GIS approach for disaster management through awareness - an overview
Disaster management
Disaster management is nothing but skillful ways and methods of controlling a disaster. Disaster management techniques or methods are based on the economic status of the country and hence it varies from country to country. Any disaster management technique involves certain amount of investment. Hence the process of managing disasters and thus increasing safety, involves a balancing act that between the cost of reducing the risk of a disaster and the benefits arising from the amount of risk reduced. Thus, developed countries manage disasters better than developing countries. When we talk of effective disaster management, a sequential series of actions should be implemented. Figure 2 shows the sequential series of actions that should be implemented. We have seen, what a disaster is and what disaster management is and now we are going to see how disaster can be managed through awareness. Before entering into this, let us see what has been the traditional management technique. The traditional management technique has been based on either physical corrective engineering or the post-event emergency responses. The relief period covers the few ‘golden’ hours or days after the impact. After the initial rescue of survivors, it is concerned with the importation of basic supplies to ensure no further loss of life. The rehabilitation phase involves the following few weeks or months during which the priority is to encourage the area to begin to function again. Finally, reconstruction, often taking many years, occurs.  Fig.2: Disaster Management Cycle (Smith. K, 1996) |