Conceptual Framework of Disaster Management

Disasters represent collective stress situations occurring at a community level as a result of major unwanted consequences. An event to be a disaster it must overwhelm the response capability of a community. Disaster is a severe, relatively sudden, and unexpected disruption of normal structural arrangements within a social system over which the system has no firm control. Disaster comprise of certain elements which make its main frame. These elements are Risk, vulnerability, Hazard, capacity and importantly disaster management itself. Disaster Management involves certain phases which include mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. These phases are the sum total of all activities, programs and measures which can be taken up before, during and after a disaster with the purpose to avoid a disaster, reduce its impact or recover from its losses.