National Disaster Act 1993 (No. 12 of 1993).

The principal object of this Act is to provide for the organization and management of response to disasters such as natural disasters and some man-made disasters as defined in section 2. Part II of the Act deals with the organization and management necessary for the co-ordination of activities of Government and non-Government agencies relating to disaster mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. The Minister is given the overall general responsibility for such disaster relief (sect. 4), advised by the National Disaster Council (sect. 5). This Council is also given certain responsibilities for example the preparation and formulation of the National Disaster Plan (sect. 12), establishment of the Central operations group (sect. 7) and the determination of the responsibilities of the National Disaster Management Office (sect. 9). Part III of the Act deals with the National Disaster Plan and its formulation (sect. 12), periodic review and update of the Plan and activities by public and private agencies and local authorities (sects. 14 to 16). Part IV of the Act deals with the declaration of a state of public emergency by the Beretitenti where the National Disaster Plan is inadequate to deal with any given disaster (sect. 17). Part V of the Act provides for special powers during a state of public emergency whilst Part VI deals with miscellaneous matters such as compensation for any action taken under the National Disaster Plan (sect. 21) and utilisation of disaster assistance donations (sect. 23).