Question.
What is vulnerability? Divide India into natural disaster vulnerability zones based on droughts and suggest some mitigation measures.
(Chapter 7 Natural Hazards and Disasters, Class 11 NCERT geography "India Physical Environment")
Answer.
Vulnerability is the intensity of the risk involved in a geographic area for a natural disaster. Areas with high vulnerability are more prone to disasters.
For example, the Himalayan region is highly vulnerable to natural disasters such as earthquakes and landslides, and earthquakes and landslides are more frequent in this region.
Central and north-western India is highly vulnerable to natural disasters such as drought.
Since it is very difficult to eliminate all-natural disasters and it is not even possible, prevention and preparedness are the best options for disaster. There are three phases of disaster prevention and preparedness;
- Preparation of vulnerability zoning maps and awareness
- Rescue and relief work during the disaster
- Rehabilitation and recovery of victims during post-disaster operations
Natural disaster vulnerability zones can be based on the specific disaster.
India can be divided into three zones based on drought and natural disaster vulnerability.
The following are the natural disaster-prone areas of India based on drought;
- extreme drought-affected area
- severe drought-prone area
- moderate drought-prone area
West of the Aravalli range of Rajasthan and the Kutch region of Gujarat is included in the highly drought-prone area. Jaisalmer and Barmer in Rajasthan receive less than 90 mm of average annual rainfall.
The severe drought-prone area includes the eastern part of Rajasthan, most of Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, eastern Karnataka, the northern interior of Tamil Nadu, the southern part of Jharkhand, and the western part of Odisha.
The moderate drought-prone area includes the northern part of Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, southern districts of Uttar Pradesh, and parts of Gujarat and Maharashtra.
Some prevention measures for drought;
Drought-resistant crops should be grown in drought-prone areas.
Rainwater harvesting is also an effective tool for mitigating the effects of drought.
Identify aquifers in drought-prone areas as the groundwater potential and try to recharge the aquifer as much as possible.
Transfer of the area where there is excess river water to the drought-affected areas.
Interlinking rivers and construction of reservoirs and dams.
Remote sensing and satellite images can be used to identify potential river basins that may be interconnected.
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