Disaster Management Responding To Disasters

Class 9 | Social Science — Geography | Unit 8

Class 9 Unit 8 Geography

Learning objectives

To know the phases of disaster management To understand how to respond to disaster such as Tsunami, earthquake, riot and fire To describe the measures to manage riots disaster

Case Study - Tsunami

Shortly before 8 am on 26 December 2004, the cicadas fell silent and the ground shook in dismay. The Moken, an isolated tribe on the Andaman Islands in the Indian Ocean, knew that the Laboon, the 'wave that eats people', had stirred from his ocean lair. The Moken also knew what was next: a towering wall of water washing over their island, cleansing it of all that was evil and impure. To heed the Laboon's warning signs, elders told their children, run to high ground.

'If the water recedes after an earthquake, run immediately to high ground'

The tiny Andaman and Nicobar Islands were directly in the path of the tsunami generated by the magnitude 9.1 of earthquake off the coast of Sumatra. Final total put the islands' death toll at 1,879 alone with another 5,600 people missing. The islanders who had heard the stories about the Laboon or similar mythological figures survived the tsunami essentially unscathed. Most of the casualties that occurred in the southern Nicobar Islands were outsiders, leaving them with no indigenous tsunami warning system to guide them to higher ground.

Introduction

Humans have passed down stories through the ages that helped cultures to cope when disaster inevitably struck. These stories were fodder for anthropologists and social scientists, but in the past decade, geologists have begun to pay more attention to how indigenous people understood and prepared for disaster. These stories, which couched myth in metaphor, could ultimately help scientists prepare for cataclysms to come. In this lesson, you will learn about how to respond to certain disasters to become resilient. A disaster is "a catastrophe that causes great damage or loss of life and property".

8.1 Disaster Response

Disaster response entails restoring physical facilities, rehabilitation of affected population, restoration of lost livelihoods and reconstruction efforts to restore the infrastructure lost or damaged. The Response Phase focuses primarily on emergency relief: saving lives, providing first aid, restoring damaged systems (communications and transportation), meeting the basic life requirements of those impacted by disaster (food, water and shelter) and providing mental health and spiritual support and care.

Who are the first responders?

No matter how large or small, local communities are expected to provide immediate disaster response. On a daily basis, police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians are a community's first responders, whether during fire, flood or acts of terrorism. Mental health professionals and the community's hospitals may also be activated in those early minutes and hours after disaster.

Disaster management includes Prevention, Mitigation, Preparedness, Response and Recovery. Disaster management involves all levels of government. Non-governmental and community based organizations play a vital role in the process. Modern disaster management goes beyond post-disaster assistance. It now includes pre-disaster planning and preparedness activities, organizational planning, training, information management, public relations and many other fields. Crisis management is important, but is only a part of the responsibility of a disaster manager.

Disaster Management Cycle

The traditional approach to disaster management has a number of phased sequences of action or a continuum. These can be represented as a disaster management cycle. We mainly focus on the way how the community should respond to disasters.

8.1.1 Earthquake

An earthquake is a sudden vibration of the part of the earth caused by plate movements. It occurs along the plate boundaries. The place inside the earth where an earthquake originates is focus. The point on the earth's surface above the called a focus is called an epicentre. The damage caused by the earthquake is the highest near the epicentre. The earthquake is measured by an instrument called a Seismograph. It is recorded in Richter scale. Let us now see how the communities can better respond to earthquakes.

Do You Know?

1. Japan is in a very active seismic area and it has the densest seismic network in the world.

2. Which country actually has the most number of earthquakes? Indonesia is in a very active seismic zone also, but because it is larger than Japan, it has more earthquakes.

3. Which country has the most earthquakes per unit area? This would probably be Tonga, Fiji or Indonesia, since they are all in extremely active seismic areas along subduction zones

What to do during an earthquake?

Be aware that some earthquakes are actually foreshocks and a larger earthquake might occur later. Minimize your movements to a few steps that reach a safe place nearby and stay indoors until the shaking has stopped and you are sure exiting is safe.

If indoors

One.DROP to the ground; take COVER by getting under a sturdy table or other piece of furniture and HOLD ON until the shaking stops. If there is no table or desk near you, cover your face and head with your arms and crouch in an inside corner of the building.

Two. Protect yourself by staying under the lintel of an inner door, in the corner of a room, under a table or even under a bed.

Three.Stay away from glass windows, outside doors and walls and anything that could fall (such as lighting fixtures or furniture).

Four.Stay inside until the shaking stops and go outside.

If outdoors

1.Move away from buildings, trees, streetlights and utility wires.

2.If you are in open space, stay there until the shaking stops. The greatest danger exists directly outside buildings at exits and alongside exterior walls. Most earthquake-related casualties result due to collapsing walls, flying glass and falling objects.

If in a moving vehicle

1.Stop as quickly as safety permits. Avoid stopping near or under buildings, trees, overpasses and utility wires.

2.Proceed cautiously once the earthquake has stopped. Avoid roads, bridges or ramps that might have been damaged by the earthquake.

Activity Mock drill: Earthquake

It is important that we know what to do if an earthquake occurs. In case we are inside the class when it occurs, instruct loudly "earth quake position – drop, cover, and hold on". Drop down on your knee. Cover your head, neck and face. Go under a table to protect your head and neck.

8.1.2 Tsunami

A tsunami can kill or injure people and damage or destroy buildings and infrastructure as waves come forth and recede. A tsunami is a series of enormous ocean waves caused by earthquakes, underwater landslides, volcanic eruptions or asteroids. Tsunamis can travel 700-800 km per hour, with waves 10-30 meter high. It causes flooding and disrupts transportation, power, communications, and water supply.

How to respond to Tsunami?

1. You should find out if your home, school, workplace or other frequently visited locations are in tsunami hazard areas along the sea-shore.

2. Plan evacuation routes from your home, school, workplace, or any other place you could be, where tsunamis poses a risk.

3. Use a weather radio or stay tuned to a local radio or television station to keep informed of local watches and warnings.

4. Discuss tsunamis with your family. Everyone should be aware of what to do when tsunami strikes. Discussing tsunamis ahead of time will help reduce fear and save precious time in an emergency. Review flood safety and precautionary measures with your family.

What to do after a Tsunami?

1. You should continue using a weather radio or staying tuned to a Coast Guard emergency frequency station or a local radio or television station for updated emergency information.

2. Check yourself for injuries and get first aid if necessary, before helping injured or trapped persons.

3. If someone needs to be rescued, call professionals with the right equipment to help.

4. Help people who require special assistance, like Infants, elderly people, those without transportation, large families who may need additional help in an emergency situation, people with disabilities, and the people who care for them.

5. Stay out of a building if water remains around it. Tsunami water, like floodwater, can undermine foundations, causing buildings to sink, floors to crack, or walls to collapse.

6. Check for gas leaks. If you smell gas or hear a blowing or hissing noise, open a window and get everyone outside quickly.

8.1.3 Riot

Though riot may seem dramatic, an angry mob can be just as dangerous and unpredictable as just about any natural disaster. Thousands of people are killed in riots all over the world each year, and these riots erupt from a number of racial, religious, economic, political, or social causes that cannot be predetermined. As per Pew Research Center analysis of 198 countries on April 11, 2015. Syria tops in riot in the world followed by Nigeria, Iraq and India. If you've found yourself in the middle of a riot, you may not be able to run away immediately, but you can take some measures to protect yourself from harm. If you want to know how to survive a riot, just follow these steps.

Surviving a Riot At Travel Destination: What to Do

1. Keep abreast of the current news if you are in a volatile area.

2. If you come across a demonstration, don't become inquisitive, just leave the area and find another route to your intended destination.

3. Avoid any place where police or security forces action is in progress.

If caught in a riot:

1. If you find yourself caught up in a demonstration, keep to the edge of the crowd where it is safer. At the first opportunity, break away and seek refuge in a nearby building or find a suitable doorway or alley and stay there until the crowd passes.

2. When leaving the fringe of the demonstration, just walk away – don't run as this will draw attention to you.

3. In the event that you are arrested by the police/military, do not resist. Go along peacefully and contact your law advisor to help you resolve your predicament.

4. If you are caught up in the crowd, stay clear of glass shop fronts, moreover, move with the flow.

5. If shooting breaks out, drop to the ground and cover your head and neck, and lie as flat as you can.

8.1.4 Fire

Wildfires occur when vegetated areas are set alight and are particularly common during hot and dry periods. They can occur in forests, grasslands, bush and deserts, and with blowing wind, can spread rapidly. Fires can lead to the destruction of buildings, wooden bridges and poles, power, transmission and telecommunication lines, warehouses containing oil products and other fuel. It causes injury to people and animals. The most common causes of fires are lightning strikes, sparks during arid conditions, eruption of volcanoes and man-made fires arising from deliberate arson or accidents. A side-effect of wildfires which also threatens inhabited areas is smoke. Fires create large quantities of smoke, which can be spread far by wind and poses a respiratory hazard. On an average, in India, every year, about 25,000 persons die due to fires and related causes. Female accounts for about 66 percent of those killed in fire accidents. It is estimated that about 42 females and 21 males die every day in India due to fire.

Think why Smoke kills more than fire.

Fire Safety Do's and Don'ts

1. Know your building's evacuation plan.

2. Evacuate calmly and quickly, whenever a fire alarm or carbon monoxide alarm sounds.

3. Before opening a door, feel it with the back of your hand. If the door is hot, do not open it.

4. If you encounter smoke during your evacuation, stay low to the floor.

5. Know the outside rally point for your building.

6. Know the locations of fire extinguishers, fire alarm pull stations and exits.

Activity Mock Drill

To escape a fire, stop, drop, and roll. In case your clothes burn, stop running, drop on the floor and roll to stop the fire spreading.

What you should do during a fire:

1. Stay calm.

2. Pull the nearest fire alarm or call 112.

3. Give your name and location of the fire. Do not hang up until the police dispatcher tells you to do so.

4. Leave the building immediately.

5. Inform others as you pass them to leave the building immediately.

6. Walk—don't run—to the nearest exit.

7. Never use elevators—an elevator may become a trap.

HOTS Why should you cut off all the branches of trees below 3 metres of height standing near your house?

Exercise

Exercise 1. Choose the correct answer

1. One among the following is not the first responder in case of a disaster.

a. police officers b. firefighters c. insurance agents d. emergency medical technicians

2. 'Drop, Cover, Hold' is a mock drill a vowal for

a. Fire b. Earthquake c. Tsunami d. Riot

3. When you happen to see a fire break out, you will make a call to

a. 114 b. 112 c. 115 d. 118

4. Which of the following statements is untrue?

a. 'Stop, Drop, Roll' is for fire. b. 'Drop, Cover, Hold' is for an earthquake. c. 'If sea water recedes back, run to higher places' is for flood. d. 'If gunshots are heard, drop to the ground and cover the head with hand' is for riot.

5. Which of the following statements belongs to responding to earthquake?

a. Avoid, any place where police or security forces action is in progress. b. Know the height of your street above sea level and the distance of your street from the coast. c. Stay away from glass, windows, outside doors and walls and anything that could fall. d. Before opening a door, feel it with the back of your hand. Exercise (2). Answer in brief

1. Who are the community's first responders to disaster?

2. Though Japan has the densest seismic network, Indonesia has the most number of earthquakes. Why?

3. How many males and females die per day due to fire in India?

4. What should you do after a Tsunami?

Exercise (3). Answer in Paragraph

1. Write a short note on Tsunami.

2. What do you do if you are indoors during an earthquake?

3. How do you respond to Tsunami?

4. Write three sentences about what to do during fire.

Activity Mock drill for fire Activity Mock drill for earthquake

REFERENCE BOOKS

1. Disaster management Module, TNSCERT.

2. NDMA.

3. Wikipedia

INTERNET RESOURCES

http://www.ndmindia.nic.in/

Helpline Numbers

011-23438252

011-23438253

011-1070

GLOSSARY

Asthenosphere Upper layer of the earth's mantle below the lithosphere. Air current Movement of air when it rises upward or sinks down. Cataclysms Large scale violent events in the natural world Condensation Process of change of state of water from gaseous to liquid. Continental drift The gradual movement of the Earth's continents on the surface of the planet Coriolis Force Deflection of winds from their original path due to Earth's rotation. Doldrums The equatorial low pressure belt, extending between 5°N and 5°S. Eruption The ejection of molten rock, steam, etc. from a volcano or geyser. Geology The science that deals with the physical structure and substances of the earth, their history and the processes which act on them. Hazard Potential threat to life Hostility Unfriendliness Inquisitive Curious about learning things Internal Radioactivity Radiations emitted from radioactive metals inside the earth and act as a driving force for the earth's tectonics. Lair A place where a wild animal lives in Mitigation Action of reducing severity Normal Lapse rate Decrease of temperature at the rate of 6.5 degree celsius per km increase in altitude. Orogeny Mountain building process due to lateral compression of the crust. Pacific ring of fire The Pacific Ring of fire is an arc around the Pacific Ocean where many volcanoes are found. Pangea A super continent that existed during the late Palaeozoic and early Mesozoic eras. Panthalasa Super ocean that surrounded Pangaea. Predicament Unpleasant situation Rehabilitation Act of restoring someone to health or normal life through training and therapy Riot An occasion where a large number of people behave in a noisy, violent and uncontrolled way Unscathed Without suffering any injury or damage Wind vane Also known as windcock. It is a device to find out the direction of wind.

Book-back Exercises — Questions & Answers

Answers generated strictly from the Samacheer Kalvi textbook content. Attempt each question first, then click "Show Answer" to check.

1. Choose the correct answer

1. One among the following is not the first responder in case of a disaster.

a) police officers b) firefighters c) insurance agents d) emergency medical technicians

Answer: c) insurance agents

Explanation: According to the chapter, police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians are a community's first responders, whether during fire, flood or acts of terrorism.

2. 'Drop, Cover, Hold' is a mock drill a vowal for

a) Fire b) Earthquake c) Tsunami d) Riot

Answer: b) Earthquake

Explanation: The chapter states "earth quake position – drop, cover, and hold on" as the instruction for earthquake mock drill.

3. When you happen to see a fire break out, you will make a call to

a) 114 b) 112 c) 115 d) 118

Answer: b) 112

Explanation: The chapter states "Pull the nearest fire alarm or call 112" as the response during a fire.

4. Which of the following statements is untrue?

a) 'Stop, Drop, Roll' is for fire. b) 'Drop, Cover, Hold' is for an earthquake. c) 'If sea water recedes back, run to higher places' is for flood. d) 'If gunshots are heard, drop to the ground and cover the head with hand' is for riot.

Answer: c) 'If sea water recedes back, run to higher places' is for flood.

Explanation: The statement is untrue because this instruction is for tsunami, not flood. The chapter mentions "If the water recedes after an earthquake, run immediately to high ground" as a tsunami warning.

5. Which of the following statements belongs to responding to earthquake?

a) Avoid, any place where police or security forces action is in progress. b) Know the height of your street above sea level and the distance of your street from the coast. c) Stay away from glass, windows, outside doors and walls and anything that could fall. d) Before opening a door, feel it with the back of your hand.

Answer: c) Stay away from glass, windows, outside doors and walls and anything that could fall.

Explanation: The chapter states this as a safety measure during earthquakes when indoors.

(2). Answer in brief

1. Who are the community's first responders to disaster?

Answer: On a daily basis, police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians are a community's first responders, whether during fire, flood or acts of terrorism. Mental health professionals and the community's hospitals may also be activated.

2. Though Japan has the densest seismic network, Indonesia has the most number of earthquakes. Why?

Answer: Indonesia is in a very active seismic zone also, but because it is larger than Japan, it has more earthquakes. Japan is in a very active seismic area and has the densest seismic network in the world.

3. How many males and females die per day due to fire in India?

Answer: It is estimated that about 42 females and 21 males die every day in India due to fire. Female accounts for about 66 percent of those killed in fire accidents.

4. What should you do after a Tsunami?

Answer: You should continue using a weather radio or staying tuned to emergency stations for updated information. Check yourself for injuries and get first aid if necessary. Help people who require special assistance and stay out of buildings if water remains around them.

(3). Answer in Paragraph

1. Write a short note on Tsunami.

Answer: A tsunami is a series of enormous ocean waves caused by earthquakes, underwater landslides, volcanic eruptions or asteroids. Tsunamis can travel 700-800 km per hour, with waves 10-30 meter high. A tsunami can kill or injure people and damage or destroy buildings and infrastructure as waves come forth and recede. It causes flooding and disrupts transportation, power, communications, and water supply. The tsunami generated by the magnitude 9.1 earthquake off the coast of Sumatra in 2004 caused significant damage to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

2. What do you do if you are indoors during an earthquake?

Answer: If indoors during an earthquake, DROP to the ground; take COVER by getting under a sturdy table or other piece of furniture and HOLD ON until the shaking stops. If there is no table or desk near you, cover your face and head with your arms and crouch in an inside corner of the building. Stay away from glass windows, outside doors and walls and anything that could fall such as lighting fixtures or furniture. Protect yourself by staying under the lintel of an inner door, in the corner of a room, under a table or even under a bed. Stay inside until the shaking stops and then go outside.

3. How do you respond to Tsunami?

Answer: To respond to tsunami, you should find out if your home, school, workplace or other frequently visited locations are in tsunami hazard areas along the sea-shore. Plan evacuation routes from these places where tsunamis pose a risk. Use a weather radio or stay tuned to local radio or television stations to keep informed of local watches and warnings. Discuss tsunamis with your family so everyone knows what to do when tsunami strikes. Discussing tsunamis ahead of time will help reduce fear and save precious time in an emergency. Review flood safety and precautionary measures with your family.

4. Write three sentences about what to do during fire.

Answer: During a fire, stay calm and pull the nearest fire alarm or call 112. Leave the building immediately and inform others as you pass them to leave the building immediately. Walk—don't run—to the nearest exit and never use elevators as an elevator may become a trap.

📝 Summary

1. Disaster management is a comprehensive process involving Prevention, Mitigation, Preparedness, Response and Recovery phases that includes all levels of government and community organizations.
2. The December 26, 2004 tsunami in the Indian Ocean demonstrated the importance of indigenous knowledge, as the Moken tribe survived by following traditional warnings about the 'Laboon' or wave that eats people.
3. Disaster response focuses primarily on emergency relief including saving lives, providing first aid, restoring communication and transportation systems, and meeting basic needs like food, water and shelter.
4. Local communities are the first responders to disasters, with police officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, mental health professionals and hospitals playing vital roles in immediate response.
5. Modern disaster management has evolved beyond post-disaster assistance to include pre-disaster planning, organizational training, information management, and public relations activities.