India, Oct. 13 -- Disasters are inevitable; devastation is not. The key lies in preparing for them before they hit and preventing them

Every year on October 13, the world observes the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, a reminder that disasters are not merely acts of nature but the outcome of human choices. Perhaps no country would need this reminder more than India. Nearly 59 per cent of its land is earthquake-prone, about 12 per cent flood-prone, and much of its long coastline faces cyclones and tsunamis, while droughts, landslides and glacial lake outbursts add to the list. Every year, hundreds of thousands of people are affected by the floods and torrential rains that lash its coastline, causing huge damage to life and pr...