Here is your short paragraph on damages done by natural hazards and disasters in India!
Because of its sub-continental dimensions, geographical situation and behaviour of the monsoon, India is exposed to various natural hazards and disasters like drought, flood, cyclone, earthquake, etc. year after year.
While all the States and Union Territories in the country are likely to face one or a combination of disaster situations, 27 States/Union Territories are more vulnerable to these disasters.
For major disasters which adversely affect different parts of the country are drought, flood, cyclone and earthquake. Only one state (West Bengal), faces all four types of disasters, seven states face three types of disasters, ten face two types of disasters and nine states face one type of disaster.
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It is not uncommon to experience more than one or two types of disasters affecting different parts of the country at the same time. For example, there may be flood in the Brahmaputra Valley, drought in Rajasthan arid cyclonic storm in some coastal area.
It has been estimate that 55% of our landmass is prone to earthquakes of various intensities, about 68 per cent of total sown area of the country is susceptible to drought, over 40 million hectares or over 12 per cent is prone to floods and 8% is prone to cyclones.
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Disasters occur with unfailing regularity and despite better preparedness to meet all such contingencies, the economic and social costs on account of losses caused by the natural disasters continue to mount year after year.
The main hazards in India are caused by earthquakes, droughts, floods and cyclones. Since the beginning, they have been causing heavy losses of life and property forcing man to Чеагп to live’ with natural disasters.
The most disturbing factor is that these hazards and disasters are hitting different parts of the country with increased frequency and with greater force. Table 8.1 gives an idea of damage done by natural disasters in India from 1985 to 2001.
Table 8.1 Damage due to Natural Disasters in India:
| Year | People affected (Lakh) | Houses & Buildings, partially or totally, damaged | Amount of property damage/loss (Rs. crores) |
| 985 | 595.6 | 2,449,878 | 40.05 |
| 1986 | 550.0 | 2,049,277 | 30.74 |
| 1987 | 483.4 | 2,919,380 | 2.57 |
| 1988 | 101.5 | 242,533 | 40.63 -L |
| 1989 | 30.1 | 782,340 | 20.41 |
| 1990 | 31.7 | 1,019,930 | 10.71 |
| 1991 | 342.7 | 1,190,109 | 10.90 |
| 1992 | 190.0 | 570,969 | 20.05 |
| 1993 | 262.4 | 1,529,916 | 50.80 |
| 1994 | 253.3 | 1,051,223 | 10.83 |
| 1995 | 543.5 | 2,088,355 | 40.73 |
| 1996 | 549.9 | 2,376,693 | 50.43 |
| 1997 | 443.8 | 1,103,549 | N.A. |
| 1998 | 521.7 | 1,563,405 | 0.72 |
| 1999 | 501.7 | 3,104,064 | 1020,97 |
| 2000 | 594.34 | 2,736,355 | 800.00 |
| 001 | 788.19 | 846,878 | 12000 |
India’s Key Vulnerabilities:
55 per cent of total area is in Seismic Zones III – IV and vulnerable to earthquakes.
68 per cent of net sown area is vulnerable to drought.
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40 million hectare land is vulnerable to floods.
8 per cent of the total land area particularly along the eastern coast and Gujarat coast is vulnerable to tropical cyclones.
Sub-Himalayan region and Western Ghats areas are vulnerable to landslides.
The entire coastal area, particularly the east coast is vulnerable to tsunamis.