Heatwaves : Notified Disaster List
The Minister of state for Union ministry of science and technology informed Lok Sabha that 15th Finance Commission declined to include heatwaves on the notified disaster list.
- The Disaster Management Act, 2005,defines a disaster as a “catastrophe, mishap, calamity or grave occurrence” arising from natural or man-made causes that results in substantial loss of life, destruction of property, or damage to the environment.
- Currently 12 disasters are classified as Notified Disaster namely: Cyclone, drought, earthquake, fire, flood, tsunami, hailstorm, landslide, avalanche, cloud burst, pest attack and frost and cold wave.
- Presently the notified list of disasters eligible for National Disaster Response Fund/State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) assistance.
Heat waves:
- The basic criteria for IMD to declare a heatwave are when a place’s temperature exceeds 40 degrees Celsius (°C) in the plains, 37°C in coastal areas, and 30°C in the hills.
- These temperature values are the thresholds established by the IMD for the declaration of heatwaves in India.
