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Cyclone Idai

The cause, primary and secondary effects and immediate and long term responses to Cyclone Idai

Cyclones are tropical storms that occur in the Indian Ocean. Cyclone Idai is the strongest tropical cyclone on record to affect Africa and the Southern Hemisphere.

Cyclone Idai satellite image

What caused Cyclone Idai?

In early March 2019, a storm cell brought heavy rains to Malawi before heading out to sea off the coast of Mozambique. The storm intensified into Cyclone Idai and returned to land on the evening of 14th March 2019. Often, storms that develop there don’t strengthen as much as those that form north and east of Madagascar, but Cyclone Idai was fed by warm water temperatures. The storm, with winds of up to 115 mph/185 kph and more than 150mm of rain in 24 hours, wreaked havoc in the Mozambique port city of Beira, home to 500,000 people, along with surrounding districts. It then swept inland and on to Zimbabwe. The storm caused widespread devastation and the loss of life and livelihoods of hundreds of thousands more people.

The location of Cyclone Idai

March 3 2019

Tropical disturbance forms.

The tropical disturbance that would become Cyclone Idai develops and begins to strengthen near the coast of Africa.

March 5th 2019

Heavy rains cause severe flooding across Mozambique and Malawi.

March 11 2019

Tropical depression.

Now a tropical depression, the storm becomes more intense between coastal  Africa and Madagascar. 

March 14-15 2019

Tropical cyclone idai makes landfall.

Tropical Cyclone Idai makes landfall near Beira, Mozambique, as a Category 2 storm with sustained winds exceeding 105 mph.

March 20 2019

Heavy rain continues.

Heavy rains continue along with search and rescue operations and damage assessments.

March 21 to 27

Aid response.

Governments and humanitarian aid agencies begin responding with life-saving relief supplies to the affected areas.

Search called off

The Mozambique government calls off the search for survivors of Cyclone Idai.

Cholera Cases

Cholera cases in Mozambique top 1,400, according to health officials.

What were the effects?

Flooding in Southern Africa has affected nearly 3 million people in Mozambique, Malawi, and Zimbabwe since the rain began in early March and Cyclone Idai struck March 14 and 15. The death toll has exceeded 843 people, and many more remain missing. Over 1 million people were displaced by the storm.

It was not just heavy rainfall that led to flooding, storm surges between 3.5m to 4m hit the coastal city of Beira. The ocean floor along the coast by Mozambique is conducive to give storm surges.

The image below shows the area around Beira before and after the cyclone.

According to the Red Cross, up to 90% of Beira, Mozambique’s fourth largest city, has been damaged or destroyed. The devastated city became an island amid the flooded area with communications, power and clean water severely disrupted or non-existent. Houses, roads and crops disappeared beneath the water that was six metres (19ft) deep in places. Rescuers struggling to reach survivors who may have spent up to a week sheltering on roofs and in trees. A woman gave birth in a mango tree while escaping floods in central Mozambique.

The coastal lowlands, located between the higher plateau and the mountainous areas to the west near the Zimbabwean border were the hardest hit by the floods.

At least 180 people in Zimbabwe known to have been killed by landslides triggered by Idai. Nasa satellite images depict the extensive landslide activity associated with Cyclone Idai . The landslides were partly caused by deforestation.

People were still being rescued a week and a half after the storm.

As flood waters receded, survivors struggled to obtain food, clean water, and shelter.

According to the World Bank the cyclone affected about 3 million people, damaging infrastructure and livelihoods. Unicef reported that over half of the 3 million people in urgent need of humanitarian help were children.

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) says that Cyclone Idai wiped out a whole year’s worth of crops across swathes of Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe. At least 1 million acres of crops were destroyed.

The cyclone is expected to cost Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe more than $2bn, the World Bank has said.

Cholera infected at least 1,052 people in Mozambique’s cyclone-hit region.

What was the immediate response?

As part of the forward planning for severe weather, safe zones had been created in rural areas of Mozambique for evacuation above the flood plain . However, the flooding was far worse than had been expected.

The meteorological office of Mozambique, Inam, issued weather alerts as the storm developed. The highest possible alert was raised by the government three days before the cyclone struck, telling people to evacuate threatened areas.

Some people were evacuated by boat before the cyclone struck, however many people in rural areas didn’t respond to the warnings or were not aware of them.

According to the mayor of the Mozambican city of Beira, the government failed to warn people in the areas worst hit by Cyclone Idai despite a “red alert” being issued two days before it struck.

The South African air force and the Indian army, which happened to have a ship in the area, drove the initial rescue effort. Opposition groups in Mozambique blamed the limited government preparation and response on corruption.

Last year, the government of Mozambique received support from international donors for a disaster fund of $18.3m (£13.9m) for 2018 and 2019. This is the main source of funding for any disaster response and is intended specifically for search and rescue within the first 72 hours.

More than 130,000 newly homeless people were taken into reception centres.

Two weeks after the disaster 900,000 doses of oral cholera vaccines arrived in the cyclone-battered Beira city, from the global stockpile for an emergency, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

As flood waters receded the International Committee of the Red Cross supported flood-affected communities to recover bodies, identify them and bury them in clearly marked graves.

The Mozambique government announced the search and rescue operation to find survivors from Cyclone Idai was over two weeks after the storm.

With the help of OpenStreetMap – an open-source mapping resource – thousands of volunteers worldwide digitised satellite imagery and created maps of the affected area to support ground workers. Through the Missing Maps Project , an army of arm-chair mappers has already mapped more than 200,000 buildings and nearly 17,000 km of roads in the affected areas.

A large number of international charities launched appeals to fund aid to support those affected by Cyclone Idai including The Red Cross, Unicef, DEC, CAFOD and MSF (Doctors Without Borders).

What was the long term response?

Two weeks after the storm the government of Mozambique announced a new phase in the recovery operation was beginning to help those affected and rebuild the education, health, energy, transport, industry and trade sectors, which were all devastated by the cyclone.

The UN has appealed for donations of $282m to fund emergency assistance for the next three months.

Useful Resources

NASA Products for Cyclone Idai 2019

Virtual OSOCC Tropical Cyclone Idai in Mozambique

Virtual OSOCC Tropical Cyclone Idai in Zimbabwe

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Study report on gaja cyclone 2018.

• Govt. India

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Executive Summary

Tamil Nadu is historically one of the most vulnerable States to tropical cyclone. The total geographical area of Tamil Nadu is 13 Million hectares and it has a coastline of 1,076 km which is about 15% of the coastline of India. The State is multi-hazard prone, the major natural hazards being Cyclonic storms, Urban and Rural floods, and periodic Droughts. Some of the tropical cyclones that hit Tamil Nadu are Gaja (2018), Ockhi (2017), Vardha (2016), Nilam (2012), Thane (2011), Jal (2010) and Nisha (2008).

Severe Cyclonic Storm Gaja originated as a low-pressure system over the Gulf of Thailand. The weak system intensified into a depression over the Bay of Bengal on November 10 and further intensified to a cyclonic storm on November 11, being classified 'Gaja'. Cyclone Gaja made landfall in South India, at Vedaranyam, Tamil Nadu. At the time of landfall of the cyclone, 100-120 kmph speed was experienced. The highest sustained speed was recorded in Adhirampattinam at 165 kmph and 160 kmph at Muthupet. The cyclone Gaja affected 08 districts of Tamil Nadu, namely, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Thiruvarur, Pudukottai, Karaikal, Cuddalore, Trichy and Ramanathapuram.

To build upon the learning of Cyclone “Gaja” and to document the lessons learnt and best practices, the present study was undertaken with the following objectives:

The objectives of this study were as follows:

• To critically analyze the role of disaster managers in the management of Cyclone Gaja with special reference to early warning, preparedness, impact, response, and community preparedness.

• To assess the impact of Cyclone Gaja on the infrastructure, services, and communities.

• To study the measures undertaken by the Central Government, State Governments and District Administrations to reduce the mortality and impact of cyclones in the State of Tamil Nadu.

• To document the best practices undertaken during the management of Cyclone Gaja.

• Suggest evidence-based recommendations for better management of Cyclones in the future.

Related Content

The story of a village and its transformation, action plan to prevent floods, leaving no one behind: lessons from the kerala disasters.

India + 1 more

Making humanitarian response more flexible and adaptable: Exploring new models and approaches - Southasiadisasters.net Issue No. 181, February 2019

Civilsdaily

No. 1 UPSC IAS Platform for preparation

[Burning Issue] Cyclones in India: From Devastation to Resilience

Central Idea

• India, with its extensive coastline, faces the challenge of cyclones, which can cause significant destruction.
• The recent landfall of Cyclone Biparjoy showcases India’s appraisable preparedness and mitigation efforts.
• This article discusses various aspects of cyclones, their types, impacts, and management measures in India.

Understanding Cyclones

Cyclones are large-scale air masses characterized by low atmospheric pressure at their center, creating a violent whirl in the atmosphere that moves from the ocean towards the coasts.

Types of Cyclones

• Tropical cyclones: These weather systems occur within the tropics, characterized by winds exceeding ‘Gale Force.’ They are powered by heat from the sea and driven by easterly trades and temperate westerlies.
• Extratropical cyclones: These develop in the mid and high latitudes beyond the tropics.
• Polar cyclones: Occurring over Polar Regions, these cyclones are particularly strong during the winter season.
• Meso-Cyclones: Vortices of air within convective storms, accompanied by thunderstorms.

Cyclogenesis: The Process of Cyclone Formation

Cyclogenesis refers to the development and strengthening of cyclonic circulation in the atmosphere in the tropics. Certain favourable conditions contribute to cyclogenesis:

• Warm sea surface temperature (above 26–27°C) and associated warming.
• High relative humidity in the atmosphere.
• Atmospheric instability promoting the formation of vertical cumulus clouds.
• Low vertical wind shear that prevents heat transfer from the area.
• Location at least 4–5 degrees latitude away from the equator in the intertropical convergence zone.

Tropical cyclones are characterized by heavy rainfall, violent winds, and storm surges that have a significant impact on human and animal life.

How are Cyclones named?

• Naming Authorities: Cyclones are named by Regional Specialized Meteorological Centers (RSMCs) and Tropical Cyclone Warning Centers (TCWCs) located in different regions worldwide. The IMD is responsible for naming cyclones in the North Indian Ocean region, including the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea.
• Collaboration among Nations: Nations in a specific region collaborate to name cyclones. In 2000, a group of nations including Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Thailand decided to name cyclones in the North Indian Ocean region. Five more countries were added in 2018: Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Yemen.
• Selection of Names: The Panel on Tropical Cyclones (PTC) of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the UN Economic and Social Commission for the Asia Pacific (ESCAP) finalizes the list of names. Member countries submit suggestions, and names are chosen to reflect cultural, social, or geographical significance.
• List of Names: The IMD released a list of 169 cyclone names in April 2020, including suggestions from member nations. These names are used sequentially as cyclones develop in the region.
• Naming Process: When a cyclone forms and meets the naming criteria, the responsible authority assigns the next name from the list. This name is used in official communications and advisories related to the cyclone, aiding in identification and tracking.
• Importance of Naming: Naming cyclones facilitates easy reference, communication, and awareness about their development, intensity, and impacts. It ensures effective dissemination of information among meteorological agencies, media, and the general public.

Classification of Tropical Cyclones in India

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) classifies tropical cyclones as per their intensity:

• Depression: Winds up to 51 kmph.
• Deep Depression: Winds between 52 and 61 kmph.
• Cyclonic Storm: Winds between 62 and 88 kmph.
• Severe Cyclonic Storm: Winds between 89 and 117 kmph.
• Very Severe Cyclonic Storm: Winds between 118 and 166 kmph.
• Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm: Winds between 167 and 221 kmph.
• Super Cyclonic Storm: Winds exceeding 221 kmph.

Most Vulnerable Area: Bay of Bengal Region

Cyclones originating in the Bay of Bengal are typically more intense than those in the Arabian Sea due to geographical factors:

• The Arabian Sea region experiences winds directed towards the Arabian Peninsula, leading to efficient heat dissipation and relatively cooler waters, unfavourable for cyclone formation.
• The shape of the landmasses surrounding the Bay of Bengal slows down and weakens winds, resulting in less efficient heat dissipation and continuous warm water surfaces.
• The presence of rivers like the Ganga and the Brahmaputra adds warm moisture to the Bay of Bengal, fueling cyclone intensification.
• The east coast’s characteristic shape attracts cyclones, and the Coriolis effect causes their movement in a northwest and anti-clockwise direction.
• The flat plains of the east coast offer little resistance to winds and incoming cyclones.

India and Cyclones

• India’s long coastline of 7,516 km makes it exposed to approximately 7% of the world’s tropical cyclones.
• The Bay of Bengal is the primary source of cyclones, with a ratio of 4:1 compared to the Arabian Sea.
• The frequency of cyclones in the North Indian Ocean Basin peaks during May-June and October-November.
• Cyclones originating in the Bay of Bengal often produce higher storm surges, impacting the east coast of India and Bangladesh.

Impacts of Cyclones

Cyclones have various detrimental effects, including:

• Damaging structures, infrastructure, and crops due to high-velocity winds.
• Storm surges causing loss of life, property damage, erosion, and reduced soil fertility.
• Disruption of livelihoods, particularly for coastal communities dependent on fishing.
• Health complications and diseases due to flooding and lack of access to essential services.
• Psychological impacts, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, among affected populations.

Devastating Cyclones in India

Several devastating cyclones have struck India since 1990, including the Odisha cyclone in 1999, cyclones Phailin in 2013, and HudHud in 2014. These cyclones caused significant loss of life and property.

Cyclone Management in India

Effective cyclone management requires a focus on preparedness, mitigation, response, and capacity development:

• Early Warning Systems: India utilizes various observational systems and the Indian Meteorological Department for accurate forecasts and warnings.
• Mitigation Measures: Structural measures include building cyclone shelters, maintaining infrastructure, and constructing embankments. Non-structural measures involve implementing coastal regulation guidelines and preserving natural bio-shields.
• Response Measures: These encompass relief, rescue, evacuation planning, restoring essential services, and rehabilitation efforts.
• Awareness Generation and Capacity Development: Promoting awareness at various levels, conducting mock drills, training response forces, and enhancing institutional capacity are essential.

Challenges in Cyclone Management in India

Despite progress, India faces several challenges in cyclone management:

• Insufficient emphasis on prevention rather than management.
• Vulnerability of the coastal population, particularly the poor and marginalized.
• Lack of coordination between stakeholders and local bodies.
• Inadequate early warning techniques and poor building practices.
• Limited preparedness of state disaster response forces.
• Lack of awareness among the population leading to chaotic responses.
• Ineffective regulation of coastal zones due to population pressure and corruption.
• Lack of coordination among local communities during search and rescue missions.

Transforming Cyclone Response: The Odisha Model

• Odisha, a coastal state in India, has been plagued by frequent cyclones for decades.
• However, through years of learning and strategic interventions, the state has achieved a remarkable transformation in its disaster management response.
• At the forefront of this change is Officer Pradeep Kumar Jena (IAS) , who has played a pivotal role in saving countless lives and minimizing the impact of cyclones.

This case study delves into the key aspects of Odisha’s disaster management approach and highlights the valuable lessons that other cyclone-prone states can learn from their experiences.

Key Findings:

Learning from past experiences: Every cyclone is unique, and Odisha has recognized the importance of analyzing previous disasters to improve its response mechanisms continually. After each cyclone, comprehensive evaluations are conducted to identify areas for improvement and refine disaster preparedness strategies.

Preparing for multiple challenges: In 2020, Odisha faced the dual challenges of cyclone Amphan and the COVID-19 pandemic. With no prior knowledge of managing a cyclone during a pandemic, the state had to adapt quickly. By converting school and college buildings into shelters and implementing strict guidelines, they successfully prevented the spread of the virus and managed the cyclone without any casualties.

Prioritizing vulnerable populations: Odisha’s proactive approach includes identifying and addressing the needs of vulnerable populations, such as pregnant women. During Cyclone Fani, immediate measures were taken to evacuate pregnant women to district and sub-divisional hospitals. This practice has become a standard procedure, ensuring the safety of both mothers and newborns.

Effective coordination and community involvement: A collective effort involving communities, district collectors, and the government has been instrumental in Odisha’s success. The state’s disaster management model emphasizes reaching affected areas promptly, with block headquarters reached within 24 hours, gram panchayats within 48 hours, and all villages within 72 hours. This swift response helps minimize destruction and save lives.

Recommendations for other states: To enhance disaster management and response in other cyclone-prone states, IAS officer Pradeep Kumar Jena suggests the following:

• Develop state-specific disaster response forces in addition to national agencies like NDRF, Army, and Navy.
• Empower gram panchayats to manage natural disasters effectively by granting certain powers and resources.
• Build a strong network of trained volunteers who can provide assistance during emergencies.
• Incorporate long-term planning to ensure adequate resources and infrastructure for disaster resilience.
• Collaborate with central and state governments to establish disaster-resilient assets that can minimize the impact of cyclones and floods.

To enhance cyclone management in India, there is a need to harmonize national and local disaster institutions, implement risk-proof measures, promote people-centric disaster management, involve the private sector, strengthen research and training, and raise awareness at all levels. Emulating successful models like Odisha’s can contribute to minimizing the impacts of future cyclones.

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Learning from Deaths in Disasters: The Case of Odisha, India

Nibedita S Ray-Bennett

Over the last 25 years, the world has seen a rise in the frequency of natural disasters in rich and poor countries alike. Today, there are more people at risk from natural hazards than ever before, with those in developing countries particularly at risk. T his essay series is intended to explore measures that have been taken, and could be taken, in order to improve responses to the threat or occurrence of natural disasters in the MENA and Indo-Pacific regions. Read  more ...  

Odisha (renamed from Orissa in 2011) is one of the eastern states in the Indian union . According to the 2011 census the population of Odisha was at about 41 million, which makes it the 11th most populated state in India. [1] Odisha has 30 districts, [2] of which 13 are coastal. The coastal districts are highly prone to cyclones, floods, droughts, and heat waves due to geographic location. Its coastline adjoins the Bay of Bengal for 300 miles, which makes it four to five times more likely to experience storms than it would if it were located in the Arabian Sea. Tropical cyclones from the Bay of Bengal bring severe and widespread destruction, especially when accompanied by storm surges, high winds, and extreme rainfall that results in riverine flooding. [3]

On October 29-30, 1999, Odisha was hit by a cyclone affecting all coastal districts. The Indian Meteorological Department called it a ‘super cyclone’ due to its high wind velocity of 170-185 miles per hour; its unprecedented storm surge, which was 16-23 feet high; and the torrential rainfall over 48 hours, which caused devastating floods in the major river basins. The intensity of the cyclone killed more than 10,000 people, [4] caused severe economic devastation, and activated the Orissa Relief Code (the then sole disaster policy document for the state). It also put Odisha in the spotlight internationally because the super cyclone coincided with the tail end of the United Nations International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (I.D.N.D.R.). [5]

Fourteen years after the super cyclone, on October 12, 2013, Odisha was hit by Cyclone Phailin, which was accompanied by a storm surge of 5 feet and heavy rainfall that caused extensive floods in the major river basins. According to the National Institute of Disaster Management, 45 people were reported killed (44 in Odisha and 1 in Andhra Pradesh). [6] This begs the question as to what the Government of Odisha did that contributed to the relatively low death toll. We have provided some answers in this article based on three months of fieldwork and seven interviews with senior officials.

Compared to the super cyclone of 1999, Phailin was less intense in three aspects. The wind velocity of the super cyclone reached 185 miles per hour, compared to 160 miles per hour in Phailin. [7] Second, the storm surge reached 11 feet in the coastal regions, according to United Nations Environment Programme, compared to 20 feet during the super cyclone. [8] Third, a 24-hour precipitation total of 6.5 inches was recorded on October 13, 2013, whereas a 24-hour precipitation total of about 20.5 inches was recorded at the weather station of Paradip on October 30, 1999. [9] Although the anatomy of these two tropical cyclones differed, they are comparable on two grounds: first, they tested the disaster management systems of Odisha to their limits. Second, they presented a window of opportunity to assess the strengths and limitations of the disaster management system built by the government and nongovernment organizations, at the interface with technology between 1999 and 2013.

Why Were There More Than 10,000 Deaths in the Super Cyclone?

We argue that the high death toll in 1999 was due to lack of coordination, communication, and complacent worldviews that existed in the disaster management system. Coordination problems arise when ‘core information’ is unavailable for Category 1 and 2 responders to develop an effective response system. Core information is the most valuable information both to avoid unnecessary deaths and to increase the efficacy of a disaster response system. This information is generated by meteorologists and meteorological offices using early warning systems. The unavailability of this core information will 'blind' a response system. [10]

 According to the director of the Indian Meteorological Department in Odisha, coordination of core information failed because:

Prior to 1999 there was no coordination between the government departments. The technology was underdeveloped. We had to rely on New Delhi and Kolkata for weather forecasts over telephone. There was delay in receiving weather warnings. [11]

According to Harriman, [12] the Indian Meteorological Department was able to generate early warnings for the super cyclone only two days prior, compared to four days prior in the case of Phailin. The delay in generating core information affected the decision making processes of local responders. Decision making is a crucial component of coordination in uncertain situations. Leadership is also a critical component of decision-making. [13] Critics blamed the then chief minister of the state, Mr. Giridhar Gamang, for his weak leadership. He was unable to rise to the situation as a leader of the state, to generate an objective of saving lives for his government and his bureaucrats. The consequence of this was unnecessary human deaths.

In addition, the communication systems—both in terms of generating and disseminating an effective early warning—were underdeveloped. The failure of the coordination system was described as “lack of [a] plan and planning” by the district emergency officer of Ganjam, and “no coordination” whatsoever by the director of the Indian Meteorological Department. [14] This lack of coordination was hindered further because “there was no authority to monitor relief and rescue” operations from Bhubaneswar [15] according to the district emergency officer of Ganjam. Lack of coordination was also acknowledged as a major failure during the super cyclone, by the deputy relief commissioner of the Special Relief Organisation. [16]

The coordination suffered further, due to a culture of complacency, which was rife in 1999—both at home and abroad. It was only in the midterm evaluation of the I.D.N.D.R. in 1994 in Yokohama, Japan that the international community began to grasp the deleterious effect of disasters on the developing world. [17]  Proactive disaster management, even at the international level, was in its early stages.

During the super cyclone, this unpreparedness manifested through a reactive response system, inadequate measures for evacuation, and a lack of imagination among the district-level responders. A culture of complacency was also rife among the at-risk population, which did not heed the early warnings due to a fatalistic mind-set, which hindered evacuation. [18] The evacuation process was further hindered by a lack of shelters. In 1999 there were only 75 cyclone shelters on the entire coastline. [19] These shelters, which were built by the Red Cross Society, saved thousands of lives. The culture of complacency was fueled further by a “lack of experiencing” a devastating cyclone prior to 1999. [20] So, neither the responding actors nor the at-risk population imagined that a hazard of low-probability but of such great impact could affect Odisha coastal areas. Together, these factors contributed to a disaster management system that was disjointed, ill-prepared, and as a consequence, was unable to save lives during the super cyclone.

How Were Deaths Prevented in Cyclone Phailin?

Jagatsinghpur's district emergency officer described the period between 1999 and 2013 as an “inter-disaster period . ” During this period, the Government of Odisha developed a new disaster management system which had two notable features. [21] First, there was increased interaction between the national and state governments, Indian Meteorological Department, nongovernmental organizations, and the at-risk communities. Second, this new disaster management system interfaced with technology. In doing so, the government was able to rectify the issues of coordination failure, communication failure, and the conservative world views evident in 1999 super cyclone.

In the aftermath of the super cyclone, the capacity of the Indian Meteorological Department was enhanced by space technology, the Meteo France International synergy system and a high-power computing system in order to help with predictions. [22] Furthermore, in 2007 the Government of India passed the first Disaster Management Act, which among other things, created a knowledge network that included the Indian Meteorological Department, Earth System Science Observation, the Indianan Space Research Organisation, Central Water Commission, Geological Survey of India, and National Remote Sensing Centre. [23] This network was crucial in generating core information during Phailin, which was effectively communicated to the at-risk population. [24] Information and communication tools such as media, mobile text messaging, hotlines and VSat—to name just a few—were fully exploited to disseminate the core information to the at-risk population.

The generation of accurate core information prior to Phailin’s landfall was instrumental in developing an effective response system. It helped guide primary responders’ actions. As a result, responders were able to evacuate 1.2 million people from 18 districts. [25] This evacuation is considered as one of the largest emergency operations ever undertaken in India. [26] An operation of this scale was only possible because of the coordination between actors, the availability of core information, effective evacuation planning, flexibility in the standard operating procedures, and responders' dedication and commitment to save lives.

Leadership is central to promoting an effective response system as well as counteracting complacent world views. Mr. Naveen Patnaik, the chief minister of Odisha, provided much-needed leadership in the aftermath of the super cyclone. From 2000 onwards, he commemorated October 29 as Disaster Preparedness Day for Odisha. This created a culture of disaster preparedness. He also concentrated much of his effort in building the state's infrastructure—one that is essential to supporting a disaster response system. Thanks to funds made available by the World Bank and the central government, Patnaik was able to build roads, bridges, concrete houses, and multipurpose cyclone shelters. [27] Good road conditions as well as their connectivity with cyclone shelters facilitated the evacuation process during Phailin. [28]

During Cyclone Phailin, Patnaik also exhibited the traits of a strategic leader by declared "saving precious lives" to be “a goal” [29]  for all actors involved in mitigating the effect of the storm. This goal was communicated to the district and village level responders. This led to a dramatic reduction in deaths.

What Can We Learn From the Case of Odisha?

Several lessons can be generalized from the case of Odisha. Three in particular are mentioned here. First, deaths in disasters can be reduced even by poor nation-states when the disaster management system is aligned skillfully. Here, the generation of accurate core information as well as effective coordination and communication of this information with the relevant actors to develop an effective response system is crucial. In this light, the modern disaster management system is conceived as a system that works in interface with humans and technology. As such, policy makers and U.N. bodies should invest both in technology and capacity development in order to promote effective coordination and communication. This system should also work closely with early warning systems rather than in isolation.

Second, the case of Odisha illustrates the increasing role and involvement of political leadership before, during, and after a disaster. When there is proactive political leadership, a disaster response system can be aligned with the goal of saving lives. Political leadership can promote a culture of disaster preparedness, too. In the case of Phailin, the chief minister set as a goal “saving lives at any cost.” [30]  Accordingly, all actors and responders organized themselves to achieve this target. In this light, the United Nations and other international funding organizations could do a great deal by encouraging political leadership to implement ‘priorities for action’ for effective disaster management.

Third, reducing deaths in disasters is of paramount importance, and indicates how robust the system is. This ethos is now reflected in the first global target of the United Nations’s Sendai Framework for Action (2015-2030), [31] which urges reducing “global disaster mortality by 2030.” The case of Odisha suggests that setting an objective of reducing deaths and promoting a socio-technical disaster management system—and a culture of disaster preparedness—are vital ingredients for achieving the first global target of the Sendai Framework.

[1] Population Census 2011, Census Organization of India, “Orissa Population Census Data 2011,” accessed January 5, 2016, http://www.census2011.co.in/census/state/orissa.html .

[2] “Indian states comprise a three-tier administrative structure. Several gram sansad (villages) or wards (hamlets) constitute a gram panchayat (GP), several GPs constitute a panchayat samiti (PS) or block, and several PSs constitute a zilla parishad or a district.” See Nibedita S. Ray-Bennett, Caste, Class and Gender in Multiple Disasters: The Experiences of Women-Headed Households in an Oriya Village (Saarbrucken: VDM Verlag, 2009), 12.

[3] Government of Odisha, Managing Disasters in Orissa: Background, Challenges and Perspectives (Bhubaneswar: Orissa State Disaster Mitigation Authority, 2002).

[4] The World Bank, “Cyclone Devastation Averted: India Weathers Phailin,” October 17, 2013, accessed April 27, 2016, http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2013/10/17/india-cyclone-phail… .

[5] The U.N. General Assembly, in December 1987, declared the 1990s as the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction.

[6] National Institute of Disaster Management, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, India Disaster Report 2013, accessed April 27, 2016, http://nidm.gov.in/PDF/pubs/India%20Disaster%20Report%202013.pdf , 41.

[7] S. Haeseler, “Super cyclone Phailin across India in October 2013,” Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD) (2013), accessed April 5, 2016, https://www.dwd.de/EN/ourservices/specialevents/storms/20131018_phailin_indien_en.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=3 .

[8] L. Harriman, “Cyclone Phailin in India: Early warning and timely actions saves lives,” UNEP Global Environmental Alert Services (GEAS) (2013), accessed May 20, 2015, http://na.unep.net/geas/archive/pdfs/GEAS_Feb2013_DustStorm.pdf .

[9] Haeseler, “Super-Cyclone Phailin.”  

[10] Louise K. Comfort, Kilkon Ko, and Adam Zagorecki, “Coordination in rapidly evolving disaster response systems: The role of information,” American Behavioural Scientist , 48 (2004): 295-313.

[11] Summarized from author’s field diary, meeting held in Bhubaneswar on July 21, 2014, Indian Meteorology Office.

[12] Harriman, “Cyclone Phailin.”

[13] Peter Senge, “The leader’s new work: Building learning organizations,” Sloan Management Review 32 (1990): 7-23.

[14] Harriman, “Cyclone Phailin.”

[15] Bhubaneswar is the capital of Odisha.

[16] Harriman, “Cyclone Phailin.”

[17] Elaine Enarson, “Through women’s eyes: A gender research agenda for disaster social science,” Disasters 22 (1998): 157-73.

[18] Kishor C. Samal, Shibalal Meher, and Nilkantha Panigrahi, Beyond Relief Disaster Mitigation, Livelihood Rehabilitation and the Post-Cyclone Recovery in Orissa: Village Level Studies in Three Most Cyclone Affected Districts in Orissa (Bhubaneswar: Nabo Krishna Centre for Development Studies Publication, 2003).

[19] Harriman, “Cyclone Phailin.”

[20] Samal et al., Beyond Relief.

[21] Government of Odisha, Procedures/guidelines for maintenance of records relating to the relief operations on account of natural calamities (No. 768/SR), (Bhubaneswar: Office of the Special Relief Commissioner, 2012), accessed June 2, 2015, http://www.odisha.gov.in/disaster/src/Procedure_Guidelines/Maintenance_NC.pdf .

[22] Bibhuti Barik, “Met Office goes digital,” The Telegraph , February 18, 2014; and interview with the Director of Indian Meteorology Department in Bhubaneswar, July 22, 2014.

[23] Sanjay K. Srivastava, “Making a technological choice for disaster management and poverty alleviation,” Disasters 33 (2009): 58-81.

[24] Interview with the Director of Indian Meteorology Department in Bhubaneswar, July 21-22, 2014.

[25] B.N. Mishra, “Tryst with Phailin: The deadliest cyclone in 2013,” The Response 13 (2013): 5-7.

[26] “Disaster Update: Cyclone Phailin,” Disaster Recovery Journal , October 16, 2013, accessed April 27, 2016, http://www.drj.com/industry/industry-hot-news/disaster-update-cyclone-p… .

[27] State Programme Officer of U.N.D.P., interview by author, Bhubaneswar, July 23, 2014.

[28] Deputy Relief Commissioner interview by author, Bhubaneswar, July 23, 2014..

[29] Gwilym Meirion Jenkins, “The systems approach,” Journal of Systems Engineering 1 (1969): 3-49.

[30] District Emergency Officer of Puri, interview with author, Puri, July 31, 2014.

[31] The Sendai Framework is the successor of the Hyogo Framework. It is a 15-year, voluntary, non-binding agreement approved by the 185 U.N. Member States in the Third U.N. World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction, held from March 14 to 18, 2015 in Sendai, Japan. World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR) resolution, “Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030,” March 18, 2015, accessed June 25, 2015, http://www.preventionweb.net/files/43291_sendaiframeworkfordrren.pdf .

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