Disaster Management Mechanism

Q. What is Disaster?

Ans: A disaster refers to a significant and destructive event,

whether caused by nature or humans, resulting in substantial loss of
life, damage to the environment, and destruction of property or
infrastructure. It can occur suddenly, like an earthquake or oil spill,
or unfold gradually, such as the prolonged impacts of a pandemic or
climate change. Natural disasters encompass events like severe
droughts, wildfires, floods, landslides, and volcanic eruptions, while
human-caused disasters include industrial accidents, building
collapses, fires in high-rise buildings, plane crashes, ship sinkings,
and acts of terrorism. The term can also be used to describe events
like the displacement of large populations due to war.

Q. How people face disaster like situations?

Ans- Disaster refers to a critical situation experienced by living beings,

especially humans, due to various factors:

 People may encounter crisis-like situations when their lives and

valuable resources are harmed.
 Economic disruptions, such as production losses, additional expenses
related to disaster management, and the recovery of damaged
resources, can lead to crisis situations.
 When essential services and social support systems break down,
people face crisis.
 Sometimes environmental support systems are damaged, rendering
the overall system unsuitable for the survival of living beings.

Disaster like situation may arise only when the system is at

risk.

 Concept of Hazard, Vulnerability and Capacity

Q. what is Hazard?

Ans: Hazards are defined as physical phenomena that pose a threat to the
people, structures or economic assets and which may cause a disaster. Or
Hazard can be defined as “A phenomenon or an event or an object, which
has potential to cause damage and disruption to in a system”. Generally
speaking, there are two types of hazards, namely:

1. Natural - These are hazards caused by nature such as floods,

droughts, earthquake cyclones, tsunami, landslides etc.
2. Human made - These are hazards that are caused by human beings
either deliberately or by accident such as industrial and chemical
accident, road and railway accidents, aviation disasters, fire, building
collapse, communal violence, bomb blasts etc.

For example,

 Excess rainfall may lead to flood hazard. Here rain is the main force of
flood hazard. In absence of rain, there is no possibility of flood.
 Leakage of poisonous gas can cause damage to our life. Poisonous gas
is harmful object and its leakage is harmful event.

 The impact of hazard in any area or time is related to Frequency,

Magnitude, Exposure Time and Length of Forewarning of the hazard.

a) Frequency- The number of times a particular hazard strikes a

particular place within a specific period of time. If frequency is
more than impact of hazard will be more.
b) Magnitude- it can be defined as dimensions, size, or strength of
hazard. The scales for measuring magnitude of different hazard
are different. For example- the earthquake magnitude can be
recorded in terms of richter scale and flood magnitude can be
recorded in terms of high flood level.
c) Exposure time- it means the time for which the hazard stays in
any area. If exposure time is more than impact of hazard will be
more.
d) Length of Forewarning- The time scale for forecasting a hazard
before it strikes a system. For some hazards, forewarning time is
either very short or zero. In this case, probability of loss and
damage is very high. Example is earthquake.
 e) Response time: it is the period, within which the vulnerable
community has to respond to a hazard to save their life and
property.

 Classification of hazards-
 Natural hazards-
a) Geophysical- those natural phenomena related to earths interior
Structure, Composition and Dynamics, are called geophysical
hazard. For example- earthquake, tsunami, volcanic eruption etc.
Frequency and magnitude of this hazard cannot be influenced by
human activities or altered by any mechanisms.

b) Atmospheric and Hydrological- this kind of hazard is related to

atmospheric parameters and rain fall. For example- flood, drought,
hurricane, lightning, hailstorms etc. frequency and magnitude of
these hazard can be influenced by human activities, change in
topographic features and climate conditions.

c) Land surface related- this kinds of hazards is related to

topographic and geomorphic conditions of a particular area. For
example- soil erosion, desertification, landslide etc. Frequency and
magnitude of these hazard can be influenced by human activities
as well as tectonic and climate conditions.

 Human interference hazards-

a) Environmental hazards – ex- Pollutants, contaminants, impurities,
dust and metallic particles, toxic substances, inflatable materials,
poisonous substances including gases, explosives and other
harmful substances. These hazards have enormous potential to
cause physical damages as well as severe health problems. Most
of these are man-made hazards and can be eliminated by
following certain hazard specific safety mechanisms.

b) Radiation hazard- Harmful radiations like ultraviolet radiation,

nuclear or ionized radiations etc. Exposure to high dose radiations
may lead to serious health problems or even death. Have potential
to cause enormous damage to environmental support systems and
make the set-up unsuitable for survival of living beings. Such
hazards may have long time negative impacts on living beings
 with critical diseases. Exposure time may be very long, even
several years and cannot be eliminated easily.

c) Biological hazard- These are generally harmful organisms and

organic substances produced by these organisms. Harmful
microorganisms, parasites, viruses, bacteria, fungi and protein,
vectors and carriers of such hazards. This kinds of hazards have
potential to cause severe health problems, highly contagious
diseases, epidemic, pandemic followed by enormous disruptions in
normal pattern of life. To deal with biological hazards, safety
protocols, legal- institutional framework, healthcare
infrastructure, social customary, and motivation are important.

d) OTHER MAN-MADE HAZARDS- Growing accidents in all forms

are becoming major concern. Extremely weak and faulty
structures like old buildings, dams, bridges etc. may lead to large
scale damage and disruptions. Civil unrest, terrorism, war etc. are
also becoming major threats for human civilization. Most of the
fire incidents are also linked to man-made faults and vulnerability
factors.

Q. what are the steps of hazard assessment?

Ans- METHOD OF HAZARD ASSESSMENT

a) Step: 1 Identification of primary and secondary hazards, which can do

significant damage and disruptions in the area or system.
b) Step: 2 Preparation of hazard maps to understand, which areas are
prone to what types of hazards. An area may be single hazard or
multi-hazard prone. For multi-hazard prone area, hazard specific
separate maps should be prepared.
c) Step: 3 Analysis of past disaster events to estimate optimum impacts
of hazards in terms of their maximum frequency, magnitude and
exposure times.
d) Step: 4 Preparation of hazard zoning maps, based on impacts of
hazards, in terms of very high, high, medium, low etc. [This can be
done by colour codes or numerical grading]
 e) Step: 5 Preparation of seasonal calendar to understand the time of
occurrences of different hazards and their speed of onsets, as well as
prepare hazard specific preparedness plans.
f) Step: 6 Screening of the sectors and valuable elements, which can be
affected by these hazards.
To do so, we need to ● Collect primary and secondary data. ● Analyze
the data to understand nature and impact of hazards. The
sophisticated tools available for hazard assessment ● Arial
photograph and satellite imagery to get information about landscape.
● GIS and remote sensing based analysis to store and present spatial
data and information in digital format.

Q. what is Vulnerability?

Ans: Vulnerability can be defined as a set of prevailing or consequential

unsafe conditions or negative factors, which reduces our ability to resist
external hazards to minimize damage and disruption of the system or to
cope with disaster situation. Vulnerability is hazard and factor specific. For
example, if a building isn’t built well, it’s more vulnerable to an earthquake.

Vulnerability can be of varied types like:

1) Physical vulnerability: Depending on physical location of people and

elements at risk and technical capacity of buildings, structures, and
infrastructure. It varies according to construction techniques, materials
used and location.
2) Economic vulnerability: Poor people are considered to be more
vulnerable as their houses are built of weak material and in dangerous
areas. They do not have the essential safety nets to recover as the
affluent population. Their loose the essential tools and equipments of
their livelihood as well.
3) Social Vulnerability: Some sections of the population are more
vulnerable than the others like women, children, elderly, physically and
mentally challenged and those dependent on critical facilities.
4) Motivational vulnerability- it indicates the lack of motivation of the
people or community to do good work. Motivational vulnerability mainly
responsible for unsustainable development.
5) Other types of vulnerability: Some other types of vulnerability have also
been identified like Environmental vulnerability, Cultural vulnerability,
Educational vulnerability, attitudinal vulnerability and Political
vulnerability.

Q. What is Risk?

Ans: Risk is the probability of harmful consequences or expected losses

(deaths, injuries, property, livelihoods, economic activity disrupted or
environment damaged) resulting from interaction between natural or
human-induced hazards and vulnerable conditions. When a system is at high
risk, we can expect maximum damage and disruption in the system, if a
hazard strikes the system.

Parameters of risk-

1. The first parameter is Hazard - Hazard is the potential threats a

system faces, like floods or earthquakes. The more hazards and the
greater their magnitudes, the higher the risk. Risk is directly
proportional to hazard frequency and severity. In practice, No system
can have zero risk, but reducing threats can lower risk.

2. The second parameter is vulnerability of the system- Vulnerability talks

how easily a system can be harmed by hazards.. More unsafe conditions mean
more disruption. Risk increases with greater vulnerability. The
combined impact of Hazard and Vulnerability to a system is called
Specific Risk. In absence of one parameter i.e., “Hazard or
Vulnerability”, the Disaster Risk of a system becomes zero. In reality,
it is not possible.
3. Third parameter of the Risk is the elements at risk – it means the
people and assets within the system. If there are no elements, there is
no potential for loss even with hazards. Risk depends on how
vulnerable the elements are.

The disaster risk of any system depends on probable hazards to which the
system is exposed; vulnerability of the system, and elements in the system
which are at risk.

 Different approaches in understanding Disaster Phenomena

Conventional / dominant approaches – most of the people and disaster

management agencies follow these approaches to manage disaster
situations.

 Natural Science Approach- The Natural Science Approach

characterizes disasters as catastrophic events resulting from natural
phenomena. According to this perspective, disasters are considered
accidents or unforeseen consequences of unpredictable and uncontrollable
natural forces—often attributed to acts of God. Importantly, this approach
tends to overlook damage mitigation planning, emphasizing the inevitability
of such events without active intervention. This approach considers the
triggering forces i.e., natural phenomena like earthquake, cyclone etc. as
disasters;

 Applied Science Approach- The Applied Science Approach centers

around assessing the severity of disasters based on the extent of loss and
damage caused by devastating phenomena. It primarily focuses on the
outcomes of these disaster events. Emergency actions, such as immediate
response and recovery, are recommended to address crisis situations.
However, this approach tends to have limited emphasis on risk
management through rectifying the root causes of disasters. Instead, it
prioritizes enhancing the resilience of exposed elements and physical
structures to minimize loss and damage.

1. This approach centers on assessing the impact of disasters based on the damage and
loss they cause.
2. It recommends emergency response and recovery to handle crisis situations promptly.
 3. However, it doesn’t give much attention to addressing the root causes of disasters.
4. Instead, it emphasizes strengthening structures and elements to reduce damage.

In simpler terms, this approach is about understanding disaster consequences, acting swiftly, but
not necessarily fixing the underlying issues. 🌟

Alternative / Progressive Approaches-

 Social Science Approach-

 The Social Science Approach emerged in the 1960s as an alternative way

to understand disasters.
 Research shows a connection between unsustainable development and
the occurrence of disasters.
 Unsustainable development are more dangerous than no development
because unsustainable development always led to disaster like situations
due to large scale damage and disruption under the impact of any
external threat.
 It focuses on social and developmental factors that contribute to the
severity of disasters.

 Holistic Approach-

 The Holistic Approach considers both the external triggering force

(natural or man-made) and internal negative factors of our systems
responsible for occurrence of disasters.
 According to this approach disaster may occur in a system only when
the system is at risk.
 There are 2 reasons for the occurrence of disaster like situations in a
system- 1/ the system must be exposed to some threats/hazards
because of which the system is prone to hazard.
2/ the system must have some unsafe elements which can be damaged
by external hazards; in that case the system will become vulnerable to
external hazards.

Disaster risk mitigation- for this we have 2 options- take measures for
1/ hazard management and 2/vulnerability reduction

Q. what is Disaster Risk Assessment?

Ans-

 Disaster Risk Assessment (DRA) is a process that determines the

nature and extent of risk by analyzing potential hazards and
evaluating existing conditions of vulnerability and capacity. It aims to
identify risks that could potentially harm exposed individuals,
property, services, livelihoods, and the environment.
 The primary goal of DRA is to make informed decisions regarding
steps to reduce the impacts of disasters.
 DRA is an integral part of the decision-making process in disaster risk
management.

Steps in Disaster Risk Assessment-

1. Hazard Assessment:
 Identify types of hazards (past and potential) in the area.
 Analyze frequency, seasonality, magnitude, intensity, extent, and
causes of hazards.
 Differentiate tools and techniques based on hazard type (e.g.,
earthquakes vs. landslides).

2. Vulnerability Assessment:
 Determine elements at risk and their vulnerability.
 Analyze causes of vulnerability for people, buildings, resources,
etc.
 Conduct critical facility analysis to identify vulnerable facilities.

3. Capacity Assessment:
 Identify community strengths and resources to reduce risk.
 Evaluate available resources like skills, expertise, infrastructure,
etc.
 Assess resource availability, durability, operational integrity, and
deployment speed.
 4. People's Perception of Risk:
 Understand community perceptions of disasters, hazards, and risks
they face.
 Gather insights from diverse groups within the community
regarding their risk perceptions.

Q. what are the Selective models to study disaster risk of any vulnerable
system?

Ans-

A. Contract- Expand Model-

 It describes the process of disaster phenomena.
 This model was widely used by communities of South Africa.
 Introduced by Kotze & Holloway in 1996, it is a framework in
disaster management that emphasizes the flexibility of disaster
risk reduction components based on community vulnerabilities.
This model is utilized in hazard-prone communities and is
guided by three key assumptions:
 Disasters Occur When Hazard Exceeds Capacity:
Disasters happen when a hazard surpasses a community's
ability to manage it, indicating a critical balance between
hazard magnitude, system vulnerability, and community
capacity.

 Simultaneous Risk Reduction Components:

All aspects of disaster risk reduction can be implemented
concurrently but with varying emphasis. This implies that
different components like hazard assessment and mitigation
strategies can be executed simultaneously, prioritized based on
their importance.

 Weighting of Activities Based on Relationships:

The relative importance of activities in disaster risk reduction
depends on the interplay between hazard, vulnerability, and the
technical or operational mandates of involved organizations. This
weighting is influenced by external hazards, internal
vulnerabilities, and the necessary technical support for risk
reduction.
 B. Disaster Crunch Model-
 The Disaster Crunch Model, developed by Blaikie et al. in 1994,
focuses on understanding the causes of disasters by analyzing
hazard characteristics and vulnerability progression.

 This model emphasizes that disasters occur when hazards affect

vulnerable communities with unsafe conditions, highlighting the
importance of addressing root causes and dynamic pressures
within a system to reduce disaster risk.
 The model disaggregates vulnerability into three elements:
unsafe conditions (immediate manifestations of vulnerability),
dynamic pressures (causes of unsafe conditions), and
underlying causes (fundamental roots of the problem).

 In essence, the Disaster Crunch Model advocates for a

systematic examination of the complete process of disasters,
including hazards, local unsafe conditions, dynamic pressures,
and root causes of vulnerability. By comprehensively studying
these elements, communities can better prepare for and
mitigate the impacts of disasters.

c. Disaster Release Model-

 This model is useful to understand the principle of disaster risk

mitigation.
 According to this model, for disaster risk mitigation we can either
prevent hazard or reduce physical unsafe condition by elimination
dynamic pressure and root causes.

 The Disaster Release Model underscores that natural disasters are not
solely the result of natural phenomena (such as earthquakes, floods,
or storms).
 Instead, they are influenced by societal factors, including
governance, infrastructure, poverty, and inequality.
 By recognizing this interplay, we can develop more effective disaster
risk reduction strategies.
Q. what are the approaches to study disaster risk of any vulnerable system?

Ans-

1. Geographical approach
 This approach of study specifically based on spatio-temporal
distribution of hazards, vulnerability and impact of hazard, and
adjustment processes to natural hazards.
 This kind of study helps the planners to understand which area
are prone to what types of hazards, changing characteristics of
hazards in terms of their frequency and magnitude, degree of
susceptibility of different of different areas and changing
characteristics of vulnerabilities profiles of this areas.
 This kind of is necessary because-
 Hazard and vulnerability profiles of different localities are
different.
 Hazard and vulnerability profiles of a particular locality
may change with time due to natural and man made
reasons.
 Impact of particular hazard in a specific set up may also
change with time due to change in frequency and
magnitude of hazard.
 Coping capacity of vulnerable community to live with
disaster maybe high or low.

2. Anthropological approach-
 This approach is focused on the study of finding out the role
of disasters to socio- economic evolution of populations and
destruction of civilizations.
 According to this model, vulnerable communities and their
resources can tolerate up to certain magnitude of hazard.
Beyond which all elements of the system may collapse.
 Such study facilitate the planners to understand about
optimum impacts of hazard in a locality, tolerance limits of
different elements, and options for damage mitigation.

3. Sociological approach-
  It co-relates the disaster risk with human behavior towards
nature and social weaknesses of the vulnerable community.
 Such study is useful to asses dynamic pressures of the
vulnerable community which may be responsible physical
unsafe conditions of different elements like house,
infrastructure, crops etc.
 this approach also considers probable post disaster impacts
on socio economic and psychological factors of the affected
community.

4. Development studies approach-

 This approach deals with the post disaster problems
relevant to relief and aid; relief camp management, refugee
management; health care; food etc.
 This also shows the correlation between poverty and human
vulnerability to natural hazards.

5. Disaster medicine and epidemiology-

 It is comparatively a new field of study to address the post
disaster medical problems like,
 Management of mass casualties, dealing with epidemic and
communicable diseases, treatment of trauma patients etc.

6. Technical approach-
 This approach is focused on management of disasters from
technical and engineering points of view, covering the
geophysical and geomorphologic aspects of hazards and
disasters.

Q. what is disaster management cycle?

Ans- Disaster management is an integrated process that encompasses

planning, organizing, coordinating, and implementing measures to
effectively address and mitigate the impact of disasters. The disaster
management cycle is a framework that defines the stages of a disaster. It
can be used by both organizations and individuals to prepare for and
respond to disasters of every kind, including natural disasters, technological
disasters, and human-made disasters.

The disaster risk management cycle consists of five phases:

Prevention, Mitigation and Preparedness in the pre-disaster stage.
Response and Recovery in post-disaster stage

 Pre disaster risk management-

1. Prevention – it means complete eliminations of disaster
risk of the system. Disaster can be prevented by-
 Resisting the hazard itself from striking the area by
means of suitable hazard protection devices.
 Reducing the unsafe conditions or vulnerability of the
area to zero.
 Staying away from settlement or development
activities in the hazard prone area.

o Some of the important criteria/aspects for prevention of disasters are-

 Identifications of hazard prone locations in an area.
 Planning for sustainable development in hazard prone area,
considering the types and damage characteristics of hazard.
 Protection of habitats of the hazard prone areas from natural
hazard.
 Protection of crop area and agricultural land.
 Demolition of unsafe structures in hazard prone areas.
 Formulation of proper policies for prevention of disaster in
hazard prone areas.
 Implementation of land use regulations and urban planning.
 Proper legislation for the implementation of disaster
management policies.
 Planning for counter-disaster mechanisms.
 Separate budgetary provisions in the national plan budget for
disaster risk reduction programme.
 Staying away from the activities which may create suitable
environment for disasters.

o Constraints of disaster prevention-

 Uncontrolled population growth.
 Relief centric disaster management
 Expensive hazard protection devices and mechanisms
  Unavoidable national developmental projects.
 Unsafe production industries.
 Lack of awareness among the vulnerable communities about the
disaster risk.

2. Mitigation- To prevent future emergencies and take

steps to minimize their effects. Disaster risk can be
mitigated by-
 Reducing the impacts of hazards in vulnerable area by suitable
structural and non structural measures.
 Reduction of vulnerability of the area by eliminating unsafe
conditions associated with valuable physical resources.
 Staying away from settlement or development activities in hazard
prone area.

o Some important criteria/scopes/aspects of disaster risk mitigation are-

 Multi hazard zoning of hazard prone area.
 Damage characteristics of different natural hazard.
 Planning for sustainable development
 Coordination among disaster management agencies and
vulnerable communities.
 Relocation plans and incentives for vulnerable communities.
 Preparedness and capacity building
 Monitoring and early warning.
 Structural and non-structural measures.

3. Preparedness-it is one of the important aspect of

disaster management. It enables disaster management
agencies as well as vulnerable communities to respond
quickly and effectively to a disaster situation. Preparedness
is a set of measures that makes vulnerable communities
resilient to hazards and capable to cope with disasters.

o Some important criteria/scopes/aspects of preparedness are-

 Location specific hazard and vulnerability analysis- This is the primary
step to identify the natural threats and vulnerability factors of the area.
 Different hazards cause different damage, so preparedness must be
tailored accordingly. Understanding a community's vulnerability to
these threats is key for effective planning.
 Resource management- it involves identification of counter disaster
resources, allocation of role and responsibility of the counter disaster
resources and mobilization of these resources at proper time and
place. For example- To control a fire disaster, we need the service of fire brigade.
Fire brigade is one of the counter disaster resources.
 Command, control and coordination- to formulate preparedness
plan and implement the plan properly, mechanisms for
command, control and coordination amongst different counter
disaster resources and vulnerable communities is necessary.
Strong organizational structures involving government line
departments, non-governmental organizaitions and vulnerable
communities always perform well and dealing with disaster
situations.
 Readiness and supportive resources- skilled and trained man-
power, safety equipments and tools, development of required
facilities and logistic etc, are required to mitigate disaster risk
and deal with an incident efficiently and are also integral parts of
preparedness process.
 National policy and legislation- national policy and legislation are
required for formulation and genuine implementation of preparedness
plan at national and state levels.
 Education and awareness- education and awareness of vulnerable
communities about disaster risk and risk mitigation are also essential
for preparedness of the vulnerable communities.

 Post disaster recovery-

Response and Recovery-
A. Response- it means timely action for rescue, relief and
rehabilitation of the disaster victims.
B. Recovery- it means revival of the original/risk free environment
after disaster.

o Some important criteria/scopes/aspects of response and recovery-

 Timely rescue of the affected population and their safe shelter.
 Maintenance of evacuation centers
  Conduction relief operation smoothly.
 Timely supply of essential items like- food, drinking water,
shelter, cloth, medicine etc,. to the affected population.
 Appropriate medical care to injured persons.
 Providing health care and sanitation facilities.
 Disposal of death bodies and removal of debris.
 Control over communicable diseases.
 Maintenance of law and order.
 Mobilization of resources.
 Restoration of communication system.
 International support for response and recovery.

Q. WHAT IS HVRA?

Ans- HVRA means, Hazard-Vulnerability-Risk-Assessment. Disaster risk of a system is directly

proportional to hazard and vulnerability profiles of the system. Hence, the nature and magnitude of
damage and disruption in a system is dependent on characteristic of hazards and vulnerability or
unsafe conditions of the system.

A. Hazard Assessment:
 Identify types of hazards (past and potential) in the area.
 Analyze frequency, seasonality, magnitude, intensity, extent, and
causes of hazards.
 Differentiate tools and techniques based on hazard type (e.g.,
earthquakes vs. landslides).

B. Vulnerability Assessment:
 Determine elements at risk and their vulnerability.
 Analyze causes of vulnerability for people, buildings, resources,
etc.
 Conduct critical facility analysis to identify vulnerable facilities.

C. Capacity Assessment:
 Identify community strengths and resources to reduce risk.
 Evaluate available resources like skills, expertise, infrastructure,
etc.
  Assess resource availability, durability, operational integrity, and
deployment speed.

Q. what are the common tools of HVRA?

Ans-

 Secondary data review- to get data and information related hazard,

vulnerability and capacity of a hazard prone area from research and
academic organisaitions, government departments, library, NGO’s,
community members. News papers etc.

 Direct Observation- to get real world scenario of the hazard prone

area and make documentation of threats and vulnerability of the area.
This involves field visit, interaction with community people, cross
check of the secondary data etc.

 Semi- structured interview- to collect data and information from

vulnerable community based on group interview, focus group
interview, individual interview and key-informant interview. This is
useful for analyzing problem areas, vulnerabilities and capacities and
people’s perception about disaster risk reduction.

 Historical profile- to get information about past events, damage

characteristics of past hazards, mitigation measures adopted and
their success rate, present situation etc.

 Hazard and resource mapping- to identify hazard prone location of an

area and their risk factors, counter disaster resources etc.

 Transact walk- to identify the hazard prone area, evacuation sites and
useful resources etc. And visualization of human interaction over
physical environment.

 Seasonal calendar- for making a seasonal calendar showing the timing

of occurrence of probable hazards and activities to be done to reduce
the impact of the hazard.

 Institutional and social network analysis- to show the role of key

organizations and vulnerable communities in disaster risk reduction
and their relationship for better coordination.
  Health and nutrition assessment- for genuine assessment of health
and nutrition conditions of community members of all sections.

 Livelihood and coping strategy analysis- to understand the livelihood

opportunities of the vulnerable community and their strategies of
coping with disasters.

 Problem Tress- to make diagrammatical representation of unsafe

conditions, dynamic pressure and root causes.

 Ranking- to determine the level of disaster risk (location and hazard

specific) and set the priorities.

 HVCA matrix- to summarize the relevant information about the

hazard, vulnerability and capacity for assessment of risk and planning
for risk reduction.

Q. write about characteristics, causes, warning signs, and damage potentials of various
natural hazards.

Ans- 1/ earthquake-

 Characteristics-
a) sudden shaking- earthquake results from the passage of seismic wave through
earth’s rocks. These waves cause the ground to shake abruptly.
b) Energy release- the energy stored in earth’s crust is suddenly released. Often
when the rocks masses along with geologic faults fracture and slip.
c) Fault zones- earthquake occurs along narrow zones called faults, where rock
masses move relative to each other.
d) Earthquake is not predictable, because there is no visible warning sign of this
hazard.
e) The length of forewarning of earthquake is zero.
f) The response time of vulnerable community of earthquake is only few seconds.
 Causes of Earthquakes-
a) Most earthquakes happen due to the interaction between tectonic plates.
b) Earthquake can also occur near active volcano during magma movement.
c) Activities like mining, reservoir-induced seismicity and hydraulic fracturing can
also cause earthquake.
 Damage potentials-
 a) Destruction of buildings and infrastructures.
b) Destruction of lifelines and essential services like hospital, road, drinking
water, sanitation facilities etc.
c) Earthquake induced tsunamis creates disasters in a massive scale.
d) Damage to infrastructure and lifelines due to earthquake induced landslide.
e) Damage to physical resources due to earthquake induced fire.
f) Other effects includes- panic and disturbances in the public, release of
poisonous gases due to damage of industries, problem of management in
relief camps, etc.
 Earthquake damage mitigation-
a) Identification of earthquake prone area and preparation of hazard zoning
map.
b) Identification of problem areas and planning for risk mitigation.
c) Demolition of highly vulnerable physical resources and retrofitting of less
vulnerable resources.
d) Identification and mobilization of counter disaster resources in vulnerable
areas.
e) Legal institution for command and control.
f) Advance preparatory action for damage mitigation and coping with
earthquake hazards.

2. Flood-
 Characteristics-
a) Flood mainly depend on rainfall and other atmospheric
parameters.
b) Most of the floods are seasonal.
c) Length of forewarning for seasonal flood is long. And may be
short for flesh flood.
d) Similarly speed for seasonal flood is long but for the flesh flood
it may be short.
 Causes-
a) Commonly flood caused by river or streams overflowing due to
heavy rain, dam failure or rapid ice melt.
b) Flood also occurs when large storms or tsunamis push sea waters
inland.
Q. What is Capacity?
Ans: Capacity is knowledge, skills, resources, abilities and
strength, present in individuals, households and the
communities, which enable them to prevent, prepare for, stand
against, survive and recover from a disaster. Capacity building
mechanism primarily involves reduction of vulnerability factors
by developing adequate resources in terms of physical, material
and living resources; inventing suitable technology and
methodology to deal with the problem areas; and enhancing the
strength in terms of financial and other matters.

Some examples of capacity are:

1) Permanent houses
2) Fire stations
3) Developed health infrastructure
4) Good Community Networks for support
5) Local knowledge

Capacity building involves several major aspects:

 Development of Human Resources: This includes improving

the knowledge and skills of individuals to enable effective
work in capacity building. Genuine human resources with
proper knowledge, skills, and access to up-to-date
information are essential for sustainable development.

 Institutional/Organizational Capacity Building: This entails

enhancing the capacity of institutions or organizations to
develop useful methods, techniques, plans, policies, and
legislation. It involves building strong and efficient
organizational structures and producing skilled and trained
 manpower. Good institutions are crucial for generating
valued human resources.

 Development of Infrastructure, Facilities, and Resources:

Strong physical resources, well-equipped infrastructures,
and useful facilities are fundamental for sustainable
development. They are essential for reducing the risks
within systems.

Importance of capacity building:

Capacity building process is the most important step of disaster

management, because

 It reduces disaster risk by resisting hazards.

 It minimizes disaster risk by reducing vulnerability of the
systems.
 It addresses the needs of vulnerable communities.
 It helps to generate suitable methodologies and
technologies for sustainable development.
 It helps to educate and aware vulnerable communities about
disaster risk and risk reduction measures.
 It helps to build strong organizational structure to deal with
disaster events.
 It enhances the personal capacity like leadership and
management skills.
 It provides the scopes of good practices for damage
mitigation like early warning, preparedness measures, and
trainings for construction workers and volunteers etc.

Structural Measures-
Structural measures encompass physical constructions, including
both engineering and non-engineering structures, designed to
mitigate risks or prevent potential impacts of hazards. Examples
of common structural measures for disaster risk reduction
include dams, flood levees, embankments, ocean wave barriers,
earthquake-resistant buildings, and evacuation centers. These
structures are essential components of efforts to enhance
resilience and reduce vulnerability to disasters.

Types-

 Physical Constructions: These include engineering and non-

engineering structures designed to reduce risk or avoid
impacts of hazards.
 Engineering Structures: Planned and designed structures
following safety norms for hazard-specific disaster risk
reduction, like dams, bridges, and evacuation centers.
 Non-Engineering Structures: Constructions not based on
engineering plans but considering local risk factors and
traditional knowledge.

These measures aim to resist forces of hazards such as floods

and earthquakes, and to mitigate vulnerability factors
responsible for damage and disruption.

Non-structural measures-

It involve codes, norms, policies, legislation, knowledge, and

practices aimed at sustainable development and disaster risk
reduction, without physical construction. They encompass public
awareness, training, and education. Examples include
earthquake-resistant building codes, land use regulation, hazard-
vulnerability-capacity analysis, risk reduction planning, and
public awareness programs. These measures are integral to both
structural and non-structural approaches, ensuring
comprehensive disaster resilience.

Types –
  Building Codes: Guidelines for constructing structures to
withstand natural hazards, formulated by organizations like
the Bureau of Indian Standards.
 Land Use Regulations: Guidelines that define activities in
different locations based on hazard zoning and contour
maps to mitigate disaster risks.
 Legal Framework: Codes, norms, and legislations that
ensure sustainable development and proper implementation
of risk mitigation measures.
 Training and Awareness: Programs to educate and train
members of government, NGOs, and vulnerable
communities on disaster risk and mitigation strategies.

Capacity assessment-
Capacity assessment is a crucial process in disaster
management, aimed at identifying the gap between a
community's disaster risk and its capacity to handle such risks. It
involves a thorough analysis of hazards, vulnerabilities, and the
community's ability to prevent disasters or mitigate loss and
damage. Here are the key points:

 Hazard and Vulnerability Analysis: It examines the nature,

magnitude, frequency, and damage characteristics of
potential hazards, as well as the existing unsafe conditions
that increase the probability of loss and damage.
 Resource Evaluation: Assesses the resources, devices, or
mechanisms available to prevent probable hazards and the
existing counter-disaster resources to reduce loss and
damage.
 Organizational and Community Capacity: Reviews the
physical, organizational, and financial capacities of
organizations, government departments, and the community
to manage potential disasters.
  Needs and Strategies: Determines the strategies and
adjustment methods adopted by the community to cope with
disasters and assesses the preparedness level to mitigate
disaster loss and damage.

Capacity assessment is location and hazard-specific, requiring in-

depth knowledge of the local context to effectively enhance
disaster resilience.

Structural measures for flood risk mitigation include:

 Storage reservoirs: Constructing dams across rivers to store

excess water during monsoons and release it as needed.
This can control river flow, enable irrigation, water supply,
and hydropower generation. However, large dams can also
damage ecosystems and biodiversity, and improper
management can lead to flash floods.

 Embankments: Building earthen walls along riverbanks to

prevent overflow. Embankments are common in India due to
ease of construction, availability of materials, cost-
effectiveness, and ability to enhance river carrying capacity.
However, breaching of poorly constructed or maintained
embankments can cause flash floods and sediment
deposition, damaging agricultural lands.

 Other measures: Improving river carrying capacity through

sluice gates, deflectors, spurs, slope revetment, check
dams, retaining walls, etc. These aim to divert river course,
regulate flow, reduce runoff, and check sediment influx.
Non-structural measures include:

 Flood zoning and land use regulations: Identifying flood-

prone areas based on frequency and magnitude to regulate
floodplain activities

 Early warning systems: Providing advance information

about flood probability to enable vulnerable communities to
move to safer location.

 Catchment management: Reducing soil erosion and surface

runoff in catchment areas for long-term flood mitigation

 Public awareness and advocacy: Educating people about

flood mitigation approaches, formulating favorable policies,
and mobilizing support.

 Alternative livelihoods: Providing training and opportunities

for vulnerable communities to reduce flood dependence.

 Preparedness training: Improving community skills and

abilities to mitigate and cope with floods

 Financial measures: Flood insurance, damage

compensation, mitigation incentives, and alternative
cultivation practices

Both structural and non-structural measures have their

advantages and disadvantages. A combination of approaches
tailored to local conditions is often most effective for
comprehensive flood risk mitigation
The role of international agencies in disaster management
includes

International organizations play a crucial role in disaster risk

mitigation and response, supporting national governments with
expertise, resources, and assistance. These organizations provide
various forms of support, including:

a. Expertise and Facilities: Offering equipment, tools, and

expertise to countries for developing disaster management
plans, implementing prevention measures, and enhancing
preparedness.

b. Monitoring and Warning Signs: Monitoring potential

hazards, issuing warnings for disasters like tsunamis, and
providing early alerts to countries in need.

c. Rescue and Relief Operations: Providing skilled manpower,

equipment, tools, emergency shelter materials, food,
medicines, and other resources for rescue and relief
operations in disaster-affected areas.

d. Post-Disaster Assessment: Assisting national governments

in assessing post-disaster damage, including aerial surveys
to evaluate the extent of destruction.

e. Recovery and Reconstruction Support: Offering material

and financial aid for recovery efforts, rehabilitation of
affected populations, reconstruction of infrastructure,
houses, and sustainable agricultural programs.
Key international agencies involved in global disaster
management activities include:

 United Nations Development Programme (UNDP): Focuses

on assisting disaster-prone nations in contingency planning
for disaster risk mitigation, emphasizing measures for
damage mitigation, prevention, and preparedness.

 **International Organization for Migration (IOM)**:

Established in 1951, it addresses refugee and internally
displaced persons' concerns.

 **Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO)**:

Assesses global food supply issues and provides early
warnings of potential food crises.

 **United Nations Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF)**:

Works on survival, development, and protection issues
related to health, education, water, sanitation, hygiene, and
protection.

 **World Food Programme (WFP)**: Principal supplier of

relief aid, especially food, to nations affected by disasters.

 **World Health Organization (WHO)**: Focuses on

reducing disease burden globally, monitoring health-related
issues, and setting health standards.
  **International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent
Societies**: Largest humanitarian organization working to
improve the lives of vulnerable populations, providing
health emergency assistance, relief activities, and capacity-
building for disaster management.

**International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)**: Member of

the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement,
focusing on physical rehabilitation and enhancing
professionalism in humanitarian assistance programs.

the roles and responsibilities of various government

organizations in disaster management

 Police: Maintain law and order, provide security, and assist

in rescue and relief operations1.
 Army and Paramilitary Forces: Engage in evacuation,
rescue, and restoration of essential services post-disaster.
 Civil Defence: Volunteer-based service for emergency
response, including rescue and medical aid.
 Fire Services: Involved in pre-disaster risk mitigation and
emergency rescue operations.
 Public Works Department (PWD): Develop technical
standards for hazard-resistant structures and monitor
construction activities23.
 Public Health Engineering (PHE): Provide safe drinking
water and sanitation facilities, especially post-disaster4.
 These organizations play a crucial role in disaster
management, from prevention and preparedness to
response and recovery.
The role of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in
disaster management is multifaceted and includes the
following key aspects:

 Assisting the government resources in ground survey and

collecting data and information for hazard-vulnerability-
capacity assessment.
 Preparation of hazard and resource maps.
 Keeping records of community’s own resources like boat,
vehicle, volunteers, survival kits, equipments, tools etc.
 Needs assessment of the vulnerable communities for
capacity building and preparedness for coping with
disasters.
 Assisting the government resources in the process of
capacity building of the vulnerable communities.
 Documentation of disaster scenario and monitoring of the
changing pattern of vulnerability and disaster risk of
different hazard prone areas.
 Conduct case study on indigenous alternative damage
mitigation and adjustment processes of different
communities.
 Educate vulnerable communities about other scientific
approaches of damage mitigation and adjustment processes.
 Supporting the government organizations in rescue and
relief operations.
 Assisting the government resources in post disaster
damage assessment.
 Providing relief materials and medical supports to the
affected communities.
 First-aid training for vulnerable communities.
 Management of relief camps, including discipline, smooth
distribution of food and other essential items etc.
  Extending supports for safe drinking water and sanitation
facilities.
 Assisting government resources in transportation of relief
material in the marooned areas.
 Educating and supporting the affected communities for
alternative livelihood opportunities.

Disaster Risk Mitigation-

- To prevent future emergencies and take steps to minimize their
effects. Disaster risk can be mitigated by-

 Reducing the impacts of hazards in vulnerable area by

suitable structural and non structural measures.
 Reduction of vulnerability of the area by eliminating
unsafe conditions associated with valuable physical
resources.
 Staying away from settlement or development activities in
hazard prone area.

o Some important criteria/scopes/aspects of disaster risk

mitigation are-
 Multi hazard zoning of hazard prone area.
 Damage characteristics of different natural hazard.
 Planning for sustainable development
 Coordination among disaster management agencies
and vulnerable communities.
 Relocation plans and incentives for vulnerable
communities.
 Preparedness and capacity building
 Monitoring and early warning.
 Structural and non-structural measures.
the role of mass media in disaster management,
highlighting its importance in:

 Communication: Mass media serves as a critical channel for

disseminating information and updates during disasters.
 Public Awareness: It helps in educating the public about
disaster risks and preparedness measures1.
 Early Warning: Media can broadcast early warnings to alert
communities about impending disasters.
 Post-Disaster Information: It provides valuable information
on relief efforts, resources, and recovery processes.

What is Fire
Fire is the visible state of burning combustible or inflammable
substances. It requires a combination of fuel, oxygen, and heat,
known as the “Fire Triangle”. Without one of these elements,
ignition is not possible.

Products of Fire
Burning produces flame, heat, light, smoke, dust, impurities,
and gases like carbon, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide.
Smoke and gases often cause harm to living beings.

Classification of Fire

Fires are classified based on the type of fuel involved:

 Class A: Involves ordinary combustible solids like wood,

cloth, paper, etc.
 -Class B: Involves flammable liquids like petrol, diesel,
thinners, oils, etc.
 -Class C: Related to flammable gases or electrical fires.
  -Class D: Involves flammable metals such as magnesium,
aluminum, etc.
 -Class E: Associated with electrical apparatus and
machines.
 Class F: Related to cooking oil and fat, where water should
not be used as it can spread the fire.

basic electrical safety measures.

Some Basic Electrical Safety Measures are-

 Circuit Design & Load Distribution: Ensure proper planning

and design of circuits as per load distribution, and use good
quality cables and accessories to avoid faults

 Optimum Load Declaration: Declare the optimum load of
households to the Electricity Department for suitable power
line connections to prevent accidental fires

 Earthing & Circuit Breakers: Implement proper earthling of
electrical appliances and install circuit breakers to reduce
the probability of electrical fires and appliance damage

 Regular Maintenance: Conduct regular checks for electrical
faults, timely remedial measures, and install automatic fire
extinguishers in vulnerable locations to prevent electrical
fire disasters
These measures are crucial for maintaining electrical safety and
preventing hazards related to fire and electric shocks.

Prevention of fire
To prevent fire, the key points from the current page are:
  Fire Triangle: Understand that fire requires three elements:
Fuel, Oxygen, and Heat. Removing any one of these can
prevent combustion1.
 Heat Sources: Be aware of common heat sources like
friction, electric current, lightning, and exothermic
reactions, and take measures to control them.
 Safe Practices: Adopt good practices such as proper storage
of combustible materials, electrical safety, and use of fire
detectors and alarms.
 Fire Extinguishing Methods: Familiarize with methods like
eliminating heat sources, discontinuing fuel supply, and
disrupting oxygen supply to extinguish fires.

CBDM-
The concept of Community Based Disaster Management (CBDM)
involves the active participation of local communities in reducing
disaster risks using their own resources and capacities1. Here
are the key points:

 Community Involvement: CBDM emphasizes the role of

local communities as both actors and beneficiaries in
disaster risk management, encouraging their involvement in
all stages of the process2.
 Risk Reduction: The goal is to achieve safer conditions by
reducing vulnerability factors and enhancing the
community’s capacity to cope with natural hazards3.
 Sustainable Development: CBDM strategies are linked to
sustainable development, ensuring that risk reduction
efforts do not violate safety norms or land use regulations.

Capacity Building: It involves defining roles, responsibilities, and

utilizing services of community members based on various
criteria such as gender, age, and expertise to strengthen their
ability to respond to and recover from disasters.

the general strategies for formulating a Disaster

Management Plan:

Formulating a comprehensive disaster management plan

involves several key steps:

1. **Purpose:** The plan aims to anticipate potential damage and

disruption caused by hazards and outline measures for
mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery activities.

2. **Objectives:** These include anticipating future situations

through risk assessment, enhancing community preparedness,
assessing resources and needs, and defining budgets for
implementation.

3. **Risk Assessment:** Conduct hazard and vulnerability

assessments using remote sensing and GIS tools to understand
the risk profile of the area. This includes collecting primary
and secondary data, procuring satellite imagery, and analyzing
hazard maps.

4. **Risk Management:** Implement appropriate measures for

prevention, mitigation, and preparedness based on the
characteristics of hazards and vulnerability factors. This
involves both structural (e.g., embankments) and non-
structural (e.g., land-use regulations) measures, as well as
capacity and needs assessments.
5. **Response:** Develop response strategies, including forming
response forces, capacity building, training, resource
procurement, rescue operations, evacuation management,
relief efforts, and coordination among agencies.

6. **Recovery:** Establish policies for recovery, rehabilitation,

and reconstruction, outlining the roles of government bodies,
affected communities, and funding requirements.

7. **Organizational Structure:** Define the organizational

structure needed for plan formulation and implementation,
highlighting the roles of government agencies, NGOs, local
authorities, academic institutions, and community-based
organizations.

8. Operational Implementation:** Develop strategies for plan

implementation, monitoring, and regular review to ensure
effectiveness and adaptability to changing circumstances.

These strategies ensure a comprehensive approach to managing

disasters, emphasizing the importance of assessment, planning,
and coordinated action.

NDMA

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is a key

part of India’s disaster management framework, as outlined in
the web page content. Here are the main points regarding
NDMA:
  Establishment: NDMA was established to lay down
policies, plans, and guidelines for disaster management to
ensure timely and effective response to disasters.
 Structure: It is headed by the Prime Minister of India and
includes up to nine other members.
 Responsibilities: NDMA is responsible for approving the
National Plan and the plans prepared by the Ministries or
Departments of the Government of India.
 Functions: It coordinates the enforcement and
implementation of the policy and plans for disaster
management. NDMA also recommends relief in repayment
of loans or for grant of fresh loans to persons affected by
disaster.

Disaster management policy-

The web page provides comprehensive information on disaster

management planning and policies in India. Here are the key
takeaways:

 Disaster Management Act: Discusses the Disaster

Management Act, 2005, which emphasizes a shift from
relief-centric to a proactive approach, focusing on
prevention, mitigation, and preparedness.
 Institutional Framework: Outlines the organizational
structure for disaster management in India, including the
roles of NDMA, SDMA, DDMA, and local authorities.
 Financial Arrangements: Details the financial
mechanisms in place, such as the National Disaster
Response Fund and Mitigation Fund, to support disaster
management activities.
 Policy Implementation: Describes the National Policy
on Disaster Management (NPDM), which aims to make
India safe and disaster resilient, focusing on a holistic,
proactive, and multi-disaster oriented strategy. It also
includes the National Plan on Disaster Management –
2016.
PDNA

The concept of Post Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) is:

 Systematic Tool: PDNA is a methodology for estimating

the financial requirements for reconstruction, recovery, and
compensation after a disaster event.
 Build-Back-Better Approach: It emphasizes creating a
hazard-resilient environment through holistic planning
based on accurate, comprehensive information on damage,
loss, and needs.
 Sector-Specific Assessments: PDNA involves complex,
multidisciplinary assessments across various sectors to
ensure genuine estimation of post-disaster needs.
 Global Standardization: Efforts have been made to adopt
and improve globally accepted standard procedures for
PDNA, with India developing its methodology based on
international standards.

Disaster impacts and effects-

Disaster Effects:

 They represent the direct destruction, disruption, and

subsequent economic losses resulting from a disaster event.
 It is crucial to understand the terms "Damage" and "Loss" to
accurately assess the post-disaster situation.

 Damage:
 It refers to the estimated cost of completely or partially
destroyed physical and durable assets due to the disaster.
 At the household level, it means the value of physical goods
or assets owned by individual households that have been
destroyed.

 Losses:
  Negative changes in economic flows arising from the
temporary absence of damaged assets, e.g., production
loss, higher cost of production, loss of income, etc.
 Losses continue until recovery or normalcy is achieved.
 For households, losses include declining personal and
household income due to disruption of livelihood activities
and employment, along with associated higher living costs.

Disaster Impacts:

 Disaster effects have negative consequences on national and

state economic indicators, as well as social and
environmental support systems.
 Can influence the cost of living and access to goods and
services for vulnerable communities.
 May affect personal well-being, health, education, livelihood,
etc., of community members.

Types of Impacts:

1. Macro and Microeconomic Impacts:

- Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

- Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP)

- Balance of Payment (Import & Export)

- Income/revenue

2. Social Impacts:

- Impact on households (dependency, income, consumption,

housing, location, roles)

- Ex-gratia payment to victims by the government

- Inflation, higher cost of production

- Poverty, population density

 - Education

- Potable drinking water, sanitation & health

- Psychosocial (suicide, trauma, panic)

- Migration

3. Environmental Impacts:

 Air, water, soil

 Ecosystem
 Biodiversity
 Geomorphic condition
 Climatic condition

Post-Disaster Needs: Financial requirements for recovery of

personal income, availability and access to basic services,
production levels, and rebuilding destroyed assets using disaster-
resilient standards.

In summary, understanding the different types of disaster effects,

including damage, losses, and impacts (economic, social, and
environmental), is crucial for comprehensive post-disaster
assessment and planning for effective recovery and resilience-
building efforts.

The sector-based approach for Post-Disaster Needs

Assessment (PDNA):

Essential Conditions for Sector-Specific PDNA:

 Sectorial assessment procedures should analyze disaster

impact at macro-economic and macro-social levels,
providing inputs for separate analysis at the personal or
household level.
 Assessment procedures should follow a bottom-up
approach, analyzing sectorial effects first and then
 aggregating results to assess overall disaster impact at
macro and micro levels.
 A unified approach should be adopted, including standard
sector definitions, boundaries, and a consistent process for
estimating disaster effects across all sectors.

Sectors for PDNA:

 Agriculture, forestry and fishing: Rural development,

Agriculture and allied activities, Irrigation, Animal
husbandry, Environment and forestry.
 Mining and quarrying: Oil and gas, Mining of minerals.
 Manufacturing: Commerce and industries, Small scale
industries.
 Electricity and gas: Power sector, Water resources.
 Water supply, sewerage, waste management: Public health
engineering.
 Trade, hotels and restaurants: Tourism, Commerce.
 Transportation and communications: Roads and bridges,
Road Transport, Railway transport, Air transport, Water
transport, Communications, Public works.
 Financing, insurance, real estate and business services:
Housing (rural, urban as well as public and private)
 Community, social and personal services: Education,
Health, Labour, Women and child, Social welfare, Urban
development, Government of India installations at State
level, Municipal corporation

Steps for Accurate Sector-Based PDNA:

1. Gather updated baseline information on capital, physical

assets, and goods/services production and consumption in
the affected area.

2. Conduct field visits to estimate destruction of physical

assets and production flow changes due to the disaster.

3. Aggregate sectorial disaster effects to estimate total

damage and production flow changes.
4. Estimate disaster impact at different levels: macro-
economic impact and personal/household impact.

5. Estimate post-disaster financial requirements for

recovery of personal income, basic services, normal
production levels, and reconstruction of destroyed assets,
including disaster risk reduction measures.

By following these steps and focusing on sector-specific

assessments, PDNAs can provide a comprehensive
understanding of the impact of disasters, guide recovery
efforts, and support the resilience of affected communities.