In this image posted on September 20, 2025, NDRF, SDRF personnel and others during a search and rescue operation following landslides and flooding triggered by heavy rain, at Nandanagar area, in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district. Picture: X/@NDRFHQ via PTI
The Union Home Ministry on Monday (September 22, 2025) specified the Ministries and Departments responsible for monitoring, prevention and mitigation of disasters arising from hazards such as avalanches, cyclones or tsunami among others.
A notification said that according to the Disaster Management Act, 2005, the Ministry of Defence “shall have the responsibility for monitoring, early warning, prevention, mitigation, preparedness and capacity building” with regard to disaster arising from avalanche and oil spills in collaboration with other related agencies or stakeholders.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare shall be responsible for biological disasters and the Earth Sciences Ministry has been assigned to issue early warning alerts regarding cold wave, cyclone or tornado, earthquake, heat wave, lightning, tsunami, hailstorms and heavy rainfall.
Landslides are to be monitored by the Ministry of Mines, nuclear and radiological emergencies by the Department of Atomic Energy, forest fires, industrial and chemical disasters by the Ministry of Environment.
Disasters such as frost and cold wave, drought, hailstorm and pest attacks have been assigned to the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, while floods and glacial lake outburst floods are to be tracked by Ministry of Jal Shakti, according to the notification.
Published – September 22, 2025 10:42 pm IST
