Humanitarian logistics challenges in disaster relief operations: A humanitarian organisations’ perspective

Abstract

for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters) International Disaster Database, at least 396 natural disasters claimed 11 755 lives, impacted 95 million people, and cost almost $130 billion in 2019 (CRED 2020). In 2018, the same pattern was found, with 281 climate-related and geophysical incidents resulting in 10 733 deaths (Dubey, Gunasekaran & Papadopoulos 2019b). Figure 1 depicts the annual global death toll because of natural disasters in absolute terms (from 2000 to 2018). Droughts, floods, excessive temperature, wildfires, volcanic activity, landslides, extreme weather, earthquakes, and dry mass movements are considered as ‘all-natural disasters’. Background: The number of disasters affecting the world has climbed dramatically over the previous decade, from around 220 per year in the mid-1990s to around 350–400 per year now. The rising frequency of natural calamities encouraged the author to conduct a study on humanitarian logistics (HL) and its role in mitigating the consequences of any disaster incidence. Thus, this study aims to outline the issues and challenges affecting HL in disaster relief. Objectives: The purpose of this study is to emphasize the critical role of HL in disaster management and to identify the issues that humanitarian organizations (HO) face while managing their logistics and supply chains during disaster relief operations. Method: The study employed a qualitative approach to investigate the problems affecting HL and supply chains by conducting a literature analysis on disaster management/disaster supply chain. The literature related to HL was reviewed, analyzed, and accordingly, the findings are presented. Results: The results of a thorough evaluation of the basic and contemporary literature on HL identified various challenges, reinforcing the necessity for additional research in HL operations to better the present situation. Additionally, it will lay the groundwork for various stakeholders such as humanitarian/non-profit organizations, governments, and policymakers to plan and develop appropriate solutions. Conclusion: As natural disasters occur often throughout the world; it is critical to handle logistical operations properly and efficiently during disaster relief operations. While none of the disaster situations can be prevented, their impact can be minimized by adequate preparation and response during humanitarian logistical operations.