Cyclone Biparjoy- Importance of a preparedness plan

On 15 June 2023, Gujarat coast was hit by cyclone Biparjoy. It was categorized as ‘very severe cyclonic storm’ with max. wind speed of 115-125 kmph gusting to 140 kmph. Cyclone was also associated with heavy rainfall in several cities of Gujarat. Biparjoy which means ‘disaster’ in Bengali was expected to have devastating impacts, but effective implementation of cyclone preparedness plan by State government helped in saving lives & minimizing damages.

The State’s preparedness included early warnings, evacuation of vulnerable population, setting up emergency shelters, identifying hospitals for medical aid, deployment of NDRF & SDRF teams for rescue operation, medical aid & provision of essential supplies. Prompt detection of cyclonic storm by IMD & effective coordination among agencies played a key role. Response actions were as per Cyclone Preparedness Response Plan prepared by State’s Disaster Management Authority- GSDMA in 2014. As per the plan, Revenue dept. is the primary agency responsible for emergency response & relief, while GSDMA is the nodal agency for formulation of policies, planning, coordination & monitoring. Local government’s coordination was crucial for providing assistance where ever needed, boosting relief distribution & last mile dissemination of alerts. For e.g., Fire & Emergency services of Dwarka Municipality was involved in rescue efforts. Surat MC’s garden dept. was responsible for trimming trees to avoid accidents.

Yearly, nine cyclones hit Indian coastline on an average. Studies find that east coast is more vulnerable compared to the west. With increasing frequencies, government’s approach towards disasters is slowly changing from post-disaster relief to pre-disaster preparedness to ensure zero casualties. Gujarat’s response is a good example that highlights the importance of an early warning system & coordination of agencies in disaster risk reduction. But to build resilience, India needs to improve technology integration, address issues related to community engagement & improve the vulnerable coastal infrastructure that poses as a challenge in evacuation.

Does you city have a cyclone preparedness plan?