Preface xi
Chapter 1. Basics of Disaster 1
1.1. Understanding the concept and meaning of disaster 1
1.2. Classification of disasters 2
1.2.1. Other categories of disasters 3
1.3. Aggravating factors of disasters 4
1.4. Impact of disasters 5
1.5. Hazard meaning and concept 6
1.6. Types of hazards 7
1.6.1. Other types of hazards 8
1.7. Characteristic features of hazard/disaster 8
1.8. Disaster management terminology 9
1.9. Vulnerability 11
1.10. Types of vulnerability 12
1.11. Disaster management: meaning and concept 13
1.12. Role of different agencies in disaster management 14
1.13. Modern management of disasters 15
1.14. Disaster risk reduction 16
1.15. Applications of information technology in DRR 17
1.16. Application of GIS in DRR 18
1.17. Disaster management cycle 19
1.18. Disaster Management Act 20
1.18.1. Chapters of Disaster Management Act, 2005 21
1.18.2. Disaster Management Act, 2005 framework 21
1.19. Disaster preparedness plan 22
1.20. Questions 23
1.21. Multiple-choice questions (MCQs) 25
Chapter 2. Understanding Natural Disasters 37
2.1. Earthquakes 38
2.1.1. Meaning and concept 38
2.1.2. Earthquake-related terms 39
2.1.3. Types of earthquakes 41
2.1.4. Causes of earthquakes 42
2.1.5. Types of plate boundaries 43
2.1.6. Earthquake risk zones of India 43
2.1.7. Some damaging earthquakes in India 45
2.1.8. Effects of earthquakes 46
2.1.9. Preparedness and mitigation measures 47
2.2. Floods 49
2.2.1. Meaning and concept 49
2.2.2. Types of floods 50
2.2.3. Causes of floods. 51
2.2.4. Flood-prone regions of India 52
2.2.5. Worst flood disasters in India 53
2.2.6. Impact of floods 55
2.2.7. Mitigation measures for floods 56
2.3. Landslides 58
2.3.1. Meaning and concept 58
2.3.2. Types of landslides 60
2.3.3. Causes of landslides 61
2.3.4. Landslide-prone regions of India 63
2.3.5. Effects of landslides 63
2.3.6. Mitigation measures of landslides 64
2.3.7. Safety tips 66
2.4. Cyclones 67
2.4.1. Introduction to cyclones 67
2.4.2. Types of cyclones 69
2.4.3. Conditions for formation of cyclones 69
2.4.4. Cyclone-prone regions 70
2.4.5. Recent case studies of cyclones 71
2.4.6. Effects of cyclones 73
2.4.7. Mitigation and preparedness 73
2.4.8. Cyclone warning system 76
2.5. Tsunamis 78
2.5.1. Meaning and concept 78
2.5.2. Causes of tsunamis 79
2.5.3. Case studies of tsunamis 79
2.5.4. Effects of tsunamis 80
2.5.5. Mitigation and preparedness 81
2.5.6. Safety tips 82
2.6. Volcanic eruptions 83
2.6.1. Meaning and concept 83
2.6.2. Classification of volcanoes 84
2.6.3. Causes of volcanic eruptions 86
2.6.4. Vulnerable areas 87
2.6.5. Effects of volcanic eruptions 87
2.6.6. Mitigation measures or risk reduction measures 89
2.6.7. Safety tips 90
2.7. Wildfires 91
2.7.1. Meaning and concept 91
2.7.2. Types of wildfires 93
2.7.3. Causes of wildfires 93
2.7.4. Forest fire prone regions of India 95
2.7.5. Impact of wildfires 95
2.7.6. Mitigation measures 96
2.8. Droughts 97
2.8.1. Meaning and nature 97
2.8.2. Types of droughts 99
2.8.3. Causes of droughts 100
2.8.4. Drought-prone regions of India 101
2.8.5. Impact of droughts 102
2.8.6. Drought management 104
2.9. Snow avalanches 106
2.9.1. Meaning and concept 106
2.9.2. Types of snow avalanches 107
2.9.3. Causes of snow avalanches 108
2.9.4. Snow avalanche-prone regions of India 110
2.9.5. Effects of snow avalanches 111
2.9.6. Preparedness and mitigation measures 112
2.10. Questions 113
2.11. Multiple-choice questions (MCQs) 114
Chapter 3. Human-induced Disasters 131
3.1. Transportation disasters 132
3.1.1. Meaning and concept 132
3.1.2. Causes of transportation disasters 133
3.1.3. Effects of transport disasters 133
3.1.4. Control measures of transportation disasters 134
3.1.5. Road safety tips 135
3.2. Urban fires 137
3.2.1. Meaning and concept 137
3.2.2. Causes of urban fires 138
3.2.3. Effects of urban fires 139
3.2.4. Mitigation measures of urban fires 140
3.3. Biological disasters 142
3.3.1. Meaning and nature 142
3.3.2. NDMA guidelines for management of biohazards 144
3.3.3. Impact of biological hazards 145
3.3.4. Response and management 145
3.4. Nuclear (radiation) disasters 146
3.4.1. Meaning and concept 146
3.4.2. Causes of nuclear disasters 147
3.4.3. Some notable major nuclear disasters 149
3.4.4. Impact of nuclear disasters 149
3.4.5. Mitigation measures 150
3.4.6. Safety measures for nuclear hazards 151
3.5. Chemical disaster 153
3.5.1. Meaning and concept 153
3.5.2. Causes of chemical disasters 154
3.5.3. Some of the worst chemical disasters 155
3.5.4. Impact of chemical disasters 156
3.5.5. Prevention and mitigation 157
3.6. Technological disasters 158
3.6.1. Meaning and concept 158
3.6.2. Causes of technological disasters 159
3.6.3. Impact of technological disasters 160
3.6.4. Mitigation measures of technological disasters 161
3.7. Questions 163
3.8. Multiple-choice questions (MCQs) 165
Chapter 4. Pollutions 173
4.1. Meaning and concept 173
4.2. Air pollution 174
4.2.1. Meaning and concept 174
4.2.2. Sources of air pollution 175
4.2.3. Effects of air pollution 176
4.2.4. Control measures of air pollution 177
4.3. Water pollution 178
4.3.1. Meaning and concept 178
4.3.2. Causes of water pollution 180
4.3.3. Effects of water pollution 181
4.3.4. Control measures of water pollution 182
4.4. Soil pollution 183
4.4.1. Meaning and concept 183
4.4.2. Causes of soil pollution 185
4.4.3. Effects of soil pollution 186
4.4.4. Mitigation measures of soil pollution 186
4.5. Noise pollution 187
4.5.1. Meaning and concept 187
4.5.2. Causes of noise pollution 189
4.5.3. Harmful effects of noise pollution 189
4.5.4. Control measures of noise pollution 190
4.6. Radioactive pollution 191
4.6.1. Meaning and nature 191
4.6.2. Causes of radioactive pollution 191
4.6.3. Impact of radioactive pollution 192
4.6.4. Radioactive waste management 193
4.7. Plastic pollution 194
4.7.1. Causes of plastic pollution 194
4.7.2. Impact of plastic pollution 195
4.7.3. Mitigation strategies 196
4.8. Questions 197
4.9. Multiple-choice questions (MCQs) 199
Chapter 5. Environmental Challenges 207
5.1. Climate change 209
5.1.1. Causes of climate change 210
5.1.2. Impact of climate change on global sustainability 210
5.1.3. Solution to combat climate change 211
5.2. Greenhouse effect 213
5.2.1. Factors contributing to greenhouse effect 214
5.2.2. Impact of greenhouse effect 214
5.2.3. Effective strategies for reducing GHG emissions 216
5.3. Ozone depletion 217
5.3.1. Causes of ozone depletion 218
5.3.2. Impact of ozone layer depletion 218
5.3.3. Mitigation measures 219
5.4. Global warming 220
5.4.1. Causes of global warming 221
5.4.2. Effects of global warming 221
5.4.3. Control measures 222
5.5. Desertification 223
5.5.1. Causes of desertification 224
5.5.2. Effects of desertification 225
5.5.3. Solution to desertification 226
5.6. Acid rain 227
5.6.1. Sources of acid rain 227
5.6.2. Effects of acid rain 228
5.6.3. Solution to control acid rain 229
5.7. Ocean acidification 230
5.7.1. Impact of ocean acidification 231
5.7.2. Mitigation and adaptation strategies 231
5.8. Urban waterlogging 232
5.8.1. Causes of waterlogging 234
5.8.2. Impact of urban waterlogging 235
5.8.3. Strategies to prevent waterlogging in urban areas 236
5.9. Questions 237
5.10. Multiple-choice questions (MCQs) 240
References 247
Index 255
