Types of Disasters — Set 4
Disaster Management · आपदाओं के प्रकार · Questions 31–40 of 120
India experienced a major locust attack in which year, primarily affecting Rajasthan and Gujarat?
Correct Answer: D. 2020
India experienced a major locust attack in 2020, primarily affecting Rajasthan and Gujarat, which were the worst-affected states in the most severe infestation in nearly three decades. The locust swarms also entered Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and UP, threatening crops across a wide swath of the country. The attack coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, creating a compound disaster situation for farmers.
COVID-19 in India was legally treated as a disaster under which Act?
Correct Answer: C. Disaster Management Act 2005
COVID-19 was declared a notified disaster in India under the Disaster Management Act 2005, enabling the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to issue guidelines and unlock special relief funds. The invocation of the DM Act gave the government extraordinary powers to enforce lockdowns, quarantine measures, and resource mobilisation. This was the first time a pandemic was managed under disaster management law in India.
Floods in India are primarily of which disaster category?
Correct Answer: B. Hydro-meteorological
Floods are hydro-meteorological disasters driven by extreme rainfall, river overflow, dam failure, or storm surge. India is one of the most flood-prone countries in the world, with approximately 40 million hectares of land vulnerable to flooding. The Ganga, Brahmaputra, and their tributaries cause the most severe annual floods, primarily in Bihar, Assam, West Bengal, and Uttar Pradesh.
Which disaster is primarily associated with cyclonic storms making landfall on India's coast?
Correct Answer: C. Storm surge flooding
Storm surge flooding — the abnormal rise of sea level pushed onshore by a cyclone's winds — is the primary killer associated with cyclones making landfall on India's coast. Storm surges can raise sea levels by several metres above normal tidal heights, inundating low-lying coastal areas with devastating effect. The 1999 Odisha Super Cyclone's storm surge was a key cause of the 10,000 deaths recorded.
Hailstorms in India are classified under which disaster type?
Correct Answer: B. Hydro-meteorological
Hailstorms are hydro-meteorological disasters involving precipitation of ice pellets formed within strong thunderstorm updrafts. In India, hailstorms primarily affect Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and parts of the northwest during the pre-monsoon season (March–May). Hailstorms cause significant agricultural damage as they can destroy standing crops within minutes of occurrence.
Lightning in disaster classification falls under which category?
Correct Answer: B. Hydro-meteorological hazard
Lightning is classified as a hydro-meteorological hazard because it is generated by thunderstorms which are meteorological events. Lightning is one of the leading causes of weather-related deaths in India, killing an average of 2,000–2,500 people every year. Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh are the states most affected by lightning fatalities in India.
Snowstorms in the Himalayan region are classified as which type of disaster?
Correct Answer: B. Hydro-meteorological
Snowstorms are hydro-meteorological disasters involving heavy snowfall, blizzard conditions, and associated hazards such as avalanches and road blockages. In India, snowstorms primarily affect Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, isolating mountain communities and cutting off supply lines. The combination of snowstorm and cold wave conditions can be life-threatening for both civilians and military personnel stationed at high altitude.
Which of the following represents a cascading disaster sequence?
Correct Answer: B. Earthquake triggering a tsunami
A cascading disaster occurs when one hazard event triggers one or more secondary hazard events in sequence, as when an earthquake triggers a tsunami. The 2004 Indian Ocean event is the most famous cascading disaster where a submarine earthquake set off ocean-wide tsunamis. Cascading disaster planning requires multi-hazard risk assessments that consider possible secondary and tertiary impacts beyond the initial event.
Urban disasters include which of the following?
Correct Answer: B. Building collapses and infrastructure failures in cities
Urban disasters include building collapses, fire outbreaks, infrastructure failures, industrial accidents, and transportation disasters occurring in densely populated urban areas. Rapid and unplanned urbanisation has increased urban disaster risk in India, with cities like Mumbai, Delhi, and Chennai facing multiple compound hazards. Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) is a specialised discipline developed specifically to address the unique challenges of disaster response in urban environments.
Which country experienced the Chernobyl nuclear disaster?
Correct Answer: C. Ukraine (then Soviet Union)
The Chernobyl nuclear disaster occurred on April 26, 1986 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic (now Ukraine). The disaster was caused by a flawed reactor design combined with operator error during a safety test, leading to a steam explosion and open-air graphite fire. The radioactive fallout contaminated large areas of Europe and forced the permanent evacuation of over 350,000 people.