摘要：INDIAis a country prone to natural disasters. It has only 2.4% of the worldssurface but an incredible 16.7% of the worlds population (MIB, 2009).The country has greater and increasing vulnerability to the socio-economicimpacts of extreme weather events (.oods, droughts, cyclones, hail storm,thunderstorm, heat and cold waves), due to large population growth, and mi-gration into urban areas (Deet al., 2005).A natural disaster is the consequence of a natural hazard like an earth-quake, landslide, cyclone, .ood, or tsunami which affects human activities.Human vulnerability in disasters is increased by poverty and the risk poten-tial for disasters. A lack of planning, preparedness and appropriate emergencymanagement systems can lead to devastatingto human, animal, economic, andenvironmental. The impact of natural disasters has been reduced by increas-ing preparedness for them, and when a disaster occurs, rapidly and effectivelyassessing the impact of same (BHRC, 2003). Preparedness includes the useof mass media which can be instrumental in promoting target-centric disas-ter preparedness. The need for an effective disaster management strategy tolessen disaster impact is increasingly being felt across India, as well as theawareness to involve and strengthen the preparedness of women and childrento respond to disasters. This paper is concerned with disaster preparednessusing a media campaign in Tamil Nadu, a south-eastern Indian coastal statevulnerable to many disasters that cause losses year after year
