Integrating Social Media with Various Aspects of Disaster Management

A need was felt by the Government of India to be prepared with disaster management plans after the Gujarat earthquake of 2001. A high powered committee was set up to make recommendations on the preparation of disaster management plans and suggesting effective mitigation mechanisms.

On 23 December 2005, the Government of India enacted the Disaster Management Act, which envisaged the creation of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), headed by the PM, and State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs) headed by respective CMs, to spearhead and implement a holistic and integrated approach to Disaster Management in India.

The Academy has evolved to a great extent from those days. Today Prime Minister Modi tweeted his best wishes to NDMA as they integrate social media with various aspects of disaster management. PM Modi has in the past suggested that SAARC nations should conduct regular joint exercises on disaster relief and rescue.

Do follow @ndmaindia. My best wishes as they integrate social media with various aspects of disaster management.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 12, 2016

I suggested to PM Sharif that SAARC nations should conduct regular joint exercises on disaster relief & rescue.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 30, 2015

Use of social media for disaster management:

A lot of social media activity was witnessed during Kashmir Floods of 2014. Similar efforts were witnessed when Chennai was submerged in water. Indian Army was also seen co-ordinating rescue operations during Kashmir Floods by using its Facebook page and Twitter handle.

Anyone needing RESCUE or FOOD in #Chennai or offering help, please add it to https://t.co/tBMY75nCMl or tweet to us so that we can add it.

— VOICE@InCrisisRelief (@InCrisisRelief) December 2, 2015

It therefore comes as natural progression when NDMA too joined hands with @TwitterIndia towards making India a disaster risk resilient country. NDMA launched its Facebook page on the 3rd of September 2014. NDMA has been periodically using tweets to inform people about the various rescue operations it keeps on undertaking across India.

Darjeeling Landslide. NDRF Rescue Team(45 persons) on way to Darjeeling. 4 Teams being sent to Siliguri to provide assistance to State Govt.

— NDMA India (@ndmaindia) July 1, 2015

Twitter recently has been flooded with tweets requesting blood of a particular group at certain hospital as well as with maps for relief distribution during disasters like Kashmir and Chennai Floods, Nepal and North-East India Earthquakes, etc.

Spread ==> Manipur State Emergency Control Room [ Helpline Numbers ] #Earthquake pic.twitter.com/v2hL8knB4w

— अनुपम पाण्डेय (@AnupamkPandey) January 5, 2016

Map for relief distribution #ChennaiRainsHelp #ChennaiFlood : https://t.co/X4emqsGDVm

— Avantika Goswami (@aygoswami) December 12, 2015

#Chennai A-ve blood Urgent at
SUGAM Hospital, thiruvottiyur Pls Call 7299690920. 12Dec. via @bld4needy

— Blood Donors India (@BloodDonorsIn) December 12, 2015

180 people evacuated to safer place in Darbhanga. Helped 264 people coming from Nepal to relief centre at Hajarimal High School Raxual.

— NDMA India (@ndmaindia) April 29, 2015

Tweets informing volunteers about post disaster cleaning up were also seen along with tweets informing people about free check-up camps held by doctors.

All set to start the #cleanupchennai @ Srinagar colony, Saidapet. Please come to volunteer! Cc @SpotFixChennai pic.twitter.com/Hq1Q1Lwiev

— Srini Swaminathan (@srini091) December 13, 2015

#ChennaiRainsHelp
3 Doctors conducting free health camp in CHENNAI https://t.co/jAHcCyPPRz
Please spread the word pic.twitter.com/WspUMMzDg9

— OYOcare (@OYOcare) December 12, 2015

Positive tweets about people rescued brought smiles on many a faces.

Five rare moments from Chennai floods that will bring a smile on your face https://t.co/EzI0hl138G pic.twitter.com/TU0kcczQms

— Dhanya Rajendran (@dhanyarajendran) December 11, 2015

Early days of NDMA:

NDMA for the first time in its history began review disaster preparedness plans of 13 departments of Government of India from 21-23 July 2014. The departments reviewed were: Water Resources, Drinking Water and Sanitation, Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries, Agriculture and Co-operation, Health and Family Welfare, Mines, Housing and Poverty Alleviation, Urban Development, Environment and Forests, Petroleum and Natural Gas, Fertilizers, Chemicals and Petrochemicals, Pharmaceuticals.

NDMA has since 5th of August 2014 also been tweeting about situations that could be possible disasters or not. NDMA had tweeted on the 5th August 2014 that, "There was no immediate threat of flood in Kosi River, Bihar as slight rainfall in upstream and steady release of pondage water in River Sunkoshi, Nepal".

Success stories:

For NDMA managing Cyclone Phailin was a success story that the Academy also learnt from.

Collaborating with other nations:

NDMA had been collaborating with numerous nations with regards to disaster management in the interest area of the individual nation. Kenya had sent its delegation of seven members to study about drought management.