Mitigation Measures for Cyclones

Mitigation Measures for Cyclones

Question: Cyclones cause widespread devastation and damage to India’s coastal cities. Discuss the major mitigation measures which can be taken to overcome cyclones such as Nilopher in India.

Mitigation measures can help in effective disaster management during cyclones. They are as follows:

• Helipads should be constructed at regular intervals through highways and roads built in BOT mode

• Helipads should be along highways; sites for air landing should also be available for vulnerable locations such as schools, playgrounds and so on

• Support should be provided to amateur radio volunteers at normal times so that they can effectively handle the cyclone

• Maintenance of embankments should be crafted with fine workmanship to mitigate flooding risk during cyclones

• Incentivising measure should be there to reward states for disaster preparedness

• Call for zero casualty should not encourage suppression of data

• Long term mitigation measures should also be in place in district plans
• In coastal towns and cities, building rules need to be revisited and structural safety is a must; cyclone resilient structures must be constructed

• Infrastructure in vulnerable areas such as roads, public buildings, bridges, communication systems and key infrastructure such as airports and hospitals must be resilient to cyclones

• Ageing test and assessment of retrofitting requirements should be mandatory for major city buildings beyond 15 to 20 years old

• Coastal Regulation Zone norms should be strictly enforced

• Coastal Zone Regulatory Authority should be created under central auspices with state counterpart organisations covering the entire coastline of the country for management of marine resources and reserve forests

• Planning as well as balancing of the coastal vegetation and green cover should be taken up

• Suitable guidelines should be framed by states for construction of hoardings

• Evacuation routes in disaster management plans should be delineated prior to onset of monsoons

• Telecom systems need to be robust wherein coastal mobile towers must be able to bear winds at speeds of 250 km/hr

• Alternative channels of communications should be set up including VF/HUF sets, satellite phones, radio, community radio, internet and loud speakers for communication during the crisis

• Underground power cable and utility lines should also be planned in a manner that they are functional and financially viable

• Last mile connectivity must be ensured

• Comprehensive state insurance cover needs to be provided for persons, their properties and cattle

Facts and Stats

• Early warning systems such as IMD, CWC, INCOIS are there for disaster management in the event of cyclones

• Advisory service providers during cyclones include:
- Agromet Advisory Service(IMD)
- Potential Fishing Zone Advisory Services(INCOIS)
- Agriculture advisory service (Department of Agriculture)

• Other stakeholders in effective cyclone management include the following:
- Road, rail and civil aviation authorities
- Disaster Management Agencies
- Defence, police, power, telecom, health, water and sanitation
- Educational authorities
- Print and Electronic Media
- NGOs
- Organisations of public and private sector across coastline
- Citizens