There are many natural disasters that occur around the earth. The reasons for this are many. There are certain natural disasters that have occurred due to man made changes in the environment. The changes in the seasons that cause changes in the climate have been the reason for many floods. In fact the building of dams across rivers is one of the main causes of floods in many places. Natural disasters have started occurring at regular intervals and man has to take adequate precautions to prevent such disasters and also manage the disasters when they occur.

There are various methods of managing the various natural disasters and they are as follows:

1. Adequate preparation:

The governments should be very ready to tackle any natural disaster that occurs in any place. The reason for this is that all natural disasters strike suddenly and there is little or no warning of the magnitude of destruction. At least the brewing of a storm can be noticed and people from the coastal and other areas taken to safer places. The presence of the early warning system for tsunamis is in place after the death of millions in the 2004 tsunami. In spite of this, death and destruction due to other natural disasters like earthquakes cannot be predicted in spite of the scientific advancements. This requires adequate preparation at all times.

2. Health preparedness:

The various hospitals and health professionals have to be in a state of readiness to meet any eventuality in case of natural disasters. Medications have to be ready, as well as various other things including transportation facilities for the affected people. Health of the affected people is an important indicator of the state of readiness maintained by the state in case of natural disasters.

3. Provision of food, water and shelter:

These are the basic essentials for the life of all human beings and so should be provided on a war footing in the event of any natural disaster. Packed food is the best in case of any natural disasters because there is very less chance of the packed food getting spoilt. Provision of clean water is another important factor. The delay in the arrival of food can be managed by the people in the disaster area, but the requirement of water becomes very important as soon as the event has occurred. Shelter can be provided with the use of various materials being used to make makeshift shelters in the initial days.

4. Assessment, Assistance and rehabilitation:

The management of the natural disaster is a continuous process that occurs with the initial assessment of the situation. Once the magnitude of the damage and the condition of the people has been assessed, the next phase which is the immediate provision of assistance is started. This is the phase where the affected people are provided with various things to sustain life without any health risks. The final phase of this process is the rehabilitation of the affected people. This is a longer process and goes on till the affected people are able to get back to their previous lifestyle.

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