Natural Hazards: Causes and Effects - Disaster Management Center ...

land aware of the issues. Planning recommendations should also be linked to incentives that
will encourage the land users to comply with the controls.
Disaster Preparedness
Several preparedness activities will decrease the impact of droughts on human settlements.
Establishment a monitoring system. The first step in drought preparedness is to establish a
monitoring system to provide warning if a drought is imminent. A monitoring system should be
based on simple information that nontechnical observers can easily acquire and transmit. Such
a system is usually based on indicators. Among the normal indicators of the onset of a drought
are:
• an unusual dry period;
• an increased number of wind storms;
• an increased number of dust storms;
• diminishing water supplies;
• an increase in the death rate of animals;
• changes in the migratory patterns of nomads;
• changes in vegetation, especially the introduction of desert plants such as scrub brushes;
• unusual, that is, unseasonal, changes in the prevalence rates of specific communicable
diseases associated with personal and environmental hygiene, principally nonvenereal
skin diseases and diarrheal diseases, indicating the diminished use of water for washing.
Identify and stockpile seeds for alternative drought-resistant crops. Once a drought begins,
some attempts must be made to stimulate alternative agricultural activities. A number of crops
can survive mild droughts. Seeds should be kept on hand so that farmers will not lose
everything in a drought.
Identify and stockpile feeds for cattle or other livestock. Once a drought begins it is important
that the needs of cattle and other livestock be recognized. Losses can be greatly reduced if
herds are penned up and fed in feedlots. This will save the animals, take pressure off the land,
and let vegetation regenerate.
Determine human nutritional requirements and develop an on-site relief distribution plan. As a
drought develops, people must receive relief supplies as near to their homes as possible. While
this puts a great burden on the relief agency, it will ensure that people do not leave their homes
and migrate to other areas. If they leave, the relief period will be prolonged and there will be
fewer people in the area to take action to reduce the impact of the drought.
Identify and select appropriate action to fight desertification. If desertification is a potential
threat, measures should be taken to identify suitable approaches that could be employed to
prevent the creation of deserts during a drought period. Plans should be developed to
implement programs to prevent further desertification, and the necessary equipment and
material should be acquired and strategically placed. (See Chapter 8 on desertification.)
Emergency Response
Once a drought has commenced, the emergency response must be swift and comprehensive.
If action is quickly taken, the following activities normally occur in the affected area:
• distribution of supplementary food for vulnerable population groups in the affected zones
• distribution of fodder for animals in the affected zones
• provision of water supplies to the communities (water supplies must be constant and
people must be sure of this constant supply; otherwise they will leave the area.)