State Disaster Management Authorities are statutory bodies constituted under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 (Central Act 53 of 2005). Kerala State Disaster Management Authority is a statutory non-autonomous body under the Chairmanship of the Chief Minister of Kerala.

The first KSDMA was constituted vide S.R.O No. 395/2007 dated 4th May 2007. Present composition of KSDMA is notified vide S.R.O No. 583/2013 dated 17th July 2013. Vide Section 3 of the Kerala State Disaster Management Rules (KSDMR), 2007 the authority is composed of ten (10) members, chaired by Chief Minister and convened by Additional Chief Secretary, Revenue and Disaster Management. The Chief Secretary (inter alia Chairperson of the State Executive Committee) is the Chief Executive Officer of KSDMA vide Section 14 (4) of the DM Act, 2005.

The KSDMA has three technically competent non-ex-officio members nominated by the Chairman of the Authority vide Section 3 (f) and (g) of KSDMR, 2007. Additional Chief Secretary, Revenue and Disaster Management is the Head of the Department of KSDMA vide GO (Rt) No. 2181/2016/DMD dated 23-03-2016. The other ex-officio members are Hon’ble Minister for Home and Vigilance, Hon’ble Minister for Agriculture, Additional Chief Secretary, Home and Head of State Emergency Operations Centre. Head of State Emergency Operations Centre is vide Section 3 (4) of KSDMR, 2007 (amendment 2016) the Member Secretary of the Authority.