ABSTRACT

A disaster is an event or series of events giving rise to casualties and damage or loss of property, infrastructure, environment, essential services, or means of livelihood on a scale that is beyond the normal coping capacity of the affected community. Disasters disrupt progress and destroy developmental efforts, often pushing nations back several decades in their quest for progress. Thus, efficient management of disasters rather than mere response to their occurrence has received increased attention, both within India and abroad. 1 The Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology defines a disaster as a “sudden or great calamity.” Similarly, the Collins Dictionary describes disaster as “an occurrence that causes great distress or destruction.” The United Nations defines disaster as “the occurrence of sudden or major misfortune which disrupts the basic fabric and normal functioning of the society or community.” 2 A disaster is a sudden, calamitous event that seriously disrupts the functioning of a community or society and causes human, material, and economic or environmental losses that exceed the community’s or society’s ability to cope using its own resources.