Disaster Management

 Introduction:India is prone to a number of disasters. The super cyclone of Odissa(1999),the Gujarat  earthquake(2001), the Tsunami(2004) and Kerala floods( 2018,2019) were just a few of the disasters that led to heavy loss of life and left many stranded. We need to be aware of potential hazards, their frequency of occurring, where they might occur and the problems that may result in a disaster.The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), headed by the Prime Minister of India is responsible for the management of disasters in the country. As per the Disaster Management Act, 2005, State and District statutory bodies are created for smooth functioning.

Disaster ManagementDisaster Management can be defined as the preparedness, response and recovery methods in order to lessen the impact of disasters. A disaster disrupts the normal function of the society to the extent that it cannot function without outside help.Disasters can be classified as natural, technological or complex emergencies. Let’s take a look at the natural disasters in Kerala.Disasters can be classified as natural, technological or complex emergencies.

Prevention Of Natural disasters:Floods and Landslides being the most common natural disaster in the state, prevention methods of floods and landslides can be categorised into three.

Vegetative measures: Preserving vegetation, grasses and trees can minimize the amount of water infiltrating into the soil, slow the erosion caused by surface-water flow, and remove water from the soil.

Structural Measures: Retaining and Diverting water using dams,floodplains,levees etc Constructing piles & retention walls Improving surface & subsurface drainage Rock-fall protection

Management measures: Integrated river basin approach Public awareness, participation and insurance Land use zoning & risk assessment Flood forecasting and warning systems

Rainfall:Several states in India witness very heavy rainfall during the months from June to September. Most vigil actions are to be taken and sustained till warning is withdrawn, in the districts predicted to be affected by the rainfall.

Landslides:Landslides are caused by rain, earthquakes or other factors that make the slope unstable. They are of four types – fall and toppling, slides (rotational and translational), flows and creep

Flood:Floods are the most common natural disaster in India. Several states have been affected over the years by heavy floods. Recent examples include 2015 Gujarat floods and 2018-19 Kerala floods.

Cyclones: Cyclones account for 30% of the total occurrences of disasters in India. It is defined as a region of low atmospheric pressure surrounded by high atmospheric pressure resulting in swirling atmospheric disturbance and accompanied by powerful winds. The Odissa super-cyclone in 1999 had a wind speed of 260-300 km/hr and killed thousands.

Relief camps :These are usually considered temporary, with an aim to provide basic necessities in an efficient manner. The site of construction, climatic changes etc will affect the stability and maintenance of the camps.

A First-Line Treatment Centre(FLTC):This is a facility where the most mildly symptomatic or asymptomatic COVID patients are treated. 70-80% of COVID patients are asymptomatic and only exhibit mild symptoms.All such patients will be admitted into the FLTCs so that hospitals may be reserved for the most critically ill. FLTCs are not hospitals in the strict sense but only makeshift healthcare centres.FLTCs are usually created as and when the need arises for such a facility within the Panchayat. A suitable Community Hall or any building is identified and the same is converted into a FLTC for a definite time period.

Data Management within an FLTC: Itmay be done through any hospital/patient management software.For instance, FLTC’s in Ernakulam district of Kerala uses CARE as patient management tool. The data of each patient is recorded in the system at the time of admission. Subsequently, each consultation or daily round detail is also added into the system for the record.Any Sample testing that takes place in a FLTC is also routed through the CARE system.If the patient is shifted from the facility to another hospital or another healthcare facility, the patient details are transferred to the new facility through the internet using the CARE System.The administrator of the facility is in-charge of entering data into the CARE system.