Disaster Management Act, 2006 (No. 1 of 2006).

This Act is made to manage disasters, and specifically confines its applications to disruptions in societal functioning causing widespread human, material or environmental losses. It specifically excludes civil disorders and industrial disputes from its scope of application. The Act also provides that the Minister in consultation with role players in disaster management shall establish a national policy for disaster management. The Act further provides for the establishment of ministerial disaster management team to make recommendations to the Cabinet on policy and coordination of issues relating to disaster management, advise Cabinet on oversight of disaster management at all levels, among others. Essentially, the Act establishes the National Disaster Management Agency as a an institution within the public service charged with being the principal institution for disaster management at the national level and with the objective to promote an integrated and coordinated system of disaster management focused on decreasing vulnerability and increasing preparedness and mitigation capacity. The Act also gives the Minister the prerogative to classify disasters and declare state of emergencies after assessing the magnitude and severity or potential magnitude and severity of the disaster.