Chapter 4
Disaster Impacts
4.1 Orissa
4.1.1 Population Affected
Nearly 7.4 million people are annually affected by different types of natural disasters in
Orissa state, which come to nearly 20% of its total population of the state (Figure 4.1).
Out of this total affected population, 41% of them affected by epidemics followed by
40.5% due to floods, 18% due to cyclones and 0.5% due to fire (Figure 4.2). Coastal
districts are more affected than the non coastal districts (Map 4.1).
Orissa : Natural Hazards (1998-2007)
15
10
5
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
0
1998
Millions
Population affected
Population affected
Year
Figure 4.1: Population Affected by Disasters by Year, Orissa (1998-2007)
Orissa : Natural Hazards (1998-2007)
Population affected
42%
40%
0%
0%
Flood
Cyclone
18%
Lightning
Heatwave
Fire
Epidemics
Figure 4.2: Population Affected by Type of Disasters, Orissa (1998-2007)
111
Figure 4.1: Population Exposed to All Disasters Per Year by Districts, Orissa (19982007)
Figure 4.2: Population Exposed to Climatic Hazards Per Year by Districts, Orissa
(1998-2007)
112
Figure 4.3: Population Exposed to Non-Climatic Hazards Per Year by Districts,
Orissa (1998-2007)
Loss of Life
The total human deaths in Orissa during the last ten years (1998-2007) due disasters has
been 25,226 with an annual average of 2522 (Figure 4.3). During this period, 41 % loss
of human life has occurred due to epidemics followed by 39% due to cyclones, 9.5% by
heat waves, 8% by Lightning, 2% by flood and 0.5% by fire (Figure 4.4). The very high
figures of 1999 are due to the super cyclone and of 1998 are due to the heat waves
(Figure 4.4). Human deaths are distributed along a larger tract covering the coastal and
non – coastal districts (Map 4.2).
113
Orissa : Natural Hazards (1998-2007)
12000
10000
8000
6000
4000
2000
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
0
1998
Human Death in Nos.
Human Death
Year
Figure 4.3: Human Deaths Due to Disasters by Year, Orissa (1998-2007)
Orissa : Natural Hazards(1998-2007)
Human Death
2%
41%
39%
1%
Flood
Cyclone
9%
Lightning
8%
Heatwave
Fire
Epidemics
Figure 4.4: Human Deaths by Type of Disaster, Orissa (1998-2007)
114
Map 4.4: Annual Human Deaths Due to All Disasters by Districts, Orissa (19982007)
Map 4.5: Annual Human Deaths Due to Climatic Hazards by Districts, Orissa
(1998-2007)
115
Map 4.5: Annual Human Deaths Due to Non-Climatic Hazards by Districts, Orissa
(1998-2007)
Destruction of Buildings
During the last ten years (1998-2007), building destroyed in Orissa due to disasters have
been 803,305 with an annual average of 80,330 per year (Figure 4.5). The highest single
disaster building destruction has been in the supre cyclone of 1999, which made a land
fall along the Orissa coast with a wind velocity of nearly 300 km./hr and a high tidal
surge of nearly 7 meters to 8 meters along the coast along with tidal inundation over a
large area. Therefore, during the 1998-2007 period, 83% destruction of houses have
occurred due to cyclones, followed by 10% due to floods and 7% due to fire (Figure 4.6).
As regards the spatial distribution of the building destructed, the coastal districts have
experienced the maximum, followed by the non coastal districts of Mayurbhanj, Bargarh
and Dhenkanal affected due to higher incidences of fire (Map 4.3).
116
Orissa : Natural Hazards(1998-2007)
800000
600000
400000
200000
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
0
1998
Destroyed Houses in
Nos.
Destroyed Houses
Year
Figure 4.5: Houses Destroyed Due to All Disasters by Year, Orissa (1998-2007)
Orissa : Natural Hazards (1998-2007)
Destroyed Houses
0%
0%
7%
10%
83%
Flood
Cyclone
Lightning
Heatwave
Fire
Epidemics
Figure 4.6: Houses Destroyed by Type of Disaster, Orissa (1998-2007)
117
Map 4.7: Houses Destroyed Due to Disasters Annually by Districts, Orissa (1998-2007)
Map 4.8: Houses Destroyed Due to Climatic Hazards Annually by Districts, Orissa (1998-2007)
118
Property Loss by Disasters
Property Loss during the decade of 1998-2007 on account of disasters have been
estimated to be worth Rs. 2595.4 million with an annual average of Rs. 260 million in
Orissa (Figure 4.7). During this period, 75% of the property loss has occurred due to
floods, followed by 20% due to cyclones and 5% due to fire (Figure 4.8). The higher
magnitude of damage to public property in the state is mostly attributed to the frequently
recurring floods.
Orissa : Natural Hazards (1998-2007)
100000
80000
60000
40000
20000
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
0
1998
Property Loss in Rs.in
Lakhs
Property Loss
Year
Figure 4.7: Property Loss Due to Disasters by Years, Orissa (1998-2007)
Orissa : Natural Hazards (1998-2007)
Property Loss
0% 5% 0%
20%
75%
Flood
Cyclone
Lightning
Heatwave
Fire
Epidemics
Figure 4.8: Property Loss by Type of Disaster, Orissa (1998-2007)
Flood Impact
119
The human population affected by floods has increased from 0.6 million in 1998 to
nearly 7.6 million in 2003. Annually, average of 3 million people are affected by floods
in the state. Since increasingly more and more densely populated and flood proof areas
are coming under the grip of the floods besides increased density of the declared flood
prone areas, the people affected due to floods has increased significantly, since
2001(Figure 4.9).
Orissa:Flood (1998-2007)
Affected People in
Nos
Affected Population
10000000
8000000
6000000
4000000
2000000
0
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Year
Figure 4.9: Population Affected by Year by Floods, Orissa, 1998-2007
Map 4.9: Population Exposed Per Year to Floods, Orissa, 1998-2007
120
As far as the vulnerability to flood hazard is concerned, most of the coastal districts are
highly vulnerable to floods. Among the western districts, Bolangir is highly vulnerable
where the population exposed varies between 1 to 10 lakhs (Figure 4.4).
The loss of life has also considerably increased over the period, from a few to 102 in
2001. In the year 2006 the life lost due to floods was 92. On an average 46 human lives
have been lost due to floods in the state every year (Figure 4.10). Maximum deaths are
reported from the coastal districts where the vulnerability is very high. However, deaths
due to floods are also reported from the central and western districts of the state where
the vulnerability is low.
Orissa: Flood (1998-2007)
Human Death in Nos
Human Death
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Year
Figure 4.10: Human Deaths by Years Due to Floods, Orissa, 1998-2007
Map 4.5: Human Deaths by Districts Due to Floods, Orissa, 1998-2007
121
The buildings fully damage and washed out due to floods are also increasing over the
years besides the partial damage to the houses. In 2001, the figure was 34,694 and in
2006 and 2007, it was more than 16,044 and 11,093 respectively. Annually, on an
average, 8,000 houses are fully destroyed with nearly 40,000 people being made
homeless due to floods (Figure 4.10). Geographically, besides the coastal districts, those
in the western parts, namely, Sambalpur, Sonepur, Bolangir, Bargarh and Kalahandi are
also figuring in the destruction of buildings due to floods (Map 4.5).
Orissa: Flood (1998-2007)
Destroyed Houses in
Nos
Destroyed Houses
40000
30000
20000
10000
0
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Year
Figure 4.11: Houses Destroyed by Floods, Orissa, 1998-2007
Map 4.6: Houses Destroyed Per Year by Floods, Orissa, 1998-2007
122
Orissa’s estimated loss of public property due to floods is also quite noticeable during the
last decade. The annual average property loss due to floods has gone up to nearly Rs.
2,000 millions. In 2003 and 2006 it has gone up to Rs. 8,555 and 3,574 million
respectively, due to floods only. It can be observed that the districts which are less
vulnerable and are flooded occasionally shows higher damage than the regular flood
affected areas.
Orissa : Flood (1998-2007)
Property Loss In Rs Lakh
Property Loss
90000
80000
70000
60000
50000
40000
30000
20000
10000
0
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
Year
Figure 4.12: Property Loss (Rs. Lakhs) Due to Floods by Year, Orissa, 1998-2007
Impact of Cyclone
Coastal districts have remained the most affected due to the landfall of the cyclones in
Orissa. However, the district of Puri, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Bhadrak, Baleswar and
Kendrapara have been experiencing the wrath of the cyclones almost every year. Other
coastal districts like Ganjam, Khurdha, Nayagarh and Jajpur are affected at least once in
every two years. The interior districts like Dhenkanal, Kendujhar, Sambalpur and Angul
are also affected by the cyclone in spite of their location far from the coast.
In Orissa nearly 1.3 million people are annually affected due to cyclones. Although the
number of cyclones has been less during October, the people affected in this month are
maximum followed by June, May and March. The coastal districts are mostly affected by
cyclones. The 1999 super cyclone had inflicted so much of damage that the average
figures often crosses the impacts of the frequently recurring hazards like floods (Figure
4.13 and Map 4.7) of every rear.
123
Orissa: Cyclone (1998-2007)
Affected People in
Nos.
Population Affected
15000000
10000000
5000000
0
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Year
Figure 4.13: Population Affected by Cyclone by Year, 1998-2007
Map 4.7: Population Exposed to Cyclone Per Year by Districts, Orissa, 1998-2007
Orissa had experienced two major cyclones; one during 1971 and the other during 1999
when maximum human casualty had occurred. On an average, annually 414 people are
dying due to cyclones based on the data for the period 1970-2007 which has increased to
992 during 1998 – 2007 (Figure 4.14). In 1971, the cyclone death toll was 5,307 and
during 1999 Super Cyclone, it was 9927. The maximum death has occurred in the month
of October followed by November, June and September respectively. Jagatsinghpur and
Kendrapara districts had suffered maximum human casualty. This is followed with the
districts of Cuttack, Puri and Jajpur (Map 4.8).
124
Orissa: Cyclone (1998-2007)
Dead People in Nos.
Human Death
12000
10000
8000
6000
4000
2000
0
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Year
Figure 4.14: Human Deaths Due to Cyclone by Year, Orissa, 1998-2007
Map 4.8: Human Death Per Year by Districts Due to Cyclone, Orissa, 1998-2007
Damage to buildings or houses due to cyclones in the state has been a matter of serious
concern because majority of the houses in the state are temporary (47.4%, Chapter 2),
made of straw thatched roofs and mud walls which are not in a position to match the gale
wind speed or torrential down pour or rushing flood water during the cyclones. Maximum
damage to the building or houses had recurred during the super cyclone; figure reaching
6.65 lakhs. During 1982, the housing damage was to the tune of 13,016, in 1986 it was
4,067 and during 1985 and 1992 it was nearly 1,000. In Orissa the cyclone hazards
125
destroy on average 66,500 houses per year (the houses are fully destroyed and drowned)
where as partially damaged houses per year comes to around 50,000 (Figure 4.15). The
maximum damage to housing has occurred in the districts of Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara,
Cuttack, Puri and Bhadrak. Building damages are much less and insignificant for the
interior districts of the state (Map 4.9).
Figure 4.15
Orissa : Cyclone (1998-2007)
Destroyed Houses In Nos
Destroyed Houses
700000
600000
500000
400000
300000
200000
100000
0
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
Year
Figure 4.15: Houses Destroyed by Cyclone by Year, Orissa, 1998-2007
Map 4.9: Houses Destroyed by Cyclone Per Year by Districts, Orissa, 1998-2007
The damage to public property has also been significant in the state due to cyclones. The
1999 super cyclone alone brought damage to the public property to the tune of 5,088
126
million rupees in the year 1999 (Figure 4.16). The annual average loss due to cyclones is
around Rs. 508 million. The maximum damage to public property has been reported from
the coastal districts as well as from the non –coastal districts of Kendujhar, Nayagarh and
Dhenkanal.
Orissa : Cyclone (1998-2007)
Property Loss In Rs Lakh
Property Loss
60000
50000
40000
30000
20000
10000
0
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
Year
Figure 4.16: Property Loss Due to Cyclone, by Year, Orissa, 1998-2007
Lightning
Since the lightning is a sudden incidence, the impact is mostly felt in terms of loss of life
and injury and occasional loss of property due to onset of fire. The data shows a sudden
increase in the loss of life due to lightning from 2001 to 2006 which is more than 200.
The loss of life due to lightning has increased over the years (Figures 4.17) which is more
than even the life lost due to floods. After 2000 period, the annual loss of human life due
to lightning has been around 250 persons per year. The human casualty starts picking up
from March to April and continues up to October. Wherever the incidents of lightning
have been high, the human casualty is high. Cuttack, Mayurbhanj, Jajpur and Ganjam had
the highest human casualty in the State due to lightning. The districts of Kondhmal and
Malkangiri have the minimum human death due to lightning in the past (Map 4.10).
127
Human Death In Nos
Orissa : Lightning (1998-2007)
Human Death
400
300
200
100
0
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Year
Figure 4.17: Human Deaths Due to Lightning by Years, Orissa, 1998-2007
Map 4.10: Human Deaths Per Year Due to Lightning by Districts, Orissa, 1998-2007
Heat Wave
The data on population affected due to heat waves is not available but however the
human death due to this event is available. Orissa’s average annual human death due to
heat waves is 238 per year. Human death due to heat waves has been the highest in 1998,
when 2042 people died. Next year with high death rate due to this cause has been 1999
with 91 deaths even though this year was the year of super cyclone in Orissa. Since then
the human casualty per year due to heat waves has remained between 25 to 67 per year
128
(Figure 4.18). Most of these human deaths are in the month of June followed by May and
April. The districts that have reported high incidence of human deaths due to heat waves
are Dhenkanal, Cuttack, Baleshwar and Sambalpur (Map 4.11).
Orissa : Heatwaves (1998-2007)
Human Death
Human Death In Nos
2100
1800
1500
1200
900
600
300
0
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
Year
Figure 4.18: Human Deaths Due to Heat waves by Years, Orissa, 1998-2007
Map 4.11: Human Deaths Per Year Due to Heat Wave by Districts, Orissa, 19982004
129
Fire
The population affected by fire has been very high in the state. On an average 40,500
people were affected annually by the fire incidents during 1998 to 2007 (Figure 4.19).
The incidences and hence impacts have been more in the months of February, March,
April, May and June followed with the month of November, December and January.
Maximum Population affected by fire has been in the districts of Ganjam, Nayagarh,
Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Khurda and Puri. Least affected population is from the districts of
Sundargarh, Nuapada, Jharsuguda, Deogarh, Baragada, Kalahandi, Nawarangpur and
Malkangiri (Figure 4.12).
Orissa : Fire (1998-2006)
Affected People In Nos
Affected Population
80000
60000
40000
20000
0
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
Year
Figure 4.19: Population Affected by Fire, by Year, Orissa, 1998-2006
Figure 4.12: Population Exposed Per Year to Fire by Districts, Orissa, 1998-2006
130
Loss of life due to fire per year in the state is 17. The maximum death due to fire has
taken place in 1997; the figure was 465 (Figure 4.20). This incidence occurred in the
district of Mayurbhanj in a social gathering. The highest number of human deaths due to
fire has occurred in the month of February which is the transition month from winter to
spring in Orissa. March and April are the important months when the human casualty is
also high. This period is almost the end of spring and beginning of summer in the state.
The districts which have been known for the higher incidence of death due to fire are
Mayurbhanj, Ganjam and Cuttack followed by Koraput and Nayagarh (Map 4.13).
Orissa : Fire (1998-2007)
Human Death
Human Death In Nos
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
Year
Figure 4.20: Human Deaths Due to Fire, by Year, Orissa, 1998-2007
131
Map 4.13: Human Deaths Per Year Due to Fire, Orissa, 1998-2007
In Orissa nearly 5,700 houses are fully damaged by fire every year on an average. In
2002, this figure had reached as high as 9,922. The building destruction due to fire has
been mostly distributed between the months of November to June which increases from
November to reach the peak value in April and starts declining then on up to October.
The maximum damage to houses has occurred in the districts of Cuttack, Nayagarh,
Ganjam, Dhenkanal, Khurda and Puri (Figure 4.21 and Map 4.14).
Destroyed Houses in Nos
Orissa : Impact of Fire (1998-2006)
12000
10000
8000
6000
4000
2000
0
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
Year
Figure 4.21: Houses Destroyed by Fire, by Year, Orissa, 1998-2007
132
Map 4.14: Houses Destroyed Per Year by Fire by Districts, Orissa, 1998-2007
The annual average estimated loss of property due to fire in the state is around Rs. 133
million. The loss of property due to fire is mostly related to those vulnerable people who
are living in the villages, are relatively poor and whose houses are mostly made up of
wood and straw. The loss of property estimates also include death of domestic animals
(Figure 4.22).
Property Loss In Rs
Lakh
Orissa : Fire (1998-2007)
Property Loss
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
Year
Figure 4.22: Property Loss in Rs. Lakhs Due to Fire, by Year, Orissa, 1998-2007
Epidemics
The incidence of people affected by the epidemics in the state of Orissa is very high. On
an average, 3 million people are affected by the epidemics every year (Figure 4.23).
133
There are two peak periods, the months of July and December, when the affected people
due to epidemics is more. The people affected by epidemics are least in the month of
June, November and February. More people are affected from the district of Cuttack,
Sambalpur and Jajpur. The districts which have least affected people due to epidemics are
Mayurbhanj, Nuapada, Sonepur, Jharsuguda, Deogarh, Dhenkanal, Bargarh and Angul
(Map 4.15).
Orissa : Epidemics (1998-2007)
Millions
Affected Population
Affected Population
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Year
Figure 4.23: Population Affected by Epidemics, by Year, Orissa, 1998-2007
Figure 4.15: Population Exposed to Epidemics Per Year, Orissa, 1998-2007
134
Loss of life in the state due to epidemics is quite alarming. During the period of 1998 to
2007, the death due to epidemics was more than one thousand per year. Maximum death
was observed in the year 1998 which was also a year of heat wave with maximum human
casualty (Figure 4.24). On an average, 1,023 people are dying due to epidemics every
year, which is much more than those dying due to major natural disasters like flood and
cyclone taken together. Loss of life is more during the period of July to December and
less during the rest of the months. Maximum life lost due to epidemics have been
reported from tribal dominated districts of Rayagada, Koraput, Kalahandi (Figure 4.16).
Human Death In Nos
Orissa : Epidemics (1998-2007)
Human Death
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Year
Figure 4.24: Human Deaths Due to Epidemics, by Year, Orissa, 1998-2007
Map 4.16: Human Deaths Per Year by Epidemics, by Districts, Orissa, 1998-2007
135
DISASTER RISK INDEX
FIRE(1998-2006)
¯
SUNDERGARH
MAYURBHANJ
JHARSUGUDA
KEONJHAR
SAMBALPUR DEOGARH
BALESWAR
BARAGADA
BHADRAK
SONEPUR
ANGUL
DHENKANAL JAJPUR
BOUDH
BALANGIR
CUTTACK
NUAPADA
NAYAGARH
PHULBANI
KALAHANDI
KENDRAPARA
JAGATSINGHPUR
KHURDA
PURI
Death per million
Exposed Pop
GANJAM
NABARANGPUR
RAYAGADA
0
GAJAPATI
1 - 100
101 - 200
KORAPUT
201 - 300
0
MALKANAGIRI
50
100
200
300
>300
Kilometers
Map 4.17: Disaster Risk Index, by Districts, Orissa, 1998-2006
Box
Orissa flood: ‘We stand naked, hungry and homeless’
Patkura, Orissa, September 25: Thirty-five-year-old Manjulata Sahu has half a dhoti to cover
herself since the floods washed away her house and made her homeless in Orissa, a week ago.
Manjulata and her neighbour Anadi Sahu (55) divided a five-foot dhoti to cover themselves as
their clothes were lost in the floods.
"We stand naked, hungry and homeless," says 55-year-old Anadi, whose thatched house was
swept away by the waters on the night of September 19. Similar was the case of many others who
lost everything, including clothes.
Babita Sahu (22) preferred not to come out of the polythene tent on the river embankment, which
was crowded with the flood victims, because of her dirty clothes.
"Our house and everything was swept away. The administration has not come to our rescue," she
told from inside the tent.
Patkura's woman sarpanch Ahalya expressed helplessness.
"What can I do? A large number of people including women in my panchayat are facing the same
situation. Where do I find clothes for them?"
136
Similar tales were heard in Patkura area in the Mahanadi delta, which has a population of over 20
lakh people and was also ravaged by the deluge. Like the Sahus, a large number of people in this
part of coastal Orissa lost their clothes, houses and other belongings as the Chitratopla, a branch
of the mighty Mahanadi river, broke through the embankments close to their village of
Jagannathpur-Patana in Kendrapara district.
Posted: Sep 25, 2008 at 1603 hrs IST
Source: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/orissa-flood-we-stand-naked-hungry-and-.../365846/
137
4.2 Tamil Nadu
4.2.1 Population Exposed
Annual Population Exposed to All Disasters (1998-2006)
6000000
Number
5000000
4000000
3000000
2000000
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
0
1998
1000000
Figure 4.25: Annual Population Exposed, All Disasters, Tamil Nadu, 1998-2006
Distribution of Population Exposed by Type of Disaster (19982006)
44%
55%
0%
Flood
1%
0%
Cyclone
0%
Tsunami
Fire
Epidemics
others
Figure 4.26: Distribution of Population Exposed by Type of Disaster, Tamil Nadu,
1998-2006
138
Map 4.18: Population Exposed to All Disasters per Year, Tamil Nadu, 1998-2006
Map 4.19 Population Exposed to Tsunami per Year, Tamil Nadu, 1998-2006
139
Map 4.20: Population Exposed to Flood per Year, Tamil Nadu, 1998-2006
Map 4.21: Population Exposed to Cyclone Per Year, Tamil Nadu (1998-2006)
140
Map 4.22: Population Exposed to Fire per Year, Tamil Nadu, 1998-2006
Map 4.23: Population Exposed to Epidemics Per Year, Tamil Nadu, 1998-2006
141
4.2.2 Deaths
Annual Distribution of Deaths by All Disasters (1998-2006)
3500
3000
Number
2500
2000
1500
1000
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
0
1998
500
Figure 4.27: Annual Distribution of Human Deaths, Tamil Nadu, 1998-2006
Distribution Human Deaths by Type of Disaster
(1998-2006)
0%
11%
22%
5%
9%
49%
Flood
4%
Cyclone
Tsunami
Lightning
Fire
Epidemics
others
Figure 4.28: Distribution of Human Deaths by Disaster, Tamil Nadu, 1998-2006
142
Map 4.24: Human Death Per Year Due to All Disasters, 1998-2006
Map 4.25: Human Deaths Per Year Due to Cyclone, Tamil Nadu, 1998-2006
143
Map 4.26: Human Deaths Per Year Due to Floods, Tamil Nadu, 1998-2006
Map 4.27: Human Deaths Per Year, Tsunami, Tamil Nadu, 1998-2006
144
Map 2.28: Human Deaths Per Year Due to Fire, Tamil Nadu, 1998-2007
145
4.2.3 Buildings Damaged
Annual Buildings Damaged & Destroyed
500000
450000
400000
Number
350000
300000
250000
200000
150000
100000
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
0
1998
50000
Figure 4.29: Annual Buildings Damaged and Destroyed, Tamil Nadu, 1998-2006
Distribution of Building Damaged &Destroyed by Type of
17%
Disaster (1998-2006)
6%
8%
69%
0%
Flood
Cyclone
Tsunami
Fire
others
Figure 4.30: Buildings Damaged & Destroyed by Type of Disaster, Tamil Nadu,
1998-2006
146
Map 2.29: Buildings Damaged and Destroyed Per Year, Tamil Nadu, 1998-2006
Map 2.30 Buildings Damaged and Destroyed Per Year Due to Tsunami, Tamil
Nadu, 1998-2006
147
Map 2.31 Buildings Damaged and Destroyed Per Year Due to Cyclone, Tamil Nadu,
1998-2006
Map 2.32 Buildings Damaged and Destroyed Per Year Due to Flood, Tamil Nadu,
1998-2006
148
Map 2.33 Buildings Damaged and Destroyed Per Year Due to Fire, Tamil Nadu,
1998-2006
Map 2.34 Buildings Damaged and Destroyed Per Year Due to Other Disasters,
Tamil Nadu, 1998-2006
149
4.2.4 Property Loss
Property Loss in Rs. Million
1200
Rs. million
1000
800
600
400
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
0
1998
200
Figure 4.31: Annual Property Loss (in Rs. Million), Tamil Nadu, 1998-2006
Distribution of Building Damaged &Destroyed by Type of
18%
Disaster (1998-2006)
8%
52%
16%
6%
Flood
Cyclone
Tsunami
Fire
others
Figure 4.32: Property Loss by Type of Disaster, Tamil Nadu, 1998-2006
150
Map 2.35: Property Loss Per Year Due to All Disasters, Tamil Nadu, 1998-2006
Map 2.36: Property Loss Per Year Due to Tsunami, Tamil Nadu, 1998-2006
151
Map 2.37: Property Loss Per Year Due to Cyclone, Tamil Nadu, 1998-2006
Map 2.38: Property Loss Per Year Due to Floods, Tamil Nadu, 1998-2006
152
Map 2.39: Property Loss Per Year Due to Fires, Tamil Nadu, 1998-2006
Map 2.40: Property Loss Per Year Due to Other Disasters, Tamil Nadu, 1998-2006
153
Map 2.41: Disaster Vulnerability Index, Tamil Nadu, 1998-2006
Box
Diarrhoea kills three in Orissa's flood-hit region
At least three people died of watery diarrhoea while over 200 were ailing from the disease in
Orissa's Balasore district where floods have played havoc, officials said Saturday. The disease has
gripped over 20 villages including Basta, Baliapal, Bhogarai and Jaleswar, a district health
official said. At least 84 people from these villages were admitted in different health centres in
the district while health officials were taking care of others in their respective villages, additional
district medical officer R.N. Pati said. The rains caused by a depression over the Bay of Bengal
had led to flash floods in at least 11 of the state's 30 districts. At least 30 people were killed and
over one and half million were affected by the flood. The worst hit was Balasore district, some
200 km from state capital Bhubaneswar, where the floods killed at least 20 people and affected
more than half a million. (IANS)
Balasore, July 21, 2007
Source: http://news.webindia123.com/news/Articles/Health/20070721/721434.html
154
4.3 Nagapattinam HDR
Introduction
The massive earthquake which occurred on the 26th of December, 2004, measuring 9.0 on
the Richter scale hit the west coast of Northern Sumatra in Indonesia and traveled across
the ocean taking an immense human toll and causing severe damages in countries
surrounding the Indian ocean. The giant tidal waves that lashed the coast were later
identified as a Tsunami. In India the Union Territories of Andaman and Nicobar Islands,
Puducherry (Pondicherry), and the coastal areas of the states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and
Andhra Pradesh were mostly affected.
According to reports from the Government of India (GoI) the Tsunami led to the loss of
life of 12,405 people and caused injury to 6,913 people. A total of 647,599 people had to
move to safer places. The disaster mostly affected women and children. 787 women
were widowed and 530 children were orphaned. The highest human losses were reported
from the states of Tamil Nadu with 8018 human lives followed by Andaman and Nicobar
Islands with a loss of 2060 lives and thousands reported missing. Around 600 people lost
their life in Pondicherry, 171 in Kerala and more than 100 in Andhra Pradesh.
Tamil Nadu, having a coastline of 1076 km long in 13 coastal districts, which is twelve
percent of the entire Indian coastline, was affected badly by the tsunami. Of these coastal
districts, Nagapattinam district was the worst affected due to its long coastline and
location. The multi waves hit the district along with those deflected from the Srilankan
land masses. A total number of 6065 people died and the waves devastated the entire
coastline affecting 73 habitations in 38 revenue villages and 5 taluks. Out of these, 1776
were children (887 male and 889 female), which was approximately one third of the total
dead, and 2406 were women.
Apart from loss of life the tsunami caused heavy damage to houses, rendering thousands
of people homeless, affecting the fishing sector by damaging thousands of boats and
fishing infrastructure, agriculture, infrastructure, trade, tourism, health and affecting
various vulnerable groups.
In spite of these deaths and destruction, the challenge was taken up by the staff and
citizens of the affected area, a massive rescue, relief and rehabilitation effort was
launched by the government involving communities, NGOs and elected representatives
by utilizing all the resources.
Shelter
Shelter is one of the basic necessities for all human beings. The tsunami rendered
thousands of people homeless, destroying their houses either partially or fully.
Reconstruction of housing was the most challenging task taken up by government and
NGOs in Nagapattinam District. 45 NGOs in the district have been entrusted with the
task of housing construction. The number of habitations where houses needed to be
155
constructed was 73 and the number of locations/streets was 84. Two types of shelter
construction was taken up in the district-temporary and permanent.
Temporary Shelters
Temporary shelters were constructed by erecting frames using casuarina/bamboo poles.
Light roof materials were used to provide walls as well as roofing for the shelters. In
some places bison plates were used to provide walls and red mud plastics was used to
provide roofing. Cement flooring was provided to all the houses.
Initially the affected people were put up in relief camps set up across the district.
Thereafter temporary shelters were constructed all over the district. These shelters were
constructed either by government or NGOs on the land provided by the government.
Where ever the construction work was taken up by the NGOs, the administration
facilitated the construction by leveling/ cleaning the land and providing basic amenities
like drinking water, electricity, street lights, bathrooms, places for washing clothes, and
toilets. Apart from these, some common spaces such as community hall, children’s park,
anganwadis for children, training centre and schools wherever required were provided.
The construction of temporary shelters was an important turning point as it helped many
people not to relocate themselves from the relief camps and helped them in restarting
normal life.
Permanent Shelters
Providing permanent shelters was a long term rehabilitation programme for tsunami
affected area implemented by the Tamil Nadu government in collaboration with NGOs,
Corporates and CBOs, which is still in progress.
Fishing
The tsunami that hit the Nagapattinam coast caused severe damage to the coastal
economy with the fishing sector being mostly affected. The fishing communities in these
areas were psychologically affected as they could not realize that mother sea who was
their source of life could destroy them to this extent. To overcome this situation the
district administration adopted a two pronged approach by motivating the fishing
communities to return to the sea and by restoring their fishing equipments that were lost
during the tsunami devastation such as boats, nets, engines, etc. Thus, joint efforts were
made by Tamil Nadu Government, the district administration, the department of fisheries
and a number of development agencies to bring back the fishermen to the sea and help
the fishing activities to take a normal shape. Thanks to these efforts most of the
fishermen were back to the sea by the month of April 2005.
Agriculture
The tsunami waves affected the agriculture lands which were spread over the entire
coastal belt from Kollidam to Vedaranyam covering about 160 km - 2km. Further, 4415
hectares of land cultivated with agriculture crops were damaged. The damages mainly
affected the direct crops, sand/mud coating the cultivated lands. Farm ponds which were
the major source of irrigation for many were silted and turned saline, and the intrusion of
156
sea water into open wells made the water unfit for irrigation purpose. Government and
NGOs took various steps in helping out farmers to bring them to normal life with
compensation and training programmes.
Traders
Small businesses on the seashore like food shops, tea stalls, vegetable vendors, snacks
stalls, basket makers were severely affected as their stocks and stores were washed away
by the tsunami. The government sanctioned money for damages to replace the
mobile/temporary and pucca shops. Compensation assistance was also sanctioned to
revive the affected small scale industries.
Strengthening Community Initiatives through the Gram Panchayats towards micro
planning for rehabilitation in 17 Panchayats in Nagapattinam District of Tamil Nadu
The villages and communities affected and damaged due to the tsunami on 26th
December 2004 are still in the process of reconstruction and rehabilitation of livelihoods
and infrastructure facilities. Despite the huge and generous commitment by donor
agencies government rehabilitation and reconstruction activities have not produced
results to the level of the investment. By nature relief and rehabilitation activities are
both target and process oriented. Social dynamics are so intense that a division of
communities which are dormant became active as relief activities were carried out
sectorally and segmentally by donor agencies and government. Having seen the
conditions that destabilized Panchayat institutions which are supposed to be strengthened
to prepare themselves to respond to natural disaster, the Rajiv Gandhi Chair for
Panchayati Raj Studies at Gandhigram Rural University started exploring the possibility
of involving the communities in the preparation of micro plans. In each and every Gram
Panchayat work was started for the reconstruction of the tsunami affected areas with the
following assumptions:





People already possess energy, skill, capacity and capability to participate in the
reconstruction process by which they can establish their self-dignity.
Communities which are torn apart by conflicts, especially the conflict between
traditional Panchayats and Constitutional Panchayats, should work together to
empower the community and the people.
People have the ability to participate in decision-making as claimants and empower
themselves and not remain mere affected people to be looked at with pity.
Women and Dalits should be integrated as core groups in decision-making.
There is a need to reverse the process of powerlessness to empowerment of the
people.
17 gram Panchayats agreed to conduct this experiment. In the first phase Gram
Panchayat leaders were oriented on micro planning and identification. Regular meetings
were oriented on micro planning and identification of the community priorities. During
the implementation phase, regular meetings were organized for disaster management
committees, women traditional and constitutional Panchayats.
157
During the process of micro planning a number of issues critical to the lived realities of
the inhabitants of Panchayats came to be discussed. The important issue is that the
tsunami has not only damaged of lives and infrastructure but also people’s faith in
asserting control over their own lives and those close to them. In this sense the post
tsunami phase must be seen not only providing relief and rehabilitation in material terms
but an opportunity to reinstate the faith of the people in their communities and in their
institutions. The process of planning from the below has to set a new trend by doing so.
As a Panchayat President said during the plan dissemination workshop, “the process was
one of preparing a plan for the development of the people alongside the village also one
whereby we all came to know what the Panchayat stands for” (A.K.Anandan, President
of Pillaiperumanallur, on 13.06.2006 at Collectorate, Nagapattinam).
Status of Women in Nagapattinam after Tsunami
Nagapattinam district of Tamil Nadu was most affected by Tsunami. The District Human
Development Report of Nagapattinam states that after Tsunami, women of both the
fishing and farming communities were found to be bearing the double burden of poverty
and conventional male subjugation. As the sphere of agricultural activities shrinks
primarily due to the desalination of land in the post-tsunami period, women agricultural
labourers find it hard to get employment and are increasingly being engaged in the
production of thatches from coconut leaf, in milch animal rearing and other petty trades.
During discussions and surveys, the majority of them were found to be in poor health,
with many suffering from anemia.
There have also been cases of poor landless agricultural labourers committing suicide due
to abject poverty and their inability to repay loans. The suffering of their widows who are
left without any material and emotional support is heartrending. Due to societal control,
their mobility is restricted, which makes their situation worse. Widows of the fishermen
community especially are in a bad situation as they are not allowed to switch over to
choose any other vocation, which makes them completely dependent on the families. In a
resource scarce society, this leads to an unpleasant atmosphere as they are considered an
additional burden. Low production of agriculture and fishing in the post-tsunami period
has only added to the problem.
In any disaster, women are the most vulnerable lot and in the tsunami the loss of life was
more among women and children. With women playing multiple roles they become
more prone to stress in a post disaster situation. The tsunami meant increased
responsibility for women to care for their family when they were left without any source
of income or savings. They became economically and psychologically weak. Loss of
spouse, children and relatives brought more difficulties and they were left with no other
option but to support the family. The following is the list of issues brought out by a
group of pregnant women, feeding mothers, single mothers and mothers who had lost a
child.
In general in the village, the dropout rate is higher among the girl students than the boys,
because the parents do not send their daughters to schools that do not have proper
158
sanitation facilities. Any disaster destroys buildings and facilities. In case that happens
disaster exacerbates the situation.
In any disaster, women are the most vulnerable lot and in the tsunami the loss of life was
more among women and children. With women playing multiple roles they become more
prone to stress in a post disaster situation. This is what happened after tsunami as
women’s responsibility for caring for their family increased at a time when they were left
without any source of income or savings. They became economically and
psychologically weak. Loss of spouse, children and relatives brought more difficulties
and they were left with no other option but to support the family. The following are the
list of issues brought out by a group of pregnant women, feeding mothers, single mothers
and mothers who had lost a child.
Psychological impacts
 Death of husband resulted in isolation of the widows by the husband’s family
 Shock due to death of the husband
 Fear and shame of facing the village men as they were without cloth
 Forcing the widow into remarriage
 Adolescents girls are feeling insecure because of men
 Death of children and relatives
 Loss of assets
 Not able to relax
 Miscarriage due to anxiety and fear
 Premature delivery due to panic
 Problems in menstrual cycle
 Decrease in appetite
 Decrease in sleep
 Body aches
 Feeling fatigue
 Not interested in talking and mingling with the others
 Not going our of the shelter and remaining aloof
 Ill-treatment by in-laws
 Scapegoat for loss of husband or children
 Confusion about the situation
 Fear about the future
 Loss of confidence in life
 Suicidal thinking and attempted suicide
 Feeling vacuum and emptiness
 Change in behaviour and habits – irritability, anger, not able to eat
 Restless and not able to sit in one place
 Feeling of hatred
 Becoming very rigid and wanting to help others
 Memory loss and forgetfulness
 Not talking like before
159




Not able to think clearly
Change in relationship between the spouses
Getting repeated dreams about the tsunami
Feeling guilty of not feeding the child, as they are not lactating.
Social Impacts
 The displacement of the family caused trouble in adjusting to the new environment
 Living in a new area without basic minimum facilities
 Feeling uncertainty about their future as they are waiting for the government to
announce rebuilding of their homes and houses
 Widows joining orphanage due to death of husband and child
 Adolescent girls forced to marry as second wife men who lost their wife
 Restriction on widow against remarrying
 No privacy in the camps and temporary shelters for women for daily chores
 The rumors create continuous panic in them and their children
 Feeling helpless and hopeless because loss of property and life
 Shock of doing last rites to her children had affected their mental health
 No rituals performed after death of the husband or others
 Increase in stealing and robbery (Stealing ornaments from the corpse and creating
rumors and utilizing the fear to steal while people run out of their houses)
 Marriages being stopped for those who got engaged
 Those who had undergone family planning surgery and lost their children are left
without any chances of conceiving
 Death of family members left the aged women with no support
Physical impact
 Loss of life
 Injuries; due to injuries loss of beauty; inability to escape due to saree being caught
on thorns
 Fatigue
 Numbness
 Pregnant women not able to run
 Miscarriage and increased bleeding
 Sleep and appetite have come down
 Weight loss
 Loss of eyesight and decrease in clarity
 Not able to lactate
 Due to death of the child, mother not able to extricate the breast milk, resulting in
fever
 Due to lack of food, not eating, anemia
 Headache, stomach ache, joint pain
 Increased blood pressure
 Chest pain due to running to save themselves
160

Loosening of sutures of women who had delivered recently
Economical
 Death of husband left nobody to fend for the family
 Loss of household property
 Loss of fishing boats and nets
 Loss of job for the husband
 Not able to sell fish
 Death of cattle
 Health complication
 Due to new living situation
 In pregnancy, no money for medical expenses
 No savings and the irresponsible spending by the men resulted in no money at hand
 Not able to fulfil the basic needs of the children and the family due to lack of
money.
Tsunami and Livelihood
The 2004 tsunami had an adverse impact and left the community vulnerable to economic
hardships. There was a need to make the lost resources available to support people’s life.
The NGOs that focused on rehabilitation programmes looked beyond reinstating lost
livelihoods towards introducing new economic opportunities that reduced people’s
vulnerability and enhanced their capacities to handle future calamities.
The government gave importance to the long term development needs of the affected
people. These affected families were given cash for work initially to support their
livelihoods. The Oxfam introduced equal wages for work by women, ensuring their
equal rights. These organizations had several constraints in coping with the need for
rehabilitation that covered diverse livelihoods, differential skill sets, understanding the
pre-tsunami patterns of livelihoods, and offering choices in traditional/ alternative
livelihood based on the capacity and choices of the people to have successful restoration.
The various activities carried out by the humanitarian organizations in marine
livelihoods, agriculture, salt pan, income generation programmes and strategies took off.
To the fishermen community provision of boats and nets was the major input by most of
the organizations. Engine repair and replacement was also taken up. The other tools that
were supplied to the marine fishermen included marketing sheds, ice boxes for fish
storage, fish landing centres, net mending sheds, cold storage, fish crates, fish drying
yards, solar fish dryers, fish transporting vehicles, communication facilities, sea safety
kits, fish finders for fresh water and sea water.
The tsunami had destroyed the quality of the land and made them unsuitable for
cultivation. A few NGOs engaged in reclamation work of the salt-affected lands. Some
provided Rs.5000 - Rs.50,000 to land owners based on the extent and coverage of
activities per hectare. Some of the activities undertaken by the humanitarian
organizations included reclamation of salt affected lands, suitable farming practices
161
through low external input and organic farming practices, cleaning ponds, cleaning and
desalting of canals and drainages, providing green manures, appropriate seed inputs, tools
and equipments, assistance to agriculture operations, sericulture, organic compost
preparation support to agricultural labour, diversifying livelihood activities.
Further a number of income generation programmes were also taken up by these
organizations and these helped to provide support for reestablishing lost livelihoods as
well as to open up new avenues. The following are some of the activities: petty shops,
food stalls, vegetable shops, cycle shops, providing goats, cows, rice line, sanitary napkin
making, coir making, agarbathi making, papad making, fish pickle making, garment
making, tailoring, sea weed culture, lobster fattening, support to artisans and handicrafts
making, rexine bag making, doll making, brick making, terracotta products, ecosan toilet
seat making, handicrafts, shell crafts, net making and mending, footwear production,
soap, phenyle making, shell powder marketing, hand made paper and cloth products.
Thus education and opportunities for skill development were provided to facilitate
strengthening diversification of livelihood options of tsunami affected fishing and other
communities with focus on women and the youth.
Box
Diarrhoea kills three in Orissa's flood-hit region
At least three people died of watery diarrhoea while over 200 were ailing from the disease in
Orissa's Balasore district where floods have played havoc, officials said Saturday. The disease has
gripped over 20 villages including Basta, Baliapal, Bhogarai and Jaleswar, a district health
official said. At least 84 people from these villages were admitted in different health centres in
the district while health officials were taking care of others in their respective villages, additional
district medical officer R.N. Pati said. The rains caused by a depression over the Bay of Bengal
had led to flash floods in at least 11 of the state's 30 districts. At least 30 people were killed and
over one and half million were affected by the flood. The worst hit was Balasore district, some
200 km from state capital Bhubaneswar, where the floods killed at least 20 people and affected
more than half a million. (IANS)
Balasore, July 21, 2007
Source: http://news.webindia123.com/news/Articles/Health/20070721/721434.html
162