Disasters and disaster management
In school, the fire drill bell rings. Everyone walks calmly to the ground and the teacher counts the class. Nobody is hurt because the plan was ready before anything happened. That is the idea of disaster management.
A disaster (आपत्ती) is a sudden calamity that causes large-scale damage to life and property. Disasters caused by events in nature are natural disasters. The planning, preparation and action to face them is disaster management (आपत्ती व्यवस्थापन).
Rule 1: Examples of disasters — Natural: earthquake, tsunami, flood, cloudburst. Man-made: industrial accident, gas leak.
- Easy : Killari earthquake (Latur), 30 September 1993 – natural.
- Medium : Indian Ocean tsunami, 26 December 2004 – natural.
- Exam-type : Bhopal gas leak, 3 December 1984 – caused by humans, not by nature.
Rule 2: Three stages of management — Before: prepare. During: act safely. After: help and stay calm.
- Easy : Before: learn emergency numbers and keep essentials ready.
- Medium : During: follow instructions and move to a safe place.
- Exam-type : After: help others, stay calm and avoid spreading rumours.
A disaster is sudden and large. A planned response saves lives.
Thinking all disasters are natural. Industrial accidents and war are man-made.
Memory clue: BDA – Before, During, After.
Spot the difference
| Point | Natural | Man-made |
|---|---|---|
| Cause | Events in nature | Human error or negligence |
| Example | Earthquake | Gas leak |
| Warning | Weather and seismic alerts | Safety instructions |
Practice questions
- 1What is a disaster?
- 2What is a natural disaster?
- 3What is disaster management?
- 4Give two examples of natural disasters.
- 5When did the Killari earthquake happen?
- 6Is the Bhopal gas leak natural or man-made?
- 7Why are school fire drills held?
- 8Rita says only earthquakes and floods are disasters. Is she right?
Show answers (try them yourself first)
- 1A sudden calamity that causes large-scale damage to life and property.
- 2A disaster caused by an event in nature.
- 3Planning, preparation and action to face a disaster.
- 4Earthquake and flood.
- 530 September 1993
- 6Man-made
- 7So that everyone knows what to do and stays safe when a real emergency happens.
- 8No. Man-made events like industrial accidents and gas leaks can also be disasters.
Earthquakes and tsunami
A glass of water shakes when a heavy truck passes. Now imagine the whole ground shaking for a minute: that is an earthquake. It starts deep underground, and when it starts under the sea it can send huge waves to the coast.
An earthquake (भूकंप) is the shaking of the earth caused by the movement of rocks deep underground. The point where the energy is released is the epicentre. A seismometer records it and the Richter scale measures its intensity. An earthquake under the ocean floor creates a tsunami.
In the figure : An earthquake begins where rocks deep underground move suddenly (A). The shaking is usually strongest on the ground right over this place (B) and becomes weaker farther away (C).
Rule 1: Earthquake and tsunami — Shaking is strongest at the epicentre and weaker far away. If the epicentre is on the ocean floor, huge waves – a tsunami – form.
- Easy : The Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 was caused by an undersea earthquake.
- Medium : Tsunami waves become taller as they come near the coast.
- Exam-type : After a tsunami warning, move away from the coast to higher ground.
In the figure : When the earthquake (A) is on the ocean floor, it creates huge waves called a tsunami. The waves become taller as they come near the coast (C).
Rule 2: Do's and don'ts — Stay calm, take shelter, move to the open, give first aid. Do not panic, use lifts or believe rumours.
- Easy : During shaking, take shelter under a sturdy table or bed.
- Medium : If outside, stay in the open away from buildings.
- Exam-type : Do not use the lift and do not stand near windows or mirrors.
In the figure : The intensity of an earthquake is measured on the Richter scale. A higher number means a stronger earthquake, and an earthquake of 9 can destroy whole cities.
Earthquakes and tsunami
In the app you can move this figure with your finger.
Open in the appSeismometer records; Richter scale measures; tsunami follows an undersea earthquake.
Running out in panic or using a lift. Stairs and open ground are safer.
Memory clue: Drop – Cover – Hold under a sturdy table.
Spot the difference
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Epicentre | Point where energy is released |
| Seismometer | Records the quake |
| Richter scale | Measures intensity |
| Tsunami | Huge waves from undersea quake |
Practice questions
- 1What is an earthquake?
- 2What is the epicentre?
- 3Which instrument records an earthquake?
- 4What does the Richter scale measure?
- 5What causes a tsunami?
- 6Name two things to do during an earthquake.
- 7Why should we not use a lift during an earthquake?
- 8A friend sends a message saying a bigger earthquake is coming tonight. What should you do?
Show answers (try them yourself first)
- 1Shaking of the earth caused by movement of rocks deep underground.
- 2The point where energy is released.
- 3Seismometer
- 4The intensity of an earthquake.
- 5An earthquake on the ocean floor.
- 6Stay calm and take shelter under a sturdy table.
- 7It can stop or get stuck. Use stairs after the shaking stops.
- 8Do not believe or forward rumours; follow official warnings.
River floods and storms
After very heavy rain, a river rises and water enters nearby houses. Another time, a strong wind tears roofs and breaks branches. Floods and storms are common in the rainy season, and some causes are in our hands.
A flood (पूर) is overflow of water onto land. Natural causes: heavy rain, cloudburst, melting snow. Man-made causes: houses on riverbanks, dam bursts, drains blocked by plastic. A storm forms when winds rush from high pressure to low pressure; a cyclone is a destructive storm over the ocean.
Rule 1: Causes of floods — Natural causes cannot be stopped; man-made causes can be reduced.
- Easy : Heavy rain and cloudburst are natural causes.
- Medium : Melting snow makes Himalayan rivers flood in summer.
- Exam-type : Houses on riverbanks and plastic-clogged drains make floods worse (man-made).
In the figure : Natural causes of floods: heavy rain (A) and melting snow (B). Man-made causes: houses built on the riverbank (C) and drains clogged with plastic waste (D).
Rule 2: Wind, storm and cyclone — Wind is air moving from high pressure to low pressure. A storm forms when winds rush in. A cyclone forms over the ocean.
- Easy : Wind blows from high pressure to low pressure.
- Medium : A cyclone is a destructive storm over the ocean.
- Exam-type : Follow the Meteorological Department's warnings and stay away from trees, poles and water.
In the figure : Wind is air moving from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure, as the arrows show. A storm forms when winds rush in this way.
Natural causes of floods: rain, cloudburst, snow melt. Man-made: encroachment, dam burst, blocked drains.
Throwing plastic in drains because "rain will wash it". Blocked drains cause city floods.
Memory clue: High → Low : wind flows from High pressure to Low pressure.
Spot the difference
| Point | Natural | Man-made |
|---|---|---|
| Flood cause | Heavy rain, snow melt | Blocked drains, riverbank houses |
| Control | Cannot stop | Can reduce |
| Storm | High to low pressure winds | – |
Practice questions
- 1Name two natural causes of floods.
- 2Name two man-made causes of floods.
- 3What is wind?
- 4How does a storm form?
- 5What is a cyclone?
- 6Why do Himalayan rivers flood in summer?
- 7What should you stay away from during a storm?
- 8A city floods every year because the drains are blocked with plastic. Is this a natural or man-made cause? How can it be prevented?
Show answers (try them yourself first)
- 1Heavy rain and melting snow.
- 2Houses on riverbanks and drains clogged with plastic.
- 3Air moving from high pressure to low pressure.
- 4Winds rush from a high-pressure area to a low-pressure area.
- 5A destructive storm formed over the ocean.
- 6Snow melts and adds water to the rivers.
- 7Trees, electric poles and water.
- 8Man-made. Dispose of plastic waste properly and clean the drains.
Forest fires and man-made disasters
A cigarette thrown on dry grass in summer can start a fire that spreads across the hill in minutes. A factory gas pipe that is not checked can leak. Some disasters start with a human mistake.
A forest fire (वणवा) starts when dry branches rub or a spark falls, and spreads fast. Man-made disasters arise from human error, negligence or excess use of technology: industrial accidents, war and cyber crimes.
In the figure : A forest fire spreads fast. In the figure the burning area grows larger every hour and destroys plants, animals and their habitats.
Rule 1: Forest fires — They destroy plants, animals and habitats. Prevention: do not leave fires or glass in a forest.
- Easy : Dry branches rubbing in strong wind can start a fire.
- Medium : California had a huge forest fire in 2025.
- Exam-type : A campfire must be put out fully before leaving.
Rule 2: Man-made disasters — Industrial accidents are reduced by safety equipment, training and maintenance. Cyber crimes include phishing, ransomware and cyberstalking (IT Act).
- Easy : Gas leak in a factory is an industrial accident.
- Medium : War harms people and the environment.
- Exam-type : Deforestation and excess use of fuel change climate and rainfall.
Man-made disasters can be prevented by care, rules and training.
Believing a forest fire only happens naturally. Many start from human carelessness.
Memory clue: "No spark in the dry": never leave fire near dry grass.
Spot the difference
| Disaster | Cause | Prevention |
|---|---|---|
| Forest fire | Dry branches, sparks | Put out fires fully |
| Industrial accident | Negligence | Safety rules, training |
| Cyber crime | Phishing, ransomware | Careful online habits |
Practice questions
- 1What is a forest fire?
- 2How can a forest fire start naturally?
- 3What are man-made disasters?
- 4Name two kinds of man-made disasters.
- 5Name two cyber crimes.
- 6How can industrial accidents be reduced?
- 7Why is a campfire dangerous in a dry forest?
- 8A friend gets an email asking for his bank password. What should he do?
Show answers (try them yourself first)
- 1A fire that spreads quickly in a forest and destroys plants and animals.
- 2Dry branches rub together and make a spark.
- 3Disasters caused by human error, negligence or excess use of technology.
- 4Industrial accidents and war.
- 5Phishing and ransomware.
- 6Safety equipment, training and regular maintenance.
- 7A spark can set dry leaves on fire, and the fire spreads fast.
- 8Not reply or click links, since it may be phishing; tell an adult.
Precautions and first aid
A neighbour's kitchen catches fire and everybody shouts. Someone who knows the number calls 101 and tells the address clearly. Knowing whom to call and how to give first aid can save a life before help arrives.
Emergency numbers: 100 police, 101 fire brigade, 102 and 108 ambulance, 1077 disaster services. First aid (प्रथमोपचार) is immediate help given before the doctor or hospital.
In the figure : Dial 101 for the fire brigade (A), 102 or 108 for an ambulance (B) and 100 for the police (C). The number 1077 is for disaster services.
Rule 1: Calling for help — Dial the right number, stay calm, say what happened and where.
- Easy : Fire: 101. Accident with an injured person: 102 or 108.
- Medium : Theft or danger: 100.
- Exam-type : Flood or earthquake help from the district: 1077.
In the figure : A: press a cut with a clean cloth and raise the part above the heart. B: for sunstroke, move the person to the shade and wipe the body with a wet cloth. C: if clothes catch fire, roll on the ground, and do not burst blisters.
Rule 2: Simple first aid — Bleeding – press and raise. Sunstroke – shade and wet cloth. Burns – roll on the ground.
- Easy : Bleeding: press with a clean cloth and raise the part above the heart.
- Medium : Sunstroke: shade, wet cloth; no drink if the person is semi-conscious.
- Exam-type : Snake bite: keep still and go to hospital; do not cut or suck the wound. Dog bite: wash again and again and take the rabies vaccine.
First aid is only the first help. Call for medical help as well.
Cutting or sucking a snake bite, or bursting a blister. Both are wrong.
Memory clue: 100 – 101 – 102/108 – 1077: Police, Fire, Ambulance, Disaster.
Spot the difference
| Number | Service |
|---|---|
| 100 | Police |
| 101 | Fire brigade |
| 102 / 108 | Ambulance |
| 1077 | Disaster services |
Practice questions
- 1Which number is for the fire brigade?
- 2Which numbers are for an ambulance?
- 3Which number is for the police?
- 4What is first aid?
- 5How do you help a person who is bleeding?
- 6What should you do for a person suffering from sunstroke?
- 7A person's clothes catch fire. What should he do?
- 8Someone says to cut and suck a snake bite wound. What is the correct first aid?
Show answers (try them yourself first)
- 1101
- 2102 and 108
- 3100
- 4Immediate help given before medical treatment.
- 5Press the wound with a clean cloth and raise the part above the heart.
- 6Move to the shade and wipe the body with a wet cloth.
- 7Roll on the ground and do not burst blisters.
- 8Keep the person still, minimise movement and rush to the hospital. Never cut or suck.
Quick revision
- Natural: earthquake, flood, storm, forest fire. Man-made: accidents, war, cyber crime.
- Richter scale measures earthquake intensity; seismometer records it.
- Numbers: 100, 101, 102/108, 1077.