Disasters can be defined as a sudden, accidental event of great magnitude that causes considerable damage to life and property. They are sudden, drastic and occur without any warning. Some disasters may be short lived such as earthquakes and others may be of a longer duration, such as floods.
However, irrespective of the duration of a disaster, the damage in the form of deaths, injuries and losses of property is immense. The magnitude of the disasters can be judged by the fact that only during the past two decades, occurrences of floods, earthquakes, landslides, cyclones, etc. have killed several million people.
When disasters occur due to natural forces they are called natural disasters, over which man has hardly any control. Some common natural disasters are earthquakes, landslides floods, droughts, cyclones, etc. Tsunamis, volcanic eruptions and wildfires are also included under natural disasters. These disasters cause enormous loss to life and property.
When the disasters are due to carelessness of human or mishandling of dangerous equipment they are called man-made disasters. Common examples of these disasters are train accidents, aero plane crashes, collapse of buildings, bridges, mines, tunnels, etc.
It's best to adopt sustainable living practices such as encouraging use of solar energy, car pooling, conservative use of water & taking a stand against deforestation.
Disasters happen, unannounced. Gather information about your region & it's surrounding areas. If you know beforehand what dangers your area is prone to, you have a better chance at being prepared when disaster strikes.
It's the most essential life skill to acquire. According to Dr. Qwatra, the first 10 minutes of any emergency situation are the difference between life & death. Enroll for our Emergency Preparedness Training Sessions to know more.
We will help you in this crucial step towards safety in a life threatening situation. Knowing what to do & executing it in a planned fashion is key in any disastrous situation.
