The Indian subcontinent is highly vulnerable to a number of natural disasters.
Droughts, Floods, Cyclones and Earthquakes are natural disasters in the
country though Landslides, Avalanches and bush fire also occur in most of the states of the Himalayan region.
Due to unique and widely varying geographical and geological conditions of the
India, virtually all types of natural disasters take place with various intensities
and in different regions.
Floods occur when large volume of water from heavy rainfall and/or river overflow canals and is not able to drain quickly through normal channels. Floods are the most frequent and widespread natural disasters resulting in death, destruction, degradation and displacement. Whether sudden onset or slow development, floods take long to subside and they leave prolonged damage.
India is the second most flood affected country where flood is a common national disaster especially during the later part of the monsoon period. Severe floods occur almost every year in one part of the country or the other causing loss of life, large scale damage to property and untold misery to millions of people.
Floods are estimated to affect 6.7 million hectares of land annually. The effects of flood on the affected population are:
1. inundation marooning,
2. drowning,
3. loss of habitat, roads, communications,
4. destruction of crops,
5. industrial shutdown,
6. diarrohea diseases, respiratory infections etc.
Most of the affected population is among the poorer sections.
In India the most affected states due to floods are Bihar, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, the states in the northeast, Orrisa & West Bengal. Floods cause serious damage in states like Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan & Tamil Nadu.
To control floods:
- Rashtriya Barh Ayog was established in 1976 and
-Task force on flood management & soil erosion was setup in 2004
Primary responsibility of flood control rests with with state Governments.
Structural measures for flood management include:
-Flood embankments
-Dams & Reservoirs
-Natural detention basins
-Channel improvement
-Drainage improvement
-Diversion of flood waters
-Afforestation
-Catchment Area Treatment
-Anti-erosion works
Non-structural measures include:
-Flood plain zoning & flood proofing
-Flood preparedness & community level awareness
-Flood forecasting & early warning system
-Afforestation
-Public relief and flood insurance
Increased vulnerability due to floods occurs due to:
-Indiscriminate encroachment
-Increasing economic and developmental activity in flood plains
-Lack of regulations
-Inadequate maintenance
-Inadequate drainage
-Lack of disaster preparedness
Flood management strategies
Flood forecasting and warning steps involve:
-Data collection of hydrological data including river water level and river discharge
-Data collection of hydrometeorological data including rainfall and other precipitation like hail, snow, etc..
-Wireless. telephone, fax, satellite, telegraph, etc
-Correlation, mathematical models
-Civil authorities, Press, AIR, Doordarshan, other users, local representatives
-Flood plain zoning is an important non-structural resource. It regulates land use in flood plains to restrict damage by floods. It involves demarcation by zones in flood plains compatible with flood risks involved.
-The floor of lowest storey of buildings should be raised above the normal minimum flood level of adjoining land.
-People living in flood banks should be shifted to other places.
-Road side drains should be provided to rain drain water from urban areas.
Droughts, Floods, Cyclones and Earthquakes are natural disasters in the
country though Landslides, Avalanches and bush fire also occur in most of the states of the Himalayan region.
Due to unique and widely varying geographical and geological conditions of the
India, virtually all types of natural disasters take place with various intensities
and in different regions.
Floods occur when large volume of water from heavy rainfall and/or river overflow canals and is not able to drain quickly through normal channels. Floods are the most frequent and widespread natural disasters resulting in death, destruction, degradation and displacement. Whether sudden onset or slow development, floods take long to subside and they leave prolonged damage.
India is the second most flood affected country where flood is a common national disaster especially during the later part of the monsoon period. Severe floods occur almost every year in one part of the country or the other causing loss of life, large scale damage to property and untold misery to millions of people.
Floods are estimated to affect 6.7 million hectares of land annually. The effects of flood on the affected population are:
1. inundation marooning,
2. drowning,
3. loss of habitat, roads, communications,
4. destruction of crops,
5. industrial shutdown,
6. diarrohea diseases, respiratory infections etc.
Most of the affected population is among the poorer sections.
In India the most affected states due to floods are Bihar, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, the states in the northeast, Orrisa & West Bengal. Floods cause serious damage in states like Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan & Tamil Nadu.
To control floods:
- Rashtriya Barh Ayog was established in 1976 and
-Task force on flood management & soil erosion was setup in 2004
Primary responsibility of flood control rests with with state Governments.
Structural measures for flood management include:
-Flood embankments
-Dams & Reservoirs
-Natural detention basins
-Channel improvement
-Drainage improvement
-Diversion of flood waters
-Afforestation
-Catchment Area Treatment
-Anti-erosion works
Non-structural measures include:
-Flood plain zoning & flood proofing
-Flood preparedness & community level awareness
-Flood forecasting & early warning system
-Afforestation
-Public relief and flood insurance
Increased vulnerability due to floods occurs due to:
-Indiscriminate encroachment
-Increasing economic and developmental activity in flood plains
-Lack of regulations
-Inadequate maintenance
-Inadequate drainage
-Lack of disaster preparedness
Flood management strategies
Flood forecasting and warning steps involve:
-Data collection of hydrological data including river water level and river discharge
-Data collection of hydrometeorological data including rainfall and other precipitation like hail, snow, etc..
-Wireless. telephone, fax, satellite, telegraph, etc
-Correlation, mathematical models
-Civil authorities, Press, AIR, Doordarshan, other users, local representatives
-Flood plain zoning is an important non-structural resource. It regulates land use in flood plains to restrict damage by floods. It involves demarcation by zones in flood plains compatible with flood risks involved.
-The floor of lowest storey of buildings should be raised above the normal minimum flood level of adjoining land.
-People living in flood banks should be shifted to other places.
-Road side drains should be provided to rain drain water from urban areas.
