ABSTRACT
Most of the natural disasters can be attributed to earthquakes, floods, landslides, volcanoes, droughts, avalanches and cyclones. Technological and industrial developments have opened up areas of man-made disasters such as famine and food shortages, accidents, civil strife and fire. During the year 1990 alone about 283 major disasters have been reported over the world. Whereas it is obvious that man-made disasters can be averted, natural disasters cannot be prevented. On the other hand, it can be said that with increasing degradation of environment and ecology the frequency and magnitude of natural disasters have increased.
