There is heavy flood in your state. Trees are uprooted. Many animals are killed and
houses are drowned under water. People have become helpless. You feel that they
should be able to overcome the disaster. Write an article on ‘Disaster Management’ in
about 100-150 words
Answers
Petra Nemcova
has very wisely said, “We cannot stop natural disasters but we can arm
ourselves with knowledge: so many lives wouldn't have to be lost if there was
enough disaster preparedness.” It is quite true life is uncertain and
unpredictable only for those who don’t prepare themselves for its
uncertainties. Many people lose their life on account of some large scale
natural disasters and catastrophes. This large scale loss of property and human
life could be prevented if proper preventive measures are taken. Usually the
human beings become aware and proactive only after the tragedy strikes its
deadly blow!
Natural
disasters such as floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions,
tsunamis, and tornadoes can be tackled and handled quite safely if proper
warning and safety measures are taken well in advance. It has been observed
that these disasters wreaked quite havoc when these disasters took the victims
by surprise. Wherever there was a warning, and preparedness, there was less
destruction and loss.
With all the
technological advancement, it is possible now to predict natural disasters well
in advance. The weather satellites orbiting the earth, the early warning
systems installed at key locations are already doing wonders in keeping
millions of people safe.
All the
natural disasters that struck India and that took a very heavy toll of human
life and property could have been averted, if Indian Government in the past had
acted wisely and proactively. For example if the Government had installed early
warning systems in volcano, tsunami prone areas, catastrophes such as, Bhuj
earth quake on January 26, 2001, Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami in 2004,
flash floods in Kedarnath in 2013, many avalanches in the Himalayas, etc could
have been avoided.
The bitter
truth is we as nation are usually quite careless. We take life for granted. We
really need to reset our priorities. We must be responsible for ensuring our
safety. We have the required infrastructure and resources to be capable of
predicting any natural disaster that might strike our nation; however, the
focus and will of the people of our country as on trivial things and issues.
ISRO, DRDO,
BHEL, BDL, many scientists, students in colleges, schools, and universities can
be roped in inventing newer devices and technologies to predict natural
disasters well in advance accurately. We must ensure national and world safety
by developing and installing early warning systems. NASA can be looked upon as
an ideal role model in this regard. NASA is keeping a very vigilant eye on some
life-endangering comets or meteorites that might be heading towards earth for
collision. NASA has made all arrangements to handle the situation in case there
is any possibility of such collision.
The need of
the hour is Government and people along with the prediction mechanism further
must work more proactively to be prepared for natural disasters. It is not the
infrastructure and means we lack; we lack proper attitude to the disasters. So,
we must set our attitude right.
Explanation:
DISASTER management
Sudden-onset natural and technological disasters impose a substantial health burden, either directly on the population or indirectly on the capacity of the health services to address primary health care needs. The relationship between communicable diseases and disasters merits special attention. This chapter does not address epidemics of emerging or reemerging diseases, chronic degradation of the environment, progressive climatic change, or health problems associated with famine and temporary settlements.
In line with the definition of health adopted in the constitution of the World Health Organization (WHO), the chapter treats disasters as a health condition or risk, which, as any other "disease," should be the subject of epidemiological analysis, systematic control, and prevention, rather than merely as an emergency medicine or humanitarian matter. The chapter stresses the interdependency between long-term sustainable development and catastrophic events, leading to the conclusion that neither can be addressed in isolation.
Disasters as a Public Health Condition
According to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, internationally reported disasters in 2002 affected 608 million people worldwide and killed 24,532—well below the preceding decade's annual average mortality of 62,000 (IFRC 2003). Many more were affected by myriad local disasters that escaped international notice.
Disaster has multiple and changing definitions. The essential common element of those definitions is that disasters are unusual public health events that overwhelm the coping capacity of the affected community. This concept precludes the universal adoption of a threshold number of casualties or victims. What would be a minor incident in a large country may constitute a major disaster in a small isolated island state. Not only are "quantitative definitions of disasters unworkably simplistic" as noted by Alexander (1997, 289), but when based on the economic toll or the number of deaths, they are also misleading with regard to the immediate health needs of the survivors or their long-term impact on the affected country