JAWAHARLAL NEHRU TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY HYDERABAD B.Tech IV Year DISASTER MANAGEMENT Previous Question Paper (December - 2020 - R16)

Neighborhood hazards are classified into natural and man-made categories. Identifying these threats is the first step in vulnerability assessment.

1. Classification of Hazards:

• Natural Hazards: Flooding due to poor drainage, urban heat islands, seismic activity (depending on the zone), and severe thunderstorms or cyclones.
• Man-made Hazards: Electrical fires, chemical spills from nearby small-scale industries, traffic accidents on arterial roads, and infrastructure failure (e.g., water pipe bursts or building collapse).

2. Vulnerable Facilities and Populations:

• Critical Facilities: Schools, hospitals, and nursing homes are high-risk zones due to the concentration of individuals with limited mobility.
• Vulnerable Groups: Elderly residents, children, people with disabilities, and low-income households living in substandard housing structures.

3. Analysis of Vulnerability:

Vulnerability is defined as the diminished capacity of an individual or group to anticipate, cope with, resist, and recover from the impact of a hazard. The susceptibility of these groups is determined by:

• Physical Vulnerability: Proximity to hazard sources (e.g., living near a chemical plant) and the structural integrity of buildings.
• Social Vulnerability: Lack of access to information, limited financial resources for mitigation, and reliance on public infrastructure that may fail during a crisis.
• Functional Vulnerability: Facilities like hospitals are highly vulnerable because their operations cannot be interrupted, yet they are often the first to be overwhelmed during a disaster.

To reduce risk, the focus must be on increasing community resilience through early warning systems, structural retrofitting, and regular evacuation drills, specifically targeting those identified as most vulnerable.