- India is one of the world's most disaster-prone countries. A large share of its land is vulnerable to earthquakes, much of it to floods and droughts, and most of its coastline to cyclones and tsunamis.
- After the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, India moved from a relief-centred approach to one focused on prevention, preparedness and mitigation, through the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
- Disaster management is an explicit part of the UPSC GS Paper 3 syllabus, and questions on institutions and frameworks also appear in Prelims.
Types of Disasters
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Geological | Earthquakes, tsunamis, landslides, volcanic eruptions |
| Hydro-meteorological | Cyclones, floods, droughts, cloudbursts, heat and cold waves, lightning |
| Biological | Epidemics and pandemics, pest attacks |
| Human-made | Industrial accidents (Bhopal, 1984), fires, nuclear and chemical disasters, stampedes |
A hazard becomes a disaster only when it overwhelms a community's ability to cope. Risk is often expressed as: Risk = Hazard × Vulnerability ÷ Capacity.
The Disaster Management Cycle
Before: prevention, mitigation and preparedness. During: response. After: relief, recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction — ideally "building back better".
Institutions under the DM Act, 2005
| Level | Body | Chaired by |
|---|---|---|
| National | National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) — makes policies, plans and guidelines | Prime Minister |
| National | National Executive Committee (NEC) — coordinates and implements | Union Home Secretary |
| State | State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) | Chief Minister |
| District | District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) | District Collector / Magistrate |
- The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), raised in 2006, is a specialised force drawn from the central armed police forces; states have their own SDRFs.
- The National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM), New Delhi, handles training and research.
- The Act also provides for National and State Disaster Response Funds and Mitigation Funds.
- The Ministry of Home Affairs is the nodal ministry for most disasters.
DM Act2005
NDMA chairPrime Minister
NEC chairUnion Home Secretary
NDRF raised2006
Sendai Framework2015–2030
Tsunami warningINCOIS, Hyderabad
Policies and Plans
- National Policy on Disaster Management (2009).
- National Disaster Management Plan (2016, revised 2019) — the first national plan, aligned with the Sendai Framework.
- Community programmes such as Aapda Mitra train local volunteers as first responders.
- The Disaster Management (Amendment) Act, 2025 updated the 2005 Act, for example by providing for disaster databases and urban disaster management authorities for large cities.
Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015–2030)
Adopted at the UN conference in Sendai, Japan, it replaced the Hyogo Framework for Action (2005–2015). It has 7 global targets — reducing deaths, affected people, economic losses and damage to infrastructure, and increasing early-warning systems, national strategies and international cooperation — and 4 priorities:
- Understanding disaster risk.
- Strengthening disaster risk governance.
- Investing in disaster risk reduction for resilience.
- Enhancing preparedness for effective response and "building back better".
India also launched the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) at the UN Climate Action Summit in September 2019; its secretariat is in New Delhi.
Nodal Agencies and Early Warning
| Hazard | Agency |
|---|---|
| Cyclones, heat waves, rainfall | India Meteorological Department (IMD); colour-coded warnings — green, yellow, orange, red |
| Tsunamis | Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre at INCOIS, Hyderabad (operational since 2007) |
| Earthquakes | National Center for Seismology |
| Landslides | Geological Survey of India |
| Floods | Central Water Commission |
| Avalanches | DRDO's Defence Geoinformatics Research Establishment |
| Drought | Ministry of Agriculture is the nodal ministry |
| Epidemics | Ministry of Health and Family Welfare |
Heat Waves (IMD criteria)
- Considered only when the maximum temperature reaches at least 40°C in the plains, 37°C on the coast or 30°C in hilly areas.
- Heat wave: 4.5°C–6.4°C above normal; severe heat wave: more than 6.4°C above normal.
- Or by actual temperature: 45°C or more is a heat wave, and 47°C or more a severe heat wave.
- Many states now prepare Heat Action Plans; Ahmedabad's (2013) was the first in South Asia.
Key Lessons from Major Disasters
| Event | Lesson |
|---|---|
| Odisha super cyclone (1999) | Led to the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority — the first in India — and a network of cyclone shelters |
| Gujarat (Bhuj) earthquake (2001) | Gujarat passed its own disaster management law (2003); stricter building codes |
| Indian Ocean tsunami (2004) | Disaster Management Act, 2005; tsunami early-warning centre |
| Cyclone Phailin (2013) | Early warning and mass evacuation kept deaths very low — now a global model |
| Kedarnath floods (2013) | Need for regulation of construction and tourism in fragile Himalayan areas |
- Who chairs what: NDMA (PM), NEC (Home Secretary), SDMA (CM), DDMA (Collector).
- Agency ↔ hazard: INCOIS (tsunami), GSI (landslides), CWC (floods), Agriculture Ministry (drought).
- Mains: "From relief to resilience" — use Sendai priorities and the Odisha cyclone example.
Q1. The National Executive Committee under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 is chaired by the:
✅ Answer: (c) Union Home Secretary
💡 Explanation: The NDMA is chaired by the PM; the NEC by the Union Home Secretary.
Q2. The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction covers the period:
✅ Answer: (a) 2015–2030
💡 Explanation: It replaced the Hyogo Framework (2005–2015).
Q3. Tsunami early warnings in India are issued by:
✅ Answer: (d) INCOIS, Hyderabad
💡 Explanation: The Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre at INCOIS has been operational since 2007.
Q4. Which ministry is the nodal ministry for drought management?
✅ Answer: (b) Ministry of Agriculture
💡 Explanation: Drought is handled by the Ministry of Agriculture; most other disasters by Home Affairs.
Q5. For a heat wave to be declared in the plains, the maximum temperature must be at least:
✅ Answer: (d) 40°C
💡 Explanation: The threshold is 40°C in the plains, 37°C on the coast and 30°C in hilly regions.
🔁 Revise in 60 Seconds
- DM Act 2005 (after 2004 tsunami): NDMA — PM; NEC — Home Secretary; SDMA — CM; DDMA — Collector.
- NDRF 2006; NIDM Delhi; NPDM 2009; NDMP 2016 (first national plan).
- Sendai 2015–2030: 7 targets, 4 priorities; replaced Hyogo 2005–2015. CDRI 2019 Delhi.
- INCOIS tsunami; GSI landslides; CWC floods; drought — Agriculture. Heat wave ≥40°C plains, +4.5°C.
📌 Prelims Traps to Avoid
- ✘ The NEC is chaired by the Home Secretary, not the Home Minister.
- ✘ The nodal ministry for drought is Agriculture, not Home Affairs.
- ✘ Odisha set up India's first state disaster management authority, after the 1999 super cyclone.
Who heads disaster management bodies in India?
The National Disaster Management Authority is chaired by the Prime Minister, the National Executive Committee by the Union Home Secretary, State Disaster Management Authorities by Chief Ministers, and District Disaster Management Authorities by District Collectors or Magistrates.
What is the Sendai Framework?
The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030, adopted in Sendai, Japan, sets 7 global targets and 4 priorities — understanding risk, strengthening risk governance, investing in resilience, and improving preparedness and "building back better". It replaced the Hyogo Framework.