COMMONWEALTH ASSOCATION FOR
EDUCATION, ADMINISTRATION AND
MANAGEMENT
VOLUME 2 ISSUE 3
ISSN NO 2322- 0147
MARCH
2014
IMPACTS
AND2 MANAGEMENT
OF COASTAL HAZARDS
VOLUME
ISSUE 2
WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO OUT-MIGRATION FROM
TAMIL NADU COAST: A REVIEW
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IMPACTS AND MANAGEMENT OF COASTAL HAZARDS WITH
SPECIAL REFERENCE TO OUT-MIGRATION FROM TAMIL NADU
COAST: A REVIEW
By
BABU ALI
Research Scholar
Department of Geography, Aligarh Muslim University
Aligarh-202002, U.P. India
Email:babua0783@gmail.com
NAFISA BANU
Research Scholar
Department of Geography, Aligarh Muslim University
Aligarh-202002, U.P. India
ABSTRACT
This paper is the study coastal hazards and its impacts on Tamil Nadu State. Coastal
disasters are increasing in frequency and magnitude—measured in terms of human lives lost,
destroyed infrastructure, ecological damage and disrupted social networks. Hurricane Katrina
and the Indian Ocean tsunami illustrate the severe and widespread impacts of such disasters on
human well-being. The proximate cause of most of these disasters is “forces of nature”.
However, human decisions, driven largely by economic forces, do much to aggravate these
natural disasters—for example, coastal mangroves and wetlands protect coastal communities
from wave surges and winds, but are rapidly being converted for the production of market goods,
and anthropogenic climate change driven by the energy use of our economy may exacerbate
coastal disasters in several ways. The human loss of life and a huge mass of people departure to
the safety place also is the result of natural disaster. The goal of economics should be to improve
the sustainable well-being of humans. Our well-being is generated in part by the production of
market goods and services, but also by the goods and services provided by nature, by social
networks and norms, by knowledge and health–in short: built, natural, social and human capital,
respectively. In seeking to increase human well-being solely by maximizing the monetary value
of market goods (built capital), our current economic system may be doing more to undermine
our sustainable well-being than to improve it, a point made clear by the growing negative
impacts of coastal disasters. An economic system should allocate available resources in a way
that equitably and efficiently provides for the sustainable well-being of people by protecting and
investing in all four types of capital. This is what ecological economics seeks to do. This paper
apply the four capital framework to the analysis of coastal disasters, seeking to understand their
impacts and how to mitigate them, how to stop the people to migrate, how to predict and plan for
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them, and how to use this information to redesign coastal areas in a more sustainable and
desirable way.
Keywords: Coastal Hazards, Disaster Management, Out-Migration, Ecological Damage,
Mitigation, etc.
INTRODUCTION:
Indian social structure is marked by a number of exclusions and marginalization due to
the perpetuation of inequalities; exploitations etc. in view of segmentalisation of the society as
well as the system of socio-economic stratification. The people who are subjected to exclusion
are being deprived of what is due to them. Accordingly the process of alienation has been set in
motion the coastal people and Communities are no exception to this feature of exclusions. As
regards coastal social life is concerned, it is prone to lot of uncertainties and risks as the life is a
real struggle between life and death the fishing as the major work of the coastal people, it is
subjugated to the vagaries of tidal waves, cyclone, monsoon, flood and other natural disaster like
tsunami which are beyond their controls, preventions and managements. Among all this natural
disaster, the tsunami which struck the coastal regions of Tamil Nadu and in the neighbor States
viz., Kerala, Pondicherry, Andaman & Nicobar Islands and also the neighbor country Sri Lanka
on December 26, 2004 was severe in its magnitude and volume though it merged from the coast
of Indonesia the severity of loss of human and materials like boat, net, hut, were all colossal in
nature, form and its extent. Tamil Nadu particularly Kanniyakumari, Cuddalore, Nagapattinam
were severely affected, uprooted in the form of structural and functional destructions.
The task of relief and rehabilitation was voluminous and the government alone was
unable to meet out the expectation and resettlement of the affected people the NGOs, Corporate
sector, funding agency and other socially conscious groups and individuals had volunteered to
fulfill the task of habitat development and rejuvenation and reconstruction of coastal life. Despite
the works of the agencies concerned in the field of relief and rehabilitation to the victims the
uncertainties and risks in the coastal life remind as it is. To deal with the problem of risks and
uncertainties in coastal life it was felt that there must be a system of community preparedness to
take the challenges of uncertainties and undertaken systematically the disaster mitigation and
management activities. This research emerged from this background with a focus on social
exclusion, community preparedness in disaster management with a view to influence policies
and programmes with the following objectives, to make a comprehensive analysis of the social
structure of the coastal communities in the study area, to expose the extent of social exclusions
and marginalization as a result of natural disasters with reference to people living in the tsunami
affected coastal areas, to expose the circumstances leading to occurrence of various types of
natural disasters and the risky social life in the coastal areas, to elicit community’s preparedness
in disaster management with particular reference to tsunami affected coastal areas, and to suggest
suitable measures and a plan of action for community’s preparedness and disaster management
in the tsunami affected areas. The project proposal was sanctioned by the University Grants
Commission (UGC), New Delhi and provided necessary funding support for which the Principal
Investigator profusely thanks the UGC.
Natural disasters can neither be predicted nor prevented. The problem before us is how to
cope with them, minimizing their impact. Tamil Nadu has witnessed havoc caused by cyclones
and storm surge in the coastal regions, earthquakes, monsoon floods, landslides, and recently the
Tsunami. Increase in urban population coupled with the construction of man-made structures
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often poorly built and maintained subject cities to greater levels of risk to life and property in the
event of earthquakes and other natural hazards. One of the main objectives is to reduce the risk
of loss of human life and property and to reduce costs to the society. We have to recognize that
in such cases of natural disasters, we deal with phenomena of enormous magnitude that cannot
be controlled by any direct means of human intervention. But what we try to do is to reduce the
impact on human beings and property.
OBJECTIVE:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
To study the coastal district of Tamil Nadu.
To analyze the impacts of coastal disaster in the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu.
To study the Out-Migration from Tamil Nadu coast
To apply the mitigation system in the state.
To suggest suitable measures and a plan of action for community’s
Preparedness and disaster management in the disaster affected areas.
DATA BASE AND METHODOLOGY:
In this paper we used Secondary Data collected from Census of India, Statistical
Abstract, Reports, Websites, Books and ICT based district profile of State. The study of OutMigration in is based on primary survey which is directly observed by the researcher. The
Research Design adopted for this study was Descriptive cum Diagnostic Design with an overtone
of ex post facto description.
The methodology in this paper used related to Computer Mapping, GIS, Simple
Statistical Tools and Techniques, like averages and percentages for the analyses and
interpretations. The reference period of this research was 2004-2012 with ex post facto
description since tsunami struck in coastal district of Tamil Nadu in 2004.
STUDY AREA:
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital is Chennai, the largest city. Tamil
Nadu lies (coordinates: 13.09 N to 80.27 E) in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and
is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka,
and Andhra Pradesh. It is bound by the Eastern Ghats in the north, the Nilgiri, the Anamalai
Hills, and Kerala on the west, by the Bay of Bengal in the east, the Gulf of Mannar, the Palk
Strait in the south east, and by the Indian Ocean in the south.
Tamil Nadu is the eleventh largest state in India by area (130,058 km2 or 50,216 sq mile)
and the seventh most populous state (72,138,958), divided into 32 districts. The literacy of Tamil
Nadu is 90.3 % and having the density 550/ km2 or 1,400/sq mile. It is the second largest state
economy in India as of 2012. The state ranked among the top 5 states in India in Human
Development Index as of 2006. Tamil Nadu is also the most urbanized state in India. The state
has the highest number (10.56%) of business enterprises and stands second in total employment
(9.97%) in India, compared to the population share of about 6%. The region has been the home
of the Tamil people since at least 500 BCE. Its official language Tamil has been in use in
inscriptions and literature for over 2000 years. Tamil Nadu is home to many natural resources,
Hindu temples of Dravidian architecture, hill stations, beach resorts, multi-religious pilgrimage
sites and eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
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Tamil Nadu has a coastline of about 1,076 km (669 mi) which is the country’s third
longest coastline. Tamil Nadu's coastline bore the brunt of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami when
it hit India, which caused 7,793 direct deaths in the state. Tamil Nadu falls mostly in a region of
low seismic hazard with the exception of the western border areas that lie in a low to moderate
hazard zone; as per the 2002 Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) map, Tamil Nadu falls in Zones II
& III. Historically, parts of this region have experienced seismic activity in the M5.0 range.
Fig. 1. Location of Tamil Nadu and its Coastal districts, 2011
Sources: 1.website of the state and designed by the researcher.
2. www.mapsofindia.com
CAUSES OF THE COASTAL HAZARDS
1. Natural VS Human disasters:
The population that lives along or near our coastlines are an extremely vulnerable population.
There are numerous issues facing our coastlines and there are two main categories that these
hazards can be placed under, National disasters and Human disasters. Both of these issues cause
great damage to our coastlines and discussion is still ongoing regarding what standards or
responses need to be met to help both the individuals who want to continue living along the
coastline, while keeping them safe and not eroding more coastlines away. Natural disasters are
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disasters that are out of human control and are usually caused by the weather. Disasters that
include
but
are
not
limited
to; storms, tsunamis, typhoons, flooding, tides, waterspouts, nor'easters, and storm surge. Human
disasters occur when humans are the main culprit behind why the disaster happened. Some
human disasters are but are not limited to; pollution, trawling, and human development. Natural
and human disasters continue to harm the coastlines severely and they need to be researched in
order to prepare/stop the hazards if possible.
The populations that live near or along the coast experience many hazards and it affects millions
of people. Around ten million people globally feel the effects of coastal problems yearly and
most are due to certain natural hazards like coastal flooding with storm surges and typhoons. A
major problem related to coastal regions deals with how the entire global environment is
changing and in response; the coastal regions are easily affected.
2.
Storms, Flooding, Erosion:
Storms are one of the major hazards that are associated to coastal regions. Storms,
flooding, and erosion are closely associated and can happen simultaneously. Tropical storms or
Hurricanes especially can devastate coastal regions. For example, Florida during Hurricane
Andrew occurred in 1992 that caused extreme damage. It was a category five hurricane that
caused $26.5 billion dollars in damages and even 23 individuals lost their lives from the
storm. Hurricane Katrina also caused havoc along the coast to show the extreme force a
hurricane can do in a certain region. In almost all cases, storms are the major culprit that causes
flooding and erosion. Flash flooding is caused by a storm that occurs when a massive amount of
rainfall comes down into an area over a short period of time. Where as a storm surge, which is
closely related to tropical storms, is when the wind collects and pushes water towards low
pressure or inland and can rise rapidly. It is an offshore rise of water and overall creates a higher
sea level that rises and is pushed inland. The amount of rise or fall of storm surge depends
greatly on the amount and duration of wind and water in a specific location. Also if it occurs
during a high tide it can have an even greater effect on the coast.
3. Pollution, Trawling, Human Development:
Pollution, trawling, and human development are major human disasters that effect coastal
regions. There are two main categories related to pollution, point source pollution, and nonpoint
source pollution. Point source pollution is when there is an exact location such as a pipeline or a
body of water that leads into the rivers and oceans. Known dumping into the ocean is also
another point source of pollution. Nonpoint source pollution would pertain more to fertilizer
runoff, and industrial waste. Examples of pollution that effect the coastal regions are but are not
limited to; fertilizer runoff, oil spills, and dumping of hazardous materials into the oceans. More
human acts that hurt the coastline are as follows; waste discharge, fishing, dredging, mining, and
drilling.[14] Oil spills are one of the most hazardous dangers towards coastal communities. They
are hard to contain, difficult to clean up, and devastate everything. The fish, animals such as
birds, the water, and especially the coastline near the spill. The most recent oil spill that had
everybody concerned with oil spill was the BP oil spill.
Trawling hurts the normal ecosystems in the water around the coastline. It depletes all
ecosystems on the ocean floor such as, flounder, shellfish, marsh etc.. It is simply a giant net that
is drug across the ocean floor and destroys and catches anything in its path. Human development
is one of the major problems when facing coastal hazards. The overall construction of buildings
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and houses on the coast line takes away the natural occurrences to handle the fluctuation in water
and sea level rise. Building houses in pre-flood areas or high risk areas that are extremely
vulnerable to flooding are major concerns towards human development in coastal regions.
Having houses and buildings in areas that are known to have powerful storms that will create
people to be in risk by living there. Also pertaining to barrier islands, where land is at risk for
erosion but they still continue to build there anyway. More and more houses today are being
taken by the ocean, look at picture above.
4. General causes of Natural Disaster
 While some of these occurrences are exclusively of natural origin eg. Volcanic
eruptions;
 Others are due to a combination of both natural and human factors eg:landslides;
 Rapid population growth is accelerating vulnerability to disasters as settlements
encroach into disaster-prone areas and this will ultimately cause risk to human lives;
 Vulnerability of disasters has increased due to rapid urbanization environment
degradation and lack of proper planning and preparedness.
IMPORTANT HAZARDS OCCURRED IN TAMIL NADU AND ITS IMPACTS ON THE
COASTAL AREAS OF THE STATE
Nilam Cyclone:
Chennai, Oct 31,2011: The cyclonic storm Nilam on Wednesday crossed the North Tamil
Nadu coast near Mahabalipuram and is expected to weaken gradually into a deep depression.
"The latest Doppler weather radar observation and coastal observations indicated that the
Cyclonic Storm Nilam, moved north-northwestwards and crossed north Tamil Nadu Coast
near Mahabalipuram near Chennai near latitude 12.6 deg North and longitude 80.2 degree
East between 1600 hours and 1700 hours today," a bulletin issued by the Met office in
Chennai said.
It would then move northwestwards and weaken gradually into a deep depression during the
next 12 hours, it said.
Met office sources told UNI that the Cyclone has crossed and it was heading northwestwards
towards Andhra before it would gradually weaken.
"In the next two to three hours, the intensity of the wind and the rains will gradually subside
both in the city and in coastal districts", the sources said.
During the last few hours Puducherry and Cuddalore recorded seven cms of rain.
Thousands of people were evacuated from their homes in Chennai earlier on Wednesday as
the cyclone slammed into the coast, with officials warning of possible flooding and damage to
houses.
Nilam struck the historic port of Mahabalipuram, 50 kilometres (30 miles) south of Chennai,
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and is forecast to cross the states of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh overnight.
"More than 5,000 evacuations have been completed," Jayraman, a disaster management
official in Chennai, said.
"We have evacuated thousands of people from Mahabalipuram and nearby coastal districts.
We are monitoring the situation in Chennai but have not ordered any evacuations there."
The bulletin from the India Meteorological Department predicted that winds gusting up to 100
kilometres (60 miles) an hour would trigger flooding of low-lying areas due to a sea surge and
heavy rain.
It said the cyclone would likely cause extensive damage to thatched roofs and huts and also
uproot large trees, leading to power blackouts and communication problems.
Residents living in huts along the coast were advised to move to safer areas and fishermen
were ordered not to go out to sea.
The last cyclone in India struck in the same southeast region in January, claiming 42 lives and
leaving a trail of destruction across Tamil Nadu.
India and Bangladesh are hit regularly by cyclones that develop in the Bay of Bengal between
April and November, causing widespread damage to homes, livestock and crops. Andhra
Pradesh saw its worst cyclone in 1977 when more than 10,000 people were killed.
The 2004 Tsunami and its impact on coastal Tamil Nadu:
On December 26th 2004 a severe earthquake hit northern Sumatra causing one of the
most powerful tsunamis in recorded history. With an official human toll of over 10,000 people,
and material losses and damages estimated over one billion USD, India was one of the countries
most severely affected by the tsunami. Over 85% of the losses occurred in Tamil Nadu (ADB et
al 2005). The Government of Tamil Nadu estimated that the tsunami damaged around 135,000
houses and invited humanitarian agencies to participate in the effort to rebuild an equivalent
number of multi hazard-resistant houses. This figure was not the result of a careful damage
assessment but based on the assumptions that all affected people would need to be resettled at a
safe distance from the sea. It was further assumed that already prior to the tsunami fishing
communities’ housing conditions were inadequate and that post-tsunami reconstruction was an
opportunity to upgrade the housing of all affected communities. The call for aid was highly
successful: within the framework of a public-private partnership reconstruction programme
coordinated by the Government of Tamil Nadu, the majority of the coastal villages affected by
the tsunami were ‘adopted’ for full reconstruction by NGOs, charity organizations, and private
sector companies.
Range of Tsunami in Tamil Nadu
A very severe earthquake to the magnitude of 8.9 Richter scale struck northern Sumatra
Indonesia at 06.28 a.m. IST. The earthquake was felt widely along the east coast of India. The
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calamity which struck the Tamil Nadu coast on 26.12.2004 was unpredicted in its suddenness
and ferocity. It was also widespread in scale affecting villages and down all along the coast line.
A calamity of this nature has never been known; the toll was enormous and lakhs of people have
been rendered homeless. It has totally damaged the coastal economy throughout Tamil Nadu.
Fishermen have been devastated losing their near and dear ones, home, possessions and
livelihood. Fisher men tourists and people living on the caravanned coast were unaware and
unprepared for the waves that rose as high as six meters (20 feet) throughout the Indian Ocean.
The serving sea water flooded the coastal villages in 12 coastal districts in Tamil Nadu as,
Chennai, Kancheepuram, Truvallur, Cuddalore, Villupuram, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Tanjore,
Kanyakumary, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Ramanathapuram, Pudukottai, Etc.
Relief and Rehabilitation work in Tamil Nadu:
In addition to Government’s efforts voluntary organizations at the international and
national and local level have also started relief operations. The field officers of the State Board
visited the sunami affected areas and submitted project proposals for the relief work to be
undertaken. Centre for Rural Education and Economic Development (CREED), and HEART in
Cuddalore District, Avvai Village Welfare Society and Bharathi Women Development Centre in
Nagapattinam District, Centre of Social Reconstruction, Family Planning Association of India,
Power, PURA and Palmyrah Workers Development Society in Kanyakumari District are some of
the aided NGOs who are actively involved in relief work. The NGOs who run short stay homes
in these coastal districts have given shelter to women and children affected by the tsunami. The
Central Social Welfare Board, based on the Project submitted by the State Board had sanctioned
10 crèches, 200 awareness generation programme camps and Rs.1,34,200 for the post disaster
counseling services to the tsunami victims. The Chairperson, Tamil Nadu Social Welfare Board
visited the tsunami affected areas and consoled the victims; Also convened meetings of NGOs
and district officials in Cuddalore and Kanyakumari and discussed the relief measures. As the
next step, outfield officers were also deputed to the tsunami affected districts to guide the NGOs
engaged in the relief work.
IMPACTS OF NATURAL DISASTER:
They have multi-dimensional effects on several sectors of personal, social, economic and
the like.
Direct losses: Damages to building, contents motor vehicles, persons or infrastructure costs of
clearing up, loss mitigation and disposal.
Indirect losses: Damage resulting from business interruption and power failure, costs of
transportation, detours assistance, storage accommodation drinking water supply and
communication.
Intangible losses: Detours of tailbacks on the journey to work, psychological impairments, and
losses of intangible values or moving out of the area at risk:..
 Natural disaster have generally meant mere destructive of human habitation over large
area causing injury, loss of life, property and disruptions of social, economic and
ecological life.
 Children and women too are more than potential victims of natural disaster.
 It creates physical health problems such as fever, diarrhea, cholera, etc. and
psychological problems for the victims. when the affected people realize the gravity of
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the situation they go into depression and develop panic and anxiety because of the
traumatic experience.
One result of disaster can be degradation of productive lands;
The capital assets and other resources are severely affected by it;
National hazardous events can cause destruction of transport, buildings and
infrastructure including homes, schools hospitals, factories, temples, water supply lines
and sanitary pipelines, power supplies and communication links;
Its subsequent effect on health is due to the lack of clean drinking water and food, the
spread of disease and exposure to the elements;
It can also contribute to economic instability and to an atmosphere of uncertainty;
Another important impact that natural disasters have on developing countries is that
funds targeted for development are reallocated to finance relief and reconstruction
efforts, jeopardizing long-term development goals;
In the aftermath of a disaster, a government will be obliged to meet potential budgetary
pressures by increasing the money supply;
Natural disaster has been considered a tragic interruption to the development process.
Lives are lost; social networks are disrupted; and capital investment is destroyed. When
development plans are laid and disaster strikes, development funds are diverted to meet
the emergency. Additional aid is directed to relief and reconstruction needs to get the
country ‘back on track’ towards economic and social development;
It create some indirect impact such as the fall of production of goods and services,
transport, labour supplies or markets, loss of income due to unemployment, financial
crises of the poor and increased cost of goods and services, etc.
It severely affects country’s tourism.
OUT-MIGRATION FROM THE TAMIL NADU COAST
Out-Migration is the main impact of natural hazards in the Tamil Nadu coast. There are
13 coastal district in Tamil Nadu namely Chennai, Cuddalore, Kanchipuram, Kanchipuram,
Kanyakumari, Nagapattinam, Puddukottai, Ramanathapuram, Thanjavur, Thoothukudi,
Tirunelveli, Tiruvullur, Tiruvarur and Villupuram(Table:1).
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Table: 1. Tamil Nadu Coast- A trends of District wise Out-Migration rate
Out-Migration rate per 1000
Districts
1991
2001
2011
Male Female Total Male Female Total Male Female
Chennai
241
237
478
226
205
431
310
342
2
Cuddalore
3
Total
652
-------
--------
------
228
363
591
376
402
778
Kanchipuram
235
383
618
333
390
723
345
543
888
4
Kanyakumari
116
264
380
165
216
381
434
234
668
5
Nagapattinam
-------
--------
------
159
291
450
245
342
587
6
Pudukkottai
118
332
450
143
269
412
345
435
780
7
Ramanathapuram
110
90
200
146
202
348
432
323
755
8
Thanjavur
187
335
522
155
243
398
324
333
657
9
Thoothukudi
175
306
481
204
271
475
356
343
699
10
Tirunelveli
116
265
381
264
338
602
453
223
676
11
Tiruvullur
-------
-------
------
305
549
854
345
198
543
12
Tiruvarur
--------
-------
------
197
349
546
327
345
672
13
Villupuram
134
326
460
237
351
588
312
324
636
1432
2538
3970
2762
4037
6799
4604
4387
Total
Sources: compiled on the bases of Migration data, 1991, 2001, 2011 census.
In 1991 there were 21 districts and 2001 there were 30 districts and 2011 there are 32 districts.
Trends of Out-Migration
the trends of Out-migration in the coastal areas are very complex phenomena (Table 1).
The total number of Out-migrants in the coastal districts of Tamil Nadu is 3970(1432 male and
2538 female) in 1991, 6799 (2762 male and 4037 female) in 2001 and 8991 (4604 male and
4387 female) in 2011.
The highest number of Out-migrants in 1991 found in Kanchipuram 618 (235 male and
383 female) followed by Thanjavur 522 (187 male and 335 female) and Thoothukudi 481 (175
male and 306 female). Kanchipuram is found in highly Tsunami prone area so the destruction is
higher and resulting Out-migration is higher. On the other hand the lowest number of migrants
found in Ramanathapuram 200 (110 male and 90 female) followed by Kanyakumari 380 (116
male and 264 female) and Tirunelveli 381 (116 male and 265 female). The reason of the lowest
Out-migration is the rehabilitation in these districts.The districts of Cuddalore, Nagapattinam,
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Tiruvullur and tiruvarur come in existence in 2001. So there is no data regarding the Out
migration in these districts in 1991.
In 2001, the highest number of Out-migrants found in Tiruvullur 854 (305 male and 549
female) followed by Kanchipuram 723 (333 male and 390 female) and Tirunelveli 602 (264 male
and 338 female). Tiruvullur is found in highly Tsunami prone area so the destruction is higher
and resulting Out-migration is higher and the rehabilitation process is lower. On the other hand
the lowest number of migrants found in Ramanathapuram 348 (146 male and 202 female)
followed by Kanyakumari 381 (165 male and 216 female) and Thanjavur 398 (155 male and 243
female). Ramanathapuram and Kanyakumari continuously come under the lowest Out-migration
because of rehabilitation in these districts.
The year of 2011 has the highest number of Out-migrants in Kanchipuram 888 (345
male and 543 female) followed by Puddukkottai 780 (345 male and 435 female) and Cuddalore
778 (376 male and 402 female). Kanchipuram has continuously higher number Out-migration
because of unrehabilitation process in the district. The lowest number of migrants found in
Tiruvullur 543 (345 male and 198 female) followed by Ngapattinam 587 (245 male and 382
female) and Villupuram 636 (312 male and 324 female) is the third lowest district. Tiruvullur has
the lowest Out-migration because of rehabilitation and employment in this district.
Table: 2. District wise Rural-Urban Out-Migration Rate in Tamil Nadu from 1991- 2011.
Rural-Urban Out-Migration Rate (1991- 2011)
2001
2011
S.No.
Districts
Rural
Urban
Rural
Urban
Rural
Urban
M
F
M
F
M
F
M
F
M
F
M
F
1
Chennai
---- ---- 241 237 ----- ----- 226 205 ----- ----- 310 342
2
Cuddalore
----- ---- ---- ---- 108 160 120 203 176 199 200 203
3
Kanchipuram
130 301 105 82 224 300 109
90
205 400 140 153
4
Kanyakumari
109 200 07
64 100 136
65
80
234 135 200
69
5
Nagapattinam
---- ----- ----- ---99
190
60
101 200 137
45
205
6
Pudukkottai
98
180 20 152 83
150
60
119 300 350
45
85
7
Ramanathapuram 80
35
30
55
48
100
98
102 230 234 202
89
8
Thanjavur
87
230 100 105 105 145
50
98
230
96
233 100
9
Thoothukudi
100 236 75
70 104 100 100 171 236 240 120 103
10
Tirunelveli
106 160 10 105 244 238
20
100 153 200 200
23
11
Tiruvullur
----- ---- ---- ---- 205 340 100 209 235 110 108
90
12
Tiruvarur
----- ---- ---- ---- 100 200
97
149 120 235 207 110
13
Villupuram
85
230 49
96 220 201
17
150 200 204 112 120
795 1572 637 966 1640 2260 1122 1777 2519 2540 2122 1692
1991
Total
2367
1603
3900
2899
5059
Sources: compiled on the bases of Migration data, 1991, 2001, 2011 census.
In 1991 there were 21 districts and 2001 there were 30 districts and 2011 there are 32 districts.
Note: M-Male, F-Female.
Migration Rate is calculated as per 1000 population.
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Coastal Out-migration is further divided into Rural-Urban Out-migration(Table 2). In
1991, the total number of rural Out-migrants are 2367 (795 male and 1572 female) while the
urban Out-migrants are 1603 (637 male and 966 female). In 2011, the total number of rural Outmigrants are 3900 (1640 male and 2260 female) while the urban Out-migrants are 2899 (1122
male and 1777 female). And in 2011, the ratio of the total number of rural-urban Out-migrants
are 5059 (2519 male and 2540 female) and 3814 (2122 male and 1692 female) respectively.
The rural migration play a very important role as compare to the urban. Rural migration
mainly happened for the search of job or survives because all the property has been damaged. On
the other hand urban migration caused by survives because of the disaster. The rehabilitation of
the settlements plays a very important role to stop the out migration.
Occupational Structure of Migrants
Food, on the other hand, is the basic need to survive. Every person either man or woman
can’t live without it. And to fulfill this need man do something or any job (Table 3. and Fig 1.).
At the destination place, people engaged in many occupations as Construction, Factory worker,
Agriculture labour, Auto driver, Bricks maker, Teaching, Poultry, Coolie, and Farming, etc. and
all the occupations play a wide role for the survival. In the rural areas the maximum person
engaged in Agriculture labour (20%) in which 9,05% male and 10.95% female because there are
a lot of agricultural land and labour are cheap to work on it and also easy to access because of
high population density. Farming is on the second position (15%) in which male and female are
8.40% and 6.60% respectively followed by Teaching 12.85% (6.70%male and 6.15% female)
and poultry 12% in which male 7% and female 5% engaged.
Auto drivers have the minimum percent of the population as 4% only male headed
because female is not allowed to be an Auto driver. Rural persons are rarely chosen this
occupation because in rural area, there are not much demand of Auto. Mostly persons prefer to
go on foot. Coolie come under the second lowest occupation in all about 5.05% in which male
and female are 3.05% and 2% respectively followed by the Construction labour 10% (5.33%
male and 4.67% female) and the Factory workers have 10.10% in 4.05% male and 6.05% female.
The main reason of the highest amount of females engaged in this occupation is that female can’t
travel with work and feel very comfortable to do this job.
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Table: 3. Occupational Structure of the migrants at the destination place, 2011.
Percent of the migrants in Occupation
S.No.
Occupations
Rural
Urban
Person
Male
Female
Person
Male
1
Construction Labour 10.00
5.33
4.67
5.00
3.00
Female
2.00
2
Factory Labour
10.10
4.05
6.05
32.25
21.40
10.85
3
Agriculture Labour
20.00
9.05
10.95
3.00
2.80
0.20
4
Auto Driver
4.00
4.00
0.00
18.00
17.20
0.80
5
Brick Makers
11.00
5.30
5.70
4.00
2.80
1.20
6
Teaching
12.85
6.70
6.15
21.91
12.00
9.91
7
Poultry
12.00
7.00
5.00
3.75
1.75
2.00
8
Coolie
5.05
3.05
2.00
7.05
6.00
1.05
9
Farming
15.00
8.40
6.60
5.00
4.00
1.00
10
Grand Total
100
52.88
47.12
100.00
70.99
29.01
Sources: Aggregated data of the 2001 migration tables.
Occupational Structure of Rural-Urban Migrants
100
90
80
70
60
Percent of the migrants in
Occupation Rural Person
Percent of the migrants in
Occupation Rural Male
50
40
30
20
10
0
Percent of the migrants in
Occupation Rural Female
Percent of the migrants in
Occupation Urban Person
Percent of the migrants in
Occupation Urban Male
Percent of the migrants in
Occupation Urban Female
Fig 1. Occupational Structure Rural-Urban migrants at the place of destination, 2011.
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On the other hand, the highest amount of urban migration is in Factory workers from
fourth grade employees to first grade employees. It has 32.25% working population in which
21.40% male and 10.85% female. The urban areas have not more agriculture land as compare to
the rural areas. Urban areas have the secondary activities while rural areas have primary.
Teaching 21.91% (12% male and 9.91% female) comes on the second stage. Female also play a
great role in the teaching. Auto driver comes under the third stage, having 18% in which the
share of male and female is 17.20% and 0.8% female. In the city areas female also found as a
Taxi or Auto driver.
The minimum amount of migrants engaged in Agriculture labours about 3% in which
male and female is 2.80% and 0.205 respectively. The lowest amount of Agriculture labour in
the urban areas is mainly lowest amount of agriculture land occupied by the urban peoples.
Followed by the Poultry 3.75% (1.75%male and 2.00% female). Bricks makers 4% (2.80% male
and 1.20% female and Farming and Construction labour have the 5%. The coolies have the
7.05% share in the occupation structure in which males have 6% and female 1.05%. Females are
rarely found as a coolie worker.
DISASTER MANAGEMENT
A. Policies
1. National Flood Insurance Program:
The National Flood Insurance Program or NFIP was instituted in 1968 and offers home
owners in qualifying communities an opportunity to rebuild and recover after flooding events
following the decision by insurance companies to discontinue providing flood insurance. This
decision was made on behalf of the private insurers after continually high and widespread flood
losses. The goals of this program are to not only better protect individuals from flood, but to
reduce property losses, and reduce the total amount disbursed for flood loses by the government.
Only communities which have adopted and implemented mitigation policies that are compliant
with or exceed federal regulations. The regulatory policies reduce risk to life and property
located within floodplains. The NFIP also comprehensively mapped domestic floodplains
increasing public awareness of risk. The majority of sructures were constructed after the
mapping was completed and risk could be assessed. To reduce the cost to these owners, which
consititue roughly 25% of the total policies the rates for insurance are subsidized.[15]
2. Coastal States Organization
The Coastal States Organization or CSO was established in 1970 to represent 35 U.S.
sub-federal governments on issues of coastal policies. CSO lobbies Congress on issues
pertaining to Coastal Policy allowing states input on federal policy decisions. Funding, support,
water quality, coastal hazards, and coastal zone management are the primary issues CSO
promotes. The strategic goals of CSO are to provide information and assistance to
members,evaluate and manage coastal needs, and secure long term funding for member states
initiatives.[16]
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3. Coastal Zone Management Act
In 1972 the Coastal Zone Management Act or CZMA works to streamline the policies
which states create to a minimum federal standard for environmental protection. CZMA
establishes the national policy for the development and implementation of regulatory programs
for coastal land usage, which is supposed to be reflected in state legislation such as CAMA.
CZMA also provides minimum building requirements to make the insurance provided through
the NFIP less expensive for the government to operate by mitigating losses. Congress found that
it was necessary to establish the minimum which programs should provide for. Each coastal state
is required to have a program with 7 distinct parts: Identifying land uses, Identifying critical
coastal areas, Management measures,Technical assistance, Public participation, Administrative
coordination, State coastal zone boundary modification.
B. Management and Planning
Due to the increasing urbanization along the coastlines, planning and management are
essential to protecting the ecosystems and environment from depleting. Coastal management is
becoming implemented more because of the movement of people to the shore and the hazards
that come with the territory. Some of the hazards include movement of barrier islands, sea level
rise, hurricanes, nor'easters, earthquakes, flooding, erosion, pollution and human development
along the coast. The Coastal Zone Management Act(CZMA) was created in 1972 because of the
continued growth along the coast, this act introduced better management practices such
as management, adaptive and the use mitigation strategies when planning. According to the
Coastal Zone Management Act, the objectives are to remain balanced to "preserve, protect,
develop, and where possible, to restore or enhance the resources of the nation's coastal zone”.
The development of the land can strongly affect the sea, for example the engineering of
structures versus non-structures and the effects of erosion along the shore.
1. Integrated coastal zone management
Integrated coastal zone management means the integration of all aspects of the coastal zone; this
includes environmentally, socially, culturally politically and economically to meet a sustainable
balance all around. Sustainability is the goal to allow development yet protect the environment in
which we develop. Coastal zones are fragile and do not do well with change so it is important to
acquire sustainable development. The integration from all views will entitle a holistic view for
the best implementation and management of that country, region and local scales. The five types
of integration include integration among sectors, integration between land and water elements of
the coastal zone, integration amount levels of government, integration between nations and
integration among disciplines are all essential to meet the needs for implementation.
Management practices include.
2. Adaptive management
Adaptive management is another practice of development adaptation with the environment.
Resources are the major factor when managing adaptively to a certain environment to
accommodate all the needs of development and ecosystems. Strategies used must be flexible by
either passive or active adaptive management includes these key features.

Alterative decision-making (evaluating results and adjusting actions on the basis of what has
been learned)
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Feedback between monitoring and decisions (learning process)
Explicit characterization of system uncertainty through multi-model inference
(experimentation)
Embracing risk and uncertainty as a way of building understanding (trial and error)
3. Mitigation
The purpose of mitigation is not only to minimize the loss of property damage, but
minimize environmental damages due to development. Disaster Management Policy: Tamil
Nadu has been having a Disaster Management policy since 2004-05. The thrust of this policy is
more on pre-disaster activities of preparedness, prevention and mitigation than on post-disaster
measures of relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction. The key components of this policy are the
following:
 Convergence of disaster management and development planning
 Formulation of disaster management plans at all levels taking into account the local
conditions
 Focusing on the reduction of vulnerability of communities instead of mere disaster relief
 Fostering a culture of prevention among the community and various organs of
Government through training and awareness campaigns
 Involving the community at all stages in disaster management activities and
 Creating a trained and committed volunteer force on the line of home guards for disaster
management.
4. Strategies
Development Control Rules for CMA provide for regulating the constructions with
reference to zone, location, height, number of floors, size of buildings, setback spaces to be left
around, and the use of the building and land. Building rules under the Local Bodies Acts provide
for regulation of location of buildings, foundations, plinths, superstructures-walls, floors, and
rooms, licensing of surveyors and inspection of municipal engineers at various stages of
constructions, regulations on dead and superimposed loads, wind load/pressure, reinforced
cement, concrete and framed structures, construction materials, etc. Structural safety and
soundness are regulated under the building rules under the Local Body Acts. Hence early action
should be taken to include Special Rules for Hazard Prone Areas in the Building Rules of the
Local Bodies and effectively enforce the same.
5. Disaster Preparedness
The Central Asian countries have Ministries for emergency situations, which deal with
policy aspects, provide training, manage state disaster reserve resources, and provide
coordination among different levels of Government in developing and implementing emergency
plans. The People’s Republic of China (PRC) has, since January 2005, a State Disaster
Reduction Commission.
 Legal Framework. Each country has each own decrees, acts, and laws that serve as
legal basis for disaster management.
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 Hazard/Risk Mapping. Most countries have risk maps. Those in the Central Asian
countries were prepared during the Soviet era, but their scale is not suitable for risk
management activities. Most of these maps are outdated.
 Disaster Preparedness Plans. Countries in the region have made different levels of
progress in developing disaster preparedness plans. The PRC has a capacity-building
program and is making safe storage sites for waste products from metal processing.
 Structural Measures. In the Central Asian countries, many protective structures remain
from the Soviet era-such as dams, dikes for flood protection, and sediment control
devices. These structures lack maintenance, which not only decreases their protective
value but also can amplify a disaster when they collapse.
 Community Involvement. General awareness for natural disasters, preparedness, and
mitigation is very low. In the PRC, a Community-based disaster reduction outreach
campaign has been launched.
6. Disaster Prevention
The main types of disaster preparedness include:
 Forecasting and warning systems;
 Evacuation from affected areas;
 Flood fighting
 Flood relief;
 Cyclone shelters.
CONCLUSION:
Disaster is any occurrence that causes damage, ecological destruction, loss of human life
or detonation of health and health service on a scale sufficiently towards an extraordinary
response from outside the affected community area. Disasters are classified as human made and
natural. Various countries experience different types of disasters – human made and natural –
and incur heavy loss of life, property, environment and other damages to infrastructure. In the
absence of community preparedness in disaster mitigation and management, people and areas
vulnerable to
such disasters are subjected to devastation and extinction. Among the various natural disasters
occurred in India the recent tsunami which struck on December 26, 2004 in the east coast from
Chennai to Kanyakumari was a giant killer wave which emanated under sea from Indonesia.
Thousands of people who fell victim to this giant tidal wave were mostly on the coastal line
habitats. Since it was a wonderful and surprising scene the ignorant and innocent fishermen
community fell easy victim of tsunami of which they never heard and experienced earlier. The
community is ignorant of matters related to disasters, self preparedness to face the challenges of
disasters like flood, tsunami. Oral communication and church bell are the popular mechanisms of
communication on occurrence of disaster. They desire to generate awareness on the disaster
challenges. The establishment of satellite linked village knowledge center in prevention and
control of disaster prone coastal zones would go a long way in ensuring a fool proof system of
community preparedness in disaster management.
Climate change and its influence in coastal livelihood have caused numerous sufferings
to the coastal community. The conclusion of the study is that the community life in coastal zone
is precarious and their plight is full of sufferings and uncertainties. This necessitates designing of
appropriate intervention strategies by GOs, NGOs, CBOs, PRIs and other micro level fora. The
installation of early warning system with satellite link will drastically change the livelihood
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security and provide safety to coastal communities to involve in their life earning challenges on
sea and ultimately deliver sustainable development. Community in this regard is to be
enlightened and empowered through dissemination of knowledge to ensure their participation in
prevention, control, and mitigation and rehabilitation activities of coastal zones prone to natural
disasters.
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