Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Cyclonic storm challenges Chennai' that was published in Newsband

Cyclonic storm challenges Chennai

Chennai was challenged by the severe cyclonic storm. Equipped with survival lessons and helped by an efficient flow of disaster warning messages, the city and neighbouring districts held together through several hours of fierce winds. Vardah also demonstrated that in the time of social media and the Internet, speedy official and community messages can influence the outcome of a catastrophe.

Economic damage was inevitable but messages imparted from social platforms reduced the number of casualties. The storm was intensive in the form of wind and less in the form of rains. The quantum of rains was nowhere near the deluge of December 2015. If you look at the damage to the trees, only one particular type of tree was maximum impacted. Many power poles have been uprooted and most part of the city was without power for more than 60 hours.

Chennai has once again been tested by nature. The cyclone caused havoc though the degree of intensity varied. The problem of precautionary measures has cropped up. In a cyclone-prone area, planning according to ecology is important.

We will have to follow same pattern as other countries follow to combat these type of catastrophic storm. Irredeemably theses disasters are very painful and cause mammoth loss in term of lives infrastructure and many more. Mugging up trees with strong root systems and pruning the canopy ahead of cyclone season could reduce uprooting.

No human loss is the result of best warning measures and awareness campaigns by State and Central Governments. Here social and electronic medias did their role best. IMD had predicted well and reduced the causalities.

The coastal areas should construct the infrastructures cyclone/floods/winds resistant like communication lines which should be underground. Union government has to make a policy/guidelines of constructing the infrastructure, buildings, roads in coastal cities/towns to prevent being affected by such calamities.

Vardah cyclone brought the entire Chennai to darkness and number of trees uprooted blocked the roads. Rail and air transport was suspended tentatively and the Tamil Nadu government must be appreciated for being on its toe with the preparedness to face the cyclonic atmosphere right from giving warning communication and restoring the transport and power to the core level. Another appreciable feature is that people cooperated with the government and restricted their outward move to prevent loss of lives. Last year rain havoc experience cautioned them and the disaster restricted mainly to trees and properties. Allocating commensurate sum to disaster management funds, providing insurance to properties and cultivating deep rooted trees are ways to augment preparedness and prevent loss.