THE super cyclone ‘Fani’ lashed coastal areas of eastern India on Friday morning with torrential rain and winds gusting up to 200 kilometres per hour. A million people had evacuated before it made landfall. Tropical Cyclone Fani finally struck the coast of state at around 8 am local time, Chief Minister of Odisha Naveen Patnaik said on Twitter. Hundreds of disaster management personnel have been deployed in the state, and doctors and other medical staff were told to defer any leave until May 15. Neighbouring West Bengal also has taken several steps, including shutting down its Airport at Kolkata.
Brewing over the Bay of Bengal, Fani which categorized as very severe was scheduled to strike southwestern Bangladesh by Friday evening with the possibility of causing severe damages.
Bangladeshi authorities have taken up all-out efforts to minimize the damages from the cyclone. However, as per Met Office report, the cyclone would become comparatively weak with at best 100 km speed when crosses the Bangladesh territory.
Bangladesh has vast experience over tacking such disasters. There were heavy causalities and financial losses on April 29 in 1991 due to lack of preparedness. But in the course of time, we have achieved both experience and expertise. The number of death and other losses has reduced in the recent times what we had faced after Aila, Sidr and others. This time also, government has taken adequate measures along with opening of control rooms in 19 coastal districts. Bangladesh Army, Navy and Air Forces are kept ready for emergency rescue operation and relief activities, said the Inter Services Public Relations Directorate in a statement on Wednesday.
We have no direct control over natural disasters. It will come and go. But what’s important is to taking preparations to tackle the aftermath of the disasters. It’s a big, lengthy and complicated work. After the disasters like cyclone, people lose their homes, face scarcity of food and drinking water. They also suffer due to outbreak of different types of diseases.
So, preparedness is needed to survive in any post-disastrous situation, no matter how complex it is. For this, government must involve all relevant departments, non-government organisations, communities and individuals to respond rapidly and effectively in after-disaster situations. That means, measures must be taken to formulate viable post-disaster plans along with the maintenance of limited resources.
Brewing over the Bay of Bengal, Fani which categorized as very severe was scheduled to strike southwestern Bangladesh by Friday evening with the possibility of causing severe damages.
Bangladeshi authorities have taken up all-out efforts to minimize the damages from the cyclone. However, as per Met Office report, the cyclone would become comparatively weak with at best 100 km speed when crosses the Bangladesh territory.
Bangladesh has vast experience over tacking such disasters. There were heavy causalities and financial losses on April 29 in 1991 due to lack of preparedness. But in the course of time, we have achieved both experience and expertise. The number of death and other losses has reduced in the recent times what we had faced after Aila, Sidr and others. This time also, government has taken adequate measures along with opening of control rooms in 19 coastal districts. Bangladesh Army, Navy and Air Forces are kept ready for emergency rescue operation and relief activities, said the Inter Services Public Relations Directorate in a statement on Wednesday.
We have no direct control over natural disasters. It will come and go. But what’s important is to taking preparations to tackle the aftermath of the disasters. It’s a big, lengthy and complicated work. After the disasters like cyclone, people lose their homes, face scarcity of food and drinking water. They also suffer due to outbreak of different types of diseases.
So, preparedness is needed to survive in any post-disastrous situation, no matter how complex it is. For this, government must involve all relevant departments, non-government organisations, communities and individuals to respond rapidly and effectively in after-disaster situations. That means, measures must be taken to formulate viable post-disaster plans along with the maintenance of limited resources.
