This conference aims to bring together specialists, practitioners, academics, students and the public to a common platform where researchers and practitioners can present their research papers, debate on the issues, and discuss the challenges, opportunities and areas of mutual cooperation. Discussions on disaster management, risk and vulnerability reduction can lead to increased awareness of disasters and its various hues and aspects, strategies for resiliency, and newer technologies for disaster management. The conference could update the knowledge base of disaster management professionals by communicating the latest practices and developments evolved in various parts of the globe. The Disaster, Risk and Vulnerability Conference 2014 organized by department of Geology, University of Kerala, would be an ideal platform for the disaster management user community to share and update the academic and practical knowledge base in disaster management.

The DRVC2014 takes forward the idea of a continuous series of Disaster, Risk and Vulnerability Conferences, which began in 2011, with the Disaster, Risk and Vulnerability Conference 2011 (DRVC2011). Hosted by the School of Environmental Sciences of the Mahatma Gandhi University, in association with the Applied Geoinformatics for Society and Environment, Germany; SDMA, Kerala and Indian Medical Association, the DRVC2011 was a resounding success with more than 200 participants and a 250 page proceedings volume with nearly 50 full papers. The current three-day conference will provide an ideal venue for networking amongst disaster management enthusiasts, and the conference aims to throw up newer ideas that could go a long way in streamlining disaster management activities of the nation.