Statistical study of human casualty due to major natural hazards in India

Abstract

Introduction: India is a country of South Asia. Due to its specific location, it is frequently affected by various hazards and disasters. Objective: In this study, an attempt has been made to discuss the individual as well as comparative hazard's related human deaths in India. Methodology: Data of human casualty of 6 major natural hazards, those are frequently occurring in India have been analyzed using secondary data of 1965-2014. Data were collected from the website of National Disaster Management Authority, New Delhi. For comparisons of human deaths among/between hazards, Kruskal-Wallis Htest/multiple comparisons were used. Results: Floods have the highest number of casualty years (45 years) while earthquake reported minimum events years (19). Median human casualty was recorded, which was the highest by flood (1027) followed by epidemics (265) and extreme temperature (264). Human casualty was highest in flood (31%) followed by storms (25%), earthquakes (24%), epidemics (10%), extreme temperature (8%), and landslides (2%). Kruskal-Wallis Htest, result shows that difference in human casualty distributions among hazards was highly significant (P < 0.001). Conclusion: In India, despite many preventive measures for natural hazards and disasters, its annual, as well as decadal human casualties, are still high. Increasing coping capacity of the people which is a most important ways of reducing vulnerability.