“An earthquake doesn’t kill people; the collapse of a building kills people.” It has been estimated that disasters, be they natural or man-made, happen every three days. It has also been estimated that most disasters could have been mitigated with sustainable and well-contrived architecture, thus leading to a dire need for competent architects. In recent decades, Indian cities have witnessed devastating floods more often due to heavy rain, cyclones, etc. Although Tamil Nadu is not a flood-prone state as per the Meteorological Department (New Delhi), it has experienced some of the worst floods in Indian history, owing to the 2015 floods that reaped havoc in the tropical state. Apart from natural climatic conditions that gave way to this national disaster, it was found that poorly designed drainage systems greatly exacerbated the already chaotic situation. According to the Scientific & Academic’s research paper, sewage systems throughout the city were originally planned four decades ago. Since then, only a few modifications have been made, thus paving little to no way for rainwater to escape from the densely populated city. Unruly construction of slum resettlement colonies and multi-storeyed housing estates along river channels have also impeded the natural drainage of the river basin into the sea. All such architectural flaws have declared this a man-made disaster. Similarly, the recent Kerala floods that appalled the country can also be attributed to similar causes despite the insistent rains.

To prepare for future disasters, the government of Kerala is conducting a competition to design a 20-bed disaster clinic and an accommodation unit for about 1000 people. The key is to inculcate innovative and strong designs that will prove resilient to natural disasters.

The exigency for post-disaster management has aided a team of innovators from the Indian Institute of Architects and Institute of Indian Interior Designers in devising a construction method known as Ferrocement technology that can reportedly help transform a 450 sq. ft. space into a full-fledged two-bedroom apartment at a very low cost. But despite the numerous disasters the country has faced and the continuous attempts to be well-equipped, we are still miles away from rising above another tsunami.

As the saying goes, “We learn from our mistakes,” but the question that piques every common man's interest is, ‘How long before we learn from them?’