Disaster Management in India: An Overview

Abstract

Disasters both natural and man-made continue to be major challenges to human society, economies and governance. India, due to its vast geographical expanse, varied climate, and complex socio-economic conditions, remains one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world. While earlier decades witnessed catastrophic events such as the 1999 Odisha super cyclone, the 2001 Gujarat earthquake, and the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, more recent years have brought new challenges including extreme weather events linked to climate change, urban flooding, large-scale landslides, industrial accidents and biological disasters such as the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper provides an overview of disaster management in India, highlighting recent disasters, policy frameworks, institutional mechanisms and the way forward for building resilience.