Why do demon storms like Dana get so upset when they come to Odisha? How did this state become a role model 25 years after the super cyclone?

New Delhi: Cyclonic storm Dana has started wreaking havoc in Odisha. In the last 24 hours, this storm hit the coasts of Bhitkarnika in Kendrapara district and Dhamra in Bhadrak district at a speed of 120 kilometers per hour. It is believed that this storm is likely to affect the entire population of Odisha. In Odisha, 10 lakh people from 14 districts have to be evacuated to safe places. Apart from Odisha, the storm has also affected states like Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal.
It has been 25 years since the super cyclone devastation in Odisha. Then 1.8 crore people were affected in this disaster. More than 10 thousand people had to lose their lives. In these 25 years, Odisha has transformed itself in such a way that it can prove to be an example for other states in terms of better disaster management. After all, how a small Bimaru state changed itself and became a role model for the entire country. Know the story of development.

Years of preparation made Odisha a shield

Odisha’s years of planning and preparation resulted in deaths from the powerful cyclones never crossing double digits. When Cyclone Phailin hit Odisha’s shores in 2013, Odisha carried out one of the most successful disaster management efforts in the world. Nearly 10 lakh people were evacuated ahead of the most powerful cyclone to hit the country since the super cyclone. When another powerful cyclone Fani struck in 2019, the Odisha government showed a high level of preparedness and evacuated about 12 lakh people based on these forecasts.

Became the first state to create a disaster management system

Odisha became the first state in India to set up a disaster management authority in the wake of the super cyclone in 1999. Whereas the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) was established in 2005. Odisha prepared for such disasters for years and today it easily overcomes such storms. Minor damage occurs during storms.

Disaster cadre made of 1 lakh people who are angels

Importantly, the state abandoned the traditional approach to disaster management by placing local communities at the center of efforts. As such, more than 1 lakh cadre of grassroots level people – gram panchayats, women self-help groups and volunteers – were trained to reduce disaster risks and manage rescue and relief operations. Every year in June and November, OSDMA organizes two large community-based mock drills across the state, involving multiple government departments, district collectors, gram panchayats, NGOs and thousands of trained volunteers.

More than 800 disaster shelters and disaster resistant houses were built

More than 800 multi-purpose cyclone shelters have been created along with evacuation roads all along the coastline in Odisha. Embankments are also being built to protect coastal villages from sea entry. Many vulnerable families were given new multi-risk disaster resistant houses made of straw huts.

First state to create early warning system

Most importantly, Odisha is the first Indian state to have created an Early Warning System to disseminate disaster related information. About 1,200 villages in all the coastal districts of the state now receive cyclone or tsunami warnings through sirens and mass messages.

Monitoring towers at more than 120 coastal places

To protect against the devastation caused by the storm in Odisha, monitoring towers have been installed at more than 120 coastal locations. Which give early warning of storm. There is also an urgent need to protect the coast of Odisha from sea erosion, for which large embankments are being built.

What are the 4 strategies for effective disaster management of Odisha?

Odisha’s disaster management model includes community-centric preparedness, large-scale evacuation efforts in the event of cyclones, mock drills and creation of disaster-resistant infrastructure. It includes state gram panchayats, women self-help groups and volunteers.

What are the challenges facing Odisha in disaster management?

Along with the risks of climate change, Odisha is prepared for more intense cyclones, heat waves, floods and sea erosion, further strengthening disaster risk management. he/she is exploring advanced technology that reduces the risk of cyclones or storms.