Indian landmass is exposed to various natural hazards such as earthquakes, landslides, floods and cyclones. Major regions of the country are located in high risk seismic zones where earthquakes of magnitude six or above on the Richter Scale are distinct possibilities. Parts of the northeast receive the highest rainfall in the world whereas parts of the northwest have the scantiest. Also the long coastline of India faces high risk of storm surges and Tsunami. This wide variation in rainfall, climate and geography make rapidly urbanising settlements – especially large metros – highly susceptible to these hazards.
Moreover unplanned urbanisation resulting in environmental degradation (e.g. deforestation), over-exploitation of natural resources (e.g. water), ecological disturbances (e.g. pollution), and social destitution (e.g. increase in poverty) is increasing vulnerability of cities to disasters. Increased population concentrations and poor construction further increase the vulnerability of built environment and the fragility of socio-economic systems. At the same time, economic growth and the resulting social changes have exposed them to various kinds of technological and fire hazards. Moreover, climate change has also increased the frequency and intensity of natural hazards.
In order to make disaster resilient cities, it is important to adopt an integrated approach that takes into account multiple hazards and vulnerabilities for comprehensive assessment, mitigation and preparedness and integrate disaster risk reduction into sustainable urban development goals.
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