Disaster Preparedness

Abstract

India is very prone to a number of natural as well as man-made disasters. 58.6 per cent of the landmass is prone to earthquakes of moderate to high intensity; more than 12 per cent of land is prone to floods; out of 7,516 km long coastline, about 5,700 km is prone to cyclones and tsunamis; 68 % of the cultivable area is vulnerable to drought and hilly areas are at risk from landslides and avalanches. Also the risks of emergencies of Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) origin are there. Increased risks of can be related to increasing population, terrorism, urbanization and industrialization, development within high-risk zones, environmental degradation and climate change to ensuring clarity about roles and responsibilities of the State, District and local authorities.

Maharashtra has a history of various hazards and it was first in India to start a Disaster Management Unit (DMU) after the Latur earthquake. Since 1993, Disaster Management in Maharashtra is fast evolving from a reactive response oriented to proactive strategy based system. The state has witnessed the devastating disasters like Latur Earthquake in 1993, Mumbai Flood in 2005, Cyclone Phyan in 2007 & recent floods in Kolhapur, Sangli & Pune in 2019.