4.

Disaster Management

Can you tell ?

1. What events do you see

in these pictures ?
2. What would you have
done in these situations ?
3. Have you experienced
such a situation
yourself  ?
4. Why do these events
occur ?

4.1 : Some disastrous events

Disaster
l In 1993, many people died due to the
earthquake at Killari in Latur district.
l Even today people of Mumbai shudder
at the memory of July 2005 when many
people had lost their lives in the deluge
caused by heavy rains.

4.2 : Effects of the earthquake at Killari

l In July 2014, the whole village of Malin

in Ambegaon taluka of Pune district was
destroyed in a matter of minutes due to a
landslide. Many got buried under the heaps
of soil and stone and lost their lives.
l In November 2015, many people died 4.4 : The disaster at Malin village
due to the flooding caused by heavy rains
in Tamil Nadu.
Use your brain power !
What is a ‘disaster’?
A sudden event that causes large scale 1. What disasters can occur in school
damage to life, property and social or on the way to school ?
aspects of a nation or society is called 2. According to you, what can be done
a distaster. to deal with such a disaster ?

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How and why do the following Classify the following disasters
disasters occur ? as man-made or natural : Fire,
1. Floods due to heavy rains. earthquake, leakage of chemical
2. An earthquake, lightning, a volcanic gases, storms, floods, tsunami, bomb
eruption, etc. explosion, collapse of a building, war,
3. Forest fires forest fire.
4. Increased risk due to high density of Man-made Natural disasters
population in a limited area. disasters
5. Rampant and irregular constructions. Fire Earthquake
6. Ecological imbalance.
7. Terrorism, riots and crimes resulting
in bomb explosions, assaults, fire and
accidents, etc.
Disasters are of two main kinds -
man-made and natural. Effects of earthquake
Earthquakes l Destruction of infrastructure, i.e.,
Movements in the interior of the earth buildings, bridges, roads, railway
release tremendous amounts of energy. This tracks, etc.
causes seismic waves leading to movements l Change in the direction of the flow of
of the earth’s surface like tremors, shaking, rivers.
cracking up, etc.
l Huge loss of life and property.
Such vibrations or quaking in the earth’s
crust is known as an earthquake. It is believed
that besides other causes, man-made causes
like mining and construction of big dams can
also lead to earthquakes.
Floods
A frequently occuring natural disaster in all parts of the world is ‘floods’. Due to
excessive rains in the same place, a river overflows its banks causing a flood. The
water drainage system in big cities falls short when there is heavy rainfall, resulting in
choking of gutters and drainage lines. Water overflows on to the roads and surrounding
areas and even enters nearby
houses.
Effects of floods
l Huge loss to life and property.
l Soil erosion.
l Destruction of standing crops.
l After - effects of floods,
like spread of diseases and
epidemics affecting the health
of the people.
4.4 : A flood

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Storms
The formation of high and low air
pressure belts in the atmosphere causes
changes in weather resulting in strong
winds or storms.

Effects of storms
l Great damage in the storm affected region.

l Tremendous losses to life and property.

l Disruption of electric supply.

l Disruption of transport and communication.

4.5 : A storm

Forest fires
A forest fire is an uncontrolled fire in a
forest, pasture or grassland due to natural or
man-made causes. Forest fires spread at a
tremendous speed.
Effects of forest fires
l Great damage to natural wealth and
biodiversity.
l Pollution of air. 4.6 : A forest fire

1. How many children are there in your class at present ?

Can you tell ? 2. What would happen if five times this number sat in your class ?
3. Which kind of disaster can occur in an extremely crowded
place ?
Disaster management
Community participation and disaster management are closely related. Taking
steps to prevent disasters, making plans to face disasters and developing the
capacity for that, is called disaster management.
To prevent or reduce damage caused by natural or man-made disasters, emergency
planning and management is required.

Institutes at work
Always remember...
The National Disaster Management
Authority was established in 2005. During a disaster, helping and
It undertakes planning and supporting each other is our moral
implementation of disaster responsibility.
management work.

) Contact them for disaster management

)
Police : 100, Fire Brigade : 101, Ambulance : 102, Disaster management cell : 108

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Remedial and preventive measures
Let us see what precautions we can take before or in the event of a natural or
man-made disaster. 1. Keep watching TV and radio news and
bulletins.
2. Use battery operated radios and mobiles.
3. Heed the warnings issued by the
Meteorological Department carefully.
4. Use the website www.imd.gov.in
5. Landslides occur in hilly areas due to a cloudburst or
heavy rains. On such occasions, do not take shelter at
the foot of a hill.
6. During floods, do not linger in houses or areas on river
banks. Seek shelter in other safe places. Move to safer
places at a greater height. Do not step into the water
currents or drive a vehicle into them.
7. During an earthquake, roads split open, the ground
cracks, railway tracks get uprooted. Hence, when
moving from one place to another, ensure that the road
is safe further on.
8. Take shelter in relief camps as they provide medicines,
food packets, drinking water, first aid, etc.
9. To get protection from fire, use fire extinguishers in
public places like schools, hospitals, railway stations,
etc.

4.7 : Remedial and

preventive measures

First aid
In day-to-day life, sometimes, we have to face disasters or accidents of varying
proportions. On such occasions, it is necessary to give some immediate aid even
before medical treatment becomes available.

1. External bleeding
4.8 : Bleeding
If a person is bleeding, first make him sit or lie down
comfortably. Keep the bleeding part of the body above
the level of the heart and clean it with water.
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2. Burns and scalds Serious burns
Minor burns l Give emotional support.
l Cover the wounds with sterilised
l The injured part should
be washed with water or cloth.
l Remove jewellery, shoes, etc. if
held under water.
easily possible.
l Give the victim water to
l Do not touch or burst the blisters
drink. on the skin.
l Clean the wounds using a l Do not apply oily ointments.
cotton swab soaked in an l Do not try to remove the cloth if it
antiseptic solution. is stuck to the burnt skin.
l Do not apply oily l If the patient is conscious, give
ointments. water to drink but avoid tea or
l Cover wounds using dry coffee or other stimulating drinks.
dressings. l Get medical aid at once.

4.9 : Immediate steps for burns

3. Sunstroke
When we work in the sun continuously for
a long time, the body loses a lot of water and
minerals. That is the reason for sunstroke.
Remedial measures
l Take the patient to a cool place or
in the shade.
l Sponge the whole body with cold water.

l Place a cloth soaked in cold water on the neck.

l Give plenty of water or liquids like sherbets to drink.
l If the patient feels like vomiting make him lie prone,
i.e., on his/her abdomen with the head turned to one
side.
4.10 : First aid for sunstroke
l Get medical help or shift the patient to a hospital.
4. Snakebite
There are nearly 2000 species of snakes. Of these, only a few, like cobras, kraits,
vipers and sea snakes are poisonous. Therefore, all snakebites are not fatal. However, fear
causes severe psychological shock which can result in death. If you come across a snake,
contact a ‘Sarpa-mitra’ rather than killing the snake at once.
Remedial measures
l Wash the wound with water 4.11 :
First aid
l Give emotional support to the patient. for
l Tie a cloth tightly above the wound. snakebite
l Get immediate medical help.

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5. Dog bite Remedial measures
In a dog bite, there is a risk of l Wash the wound with a solution of potassium
infection through the blood, hence permanganate or other antiseptic.
first aid and medical help are l Cover the wound with a clean and dry cloth.
necessary. l Get a doctor’s help and an injection of the anti
rabies vaccine.
What we have learnt-
Page 26 :
l A sudden calamity is known as a ‘disaster’. Photographs of
l Disasters can be man-made or natural. Killari earthquake
l Alertness and immediate action are necessary on such occasions. and Malin
landslide -
l Effective disaster management and use of remedial measures can Courtesy :
help reduce the losses. Lokmat Library,
l Every person should know about safety precautions and first aid. Aurangabad

Exercise
1. What are the emergency contact 5. Find out about the work of a
numbers of the following ? ‘Sarpa-mitra’.
(a) Police Control Room 6. Find out what a first aid kit/box
(b) Fire brigade contains.
(c) Ambulance 7. Suggest remedial measures for dealing
(d) National level single emergency with natural or man-made disasters.
number for disaster relief. Disaster Remedy Disaster Remedy
2. What first aid will you provide in Fire Earthquake
the following situations ? Building Deluge
(a) Dog bite collapse
(b) Scratches/ bleeding Road Storm
accident
(c) Burns/scalds
Flood Tsunami
(d) Snakebite
(e) Sunstroke War Drought
3. Write the causes of the following : Bomb Landslide
explosion
(a) Floods
(b) Forest fires Activity :
(c) Land slides/building collapse l Compile information about measures
(d) Storms taken for disaster management in
(e) Earthquakes your school.
4. Answer the following questions. l Make posters, advertisements,
(a) What is meant by ‘disasters’ ? banners about disaster management.
(b) What are the types of disasters?
(c) What is meant by ‘disaster l Find out the people/organisations that
management ’? provide aid during a disaster. Obtain
(d) Which are the main components of their phone numbers, addresses, etc.
disaster management ?

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