Community Based Disaster Preparedness Project in India

Crisis linked to natural disaster is all too common in India. Eighty percent of the country is vulnerable to cyclones, floods, earthquakes, and landslides. Approximately 5,700 kilometers of India’s coastline is exposed to severe cyclones and about 40% of India’s population lives within 100 km of the coastline. Data for the period 1980-2000 indicates that on 370 million people in India are exposed to cyclones every year (World Bank). With more than 60 years of experience working in India, Catholic Relief Services has responded to many emergencies, providing food and other relief items in the wake of devastating natural disasters.