Page 94 - SST Class 05

lack of water or rainfall. It normally occurs when it has not
rained over a long period of time. Scarcity of water means
that crops cannot be grown, food cannot be produced and
there is no water for use at home and industries.

At present, groundwater is extracted on a large scale. Due to

Know It! this, water table (the level of A drought
v A famine means severe underground water) has depleted,
shortage of food. leading to a massive shortage of water in our country.

Landslide
In the hills and mountains, rocks slide down the hilly slopes.
This situation is called a landslide. The falling rocks cause
destruction to life and property which may be in its way.
Roads are damaged and houses, vehicles or other facilities
are destroyed.

A landslide
Cyclone
In a storm, winds move fast, but in a cyclone, winds move in
circular or oval form. It is more dangerous as it can fly away
cars, break away trees, poles and buildings, and destroy
other things. It is often accompanied by fast rain, which can
also cause a flood. Thus, a cyclone is a very serious situation.
In India, cyclones occur almost every year, especially in the
coastal areas.
Cyclone
Disaster Management

Owing to large scale destruction, a disaster
is the cause of massive suffering to the
people. It can also lead to death of people

and animals; diseases can spread and the
land may be submerged in water. A site of
a disaster presents a pitiable sight. So,
there is a need to rehabilitate the victims.

In India, natural disasters are a common
sight, so there have been created a
National Disaster Management Authority
(NDMA) and a National Disaster Plan
(NDP). Under them, the NDRF (National
An NDRF team at work

94 Contemporary Social Science-5