Disaster Recovery and the Road Ahead - IGNOU

Utilizing the addition of clay and silt as fertlizers
after levelling the ground.
Introducing governmental policy for preventing
human settlement in low-lying areas, and
encroachment on drains etc.
Relocating of settlements to safer places.
Long-term Reconstructive Measures would include:
Building of safe houses and shelters in hazard prone
areas
Construction of houses on an elevated area
Strict implementation of safety-codes in the construction of private and public houses and
buildings
Construction of hazard-resistant roads, bridges, canals, water reservoirs, drinking water facilities,
power transmission lines, telephone, cables, rail tracks, etc.
Improvement in meteorological forecast and flood monitoring system, early warning system for
cyclones, cyclone tracking system, etc.
Construction of dams and embankments for protection against floods
Organization of people to participate in preventive and protective measures, as well as to
prepare for counter-disaster activities.
DID YOU KNOW?
People living in the cyclone/flood prone areas have been facing these disasters at almost
regular periodicity. As we have read in Booklet II, the local community has developed
its own coping strategies to deal with the cyclones/floods. These can prove to be beneficial
in minimizing the loss of life and property in the wake of these calamities. Some of them
are as follows:
Source: Earthquake/conservationtech.com
People wrap all available seeds, rice paddy and bury it underground when they move
to safer places.
Some families collect all their important papers, documents and other valuables and
bury it underground before leaving their houses.
Houses are constructed on higher plinth, whereby the water cannot enter the house.
If the clouds move towards north, there is an indication that there will be floods in
three or four days.
Some people while looking at the colour of the clouds and their formation can
predict about floods.
People grow banana trees around the houses as the banana stems are used for
floating. Something similar to a boat is made out of banana stems and is used as
barge or plank to keep afloat.
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