UPSC Notes

A disaster is any event that causes damage to humans, property, or the environment. A disaster typically refers to a natural hazard that results in a flood, hurricane, drought, tornado, earthquake, tsunami, or volcano. A disaster can also occur as a result of deliberate human activity such as war, pollution, oil spills etc. The Disaster […]

India’s landscape is rich with vast terrains, ranging from snow-capped mountains to golden sandy beaches. With its land-use statistics varying substantially between regions, India still has significantly high biodiversity and biodiversity conservation. Restriction on the construction and other developmental activities such as roads and dams, limiting agriculture to valleys and areas with moderate slopes, and

Landslides are caused by mechanical disturbances, in which large mixed mass of rock, earth, and debris move down a slope. Debris flows, also known as mudslides, are a common type of fast-moving landslide that tends to flow in channels. These are typically steeper slopes with less stable soils or bedrock, slow flows with high sediment

A drought is a serious natural disaster that may occur if there is a series of abnormally dry months or years. In addition, the drought frequently affects the people to leave their homes and move to wetter areas who are intended for refugees according to the International Organization for Migration. An estimated 55 million people

Flood is a natural phenomenon occurring in different parts of the world. It occurs when an area is overwhelmed by an excessive amount of water, which causes damage to life and property. Floods occur commonly when water in the form of surface run-off exceeds the carrying capacity of the river channels and streams and flows

The tropical cyclone is a cyclonic windstorm having an organized vortex, formed over the warm sea surface. A cyclone generally occurs in the areas of coordinated wind flow around low-pressure. The tropical cyclone is a closed atmospheric circulation which consists of lower pressure, warm air supply, cloudiness, heavy rainfall and relatively calm air. Mostly tropical

A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, a closed low-level wind circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain. The term tropical refers to the geographical origin of these systems, which form almost exclusively over tropical seas. In addition to strong winds and

A tsunami is a series of waves or surges that are caused due to sea floor displacement. Tsunami has an associated force that causes the sea-floor to move abruptly resulting in sudden displacement of ocean water in the form of high vertical waves. The impact of this movement on nearby coasts, property and lives can

Earthquakes are unpredictable, not uniform in time or space, and can be of various magnitudes. Therefore, mitigation measures for earthquakes should incorporate the diverse characteristics of these natural hazards. Government bodies and non-profit organizations offer different programs on mitigation techniques through education, training, drills, etc. It is not possible to prevent the occurrence of an

It becomes a calamity when it strikes the areas of high density of population. It not only damages and destroys the settlements, infrastructure, transport and communication network, industries and other developmental activities but also robs the population of their material and socio-cultural gains that they have preserved over generations. It renders them homeless, which puts