Odisha needs updated disaster atlas to prepare for storms
The recent landfall of Cyclone Arnab in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha highlighted gaps in predictive capabilities and disaster management.
According to The New Indian Express, the recent landfall of Cyclone Arnab in Andhra Pradesh on October 28 and its subsequent movement into southern Odisha has highlighted the need for updated disaster management strategies.
The storm caused significant damage in the Ganjam, Gajapati and Kandhamal districts of Odisha. In Ganjam, which has a population of over 40 lakh people, 70 per cent of the monthly average rainfall fell within a two-day period.
The heavy rainfall led to flooding that prevented the administration from reaching certain areas for two days, necessitating aerial evacuations and the delivery of relief supplies via helicopters.
In Kandhamal, one landslide resulted in three deaths, while a second landslide is feared to have trapped 12 people, prompting a large-scale search operation.
The India Meteorological Department had predicted the storm would pass over Malkangiri on the night of October 28, but the landfall at the Andhra coast took more than eight hours. This discrepancy meant resources were deployed in Malkangiri while the storm instead inundated Ganjam and triggered landslides in Kandhamal.
The government has announced a special package that includes cash assistance for every affected family.