Abstract
Summary Natural disasters (such as floods, cyclones, heat waves, and lightning) have the potential to cause human loss and injury. Due to climate change, the number of people affected by natural disasters is increasing every year with a marked debilitating effect on developing countries as compared to developed countries. To tackle these challenges, the United Nations “Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–30” identified “seven global targets”, of which the first target is to “substantially reduce global disaster mortality by 2030”. This research contributes to this emerging domain of knowledge by bringing gender disaggregated mortality data from 1999 to 2013 from an Indian state called Odisha. In doing so, this research brings three questions to the fore: first, why do deaths occur in disasters? This is answered by going beyond the traditional perspectives on risk and vulnerability to include a “complex perspective” developed from the theories of organization, violence, and justice. Second, who is responsible to reduce deaths and third, how deaths get recorded and reported? Based on a review of annual death reports, census data, and seven expert interviews, findings suggest that the current disaster management system in Odisha is not accountable and the death reporting and recording system merits change in order to be consistent with the Sendai’s Goal to reduce deaths. This study posits that complex perspective has the potential to improve disaster management system by shifting the attention from “at risk” community to the actors and organizations’ and to the necessary resources and measures that will be required to reduce deaths in resource poor contexts.
Highlights
Natural disasters have the potential to cause human loss and injury
Cyclones and Lightening are Major Killers Table 2 provides the exact number of deaths that occurred in the 30 districts of Odisha from 1999 to 2013
More Men Died in Disasters than Women in Odisha Contrary to the global data, this study suggests that there were more male deaths compared to female deaths due to disasters in Odisha from 1999 to 2013
Summary
Natural disasters (such as floods, cyclones, typhoons, heat waves and lightning) have the potential to cause human loss and injury. By 2050, “natural disasters could have a global cost of over $300 billion a year” (HPN, 2007) because global warming and climate change is likely to increase the frequency of abnormal weather events and disasters (Flatø et al, 2017) To tackle these current and forthcoming challenges, The United Nations’ Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 (successor of the ‘Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015’) identified seven global targets, of which the first target is to: “Substantially reduce global disaster mortality by 2030” Based on the collection and analysis of this data, this research identifies novel theoretical perspectives and practical measures that will be required to reduce deaths in resource-poor contexts
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
