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54 INDIA : PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT not the only causes of disasters. Disasters features in the Himalayas or extreme climatic conditions in deserts or glaciated areas. are also caused by some human activities. There are some activities carried by human As compared to natural hazards, natural beings that are directly responsible for disasters are relatively sudden and cause disasters. Bhopal Gas tragedy, Chernobyl large scale, widespread death, loss of nuclear disaster, wars, release of CFCs property and disturbance to social systems (Chlorofluorocarbons) and increase of green and life over which people have a little or no house gases, environmental pollutions like control. Thus, any event can be classed as noise,air,waterandsoilaresomeofthedisasters disaster when the magnitude of destruction which are caused directly by human actions. and damage caused by it is very high. There are some other activities of human Generally, disasters are generalised beings that accelerate or intensify disasters experiences of people the world over, and no indirectly. Landslides and floods due to two disasters are similar and comparable to deforestation, unscientific land use and each other. Every disaster is unique in terms constructionactivitiesinfragileareasaresome of the local socio-environmental factors that of the disasters that are the results of indirectontrol it, the social response it generates, and human actions. Can you identify some other the way each social group negotiates with it. However, the opinion mentioned above is human activities going on in and around your neighbourhood and schools that can lead to indicativeofthreeimportantthings.Firstly,the disasters in the near future? Can you suggest magnitude, intensity, frequency and damages some measures to prevent it? It is a common caused by natural disasters have increased experience that human-made disasters have over the years. Secondly, there is a growing increased both in their numbers and concern among people the world over to deal magnitudes over the years and concerted with the menace created by these so that the efforts are on at various levels to prevent and loss of human life and property can be minimise their occurrences. Though the minimised. And finally, significant changes success has been only nominal so far, it is have taken place in the pattern of natural possible to prevent some of these disasters disasters over the years. created by human actions. As opposed to There has also been a change in the this, very little is possible to prevent naturalperception of natural disasters and hazards. disasters; therefore, the best way out is to Previously, hazards and disasters were seen emphasise on natural disaster mitigation and as two closely associated and interrelated management. Establishment of National phenomena, i.e. areas prone to natural hazards, were more vulnerable to disasters. Institute of Disaster Management, India, Earth Summit at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1993 Hence, people avoided tampering with the and the World Conference on Disaster delicate balance that existed in a given Management in May 1994 at Yokohama, ecosystem. People avoided intensification of Japan, etc. are some of the concrete steps their activities in such areas and that is how towards this direction initiated at different disasters were less damaging. Technological levels. power has given large capacity to human Most often it is observed that scholars use intervention in nature. Consequently, now, disastersandnaturalhazardsasinterchangeable. human beings tend to intensify their activities Both are related phenomena, yet quite distinct into disaster prone areas increasing their from each other. Hence, it is necessary to vulnerability to disasters. Colonisation distinguishbetweenthetwo. of flood plains of most of the rivers and Natural Hazards are elements of development of large cities and port-towns like circumstancesintheNaturalenvironment that – Mumbai and Chennai along the coast, and have the potential to cause harm to people or touching the shore due to high land values, property or both. These may be swift or make them vulnerable to the occurrence of cyclones, hurricanes and tsunamis. permanent aspects of the respective environmental settings like currents in the Natural disasters have caused oceans, steep slope and unstable structural widespread loss of life and property. 2026-27