Major Disasters in India — Set 16
Disaster Management · भारत में प्रमुख आपदाएं · Questions 151–160 of 160
The Union Carbide (India) Limited plant in Bhopal was established primarily to produce which product?
Correct Answer: C. Sevin (carbaryl) pesticide
The Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) plant in Bhopal was established in 1969 primarily to produce Sevin (chemical name carbaryl), a carbamate insecticide widely used in agriculture. The production process used methyl isocyanate (MIC) as an intermediate chemical. The plant had been producing pesticides for over a decade before the catastrophic gas leak of December 2-3, 1984.
Which Indian city was severely flooded in 2020 due to heavy monsoon rainfall and poor drainage?
Correct Answer: B. Hyderabad
Hyderabad experienced severe flooding in October 2020 due to unprecedented monsoon rainfall, with some areas receiving 30-40cm of rainfall in a single day. Low-lying areas of Hyderabad including Bandlaguda Jagir, Hayathnagar, and other localities were inundated, killing approximately 50 people. The flooding exposed the city's inadequate storm water drainage infrastructure and encroachments on natural drainage channels.
Which event in Gujarat in 2022 was unrelated to natural disasters but still resulted in a high death toll?
Correct Answer: C. Morbi bridge collapse
The Morbi cable suspension bridge collapse on October 30, 2022 killed over 135 people and injured many more in Gujarat. The bridge had recently been renovated and reopened to the public just days before it collapsed under the weight of overcrowding. This disaster, though man-made, highlighted issues of infrastructure maintenance, safety regulation enforcement, and accountability in disaster-prone areas of India.
The Sunderbans region that experienced severe damage from Cyclone Amphan falls in which state?
Correct Answer: B. West Bengal
The Sunderbans, a UNESCO World Heritage Site comprising the world's largest mangrove forest, falls primarily in West Bengal (India) and Bangladesh. Cyclone Amphan in May 2020 caused massive damage to the Sunderbans, destroying mangrove forests, embankments, and communities in the delta region. The mangroves had previously acted as a natural buffer against cyclone impacts, but decades of degradation made the area more vulnerable.
An 'embankment breach' during floods refers to?
Correct Answer: B. Failure of a flood protection earth wall along a river
An embankment breach refers to the failure or structural collapse of an earthen embankment (levee) built alongside rivers to protect adjacent land from flooding. When an embankment breaches, flood water rushes into previously protected areas with great force and velocity, often causing more damage than natural flooding. The 2008 Kosi River embankment breach in Nepal is a classic example that caused catastrophic flooding in Bihar.
The floods in Kerala 2018 were primarily caused by the overflow of how many dams?
Correct Answer: C. 35 dams
The correct answer is '35 dams'. During the 2018 Kerala Floods, approximately 35 of Kerala's 54 reservoirs had to open their shutters simultaneously due to dangerously high water levels, releasing massive amounts of water that contributed to the catastrophic flooding. Critics argued that poorly coordinated and delayed opening of dam shutters contributed to the severity of the floods. The incident triggered debates about dam safety protocols and the need for integrated flood management.
The phenomenon of recurring landslides near Malin village in Maharashtra (2014) resulted in which disaster?
Correct Answer: C. Landslide killing 151 people
A massive landslide buried the village of Malin in Ambegaon taluka of Pune district, Maharashtra on July 30, 2014, killing approximately 151 people. The landslide was triggered by heavy monsoon rainfall and was exacerbated by deforestation of the hillside above the village. The Malin tragedy highlighted the danger of settlements in landslide-prone areas and the need for better land use planning and community preparedness.
In which year did India establish the NDRF (National Disaster Response Force)?
Correct Answer: C. 2006
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) was established in 2006 under the Disaster Management Act of 2005 as India's specialized response force for disaster situations. NDRF was constituted from battalions of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and Armed Forces. The first NDRF Director General was a senior IPS officer, and the force has grown to 16 battalions deployed across the country to ensure rapid response to disasters.
The 2013 Uttarakhand floods killed how many army/paramilitary personnel during rescue operations?
Correct Answer: C. 20
Approximately 20 army, NDRF, and paramilitary personnel lost their lives in accidents during the massive rescue operations following the 2013 Uttarakhand floods. These included helicopter crashes in treacherous mountain weather and other accidents during rescue missions in the flooded valleys. The Indian Armed Forces rescued over 19,600 people during Operation Rahat, their largest-ever peace-time rescue operation.
Which disaster management event in India is marked on October 5, 2004, as India's first significant step toward institutionalized disaster management?
Correct Answer: C. Establishment of NDMA by ordinance
On October 5, 2004, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) was established through an executive order (ordinance), marking India's first significant institutional step toward a formal national disaster management framework. This was before the Disaster Management Act of 2005 gave NDMA statutory backing. The establishment was directly motivated by the experience of the Bhuj Earthquake 2001 and preceding disasters that highlighted the need for a dedicated national body for disaster management.