Natural Hazards
India’s diverse geo-climatic, geological, and socio-environmental conditions make it highly vulnerable to a wide range of natural hazards. From earthquakes in the Himalayas to cyclones along its coasts and droughts in its arid interiors, almost every region of the country experiences some form of hazard every year.
A natural hazard is defined as a potentially damaging physical event or phenomenon that may cause loss of life, injury, property damage, social and economic disruption, or environmental degradation. However, a hazard becomes a disaster only when it interacts with vulnerable populations and inadequate preparedness.
Understanding the types, causes, impacts, and management mechanisms of various natural hazards is therefore crucial for effective disaster risk reduction (DRR). The following table provides a consolidated summary of all major natural hazards affecting India, their spatial distribution, impacts, and the institutional frameworks responsible for their management.
| Hazard Type | Causes / Triggers | Major Affected Regions (India) | Key Impacts | Mitigation / Management Measures | Nodal Ministry / Agency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earthquake | Sudden release of energy due to movement along faults / tectonic plates. | Himalayan belt (J&K, Himachal, Uttarakhand, NE States), Kachchh (Gujarat), Andaman–Nicobar. | Ground shaking, building collapse, soil liquefaction, loss of life. | Seismic zoning map, earthquake-resistant building codes (IS 1893), retrofitting, microzonation studies, community preparedness. | Ministry of Earth Sciences / NDMA / IMD |
| Tsunami | Seismic activity under ocean floor; submarine landslides or volcanic eruptions. | Andaman & Nicobar Islands, East Coast (Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha). | Coastal inundation, loss of life, saline intrusion. | INCOIS early-warning system (Hyderabad), coastal zoning, mangrove buffers, evacuation drills. | Ministry of Earth Sciences / INCOIS |
| Volcano | Movement of magma from Earth’s interior to surface. | Barren Island & Narcondam (Andaman Sea) — only active volcano in India. | Ash fall, lava flow, local air pollution. | Volcanic hazard monitoring by GSI & INCOIS, exclusion zones. | Ministry of Mines / Geological Survey of India |
| Floods | Excess rainfall, poor drainage, dam failure, river overflow. | Ganga–Brahmaputra basin, Bihar, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Kerala, urban areas (Mumbai, Chennai). | Damage to life, crops, infrastructure; epidemics. | Embankments, floodplain zoning, drainage improvement, CWC flood forecasting, urban storm-water management. | Ministry of Jal Shakti / NDMA / CWC |
| Landslides | Intense rainfall, earthquakes, deforestation, road cutting. | Himalayan & Western Ghats regions (Uttarakhand, HP, Sikkim, Kerala). | Loss of life, road blockage, infrastructure damage. | Landslide hazard zonation mapping by GSI, slope stabilization, afforestation, early-warning systems. | Ministry of Mines / GSI / NDMA |
| Cloudburst | Sudden high-intensity rainfall over small area (>100 mm/hr). | Himalayan states (J&K, Himachal, Uttarakhand), NE India, occasionally in metros. | Flash floods, debris flow, destruction of property. | Doppler Radar network for detection, drainage management, slope afforestation, community alert systems. | IMD / NDMA / State DMAs |
| Cyclones | Low-pressure systems over warm oceans; intensified by sea-surface temperature. | Eastern Coast (Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, W. Bengal, Tamil Nadu) and Western Coast (Gujarat). | High winds, storm surges, flooding. | IMD cyclone warnings, coastal shelters, resilient housing, evacuation plans, NDMA guidelines. | IMD / Ministry of Earth Sciences / NDMA |
| Drought | Rainfall deficiency (<75% of normal), prolonged dry spells, El Niño. | Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, parts of MP. | Water scarcity, crop failure, food insecurity. | PMFBY crop insurance, watershed management, drought monitoring by IMD, water conservation. | Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare |
| Heatwaves | Prolonged periods of high temperature (≥40 °C plains, ≥30 °C hills). | NW, Central, and Eastern India — esp. Rajasthan, UP, Bihar, Telangana. | Heatstroke, dehydration, mortality, power demand rise. | IMD early-warning system, Heat Action Plans (Ahmedabad model), tree-cover enhancement, public advisories. | Ministry of Earth Sciences / IMD / NDMA |
| Cold Waves | Rapid drop in temperature due to northerly winds, radiative cooling. | North & NW India — Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Delhi, UP, Bihar. | Hypothermia, crop damage, livestock loss. | IMD alerts, winter shelters, crop-insurance support, clothing/blanket distribution. | IMD / NDMA |
| Wildfires / Forest Fires | High temperature, low humidity, human negligence, lightning. | Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, NE states. | Biodiversity loss, air pollution, soil degradation. | FSI forest-fire monitoring, satellite-based alerts, controlled burning, community fire lines. | Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change / FSI / NDMA |
