
2.Loss of buildings,infrastructure facilities such as roads and power lines.
3.Degradation of coral reefs due to deposition of silt.
4.Increased turbidity of water.
5.Reduce the tolerance to face natural hazards such as Tsunamis.
6.Reduce scenic beauty of the beach.
7.Collapse the tourism in the area.
8.Loss of boat anchorage sites.
9.Increase the frequency of flooding in the lowland areas.
10.Increase the wave energy on beaches endangering local people.
11.Reduction of coral reef sites.
12.Decrease water quality.

SOIL EROSION

“Soil erosion is the natural process in which the topsoil of a field is carried away by physical
sources such as wind and water.”

Cause of Soil Erosion:

Following are the important causes of soil erosion:

Rainfall and Flooding

Higher intensity of rainstorms is the main cause of soil erosion. Four types of soil erosion
are caused by rainfall:

 Rill erosion
 Gully erosion
 Sheet erosion
 Splash erosion

The raindrops disperse the soil, which is then washed away into the nearby streams and
rivers. Regions with very heavy and frequent rainfall face a large amount of soil loss. The
flowing water during floods also erodes a lot of soil by creating potholes, rock-cut basins,
etc.

Agriculture
The farming practices are the major cause of soil erosion. The agricultural activities
disturb the ground. The trees are cleared and the land is ploughed to sow new seeds.
Since most of the crops are grown during the spring season, the land lies fallow during
winters. Most of the soil is eroded during winters.

Also, the tyres of tractors make grooves on the land, making a natural pathway for water.
Fine soil particles are eroded by wind.

Grazing

The grazing animals feed on the grasses and remove the vegetation from the land. Their
hooves churn up the soil. They also pull out plants by their roots. This loosens the soil
and makes it more prone to erosion.

Logging and Mining

A large number of trees are cut down to carry out the logging process. Trees hold the soil
firmly. The canopy of the trees protects the soil from heavy rainfall. The leaf litter that
protects the soil from erosion, is also lost during logging.

Mining activities also disturb the land and leave the soil more prone to erosion.

Construction

The construction of roads and buildings exposes the soil to erosion. The forests and
grasslands are cleared for construction purposes, which exposes the soil making it
vulnerable to erosion.

Rivers and Streams

The flowing rivers and streams carry away the soil particles leading to a V-shaped
erosion activity.

Heavy Winds

During dry weather or in the semi-arid regions, the minute soil particles are carried away
by the wind to faraway lands. This degrades the soil and results in desertification.

Effects of Soil Erosion:

The major effects of soil erosion include:

Loss of Arable Land

Soil erosion removes the top fertile layer of the soil. This layer is rich in the essential
nutrients required by the plants and the soil. The degraded soil does not support crop
production and leads to low crop productivity.

Clogging of Waterways

The agricultural soil contains pesticides, insecticides, fertilizers, and several other
chemicals. This pollutes the water bodies where the soil flows.

The sediments accumulate in the water and raise the water levels resulting in flooding.

Air Pollution

The dust particles merge in the air, resulting in air pollution. Some of the toxic
substances such as pesticides and petroleum can be extremely hazardous when inhaled.
The dust plumes from the arid and semi-arid regions cause widespread pollution when
the winds move.

Desertification

Soil erosion is a major factor for desertification. It transforms the habitable regions into
deserts. Deforestation and destructive use of land worsens the situation. This also leads
to loss of biodiversity, degradation of the soil, and alteration in the ecosystem.

Destruction of Infrastructure

The accumulation of soil sediments in dams and along the banks can reduce their
efficiency. Thus, it affects infrastructural projects such as dams, embankments, and
drainage.

Soil Erosion Prevention

Soil erosion is a serious environmental issue. Steps should be taken to curb this problem.
Following are some of the methods of soil erosion prevention:

1. Plant trees on barren lands to limit erosion of soil.

2. Add mulch and rocks to prevent the plants and grass underneath to prevent soil
erosion.
3. Mulch matting can be used to reduce erosion on slopes.
4. Put a series of fibre logs to prevent any water or soil from washing away.
5. A wall at the base of the slope can help in preventing the soil from eroding.

6.Every household should have a proper drainage system so that water flows down
into proper water collecting systems.
FOREST FIRES:

Forest fires are wildfires that spread uncontrollably, burning plants, animals, grasslands
and brushlands that fall in their path. The wind spreads the fire rapidly, causing
significant air pollution. Generally, fires that continue for longer or are highly inflammable
are caused by climatic changes.

Causes of Forest Fires:

Natural causes- Many forest fires start from natural causes such as lightning which set trees
on fire. However, rain extinguishes such fires without causing much damage. High atmospheric
temperatures and dryness (low humidity) offer favorable circumstance for a fire to start.
Man made causes- Fire is caused when a source of fire like naked flame, cigarette or
bidi, electric spark or any source of ignition comes into contact with inflammable material.
Causes of forest fire can be categorized into two groups:
(i) Environmental causes( which are beyond control)
(ii) Human related causes (which are controllable)
Environmental causes: These are largely related to climatic conditions such as
temperature, wind speed and direction, level of moisture in soil and atmosphere
and duration of dry spells. Other natural causes are the friction of bamboos
swaying due to high wind velocity and rolling stones that result in sparks setting
off fires in highly inflammable leaf litter on the forest floor.
Human related causes: These result from human activity as well as methods of
forest management. These can be intentional or unintentional, for example:
graziers and gatherers of various forest products starting small fires to obtain
good grazing grass as well as to facilitate gathering of minor forest produce like
flowers of Madhuca indica and leaves of Diospyros melanoxylon
The use of fires by villagers to ward off wild animals
 fires lit intentionally by people living around forests for recreation
 fires started accidentally by careless visitors to forests who discard cigarette
butts.
 The causes of forest fire have been increasing rapidly. The problem has been
accentuated by the growing human and cattle population. People enter forests
even more frequently to graze cattle, collect fuel wood, timber and other minor
forest products. It has been estimated that 90% of forest fires in India are
man-made.
Adverse Effects of Forest Fires:
Fires are a major cause of forest degradation and have wide ranging adverse
ecological, economic and social impacts, including:
 Loss of valuable timber resources
 Degradation of catchment areas
 Loss of biodiversity and extinction of plants and animals
 Loss of wildlife habitat and depletion of wildlife
 Loss of natural regeneration and reduction in forest cover.
 Global warming.
 Loss of carbon sink resource and increase in percentage of CO2 in
atmosphere.
 Change in the microclimate of the area with unhealthy living conditions.
 Soil erosion affecting productivity of soils and production.
 Ozone layer depletion.
 Health problems leading to diseases.
Loss of livelihood for tribal people and the rural poor, as approximately 300 million
people are directly dependent upon collection of non-timber forest products from forest
areas for their livelihood.
The Need of Fire Management:
The incidence of forest fires in the country is on the increase and more area is burned
each year. The major cause of this failure is the piecemeal approach to the problem.
Both the national focus and the technical resources required for sustaining a systematic
forest fire management programs are lacking in the country. Important forest fire
management elements like strategic fire centres, coordination among Ministries, funding,
human resource development, fire research, fire management, and extension programs
are missing. Taking into consideration the serious nature of the problem, it is necessary
to make some major improvements in the forest fire management strategy for the
country. The Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, has prepared a
National Master Plan for Forest Fire Control. This plan proposes to introduce a
well-coordinated and integrated firemanagement program that includes the following
components:
 Prevention of human-caused fires through education and environmental modification. It
will include cultural activities, engineering works, people participation, and education and
enforcement. It is proposed that more emphasis be given to people participation through
Joint Forest Fire Management for fire prevention.
Prompt detection of fires through a well coordinated network of observation points,
efficient ground patrolling, and communication networks. Remote sensing technology is
to be given due importance in fire detection. For successful fire management and
administration, a National Fire Danger Rating System (NFDRS) and Fire Forecasting
System are to be developed in the country.
Fast initial attack measures
 Vigorous follow up action.
 Introducing a forest fuel modification system at strategic points.
 Fire fighting resources.
Each of the above components plays an important role in the success of the entire
system of fire management. Special emphasis is to be given to research, training, and
development.

Man Made Disaster

Industrial Pollution:
Pollution whose source originates directly from industry is known as industrial pollution.
After the Industrial Revolution, manufacturing and technology made advances, which
resulted in more factories and more industry. These factories emitted smoke into the air.

Causes of Industrial Pollution

 Smoke containing undesirable gases like carbon dioxide, Sulphur dioxide and
carbon monoxide coming out from the industries causes air pollution

 The untreated water from the industries is released into water bodies, causing
water pollution

 Lack of effective policies and poor enforcement drive also aids industrial pollution

 The unplanned industrial growth also leads to air and water pollution

 Most Industries rely on old Technologies to produce products that generate a

large amount of wastes, which ultimately cause pollution and lead to environment
degradation
 Many small scale industries do not have enough capital to treat their wastes
properly and hence lead to the environmental pollution

 Extraction of a lot of raw materials from the ground can also lead to soil or land
pollution

Air Pollution

 It is brought about by harmful gases and undesirable particles like sulphur dioxide,
carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide

 Airborne particulate materials contain strong and fluid particles like residue,
showers, fog, and smoke

 Harmful gas holes can be exceptionally unsafe with long-haul impacts

Water Pollution

 It is brought about by natural and inorganic modern squanders and effluents

released into waterways

 Major Polluting Industries: Paper, mash, compound, material and colouring, petrol
treatment facilities, tanneries, and electroplating enterprises

 The contaminating ventures let out colours, cleansers, acids, salts and weighty
metals like lead and mercury pesticides, composts, engineered synthetics with carbon,
plastics and elastic, and so on into the water bodies

 Fly debris, phospho-gypsum, iron, and steel slags are the significant strong
squander in India

Thermal Pollution

 Thermal pollution of water occurs when hot water from factories and thermal
plants is drained into rivers and ponds before cooling

Noise Pollution

 It causes aggravation, outrage, hearing disability, expanded pulse, and circulatory

strain, among other physiological impacts

 Undesirable sound is an aggravation and a wellspring of stress

 It is likewise made by the Industrial and development exercises, apparatus,
generators, etc

Effects of industrial pollution on environment

 The water pollution caused by industries harms the aquatic organisms and
sometimes leads to their death

 Water pollution also pollutes the groundwater

 Soil pollution caused due to the extraction of raw material from the ground can
cause chronic health issues to the people that come in contact with that soil on a daily
basis

 Air pollution leads to various respiratory diseases

 Industrial pollution also leads to wildlife extinction

 With the rise of industrial pollution, greenhouse gases are increasing in the
environment and leading to global warming. Ultimately, global warming is causing
melting of glaciers, floods, tsunamis, extinction of various animals, etc

Control of Environmental Degradation

Ways to Reduce the Industrial Pollution of Fresh Water:

 Limiting water utilization for handling by reusing it in two progressive stages.

 Treating high-temperature water and effluents before delivering them in streams

and lakes.

 There is a need to direct overdrawing of groundwater saved by industry.

Other ways of Reducing Pollution

To reduce Air Pollution:

o Fitting smokestacks can diminish particulate matter noticeable all around to

plants with electrostatic precipitators, texture channels, scrubbers, and inertial
separators
o Smoke can be diminished by utilizing oil or gas rather than coal in plants

To reduce Noise Pollution:

 Apparatus and gear can be utilized, and generators should be fitted with silencers.
Practically every hardware can be updated to build energy effectiveness and lessen
commotion

 Clamour retaining material might be utilized

NUCLEAR RADIATION:
• 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 large-scale release
of radioactivity in the environment.

Causes

Radiation is the energy released from atoms as either a wave or a tiny particle of matter.
Radiation sickness is caused by exposure to a high dose of radiation, such as a high
dose of radiation received during an industrial accident.

Sources of high-dose radiation

Possible sources of high-dose radiation include the following:

 An accident at a nuclear industrial facility

 An attack on a nuclear industrial facility
 Detonation of a small radioactive device
 Detonation of a conventional explosive device that disperses radioactive material
(dirty bomb)
 Detonation of a standard nuclear weapon

Radiation sickness occurs when high-energy radiation damages or destroys certain cells
in your body. Regions of the body most vulnerable to high-energy radiation are cells in
the lining of your intestinal tract, including your stomach, and the blood cell-producing
cells of bone marrow.

Complications

Having radiation sickness can contribute to both short-term and long-term mental health
problems, such as grief, fear and anxiety about:

 Experiencing a radioactive accident or attack

 Mourning friends or family who haven't survived
 Dealing with the uncertainty of a mysterious and potentially fatal illness
 Worrying about the eventual risk of cancer due to radiation exposure
Prevention

In the event of a radiation emergency, stay tuned to your radio or television to hear what
protective actions local, state and federal authorities recommend. Recommended
actions will depend on the situation, but you will be told to either stay in place or
evacuate your area.

Shelter in place

If you're advised to stay where you are, whether you're at home or work or elsewhere, do
the following:

 Close and lock all doors and windows.

 Turn off fans, air conditioners and heating units that bring air in from outside.
 Close fireplace dampers.
 Bring pets indoors.
 Move to an inner room or basement.
 Stay tuned to your emergency response network or local news.
 Stay put for at least 24 hours.
Evacuate

If you're advised to evacuate, follow the instructions provided by your local authorities.
Try to stay calm and move quickly and in an orderly manner. In addition, travel lightly, but
take supplies, including:

 Flashlight
 Portable radio
 Batteries
 First-aid kit
 Necessary medicines
 Sealed food, such as canned foods, and bottled water
 Manual can opener
 Cash and credit cards
 Extra clothes
Here are a few common health effects or harmful effects of radiation on the human
body.

1. Hair
Loss of hair fall occurs when exposure to radiation is higher than 200 rems.

2. Heart and Brain

Intense exposure to radiation from 1000 to 5000 rems will affect the functioning of the
heart. Radiation kills nerve cells and small blood vessels of heart which may cause
immediate death. Brain cells are affected if the radiation exposure is greater than 5000
rems.

3. Thyroid
Certain body parts are affected specifically when exposed to different types of radiation
sources. The thyroid gland may be affected when exposed to radioactive iodine. If
exposed to a considerable amount of radioactive iodine, whole or part of the thyroid can
be affected.

4. Blood System
A number of lymphocytic cells present in the blood will be reduced if a person is exposed
to 100 rems. This may cause several immune problems. This is termed as mild radiation
sickness. As per the reports from Nagasaki and Hiroshima, symptoms may be present
more than ten years from that exposure.

5. Reproductive Tract
As the cells of the reproductive tract divide fastly, these are more prone to be affected
even if the exposure is not more than 200 rems.
CHEMICAL SPILLS:
Chemical spills are the uncontrolled release of a hazardous chemical, either as a solid, liquid or a gas.
These spills need to be minimized as much as possible.

Main Effects of Chemical Spills

The main detrimental effects of a chemical spill can be broken down into three broad categories:

Human Effects

Different chemicals can pose different threats to people: Toxic or poisonous gases can cause severe
illness and even fatalities in some cases. The greater the concentration of toxic chemicals spilled or
leaked, the more potential for significant loss of life.Corrosive chemicals can cause severe burns when
touched, damage eyesight, and cause harm to the respiratory tract.Some chemical spills have a delayed
carcinogenic effect, such as asbestos inhalation causing lung cancer years after the initial exposure.

Flammable chemicals can also cause obvious damage to humans through fires or explosions.

Structural Effects

Chemical spills can cause significant damage to buildings such as offices and laboratories:

Fires can cause severe structural damage to buildings, and in particularly critical instances, the complete
collapse of a structure due to degradation of its foundation from high temperatures.

Certain toxic chemicals can leave buildings unusable for extended periods of time until the spilt chemical
has been thoroughly removed.

Environmental Effects

Last but not least, chemical spills can have major environmental impacts:

Spilled oil and other chemicals can physically damage marine life with run-off contamination in the
water. Aside from the initial environmental impacts and threats to sea life, oil spills can have devastating
long-term effects by polluting the animals’ food sources and habitats.

Spilled chemicals can also run-off into soil, causing severe ecological damage and making such areas
inhabitable for flora and fauna.

In general, all the negative effects of chemical spills quickly cannot be overstated. Any prudent
contingency plan for dealing with chemical spills must not be limited to merely preventing spills from
occurring—accidents happen, and when they do, prompt chemical clean up can save lives.

A Quick and Effective Spill Response Plan

Organisations should take the following steps to ensure a prompt and safe chemical spill response that
minimises the impact of all chemical spills.
Assessing Safety
An important factor in swift chemical clean-up is the ability of employees to understand the severity of a
spill and assess the safety of the spill site. If an immediate threat is posed, the area in which the spill
occurred should be evacuated immediately. Furthermore, if a large spill is too difficult to clean with
standard chemical clean-up kits, fire and medical personnel should be notified as soon as possible. For
incidental spills, immediately initiate standard chemical clean up procedures.
PPE Equipment
Anyone involved in chemical clean up should immediately put on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
appropriate for the chemical and the hazard(s) it presents. In some instances, a respirator must be used
as part of your PPE.
Stop the Spill
Minimising the spread of any chemical spill is vital in mitigating the risk of further damage. The most
important thing is to stop the flow of liquid—if a container with a hazardous chemical inside has fallen
over, set the container upright; otherwise, put a cap or putty over the opening from which a chemical is
leaking. Additionally, shut down any sources of heat or ignition for flammable chemical spills or leaks.
Use a Spill Kit
After stopping or controlling the chemical flow, contain the spill using a spill kit, including absorbent
pads and pillows. Ensure pads and other spill kit components that have soaked up chemicals are
correctly disposed of in hazardous waste bags or containers. Once the site is clear of chemical spillage,
clean the spill area with soap and water to remove any chemical residue.
The importance of dealing with chemical spills quickly cannot be overstated. Any prudent contingency
plan for dealing with chemical spills must not be limited to merely preventing spills from occurring—
accidents happen, and when they do, prompt chemical clean up can save lives.

Prevention:
 Store Chemicals in Covered Areas. ...
 Use Spill Kits, Bunds, and Spill Pallets.
 Store Containers on Secure Shelving. ...
 Prevent Overcrowding in Chemical Storage Units. ...
 Ensure Chemicals Are Stored at or Below Eye Level. ...
 Regularly Inspect Chemical Containers on Site for Leaks or Deterioration.
Transportation accidents:
A transport accident is any accident (or incident) that occurs during any type of transportation, including
accidents occurring during road transport, rail transport, marine transport and air transport.

Common Causes of Road Accidents:

 Distracted Driving. One of the most common causes of road accident is distracted
driving. ...
 Drunk Driving. ...
 Speeding/ Reckless Driving. ...
 Not Wearing Seat Belt. ...
 Rain or Wet Roads. ...
  Potholes and Bad Road Condition. ...
 Breaking Traffic Rules. ...
 Tailgating.
COMMON CAUSES FOR TRAIN ACCIDENTS

The common causes of train accidents include the following:

Derailments– where the wheels slip or jump the track causing the cars to fall off the track

Mechanical failure– some part of the trains system fails and causes an accident of some sort

Human error– train engineer or the driver of a vehicle makes a mistake that leads to an accident

Distracted pedestrians– foot traffic crossing train tracks that end up being hit by a passing train

Problems with track– broken or damaged tracks often lead to a derailment or loss of control

Collison– crashes where the train hits another train or some other type of vehicle on the road

Unprotected crossings– small towns and remote areas don’t have crossing arms and lights

Stalled cars– when cars stall on the tracks trains are unable to stop in time to avoid a collision

Suicides– rarely some crashes are caused by someone stepping in front of the train intentionally
Causes of Marine accidents:
 Plastic and Garbage pollution.
 Pollution from fertilisers, pesticides, and insecticides.
 Pollution From Noise Made by Ships and Maritime Equipment.
 Chemicals From Skincare Products, especially sunscreens.
 Pollution From Oil Spills.
 Pollution from toxic industrial waste and sewage.
 Light Pollution.
Causes of Air accidents:
Human Error
Mechanical Failure
Errors by Air Traffic Controllers and Other Ground Workers
Weather problems