write a news report on recent disaster that struck odisha

Jena said that every year June 19, the government conducts a statewide mock drill on how to respond if a storm or Cyclone comes. "The institution you create should not be rigid; it should be flexible, adaptable. How quickly you adapt to the emergency situation, how quickly you change your Plan-A with Plan-B according to the need of situation is important," he said.

Also Read: Dilip Ghosh praises Mamata Banerjee administration for Yaas management, takes U-turn later in day

Also Watch: PM Modi to visit Odisha, Bengal tomorrow to review impact of Cyclone Yaas

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Lightning storm kills 12 in eastern India

Odisha state struck 61,000 times in three hours on saturday, authorities say.

Lightning in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India. The government has offered compensation of 400,000 rupees ($4,800) to the families of the dead in Odisha state. Getty

A dozen people were killed and more than 14 injured after India's Odisha state was hit by lightning .

More than 61,000 bolts struck in three hours on Saturday afternoon, the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority said.

On Sunday, 3,200 lightning strikes were recorded with no casualties.

The government has offered compensation of 400,000 rupees ($4,800) to the families of the dead, said the Special Relief Organisation, which deals with disaster management in Odisha.

Help was also available to those whose cattle were killed, the SRC said.

There were more than 36,500 cloud-to-cloud bursts of lightning and 25,753 cloud-to-ground strikes as of 5.30pm on Saturday, the state authority said.

There have been several days of heavy rain and lightning in Odisha.

The India Meteorology Department, the federal weather agency, has forecast the formation of a low pressure area over the northern Bay of Bengal and warned of downpours until Thursday.

“Thunderstorms and lightning are also expected to occur in parts of North Odisha,” said Uma Shankar Das, senior IMD scientist in Bhubaneswar, Odisha state.

“People have been advised to take shelter during lightning and thunderstorms to keep themselves safe. People should stay away from trees and water bodies.”

Lightning strikes are common in the region between April and June during monsoon season, but rare outside the period.

About 2,500 people die annually in India because of thunder and lightning, India's National Disaster Management Authority said.

Between 2020 and 2021, there were 18.5 million lightning strikes in India, said a report by the Lightning Resilient India Campaign, a government-linked organisation that focuses on eliminating lightning deaths with warnings and awareness.

In Odisha, lightning is considered a “state-specific disaster”. In 2021 and 2022, 281 people were killed by lightning in 30 districts, according to media reports.

The state has a deal with US-based weather intelligence data company Earth Networks to provide early warnings.

India has technology to forecast thunder and lightning but there is a lack of public awareness about the phenomenon.

The country has experienced extreme weather in recent years blamed on climate change, including intense heat and cold, thunderstorms and flooding.

• International

Cyclone Fani makes landfall in Odisha

By Swati Gupta, Helen Regan , Brandon Miller , Meg Wagner and Jessie Yeung, CNN

Our live coverage of Tropical Cyclone Fani has ended. Scroll through the posts below to read more about the storm or follow CNN.com .

This is what it looked like in the middle of the storm

A video shared on Twitter shows shows Cyclone Fani battering the Indian village of Charichhak, in Odisha state.

In the video, taken and tweeted by Chinmaya Ku. Muduli, trees sway and bend under the force of roaring wind as heavy rain poured down.

The cyclone, which has been downgraded from an extremely severe cyclonic storm to a very severe cyclonic storm, is now moving north along India's east coast. It's expected to hit Bangladesh soon, and the country has been conducting mass evacuations all Friday.

Cyclone death toll rises to 7

From CNN’s Sugam Pokharel

The death toll caused by Cyclone Fani – the strongest tropical cyclone to hit India in 20 years — has risen to 7, according to Odisha Police Director General Sanjeeb Panda.

Panda adds the deaths happened across four districts in eastern Odisha state and were caused mostly by fallen trees and collapsed walls.

Cyclone Fani made landfall Friday near the city of Puri, in Odisha state, as the equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane, lashing the country's east coast. The storm is expected to weaken as it moves north-northeast in the coming hours toward Kolkata, one of India's most populous cities, and Bangladesh.

Bangladeshis and Rohingya refugees brace for Cyclone Fani

From CNN's Swati Gupta, Helen Regan and Joshua Berlinger

As Cyclone Fani moves north-northeast along India's east coast, Bangladesh is bracing itself for the storm, which has left two people dead in the Indian state of Odisha.

In Bangladesh, 400,000 people on the coast have been evacuated as of Friday afternoon, said Enamur Rahman, the State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief. Authorities aim to have 2.1 million evacuated by evening.

More than 4,000 cyclone shelters have been set up for evacuees, stocked with drinking water, dry food, and medicine. 56,000 officials have been deployed for evacuation and rescue operations.

Aid agencies are also concerned for hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees who fled ethnic violence in Myanmar and are living in refugee camps in Bangladesh near the coast.

UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, tweeted on Wednesday that it had prepared 135 emergency response containers with sleeping mats, blankets, rope, and other resources. Key among the items are emergency tents which can be "rapidly deployed" if families' makeshift shelters collapse during the storm.

Fani's winds took down a construction crane and flipped a bus on its side

As Cyclone Fani pummels India's eastern coast, video is showing the storm's punishing winds.

One video showed winds flip over a bus before cutting to another shot of a crane dangling precariously from a tall building before finally plunging to the ground.

The footage was shared on Twitter Friday afternoon by Janak Dave, bureau chief of News18 India, a CNN affiliate.

Here's what you need to know about Cyclone Fani

The strongest tropical cyclone to hit India in 20 years made landfall Friday, killing two people and lashing the country's east coast with ferocious winds and torrential downpours.

As of 9 a.m. ET, it had been downgraded to a very severe cyclonic storm (down from an extremely severe cyclonic storm) as it moves north-northeast.

Here's what you need to know about Cyclone Fani:

• Where the storm's going next: Over the next few hours, the storm is expected to weaken as it moves toward Kolkata, one of India's most populous cities, and Bangladesh.
• The victims: Two people were killed by falling trees in the Indian state of Odisha, said police spokesman Sanjeev Panda on Friday.
• Evacuations: More than 1 million people evacuated from Odisha alone, with hundreds of cyclone shelters set up along the coast. Mass evacuations are also starting in Bangladesh ahead of the cyclone's arrival; officials aim to evacuate 2.1 million Bangladeshis by tonight.
• Relief and rescue: India's coast guard and navy deployed ships and helicopters for relief and rescue operations on Friday. Army and air force units are also on standby in vulnerable states. In Bangladesh, 56,000 officials have been deployed for evacuation and rescue operations.

Fani shattered windows at a university, and students caught the moment on video

From CNN's Gianluca Mezzofiore

Cyclone Fani is so powerful, it broke windows at the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology today.

Chowkidar Amritanshu Shandilya, an engineering student at the KIIT, caught the moment on video.

“Trees were blown away from the roots, heavy wind was blowing of around 150 /170 km hr. It was scary experience but also somehow exciting as we are students.”

Here's the footage:

India has been developing its disaster response plans for years. Now, it's paying off.

From CNN's Swati Gupta

In 1999, the eastern state of Odisha in India was hit by a devastating cyclone that claimed more than 10,000 lives. It was a national tragedy that spurred an overhaul of India’s disaster response apparatus — the results of which have been visible as the country prepared for Cyclone Fani.

In years since the 1999 disaster, India created a new disaster response infrastructure.  

In 2005, India introduced new laws to set up what’s called the National Disaster Management Authority, a central agency charged with one thing: responding to and minimizing the impact of disasters. 

A year later, in 2006, India established a National Disaster Response Force, a specialized corps of highly trained men and women focused on disasters such as cyclones and earthquakes. It's now comprised of almost 25,000 personnel.

These specially trained responders — working with personnel from India’s wider armed forces — have been on the ground ahead of Fani's landfall, working to avoid a repeat of 1999.  

Working with volunteers, local officials and NGOs, they have been moving door-to-door along the coastal villages asking people to evacuate. For those who insisted on staying, they trained them on necessary precautions to be taken. 

Hundreds of shelter homes have been set up and over one million people have been evacuated. 

Fani downgraded to very severe cyclonic storm

Cyclone Fani has been downgraded to a very severe cyclonic storm — down from an extremely severe cyclonic storm. The wind speeds have been reduced to 140-150 kmph (that's about 86 to 93 mph).

It is expected to weaken further over the next 5 hours.

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Odisha's turnaround in disaster management has lessons for the world

Pradeep Jena and Auguste Tano Kouamé

It has been twenty-five years since the  Super Cyclone  ravaged Odisha. Around 18 million people were affected, more than 10,000 precious lives were lost, and the economy was devastated. 

The event, however, marked a turning point in Odisha’s development trajectory. Not only did the cyclone-prone state resolve to protect its people from future disasters - setting the goal of ‘zero-human casualties’ – it also emerged as a global pioneer in disaster management. 

Today, Odisha is more resilient. Odisha’s years of planning and preparation paid off as fatalities from powerful cyclones never crossed double digits. When Cyclone Phailin struck the coast in 2013, Odisha carried out one of the most successful disaster management efforts in the world, evacuating close to 1 million people ahead of the strongest cyclone to hit the country since the Super Cyclone. In 2019, when another powerful cyclone –  Cyclone Fani  – struck, the Odisha government showed a high degree of preparedness and effectively evacuated about 1.2 million people based on these predictions.

In 1999, in the wake of the Super Cyclone, Odisha became the first state in India to establish a disaster management authority. In fact, the body, now known as the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority ( OSDMA ), was set up well before the establishment of the National Disaster Management Authority ( NDMA ) in 2005. 

Importantly, the state departed from the conventional approach to disaster management by placing local communities at the heart of the effort. As such, people at the grassroots – gram panchayats, women’s self-help groups and a 100,000-plus cadre of volunteers – were trained to reduce disaster risk and manage rescue and relief operations. Even now, every June and November, the OSDMA conducts two massive community-led mock drills across the state, mobilizing several government departments, district collectors, gram panchayats, NGOs and thousands of trained volunteers in this massive exercise.

But empowering communities is just one part of the solution. Building disaster-resilient infrastructure is equally important. Since this requires collaboration between several government departments, OSDMA has taken the lead in putting in place critical infrastructure that protects the lives and livelihoods of the people. The World Bank, along with several other multilateral agencies, has been privileged to partner with the OSDMA, helping to strengthen it in its formative years.  

Drawing on the best technical expertise, OSDMA has built over 800 multi-purpose cyclone shelters together with evacuation roads along the state’s entire coastline. Embankments are also being built to protect seaside villages from the ingress of the sea, and several vulnerable families have been helped to shift from straw huts to new multi-hazard disaster-resilient houses. 

Most importantly, Odisha is the first Indian state to have created an early warning system for disseminating critical disaster-related information to the very last mile. Nearly 1,200 villages in all the coastal districts of the state now receive cyclone or tsunami warnings through sirens and mass messaging. This early warning system, with watchtowers in over 120 coastal locations, forms the bedrock of Odisha’s disaster preparedness and response.

Today, two decades of persistence in building both resilient infrastructure and resilient communities have stood the state in good stead. There is, however, more to be done. Disaster risk management is a dynamic process, requiring us to be ever-alert to new needs and challenges. Because every disaster is different, there are no textbook solutions. Yet, as a coastal state, we know that in the coming years, Odisha will have to brace for more frequent and intense cyclones, heat waves, droughts, extreme rainfall events, cloud bursts, floods/flash floods, lightning storm surges, tsunami, and sea-level rise. There is also an urgent need to protect Odisha’s coast from sea erosion. 

Odisha has learnt and unlearned from its own experiences. As climate risks multiply, Odisha is raising its own bar for cyclone risk mitigation and exploring more sophisticated technologies while ensuring they are accessible to and owned by local communities as far as possible. As Odisha’s experience shows, it is important for every state to recognise that disaster preparedness and management is a developmental priority to be pursued in accordance with every state’s own socio-cultural context but in all cases with a sense of urgency. It is not a matter of choice anymore, for climate change is a clear and present danger, and millions of lives and livelihoods are at stake. 

Pradeep Jena is Chief Secretary to the Government of Odisha and Auguste Tano Kouamé is the World Bank’s Country Director for India.

This Opinion piece first appeared in Business Standard on November 3, 2023. 

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Cyclone Yaas Highlights: Massive Evacuation As Bengal, Odisha On High Alert

Cyclone yaas is very likely to cross north odisha-west bengal coasts between paradip and sagar island around may 26 noon..

Cyclone Yaas: NDRF has committed 99 teams across states likely to be affected by the cyclone.

A massive evacuation process has begun in West Bengal and Odisha's coastal regions in the wake of cyclone Yaas, which is expected to be as intense as Cyclone Tauktae which slammed into the west coast last week.

The cyclone is likely to intensify into severe cyclonic storm by Monday night and will bring winds of speed of up to 180 kms per hour when it makes landfall on West Bengal and Odisha coasts on Wednesday, the weather department said earlier today. It is very likely to cross north Odisha-West Bengal coasts between Paradip and Sagar Island around May 26 noon and make landfall near Balasore in north Odisha, news agency PTI quoted an Met department official as saying.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the state is targeting to shift at least 10 lakh people to safer places in a bid to avoid any loss of life. In Odisha, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) PK Jena told reporters that the evacuation process has already begun and would be completed by Tuesday afternoon.

Earlier in the day, Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a meeting with the Chief Ministers of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal and the Lieutenant Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands to review the preparations in view of cyclone Yaas.

Here are the Highlights on Cyclone Yaas:

#CycloneYaas | Calcutta High Court cancels all matters listed on 26th and 27th May, in view of the warning issued by India Meteorological Department (IMD) for the cyclonic storm pic.twitter.com/fGUOcesbUY - ANI (@ANI) May 24, 2021

#CycloneYaas update. Time: 2300 HRS IST, Date: 24.05.2021, Source: IMD, Bhubaneswar. @CMO_Odisha @SecyChief @IPR_Odisha @osdmaodisha pic.twitter.com/fFInZtcxoS - SRC, Govt of Odisha (@SRC_Odisha) May 24, 2021

Five teams deployed in East Midnapore & 2 teams in Digha. Evacuation has started in Digha with people in temporary shelters being evacuated while those in permanent houses have been asked to take necessary precautions, ahead of Cyclone Yaas: NDRF Asst Commandant (2nd Battalion) pic.twitter.com/OO1xlHDoek - ANI (@ANI) May 24, 2021

"Cyclone Yaas's impact is going to be much more than Amphan, according to the information we have received so far. This is going to affect at least 20 districts in West Bengal. The districts of Kolkata, North and South 24 Parganas and Purba Medinipur will be severely affected," she said, according to news agency PTI.

YAAS over Eastcentral BoB, lay centred at 1730 hrs IST of 24th May about 450 km south-southeast of Paradip (Odisha) and 540 km south-southeast of Digha (WB), move north-northwestward, to cross between Paradip and Sagar Island around Balasore, during noon of 26th May as a VSCS. pic.twitter.com/wPYGm6Quqr - India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) May 24, 2021

#CycloneYaasUPDATE -24/5/21 @NDRFHQ #Committed2Serve 🇮🇳 #NDRFकाएकहीमंत्र #आपदासेवासदैवसर्वत्र 🇮🇳 🔸 #NDRF @ WORK 24x7 🔸Preparation 🔸Awareness drive 🔸CitizenSafety 🔸Namkhana,S24Parganas Dist 🔸WB @PMOIndia @HMOIndia @PIBHomeAffairs @BhallaAjay26 @ANI @PIBKolkata @07ndrf pic.twitter.com/sV6V3aPC06 - ѕαtчα prαdhαnसत्य नारायण प्रधान ସତ୍ଯପ୍ରଧାନ-DG NDRF (@satyaprad1) May 24, 2021

#CycloneYaas Update24/5/21 🔸 @NDRFHQ NOW commits 🔸109 teams 🔸Across 6 States/UT 🔸52 tms(22+30 more)-Odisha 🔸35 tms(25+10more)WB 🔸Rest across JH/AP/TN/A&N 🔸Ref Map👇 @PMOIndia @HMOIndia @BhallaAjay26 @PIBHomeAffairs @PIBBhubaneswar @PIBKolkata @ANI @PTI_News @RanchiPIB pic.twitter.com/YgK3JJIaXE - ѕαtчα prαdhαnसत्य नारायण प्रधान ସତ୍ଯପ୍ରଧାନ-DG NDRF (@satyaprad1) May 24, 2021

#CycloneYaasUpdate | Odisha government suspends #COVID19 testing, vaccination, door to door survey in Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar districts: Health and Family Welfare Department, Odisha (ANI) - NDTV (@ndtv) May 24, 2021

In view of the upcoming #CycloneYAAS , @PWD_Odisha has operationalized a Control Room to monitor pre-cyclonic preparedness & post cyclonic repair & restoration works. The 24x7 Control Room can be reached at 0674-2393250 @CMO_Odisha @Krishan_Kumar09 @DDOdiaNews @airnews_cuttack pic.twitter.com/ZdIesfLVH9 - PIB in Odisha (@PIBBhubaneswar) May 24, 2021

#CycloneYaasUPDATE -24/5/21 @NDRFHQ #Committed2Serve 🇮🇳 #NDRFकाएकहीमंत्र #आपदासेवासदैवसर्वत्र 🇮🇳 🔸 #NDRF @ WORK 24x7 🔸Preparation 🔸Awareness drive 🔸Safety of Citizens 🔸North 24 Parganas Dist 🔸WB @PMOIndia @HMOIndia @PIBHomeAffairs @BhallaAjay26 @ANI @PIBKolkata @07ndrf pic.twitter.com/lfB60j89XJ - ѕαtчα prαdhαnसत्य नारायण प्रधान ସତ୍ଯପ୍ରଧାନ-DG NDRF (@satyaprad1) May 24, 2021

#WATCH | West Bengal: Ships being tied with ropes at Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port in Kolkata, as a precautionary measure ahead of #CycloneYaas . A control room set up for the Port. (Video Source: Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata) pic.twitter.com/2XfpIkW7NA - ANI (@ANI) May 24, 2021

Cyclone Yaas expected to cross Bengal and Orissa coasts on May 26, wind speeds of 155-165 km/hr expected #CycloneYaas pic.twitter.com/rtgHVNUwIh - NDTV (@ndtv) May 24, 2021

#CycloneYaasUpdate | "There are 35 NDRF teams already deployed in West Bengal, some have been deployed in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Andaman and Nicobar. Some teams may have to be deployed in Jharkhand as cyclonic storm may impact some cities": NDRF DG SN Pradhan (ANI) - NDTV (@ndtv) May 24, 2021

#CycloneYaasUpdate | "The cyclone has developed into deep depression, it's moving towards the Odisha coast on the conjunction of Odisha and West Bengal. It is likely to make landfall on May 26. 20 more NDRF teams will be deployed in Odisha": NDRF DG SN Pradhan (ANI) pic.twitter.com/In5aYpA9Tv - NDTV (@ndtv) May 24, 2021

MHA assured an advance relief of Rs 600 crores to Odisha and Andhra Pradesh but only Rs 400 crores to West Bengal. This is discriminatory: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee #CycloneYaas pic.twitter.com/tl1vcXGJUT - ANI (@ANI) May 24, 2021

#CycloneYaas is likely to affect the region on 26-27 May. Union Home Minister Amit Shah called and enquired about the preparedness of Assam, Sikkim & Meghalaya. Informed that emergency services have been pressed into action: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma pic.twitter.com/kDjadKCLck - ANI (@ANI) May 24, 2021

NDRF has pre positioned 46 teams in this 5 states & the engineering task force with boats and rescue equipment, are on standby for active deployment should the need arise : @PiyushGoyal - Piyush Goyal Office (@PiyushGoyalOffc) May 24, 2021

#CycloneYaas : Trains Cancelled In The Eastern Coastal Areas https://t.co/UdgZ0kXmbS pic.twitter.com/OHsP2098b9 - NDTV (@ndtv) May 24, 2021

At 1130 IST, Cyclone 'Yaas' about 520 km south-southeast of Paradip. To intensify further and cross north Odisha-West Bengal coasts betweenParadip and Sagar Islands around Balasore, during noon of 26th Mayas a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm. pic.twitter.com/Xb9cHYsfyE - India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) May 24, 2021

Odisha | Arrangements made for a smooth evacuation following #COVID norms. Oxygen plants are given alternate power backups. Adequate buffer oxygen stocks are being made available to COVID hospitals in cyclone-prone area: Pradeep K Jena Special Relief Commissioner #CycloneYaas pic.twitter.com/xis7vDDvn2 - ANI (@ANI) May 24, 2021

In view of the latest IMD advisory, eight teams of the 1st Battalion of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been airlifted from Guwahati to Odisha for rescue and search operations in view of the impending cyclone Yaas in Bay of Bengal.

"The state governments had requisitioned more than 50 teams of the NDRF in Odisha and 35 teams in West Bengal. The teams from NDRF battalions in Assam and Bihar are airlifted to Odisha and West Bengal in addition to those from the battalion stationed in the districts," said HPS Kandari, Commandant, 01 NDRF.      These teams, comprising 200 personnel of 01 NDRF Guwahati, including engineers, paramedics, technical experts and others, were airlifted from Guwahati's Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport to the Bhubaneswar airport in two transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force.

These teams are equipped with flood rescue boats and collapse search and rescue operation specialist equipment.

There will be no shortage of Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) due to #CycloneYaas . Only a challenge of electricity supply can arise due to the cyclone: Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan (File photo) pic.twitter.com/lbsgSKdG44 - ANI (@ANI) May 24, 2021

#CycloneYaas Update24/5/21 🔸More @NDRFHQ tms arrive 🔸For Odisha duty 🔸Here tms fm Jamnagar 🔸Lndd at BBSR Arpt 🔸More in transit 🔸To deploy in affctd districts #Committed2Serve 🇮🇳 @PMOIndia @HMOIndia @BhallaAjay26 @PIBHomeAffairs @PIBBhubaneswar @ANI @PTI_News @DDNewsHindi pic.twitter.com/jeBeEZIsQA - ѕαtчα prαdhαnसत्य नारायण प्रधान ସତ୍ଯପ୍ରଧାନ-DG NDRF (@satyaprad1) May 24, 2021

#CycloneYaas | Light to moderate rainfall at many places with heavy falls at isolated places on 24th May and heavy to very heavy falls at isolated places on 25th May in north coastal Andhra Pradesh. - ANI (@ANI) May 24, 2021

Odisha: ADG Law & Order YK Jethwa, visits Balasore and Bhadrak to review cyclone evacuation plans and preparedness for post-cyclone rescue and recovery operations. 60 ODRAF formations and 55 platoons force deployed for tackling #CycloneYaas pic.twitter.com/Nklz91WjYc - ANI (@ANI) May 24, 2021

At 0830 IST,CS 'Yaas' centred near 16.4°N/89.6°E, 630 km south-southeast of Balasore (Odisha). Would intensify further into SCS during next 12 hours and into a VSCS during subsequent 24 hours, to cross north Odisha-West Bengal coasts b/w Paradip and Sagar islands around 26th noon pic.twitter.com/8MVn33G4fB - India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) May 24, 2021

Union Home Minister Amit Shah holds meeting via video conference with the chief ministers of Odisha Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal and the Lieutenant Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands to review preparations in view of #CycloneYaas pic.twitter.com/KKdQVek6ie - ANI (@ANI) May 24, 2021

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Cyclone Yaas highlights: Odisha CM announces 7-day relief for 128 villages

Heavy rain and strong winds have started battering the coastal districts of West Bengal since early morning on Wednesday as very severe Cyclone Yaas made a landfall around 9am. One person has died in Odisha as Cyclone Yaas made landfall. Northern Odisha coast is battered by heavy winds. The weather department has predicted heavy to extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places in Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand. ...Read More

"Light to moderate rainfall expected at most places with heavy to very heavy rains at few places with extremely heavy falls at isolated places in Bhadrak, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Balasore, Dhenkanal, Jajpur, Mayurbhanj, Kendrapara and Keonjhargarh today," the IMD said.

West Bengal leader of opposition Suvendu Adhikari thanks NDRF for relief efforts

West Bengal's leader of opposition Suvendu Adhikari thanked the NDRF for their relief efforts in rescuing people stuck in cyclone Yaas in Nandigram.

Odisha CM Patnaik announces 7-day relief for people in 128 marooned villages

Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik reviewed the situation in the state following Cyclone Yaas. He also announced a 7-day relief for people in 128 marooned villages in affected districts, reports ANI.

Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar becomes operational at 7pm

Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar became operational at 7pm. It was to remain shut until 5am on Thursday, reports ANI.

Rescue operations by NDRF, Army, state administration in Talgachari, East Midnapore

The NDRF, Indian Army and the state administration involved in the rescue operation at Talgachari in East Midnapore hit by cyclone Yaas.

Watch | '1 crore people affected, 3 lakh houses damaged,' says CM Mamata on Cyclone Yaas

Restoration work in full swing, no major damage to property: railways ministry.

The ministry of Railways said that no major damage to railways property has been reported and the East Coast Railway is undertaking restoration work in full swing.

Not much damage to electrical infrastructure in 3 districts, adequate teams available for restoration: Odisha's top official

Odisha's special relief commissioner Pradeep K Jena has said that not much damage has been done to the electrical infrastructure in Jajpur, Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur districts. He also said that adequate teams are available for road clearance and restoration, reports ANI.

Severe cyclone storm Yaas to gradually weaken into cyclonic storm in next 3 hours

The IMD said that the severe cyclonic storm Yaas would gradually weaken into a cyclonic storm in next 3 hours.

Mamata Banerjee meets with state officials to review situation due to Cyclone Yaas

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee met with district magistrates and disaster management committee and other state officials to review the situation due to cyclone Yaas, reports ANI.

Fishing boats at Paradeep jetty damaged

Fishing boats at Paradeep jetty damaged due to Cyclone Yaas.

Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force team clears roads in Paradeep Municipal area

Jagatsinghpur ODRAF (Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force) team clearing roads in Paradeep Municipal area: Odisha Police.

Watch: Sudden change in weather in Ranchi

High alert in jharkhand, evacuation on amid cyclone threat.

Jharkhand, which was put on high alert, continued evacuating low-lying areas on Wednesday amid the forecast that cyclone Yaas would be hitting the state by midnight after pounding neighbouring Odisha and West Bengal, officials said.

Cyclone Yaas is likely to move north-northwestwards and weaken gradually: IMD

Cyclone Yaas is likely to move north-northwestwards and weaken gradually into a severe cyclonic storm during next 3 hours and into cyclonic storm during subsequent 6 hours: India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Cyclone Yaas crossed north Odisha coast about 20 km south of Balasore: IMD

Cyclone Yaas crossed north Odisha coast about 20 km south of Balasore from 10:30am to 11:30am today with wind speed of 130-140 kmph gusting to 155 kmph. It then moved northwestwards and lay centred at 11:30am over north coastal Odisha about 15 km south-southwest of Balasore: IMD.

We have established dedicated round-the-clock control rooms: Eastern Railway

We have established dedicated round-the-clock control rooms. All trains have been canceled. Sufficient storage of oxygen has been done for Covid patients. We've also positioned our diesel locomotives in case of overhead wiring failure. Manoj Joshi, GM, Eastern Railway.

Indian Army's Eastern Command working closely with West Bengal government

The Eastern Command of the Indian Army, on requisition, is also working in coordination with the West Bengal government and has deployed a total of 17 cyclone relief columns, comprising specialised army personnel with associated equipment and inflatable boats, reports news agency PTI.

North Odisha, coastal Odisha expected to receive heavy to extremely heavy rain today: IMD DG

Cyclone Yaas is crossing Odisha border, south of Balasore. It will reach Jharkhand tomorrow morning. It caused heavy to extremely heavy rain in Odisha in past 24 hours. North Odisha and coastal Odisha expected to receive heavy to extremely heavy rain today: IMD DG Mrutyunjay Mohapatra.

Storm impacts Covid-19 vaccination drive in Odisha

Officials in Odisha said they have suspended testing, vaccination and door-to-door health survey in the three districts that lay directly in the storm's path, reports news agency Reuters.

Approx 6 flights cancelled so far between Mumbai to Bhubaneswar and Kolkata

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) has witnessed the cancellation of flights between Mumbai to Bhubaneswar and Kolkata. Approximately six flights have been cancelled so far. Flights to other regions continue to operate on schedule: Mumbai Airport PRO.

Turbulent sea and strong winds witnessed in West Bengal's Digha

Turbulent sea and strong winds witnessed in Digha of Purba Medinipur district.

At 9.30 am Cyclone Yaas is about 30 km south-southeast of Balasore (Odisha). Current intensity of the storm is 130-140 kmph, as per the IMD.

Intense convective cloud mass has entered Odisha coast: IMD

Intense convective cloud mass has already entered Odisha coast, says the IMD.

Cyclone Yaas is now crossing coast to south of Balasore: IMD

Cyclone Yaas is now crossing coast to the south of Balasore. The landfall process will take about 2 hours to complete, tweets IMD.

In East Midnapore, one rescue column has been launched

In East Midnapore, one rescue column has been launched to rescue 32 civilians who are stuck due to a surge in water levels: Indian Army

Rescue, relief columns are pre-positioned across areas expected to be affected for immediate response: Army

To provide immediate support to people in emerging situation due to CycloneYaas, briefing, joint recce, liaison and coordination with West Bengal government has been completed. Rescue and Relief columns are pre-positioned across areas expected to be affected for immediate response: Indian Army.

Storm centered 30 km south-southeast of Odisha's Balasore

Landfall process is continuing. It will take around 3 hours to complete. 30 km south-southeast of Balasore at 9:30 hours IST, tweets IMD.

In Odisha' Mayurbhanj district, wind speed is expected to be around 100-110 km per hour

In Mayurbhanj district, the wind speed is expected to be around 100-110 km per hour. After that, it will gradually slow down: Odisha Special Relief Commissioner PK Jena.

Cyclone Yaas will continue to move in Balasore district till afternoon: Official

Cyclone Yaas will continue to move in Balasore district till afternoon, after which it will enter Mayurbhanj district Wind speed is estimated to be around 120-140 km per hour. It is expected that this wind speed will continue in Balasore district around 120-140 km per hour: Odisha Special Relief Commissioner.

Storm landfall process to continue for next 3-4 hours: Official

Landfall process started around 9 o'clock and is expected to continue for 3-4 hrs. It's expected that by around 1 pm, tail end of cyclone will also be completely moving to landmass. It's making landfall between Dhamra and Balasore: Odisha Special Relief Commissioner PK Jena.

Traffic snarls in Kolkata

Due to bad weather following flyovers are closed to traffic 1. Garden Reach flyover 2. Taratala flyover 3. Park Street flyover 4. Ultadanga flyover 5. Chingrighata flyover 6. Gariahat flyover 7. AJC Bose flyover 8. Maa flyover, tweets Kolkata Traffic Police.

Weather forecast for West Bengal

Heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places over Bankura, Jhargram, South 24 Parganas and heavy falls at isolated areas like Kolkata, Nadia among others today, tweets SkyMet.

Cyclone Yaas triggers heavy rains in Kerala

Heavy rains under the influence of Cyclone Yaas pounded many areas of south and north Kerala on Wednesday.

Andhra Pradesh's Srikakulam on high alert

As Cyclone Yaas is expected to hit the eastern coastline in a few hours, the Srikakulam district administration has alerted all seashore villages to be careful and vigilant.

Calcutta high court suspends judicial proceedings

The Calcutta high court, which was supposed to hear the bail plea of the four heavyweight leaders accused in the 2016 Narada sting operation case, suspended all judicial proceedings on Wednesdaydue to Cyclone Yaas.

Kolkata Police issues helpline numbers

Water from sea enters residential areas along new digha sea beach.

West Bengal: Water from the sea enters residential areas along New Digha Sea Beach in East Midnapore.

Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Yaas centred about 50 km South-Southeast of Balasore

Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Yaas centred about 50 km South-Southeast of Balasore (Odisha). Landfall process has commenced around 9 am: India Meteorological Departement (IMD).

Rain and gusty winds hit Odisha's Bhadrak district

Rain and gusty winds hit Odisha's Bhadrak district; visuals from Dhamara coastal area.

Meteorological Department, Gopalpur has announced a Yellow alert in Odisha

Some fishermen seen near the sea, even as it turns turbulent in Gopalpur of Ganjam district in wake of Cyclone Yaas. Meteorological Department, Gopalpur has announced a Yellow alert in the district.

Rain lashes Kolkata city

West Bengal: Rain lashes Kolkata city; visuals from East Midnapore's Haldia.

Indian Navy prepares for relief, rescue operations

With Cyclone Yaas predicted to make landfall on the eastern coast on May 26, the Indian Navy on Wednesday said it has stepped up and made all necessary arrangements for the rescue and relief operations.

Relief material for Cyclone Yaas affected people being provided by Indian Navy

Odisha: Relief material for Cyclone Yaas affected people being provided by Indian Navy. INS Chilka at Khurda has made all necessary arrangements, to coordinate the operations in close liasion with state government agencies with the support of HQ Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.

Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik reviews preparedness

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday reviewed the arrangements regarding Cyclone Yaas and said that every life is precious thus all possible steps should be taken to protect lives.

Odisha's Chandipur witnesses heavy rainfall and strong winds

Odisha's Chandipur witnesses heavy rainfall and strong winds.

Cyclone Yaas over northwest Bay of Bengal, about 40 km east of Dhamra (Odisha), 90 km south-southwest of Digha (West Bengal) and 90 km south-southeast of Balasore (Odisha), as per IMD update at 6:45 am.

West Bengal's Barrackpore receives rainfall

West Bengal's Barrackpore in North 24 Parganas experiences a weather change, receives light to moderate rainfall and wind.

The 'very severe cyclonic storm' Cyclone Yaas is expected to make landfall by noon today with wind speed of 130-140 kmph gusting up to 155 kmph.

Odisha's Paradeep experiences strong winds and heavy rainfall

Odisha's Paradeep experiences strong winds and heavy rainfall.

Cyclone Yaas lay centred over northwest Bay of Bengal, about 40 km east of Dhamra (Odisha), 90 km south-southwest of Digha (West Bengal) & 90 km south-southeast of Balasore (Odisha), as per IMD update at 6:45 am

Strong winds and heavy rain hit Dhamra in Bhadrak district of Odisha

Strong winds and heavy rain hit Dhamra in Bhadrak district as Cyclone Yaas nears landfall.

IMD says that the 'very severe cyclonic storm' is expected to make landfall by noon today with wind speed of 130-140 kmph gusting up to 155 kmph.

We are expecting 'very severe cyclonic storm' Cyclone Yaas to make landfall by noon: IMD

We are expecting 'very severe cyclonic storm' Cyclone Yaas to make landfall by noon today with wind speed of 130-140 kmph gusting 155 kmph: Umashankar Das, senior scientist at IMD Bhubaneswar.

Sea turns rough in West Bengal's Digha

As Cyclone Yaas nears landfall, sea turns rough at Digha in the Purba Medinipur district of West Bengal.

Strong winds, heavy showers lash Odisha's Dhamra

Strong winds along with heavy showers lash Dhamra in the Bhadrak district of Odisha ahead of Cyclone Yaas landfall.

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Odisha's turnaround in disaster management has lessons for the world

Battered by the 1999 super cyclone, odisha invested in communities, infrastructure, and a stellar institution to lead from the front in building resilience.

Will Cyclone Biparjoy impact states other than Gujarat? See full list here

Cyclone mocha: low pressure likely to form today, imd issues warning, bracing for biparjoy: cyclones hitting india's coasts become more frequent, uefa super cup final, man city vs sevilla live match starts at 12:30 am ist, a big, gleaming 'super blue moon' will rise today. here's how to see it, chhattisgarh reins in inflation at reasonable rates among poll-bound states, india's interests at stake as world trade talks take a green turn, rising economic activities lead to surge in personal income tax in h1fy24, will the september uptick in rural economy sustain in future, fueling india's innovation engine.

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First Published: Nov 03 2023 | 12:31 PM IST

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India: Cyclone Amphan Final Report (DREF n° MDRIN025)

Attachments.

A. SITUATION ANALYSIS

Description of the disaster

On 20 May 2020, Cyclone Amphan cut a swathe through the northern part of the Indian state of Odisha, before bearing down on the state of West Bengal, with a wind speed of 185 kilometers per hour. It then moved north-northeast, further weakening into a Cyclonic Storm and lay centered over Bangladesh on 21 May 2020, about 270 kilometers north-northeast of the city of Kolkata in West Bengal.

The Super Cyclonic storm Amphan (pronounced as Um-Pun) was a deadly tropical cyclone which caused widespread damage in the coastal districts of Odisha and West Bengal in India and Bangladesh. It was the strongest tropical cyclone to strike the River Ganges Delta since the 1999 Odisha Super Cyclone. West Bengal, the epicenter of the cyclone's landfall, saw the most widespread damage from Amphan. The storm was considered the strongest to hit the region in over a decade. At least 86 people died in West Bengal; most of the fatalities were due to electrocution or the collapse of homes. The state government estimated that the storm caused at least 1.02 trillion Indian Rupees (13.5 billion US Dollars or 12.1 billion Swiss Francs) in damage and directly affected 70 per cent of the state's population.

The neighboring state of Odisha saw significant effects, with wind speeds reaching 106 kilometers per hour and rainfall up to 300 millimeters. Damage to the power grid reached 3.2 billion Indian Rupees (42 million US Dollars or 40 million Swiss Francs). Four people died in Odisha, two from collapsed objects, one due to drowning, and one from head trauma. Across the ten affected districts in Odisha, 4.4 million people were impacted in some way by the cyclone. At least 500 homes were destroyed and a further 15,000 were damaged. Nearly 4,000 livestock, primarily poultry, died. The cyclone was strongest in its northeast section. Though wind speed had weakened by the time it struck, it was still classified as a very severe cyclone. COVID-19 restrictions hindered emergency and relief operations. COVID-19 social-distancing measures made mass evacuations difficult with cyclone shelters and other facilities unable to be used to their full capacity.

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ISCG Situation Report: Rohingya Refugee Crisis, Cox’s Bazar | September 2020

Deadly Cyclone Yaas hits India’s eastern coast, villages flooded

Heavy rains and winds lash eastern India as COVID-stricken country’s second cyclone in as many weeks kills three and displaces 1.2 million people.

Heavy rains and howling winds are lashing eastern India as the COVID-stricken country’s second cyclone in as many weeks makes landfall, killing at least three people in Odisha state and forcing more than 1.2 million people to seek shelter.

Cyclone Yaas, packing gusts of up to 140kmph (87mph), made landfall at about 9am local time (03:30 GMT) on Wednesday, destroying tens of thousands of houses, forcing the closure of the busiest regional airport in the city of Kolkata, and bringing storm surges to coastal areas.

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In Odisha, one person died in Keonjhar district’s Panchapalli village and another in Balasore district after trees fell on them, local officials told Al Jazeera. In the state’s Mayurbhanj district, the dead body of a 15-year-old boy was found in a pond at Jagannath Khunta village by a National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) classified Yaas as a “very severe cyclonic storm”, as television broadcast images of rough seas, strong winds and rains lashing Odisha, with shops and homes boarded up.

“Landfall process of Cyclone Yaas is complete. Between 10.30am (05:00 GMT) to 11.30am (06:00 GMT), it crossed 20km (12 miles) south from the Balasore coast,” IMD director-general Mrutyunjay Mohapatra told Al Jazeera.

“The cyclone is now moving towards Mayurbhanj district and Jharkhand (state),” he said.

Scientists say cyclones are becoming more frequent and severe in the northern Indian Ocean as climate change warms the sea, devastating coastal communities.

Last week, Cyclone Tauktae tore up the western coast, triggering mass evacuations and claiming at least 155 lives.

Tornado kills two in West Bengal

Storm surges have been forecast in the low lying areas of Odisha and West Bengal states. A tornado that preceded the storm killed two people as it tore through West Bengal’s Hooghly district, authorities said.

Kolkata, West Bengal’s main city, ordered its international airport to shut down for most of Wednesday. The airport in Odisha’s capital, Bhubaneswar, followed suit.

Pradeep Kumar Jena, Odisha government’s special relief commissioner, told reporters seawater has entered hundreds of villages in different coastal districts of the states.

“Huge number of trees have fallen. We are now focussing on road clearance and restoration work,” he said. “As there is a possibility of infection during this disaster, we will increase COVID testing in affected areas.”

Jhili Behera, a resident of Oupada block in Balasore district, told Al Jazeera her house is badly damaged.

“Water has entered our house. Food, cloth and other essentials are wet. We are now at a higher place of our village and waiting for the water level to decrease,” she said, adding that people in five nearby villages were facing the same problem.

“Every life is precious,” said Odisha’s Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik as he appealed for people not to “panic”. His West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee told reporters that about 20,000 mud houses and temporary shelters had been damaged in the state.

“I have not seen anything like this before,” said another state minister, Bankim Hazra, after seawater gushed into the low-lying areas of Sagar island in the Bay of Bengal and the tourist town of Digha, where a police station was flooded.

“Successive high tides battered the coastline,” he added. “It is inundation all around and villages are cut off.”

A record 4,800 disaster workers had been positioned in the two states, equipped with tree and wire cutters, emergency communications, inflatable boats and medical aid, the NDRF said.

“We are on alert, keeping an eye on the cyclone. Though the wind speed is high, wherever possible we are moving to fields and rescuing people. We are trying to maintain the communication system too,” NDRF official Arun Devgam told Al Jazeera.

The Indian navy said its Chilka naval base was monitoring ships in the area and was ready to mount rescue and relief operations.

‘Double trouble’

While masks have been distributed in emergency shelters and relief workers are trying to impose social distancing, many officials fear the new cyclone will only speed up the spread of the virus.

“This cyclone spells double trouble for millions of people in India as there is no respite from COVID-19,” said Udaya Regmi, the South Asia head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

Hazra said it would be “a big challenge” to maintain social distancing in the emergency shelters.

Some vaccination centres in threatened districts as well as Kolkata suspended operations because of the storm and a special operation had been launched to ensure the supply of oxygen and medicines to hospitals, officials said.

Some of the deadliest storms in history have formed in the Bay of Bengal, including one in 1970 that killed half a million people in what is modern-day Bangladesh.

Odisha’s worst-ever cyclone in 1999 killed 10,000 people. Last year Cyclone Amphan, the worst since 1999, caused widespread devastation but timely evacuations meant fatalities were fewer than 150.

Subrat Kumar Pati contributed to this report from Bhubaneswar, Odisha

Disaster management lessons from Odisha

The ferocious second wave of Covid has a key lesson for India. Disaster rarely comes with a warning; all we could do is remain prepared. Had we not lowered our guard, kept our ears to the ground and remained alert, the misery thousands were put through— be it for oxygen shortage, medicine and bed scarcity or the tragic loss of lives—could have been avoided. For all this to happen, India, as a whole, must integrate disaster preparedness into its core system, starting from the ground. This is where Odisha has taken a lead. The council of ministers of the Naveen Patnaik government, on Saturday, adopted a resolution to train every student, panchayati raj institution, government employee, elected representative, vana surakshya samiti and community-based organisation in disaster and pandemic management. The beginning would be made through incorporation of the subject in school and college curricula. The government plans to create a huge knowledge infrastructure; a task force will be formulated to take forward the mission. It even seeks to make disaster and pandemic management a compulsory part of the government recruitment process. The goal is to train everyone—right from the ward member on the ground till the CM at the very top.

A humungous task it may seem, but it is clear where this is coming from. Odisha has been at the mercy of natural calamities for decades. The 1999 supercyclone led to unimaginable destruction of lives and property and saw the state turn a new chapter—a fresh political regime under the BJD, helmed by Naveen. Mitigating that calamity took years but his government created a separate disaster management department, a new policy and an authority that remains focused on disasters. In the last 20 years, mighty cyclones have been dealt with ease—Yaas the latest example—as it has internalised the art of preparedness. But Naveen is looking ahead. With Odisha having borne the brunt of climate change, he has set sight on tackling biological disasters like Covid. Hence, his mission of creating a yodha (disaster warrior) in every home must get a bigger stage and not remain confined just to the state.

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ODISHA DISASTER

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“The 12841 Up Coromandel Express met with an accident and dashed with a stationary goods train. The impact was such that 21 coaches were derailed,” the South-Eastern Railways said in a statement. A previous bulletin said, “Train 12841 Coromandel Express and 12864 SM Visvesvaraya-Howrah Superfast Express got derailed near Bahanaga Bazar railway station around 6.55 pm on June 2.” While railway personnel and local youths rushed to rescue the injured, the Odisha CM monitored the operations.

Sonia Gandhi deeply distressed by tragic train disaster in Odisha

Sonia Gandhi, the former president of the Congress party, expressed deep sorrow and sympathy for the devastating train accident in Odisha. She conveyed her condolences to the families who lost their loved ones in the tragic incident. "I am most pained and anguished by the terrible train disaster in Odisha," Gandhi said in a statement.

Odisha rail accident century's biggest train disaster: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called the train accident in Odisha's Balasore district the "biggest of the century", demanding a thorough investigation to reveal the truth. Banerjee, a twice former railway minister, flew to the crash site to evaluate the rescue operations and spoke with other senior officials. She said the anti-collision system should have triggered and questioned its failure.

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Cyclone fani: five days on, odisha still far from normal.

The state government saved its people from Fani’s wrath, but the essentials to survive still remain scarce

By Joyjeet Das

Published: tuesday 07 may 2019.

Even five days after the extremely severe cyclonic storm Fani lashed out at Odisha, the state seems to be crippled. Extensive areas, including Capital Bhubaneswar, are still limping back to normalcy as daily essentials remain scarce.

On May 7, 2019 afternoon Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik claimed that power supply was restored to a fifth of Bhubaneswar within 72 hours of the cyclone. Several residents, however, disagreed.

Deepest gratitude to people who are working day & night, deep in Chandaka forests, to bring light to #Bhubaneswar . 20% of Bhubaneswar electrified within 72 hrs of a near super cyclone, thanks to personal sacrifices & dedication of workers like them. Odisha salutes you. pic.twitter.com/RzpKjeV4yf — Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) May 7, 2019

Cyclone Fani, with wind speed of about 175 kilometres per hour, was the second-most powerful cyclone to have hit Odisha. Nearly 50 people lost their lives due to it, according to unofficial estimates. The government, however, earned international praise for its efforts to reduce casualty by shifting away more than 11 lakh people.

Though human lives were saved, destruction could not be avoided in the eastern districts, especially in and around Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Khordha and temple town Puri. Reportedly, more than 1.5 lakh electricity poles fell and high-tension transmission lines broke down.

The storm also uprooted lakhs of trees. In Bhubaneswar alone, some estimate, some two lakh trees fell. “The city looks devastated with fallen trees all around,” said PR Sahu, a Bhubaneswar-based media professional.

Many of the trees fell on transmission lines, further complicating the situation. As CM Patnaik made it clear, it would be risky to resume power supply before removing them. Thousands of personnel have been deployed to clear the power lines.

“Power supply hasn’t been restored even now. It’s as if we are living in primitive ages,” Sahu said even after the CM’s tweet.

In the absence of electricity, water supply has also been affected. The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corp (BMC) has been running generators to pump water once in the morning to houses with piped connection.

In Puri, even that has been out of question. In fact, most of Puri has remained out of reach.

Even for Bhubaneswar, the measures were inadequate. “We have also arranged for water tankers for areas that do not have water,” said a civic official. Every day, 200-300 people were calling the Bhubaneswar One helpline to complain regarding power and water supplies and other necessities.

The water supply can be normalised only when the power supply becomes stable, added the official. That would take another two-three days, he estimated, with several 33 kilovolt (kv) and 11 kv lines still in disarray.

That would surely add to the pressure of those living in these cities, with daily essentials getting scarcer.

It must be said here that the chief minister’s office tried to reassure citizens:

About 80% of the water supply in #Cuttack city has also been restored with a supply of 80 MLD against a daily supply of 108 MLD in pre-Fani time. 36 water tankers also put into service till full restoration of supply is achieved. — CMO Odisha (@CMO_Odisha) May 7, 2019

Water supply to #Bhubaneswar has touched 184 million litres today, as against pre-Fani supply of 200 million litres per day. In addition, 169 water tankers have also been pressed into service to provide water to all wards in the city. — CMO Odisha (@CMO_Odisha) May 7, 2019

Water supply to #Puri town has been restored to pre-Fani levels, within 72 hours of #CycloneFani by installing heavy duty DG sets at intake wells & water treatment plants. — CMO Odisha (@CMO_Odisha) May 7, 2019

Moving base

Some have already started leaving their homes. “A friend of mine has moved to a hotel temporarily,” Sahu said.

Many others have left Bhubaneswar for smaller cities and towns such as Kendrapara, Jajpur, Dhenakanal and even far-off Sambalpur, said JP Mahapatra, associated with a national-level media training institute. “They are commuting daily to their workplace in Bhubaneswar,” he added.

Mahapatra himself moved his family away from the Capital’s Acharya Vihar on May 6. “There was no other way. A litre of water was selling for Rs 70. Most markets remained shut and only a few shops opened for a few hours during the day,” he said.

Thanks to its smart city status, there are hardly any public tube wells left in the city, he added.

Prices skyrocket

The shortage, coupled with suspected hoarding, meant prices of essentials were sky-high. “I have heard that even a packet of candles is selling for Rs 120 — triple the marked price,” social activist Ranjan Panda said.

Though relief was being arranged for by the government and several non-government organisations, there have been complaints of the material often not reaching those in need. “There even have been reports of loot from some places near Puri,” Sahu said.

The residents of a locality in Bhubaneswar blocked the road on May 6 to press home their demand for water, Panda said. “Those with their personal borewells are somewhat better off,” he added.

But then generator sets to pump such motors have also become hard to come by. “Stockists in Sambalpur also claim that they have run out of generators. Some are renting them at steep prices,” he added.

While the locals have a chance to receive relief or leave for nearby towns, many outsiders are stranded, Panda pointed out. Neither do they have access to any relief, nor do they have any cash.

Most automated teller machines have run out cash. With mobile telephone and internet services down, internet banking is also out of the question for such visitors. “The first priority should actually be to restart mobile networks. In their absence, the government is not even able to reach out and mobilise people,” Mahapatra said.

As Bhubaneswar readies for another dark night ahead, the question in the mind of those who have stayed back must be: “How much longer would it take?”

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Loss and Damages from Cyclone: A Case Study from Odisha, a Coastal State

• First Online: 14 October 2020

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• Trupti Mishra 5 &
• Krishna Malakar 6  

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Natural disasters such as cyclones result in tremendous loss and damages to life and property of coastal communities. However, studies assessing loss and damages are limited in the literature. This study attempts to document the loss and damages incurred by the marine fishing community affected by Cyclone Phailin in 2013, on the coast of Gopalpur in Odisha (India). A survey composed of 300 responses was conducted and it was found that a high percentage (72.67%) of the community experienced decline in income after the cyclone. This may be a result of damage to fishing gear from the cyclone. Although most fishermen were able to start fishing one to three weeks after the cyclone, their income returned to previous levels (before the cyclone) at a much later time. Fortunately, there were no deaths in the surveyed households as a result of the cyclone. Lastly, it was seen that the time and average cost to rebuild houses was greater than that to repair gear. Given the importance of assessing loss and damages in vulnerable communities, this study contributes to the literature by providing a basic overview of the experiences of coastal fishing communities in the aftermath of Cyclone Phailin.

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Acknowledgment

The authors are grateful to the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) for funding the study.

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Mishra, T., Malakar, K. (2020). Loss and Damages from Cyclone: A Case Study from Odisha, a Coastal State. In: Singh, A., Fernando, R.L.S., Haran, N.P. (eds) Development in Coastal Zones and Disaster Management. Disaster Research and Management Series on the Global South. Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-4294-7_19

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CURRENT AFFAIRS FOR UPSC IAS

Disaster preparedness with reference to Odisha

Published: 31st May, 2019

• Extremely severe cyclonic storm Fani affected 1.5 crore people in nine districts of Odisha since making landfall near Puri on May 3, 2019 morning.
• It was the strongest tropical cyclone to strike the Indian state of Odisha since Phailin in 2013.
• Though IMD and Odisha government did a good job, but could have done better. It also raise the debate over Disaster preparedness in the country.

Natural disaster

• A natural disaster is an act of nature of such magnitude as to create a catastrophic situation in which the day-to-day patterns of life are suddenly disrupted.
• People are plunged into helplessness and suffering, and, as a result, need food, clothing, shelter, medical and nursing care and other necessities of life.
• Disaster is dynamic, and with the climate change situation, the intensity and frequency of disaster is changing.

Background:

• Learning its lessons from the super-cyclone of 1999 which claimed 10,000 lives in Odisha, the eastern state has, over the years, emerged as a role model in disaster preparedness.
• With decades of positive intervention by the government, civil society groups, and NGOs, the state has received praise from numerous national and international organizations, including the United Nations.

Disaster Management: Structure at National Level

• The NDMA is the central policy making body for disaster management. Under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, it has an Advisory Committee comprising experts in the field of disaster management.
• The National Plan for disaster management is meant to include measures for disaster prevention, mitigation, preparedness, responsibilities of different Ministries, etc.
• It is to be prepared by the National Executive Committee (NEC) and approved by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
• Under the Act, the NEC is responsible for coordinating response in case of a disaster, preparing the National Plan for disaster management, monitoring implementation of disaster management guidelines, etc.

Disaster Management: A system that works in Odisha

In 2013, when cyclone Phailin rattled the Indian coasts, the government of Odisha undertook the largest ever evacuation, shifting 11 lakh people into safety.

The state stood strong as rains lashed the landscape, and death toll was contained to 21. Next year when cyclone Hudhud hit Odisha, the death toll was contained to just two.

Actions taken by the state government

• The Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) was established in 1999, much before the Disaster Management Act was passed in 2005.
• OSDMA was the first disaster management authority centre established in India, or perhaps the world, given its scale of operations.
• Odisha, along with Assam, Gujarat, and Bihar are the only states with active State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs).
• These states have their own offices, management, and staff. In most states, SDMAs are still being run out of the State Revenue Department Office, which is a temporary arrangement.

Developing manpower, infrastructure, and skill

• Across the vulnerable areas of Odisha, OSDMA has built close to 800 multipurpose cyclone and flood shelters.
• These shelters are in line with designs proposed by IIT Kharagpur. These silted structures have open spaces in the ground floor for water to fill in as people take shelter on the first floor.
• All vulnerable regions in Odisha have active Cyclone Management Centers, which are community-based organizations with the local Sarpanch as the president.
• At each centre, young volunteers have been trained in rescue operations.
• OSDMA has raised 20 units of Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF), comprised of highly trained personnel with multi-disaster tackling capabilities. They are trained in tackling floods, building collapses, cyclones, biological and nuclear disasters.
• The state government has also constructed the State Institute of Disaster Management (SIDM) at Gothapatna to train officials, personnel of the ODRAF, fire department, and people living in vulnerable areas in disaster management.

Alertness is the key

• Odisha plans to create a network of weather forecasting doppler radars across the state. The ones in Gopalpur and Paradip are already operational, while two more radars are planned in Balasore and Sambalpur.
• The fishermen are the first to be alerted. “There are radio announcements made a week prior to the onset of the cyclone. The moment the cyclone starts building in the Bay of Bengal, the government starts announcing — keep clear, keep clear.
• In case of river floods, OSDMA receives information 24-48 hours prior to the disaster.
• Odisha has recently implemented its ambitious Early Warning Dissemination System (EWDS).
• Using the mechanism, OSDMA can activate sirens across 122 towers operational across the state’s 480 km coastline, alerting the population at the press of a single button

In contrast to the above pointers, it is pertinent to discuss The Public Accounts Committee's report submitted on December 10, 2015.

Key Findings then: also remains true of the situation prevalent now

• Disaster Planning: There was a seven year delay, from 2006 to 2013, in finalizing the National Plan. The Committee stated that the plan should be updated on time and this has to be a comprehensive yet regular exercise.
• Role of NEC: It is required to meet at least once in three months. However, the audit found that it had met infrequently even when there had been disasters. The Committee recommended that the NEC either meet more often to better perform its role, or delegate its responsibilities to another authority.
• Functioning of NDMA: Under the Act, it is to have an Advisory Committee comprising experts in the field of disaster management. It was noted that the constitution of Advisory Committee has remained an ad-hoc exercise.
• Funding arrangements: The Committee noted that the centre, states and districts had not constituted Mitigation Funds from which money could be utilized on disaster preparedness, restoration, etc. The Committee recommended that these Funds be constituted at the national, state and district levels urgently so that mitigation activities may be pursued.
• Communication technology: Projects undertaken for strengthening the communications network for disaster management were either at the planning stage, or were delayed.
• Disaster Response: The Committee noted that in 2012, 27% posts in the National Disaster Response Force(NDRF) were vacant. As of now as well, key functionaries' posts are vacant.
• Disaster specific preparedness: With regard to floods, the Committee observed that there were several deficiencies in the forecasting infrastructure. These include non-functional telemetry systems (used for measurement and communication) and absence of dedicated communication facilities in forecasting stations.

While domestic capabilities are unevenly adding up, at global scale, India is striving its best to align itself with the higher standards.

The “Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030” was adopted during the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction held in Sendai, Japan.

UNISDR supports the implementation, follow-up and review of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.

UNISDR’s vision is anchored on the four priorities for action set out in the Sendai Framework:

• Understanding disaster risk.
• Strengthening disaster risk governance to manage disaster risk.
• Investing in disaster risk reduction for resilience.
• Enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response and to “Build Back Better” in recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction.

Disaster management: India is not completely ready

• After every disaster, its aftermath and adverse impacts raise a lot of questions about the status of preparedness.
• Following the Uttarakhand floods in 2013 and Kashmir floods in 2014, it was only after a lot of questions were raised and criticism directed at preparedness practices that flood forecast stations were set-up in these two states.
• High-tech warning systems on the ground will not be useful until the authorities, key stakeholders and communities are trained to act upon the information obtained from these facilities.
• Different stakeholders need to come together for mapping risks, vulnerabilities, and resources; engage in regular preparedness actions like drills and capacity building; develop and update emergency plans; check the availability of resources at the local level; and act upon early warning intimations.
• While the government works towards strengthening systems and mechanisms for preparedness and response, civil society has a major role to play, at the community level, for disaster preparedness.

Learning Aid

Practice Question:

India continue to follow a relief-centric approach despite enforcing Disaster Management Act, 2005 which focuses on preparedness. Analyze the need for investing in disaster preparedness and mitigation across the country, taking a cue from Odisha model.

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