LIWA

Disaster Management

ICSE Class 8 · Geography · Chapter 6

What this chapter covers

Key definitions

Disaster management is the planning and action taken before, during and after a disaster to reduce the loss of life and property and to help people return to normal life.

Mitigation is any action that reduces the damage a hazard can cause, even if the hazard itself cannot be stopped.

Preparedness means being ready in advance, so that people know exactly what to do when a disaster strikes.

Response is the immediate action taken during and just after a disaster to save lives and meet urgent needs.

Recovery is the longer process of rebuilding a community and its livelihoods after a disaster.

The fire triangle is a simple model showing that fuel, heat and oxygen must all be present for a fire to burn.

A fire extinguisher is a portable device that sprays a substance such as water, foam, powder or carbon dioxide to put out a small fire.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is the top body in India that makes policies, plans and guidelines for disaster management, and it is headed by the Prime Minister.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is a specially trained force that carries out search and rescue during disasters.

A State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) is the body in each state that prepares the state's own disaster plan, and it is headed by the Chief Minister.

An emergency kit is a bag of basic supplies kept ready so that a family can survive for about three days if a disaster cuts them off from help.

A mock drill is a practice exercise in which people act out exactly what they would do in a real emergency, so that they can respond quickly and calmly when one happens.

Key points

Questions answered

What is disaster management?
The planning and action taken before, during and after a disaster to reduce the loss of life and property and to help people return to normal life.
Explain the difference between a hazard and a disaster with an example.
A hazard only has the power to cause harm; it turns into a disaster when it strikes people who are not ready for it. In an empty desert, an earthquake remains only a hazard; under a crowded town of weak buildings, the same earthquake becomes a disaster.
Name the four stages of the disaster management cycle and give one action for each.
Prevention and mitigation (building embankments), preparedness (mock drills), response (rescue and first aid), recovery (rebuilding houses).
Give two reasons why disaster management is important for India.
India faces many hazards, such as floods, cyclones, earthquakes and droughts, and has a large, crowded population. Good management saves lives and reduces damage to homes, crops and services.
Why should you never walk through moving flood water?
Even shallow moving water can knock a person off their feet, and it may hide open drains, sharp objects and fallen live wires.
Why must drinking water be boiled or chlorinated after a flood?
Flood water mixes with sewage and spreads diseases such as cholera, typhoid and diarrhoea.
What do the words "drop, cover and hold on" mean during an earthquake?
Drop to your hands and knees, cover your head and neck under a strong table, and hold on to it until the shaking stops.
Why should water not be used on an electrical fire or burning oil?
Water conducts electricity and can give a deadly shock; on burning oil it turns instantly to steam and throws the burning oil around.