Chapter 3

Preventing Common Human-Induced Disasters  Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Weapons that bring significant loss to a huge section of the population, property and environment are called weapons of mass destruction. A few examples of weapons of mass destruction include nuclear weapons, biological weapons, chemical weapons and radiological weapons.  Nuclear Weapon It is a weapon of mass destruction that derives its explosive power from a nuclear fission reaction or from the combination of both fission and fusion reactions.

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 Types of Nuclear Weapons  Those weapons that derive their energy from nuclear fission reactions alone. Examples: Atom bombs, A-bombs or fission bombs.  Those weapons that derive a large amount of their energy from nuclear fusion reactions. Examples: Hydrogen bombs, H-bombs, thermonuclear bombs etc. th On 6 August, 1945, the American bomber “Enola Gay” dropped an atomic bomb named “Little Boy” over the city of Hiroshima in Japan. On 8th August, 1945 another atomic bomb named “Fat Man” was dropped over the city of Nagasaki in Japan. Nuclear Accidents When a nuclear plant or a nuclear-capable plant explodes or radiates harmful radiations because of some malfunctioning, it is called a nuclear accident. Chemical and Industrial Accidents These accidents occur as a result of human negligence or mishandling of chemicals and can cause mass destruction. Examples: Bhopal gas disaster of 1984, The Gas Well Blowout in Gao Qiao, China on 23rd December, 2003 etc. Biological Disasters A biological disaster is caused by a release of germs or viruses which enter the human body through the nose or the mouth and cause illnesses. Example: A disaster caused by the biological agent anthrax. Biological weapons are often referred to as “poor man’s nuclear bomb” as they can be easily manufactured. Impact of Human-Induced Hazards  The loss incurred is very high  Hazardous chemical materials can cause death, serious injury and long-lasting health effects

 Sometimes, farmers may have to face loss of crops because of the toxic gases released by industries into the atmosphere as well as in water.  Mitigation Strategies for Human-Induced Disasters  Hazard mapping of areas near industries  Planning the use of land  Preparing the community for such disaster situations  Improving Fire resistance Warning systems Pollution dispersion capabilities Awareness among the people  Limiting the storage capacity of toxic substances