Risk Returns

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and issuing of tropical weather outlooks. Table 2 provides details

of the nodal organizations responsible for disaster management

in the four member countries (Bangladesh, India, Maldives, and

Sri Lanka) of the Bay of Bengal Programme Inter-Governmental

Organisation (BOBP-IGO).

Cyclone preparedness activities in the region

Key programmes on cyclone preparedness and vulnerability

reduction have been implemented in the four BOBP-IGO member-

countries, generating important lessons for the region.

India

On 6 November 1996, a tropical cyclone with a wind speed of

220 kilometres per hour and tidal surge of more than 2.2 metres

crossed the coast of East Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh, India.

Approximately 3,000 people perished in the cyclone and property

worth millions of US $ was destroyed. This cyclone focused attention

on the need to take a fresh look at disasters and their management

in India. Subsequently, in early 1997, the Food and Agriculture

Organization of the United Nations implemented a Technical

Cooperation Programme in association with the Ministry of

Agriculture, Government of India and the Department of Fisheries,

Government of Andhra Pradesh. This pilot project, implemented in

and around Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, was aimed at investigating

and introducing measures that could reduce the vulnerability of

fishing communities to cyclones.

It yielded many important lessons

on effective cyclone disaster prevention and mitigation, which are

summarized below:

Cyclone forecasting and warning

For communities living in the coastal areas, survival is dependent on

• Early warnings that are timely, readily comprehensible and

perceived to be accurate and reliable for their locality

• Availability and effectiveness of evacuation measures

• Availability of cyclone shelters or other safe buildings.

Similarly, survival at sea is dependent on the capacity to

receive warnings as well as the capability of the vessel and

crew to escape, find shelter or ride out the storm. For those

who survive the immediate effects of the cyclone, timely

rescue and relief may be required to ensure survival in the

aftermath. At the community level too, there needs to be

considerable awareness and educational work on how to

best adapt forecasts and improve comprehension and trust

among communities. Such work should build on indig-

enous knowledge about cyclones.

Connection between development and disaster preparedness

For community disaster preparedness to be sustainable,

there needs to be long-term follow up by the Government

and non-governmental organizations. Further, to assure

sustainability the work needs to be interwoven with

other livelihood and developmental activities undertaken

by the Government and other civil society organizations

in areas such as sanitation, water supply, education and

housing, which are all vulnerable to disasters.

Gender mainstreaming

Gender balance is essential at all levels of disaster

preparedness as women are frequently the caretakers

and provide for basic survival. They also have a number

of particular problems and perspectives that are differ-

ent from those experienced by men in a disaster.

Creative approach to cyclone shelters

Such facilities in the coastal areas should have

multi-purpose functions and could serve as schools,

community halls, offices, etc., besides providing

shelter from cyclones in an emergency. They should be

constructed and managed with full participation and

involvement of the local community.

Safe anchorages and berthing places can reduce damage to boats

and gear during cyclones

Mangroves act as bio-shields and help in mitigating the effects of

cyclones and storm surges

Image: Yugraj Yadava