Recovery and Rehabilitation

Disaster management involves several phases, including mitigation, preparedness, response, recovery, and rehabilitation. Recovery and rehabilitation are post-disaster activities that aim to restore normalcy and improve resilience in affected areas.

1. Recovery

Recovery is the long-term process of rebuilding communities, infrastructure, economy, and social systems after a disaster. It focuses on restoring normalcy while incorporating resilience measures to withstand future disasters.

Short-term Recovery – Immediate efforts within weeks or months to restore essential services (e.g., water, electricity, healthcare, shelter).
Long-term Recovery – Efforts that take months to years, including rebuilding infrastructure, economic revitalization, and mental health support.
Resilience – The ability of a community to recover quickly and adapt to future disasters.
Livelihood Restoration – Providing economic support to affected populations through job creation, skill training, and financial assistance.
Psycho-social Recovery – Addressing trauma, stress, and mental health impacts of disasters.
Infrastructure Reconstruction – Rebuilding damaged roads, bridges, hospitals, and schools.
Economic Recovery – Providing financial aid, loans, and policies to restore businesses and agriculture.

Example

2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami: Long-term recovery efforts included the reconstruction of houses, fishing boats, and economic support for affected communities.
2015 Nepal Earthquake: The government and NGOs provided financial support, rebuilt schools, and restored tourism-dependent economies.

2. Rehabilitation

Rehabilitation is the process of restoring the physical, social, and economic conditions of an affected community to at least pre-disaster levels. It focuses on providing temporary solutions before permanent recovery measures are implemented.

Temporary Housing – Setting up relief shelters or camps for displaced populations.
Medical Rehabilitation – Providing healthcare, prosthetics, and therapy to disaster survivors.
Social Reintegration – Reuniting displaced families and providing psychological counseling.
Environmental Rehabilitation – Restoring ecosystems, clearing debris, and managing waste.
Cash-for-Work Programs – Engaging affected people in rebuilding efforts by providing financial incentives.

Example

Hurricane Katrina (2005): Temporary shelters were set up, and medical rehabilitation was provided for injured victims.
Uttarakhand Floods (2013): Government agencies set up temporary housing and provided psychological counseling to affected families.

Differences

Aspect	Recovery	Rehabilitation
Objective	Long-term rebuilding and resilience	Short-term restoration of essential services
Timeframe	Months to years	Days to months
Focus	Infrastructure, economy, mental health, sustainability	Immediate shelter, healthcare, livelihood support
Outcome	Sustainable development and disaster preparedness	Basic functioning and stability

Comments

Natural Disasters

A natural disaster is a catastrophic event caused by natural processes of the Earth that results in significant loss of life, property, and environmental resources. It occurs when a hazard (potentially damaging physical event) interacts with a vulnerable population and leads to disruption of normal life . Key terms: Hazard → A potential natural event (e.g., cyclone, earthquake). Disaster → When the hazard causes widespread damage due to vulnerability. Risk → Probability of harmful consequences from interaction of hazard and vulnerability. Vulnerability → Degree to which a community or system is exposed and unable to cope with the hazard. Resilience → Ability of a system or society to recover from the disaster impact. 👉 Example: An earthquake in an uninhabited desert is a hazard , but not a disaster unless people or infrastructure are affected. Types Natural disasters can be classified into geophysical, hydrological, meteorological, clim...

Types of Remote Sensing

Remote Sensing means collecting information about the Earth's surface without touching it , usually using satellites, aircraft, or drones . There are different types of remote sensing based on the energy source and the wavelength region used. 🛰️ 1. Active Remote Sensing 📘 Concept: In active remote sensing , the sensor sends out its own energy (like a signal or pulse) to the Earth's surface. The sensor then records the reflected or backscattered energy that comes back from the surface. ⚙️ Key Terminology: Transmitter: sends energy (like a radar pulse or laser beam). Receiver: detects the energy that bounces back. Backscatter: energy that is reflected back to the sensor. 📊 Examples of Active Sensors: RADAR (Radio Detection and Ranging): Uses microwave signals to detect surface roughness, soil moisture, or ocean waves. LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging): Uses laser light (near-infrared) to measure elevation, vegetation...

geostationary and sun-synchronous

Orbital characteristics of Remote sensing satellite geostationary and sun-synchronous Orbits in Remote Sensing Orbit = the path a satellite follows around the Earth. The orbit determines what part of Earth the satellite can see , how often it revisits , and what applications it is good for . Remote sensing satellites mainly use two standard orbits : Geostationary Orbit (GEO) Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO) Geostationary Satellites (GEO) Characteristics Altitude : ~35,786 km above the equator. Period : 24 hours → same as Earth's rotation. Orbit type : Circular, directly above the equator . Appears "stationary" over one fixed point on Earth. Concepts & Terminologies Geosynchronous = orbit period matches Earth's rotation (24h). Geostationary = special type of geosynchronous orbit directly above equator → looks fixed. Continuous coverage : Can monitor the same area all the time. Applications Weather...

India remote sensing

1. Foundational Phase (Early 1970s – Early 1980s) Objective: To explore the potential of space-based observation for national development. 1972: The Space Applications Programme (SAP) was initiated by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), focusing on applying space technology for societal benefits. 1975: The Department of Space (DoS) was established, providing an institutional base for space applications, including remote sensing. 1977: India began aerial and balloon-borne experiments to study Earth resources and assess how remote sensing data could aid in agriculture, forestry, and hydrology. 1978 (June 7): Bhaskara-I launched by the Soviet Union — India's first experimental Earth Observation satellite . Payloads: TV cameras (for land and ocean surface observation) and a Microwave Radiometer. Significance: Proved that satellite-based Earth observation was feasible for India's needs. 1981 (November 20): Bhaskara-II launche...

Linear Arrays Along-Track Scanners or Pushbroom Scanners

Multispectral Imaging Using Linear Arrays (Along-Track Scanners or Pushbroom Scanners) Multispectral Imaging: As previously defined, this involves capturing images using multiple sensors that are sensitive to different wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation. Linear Array of Detectors (A): This refers to a row of discrete detectors arranged in a straight line. Each detector is responsible for measuring the radiation within a specific wavelength band. Focal Plane (B): This is the plane where the image is formed by the lens system. It is the location where the detectors are placed to capture the focused image. Formed by Lens Systems (C): The lens system is responsible for collecting and focusing the incoming radiation onto the focal plane. It acts like a camera lens, creating a sharp image of the scene. Ground Resolution Cell (D): As previously defined, this is the smallest area on the ground that can be resolved by a remote sensing sensor. In the case of linear array scanne...

Vineesh V, Geography

Search This Blog