Geography           L - 10 Vulnerable Earth

Q1. What do you mean by disaster? Name types of disasters.

Ans -A disaster is a serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society involving widespread human, material, economic or environmental losses and impacts, which exceeds the ability of the affected community or society to cope using its own resources. There are two types of disasters - natural and man - made.

Q2. Enumerate types of natural and man - made disasters.

Ans - Natural disaster include -

a) Flood - Water level rises on the land above the safety mark.

b) Drought - Area with little or no rainfall

c) Earthquake - Two earth tectonic plates collide with each other.

d) Cyclones - Storm occurring due to difference in temperature and pressure of air

e) Landslide - large mass of rock or land sliding down the hill

f) Volcanic Eruptions - Sudden occurrence of a violent discharge of steam and volcanic material

g) Tsunamis - Destructive sea waves caused by an earthquake or volcanic eruption under the sea.

Man - made disaster include -

a) Biological - releasing germs of deadly diseases.

  b) Nuclear - Use of nuclear weapons

c) Terrorism - attacks by using high amount of explosives.

d) Chemical - Human activities and industrial wastes polluting air, water and land.

Q3. What is flood disaster and when do floods occur? 

Ans -The danger caused by the flood is known as flood disaster. In other words, heavy loss of life and property due to excess of water is known as flood. Floods are said to occur when water rises above the safety level and overflows in the surrounding areas.

Q4. What causes floods and what are its effects?

Ans - Floods are caused by heavy rainfall, cyclones, cloud burst, inadequate drainage 

system, bursting of dams, overflowing of rivers, melting of snow, etc.

Devastating effects of floods are loss of life and property, damage to crops, breakdown of communication, dislocation of transport system

Q5. What are riverine floods?

Ans - Most of the floods in India are caused by overflowing of the rivers during the South - West Monsoon season (June to September). These are called riverine floods.

Q6. How does the Disaster Management Team help in flood preparedness?

Ans - They visit various parts of the country to create awareness about floods and how to deal with it? These team teach people – especially women of the areas, through demonstrations on how to save lives during floods, how to build temporary houses, how and where to store food at higher level, etc.

Q7. What are the steps that should be taken before floods?

Ans - Keep a check on weather forecast and flood warnings through radio, TV, newspaper etc, Locate safe shelters at higher level, also for animals in rural areas. Keep first aid box, candles, ropes, matchbox, torch, some clothes, etc handy, Keep some food in stock

Q8. What are the steps that should be taken after floods?

Ans - Drink boiled water, do not use crops that are wet, always keep food covered, try to disinfect the surroundings as it can be a breeding ground for mosquitoes, be careful of snake bites in water logged areas.

Q9. Give reason - droughts known as ‘slow onset disasters’

Ans - Drought occurs gradually over a period of time and so it is predictable.

Q10. What are the various causes of drought? 

Ans - Deficient rainfall, delay in onset of rainfall, timely onset of rainfall and sudden break and early withdrawal of monsoons.

Q11. What are effects of droughts?

Ans - Droughts influence mankind in the following ways: 

a) Reservoirs- wells, rivers, ponds, lakes, etc, dry up. Thus availability of water is very low for survival.
b) Vegetation - drying up of vegetation of the region.

c) Employment- India is an agriculture based country. Fall in agricultural production results in low employment opportunities for rural people. This is followed by migration of rural people to other areas in search of food and employment.
d) Diseases- starvation, hunger and malnutrition especially among children may lead to spread of various diseases such as dysentery, diarrhoea, etc.

e) poor families - Low yield of crops lead to less supply of crops in the market, high rates of food grains.

f) loss of life of humans and animal

g) farmers - loss of crops, cattle and fodder, low agricultural production.

Q12. What is the role of the DMT? 

Ans - Help the victims of disasters by actively taking part in rescue operations, and by providing food, shelters, medicines, first - aid, clothes, etc

Q13. Mention few Disaster Management Agencies.

 Ans -Help Age India, American Red Cross Society, Children’s Disaster Services, the World Vision, etc.

Q14. What Value do we get from this lesson?

Ans - We should respect nature. The creator of the world has blessed us with various natural resources. We should not exploit them but use them according to our needs. Animals and birds should not be killed for our luxurious purposes and should be taken care of. 

Q15. How can human efforts can help to curb the effects of drought?

Ans - Planned use of water, Minimising water wastage, conservation of natural water reservoirs, Undertaking water harvesting techniques and more plantations of trees.

Fill in the blanks-

1. Vast population and unique geographical characteristics makes India a ‘Disaster - prone’ country.

2. The North- Eastern part of the country is referred as the flood prone areas.

3. Drought affected area receive rainfall less than 25% of the average annual  rainfall.

4. On December 05, 2013, winter storm hits Britain and Ireland and brought devastating floods.

Map Work -

On the Political map of India mark 5 flood prone zone with green color and 5 drought prone zone with yellow color.