Case Study

CYCLONE

1. Introduction :-
 Cyclones are caused by atmospheric disturbances around a low-pressure
area distinguished by swift and often destructive air circulation.
 Cyclones are usually accompanied by violent storms and bad weather.
 The air circulates inward in an anticlockwise direction in the Northern
hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern hemisphere.
2. Classification:-
a) Tropical Cyclones – These are also referred to as hurricanes or typhoons,
depending on the region.
– The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) defines tropical cyclones as
weather systems in which winds exceed "Gale Force" with a minimum speed of 63
kilometers per hour.
– These are typically developed in the region between the Tropics of Capricorn and
Cancer.
b) Extra tropical cyclones occur in temperate zones and high latitude regions,
though they are known to originate in the Polar Regions.

Cyclone Amphan
 Place:- West Bengal
 Timeline of Amphan Cyclone:-
 May 13, 2020: A low-pressure area forms over the southeastern Bay of Bengal
and the South Andaman Sea.
 May 16, 2020: The low-pressure area develops into a depression. It is
designated BOB 01 by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
 May 17, 2020: The depression intensifies into a cyclonic storm and is named
Amphan by the IMD.
 May 18, 2020: Amphan intensifies into a severe cyclonic storm and then into a
very severe cyclonic storm.
 May 19, 2020: Amphan intensifies into an extremely severe cyclonic storm. It is
the highest category of cyclonic storms in the Indian subcontinent.
 May 20, 2020: Amphan makes landfall near Digha, West Bengal, India, with
winds of 155 km/h (96 mph). The cyclone then weakens as it crosses West
 Bengal and Bangladesh, but it still causes widespread damage.
 May 21, 2020: Amphan dissipates over the North Bay of Bengal.
Area Affected:-
1) East Midnapore, South 24-Parganas and North 24-Parganas
2) Digha Island
3) Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port Trust (SPMPT)
4) Howrah
5) Hooghly
6) Kolkata of Gangetic West Bengal
7) Hatiya
Effect of Amphan Cyclone :-
o Millions of people left homeless - The West Bengal government estimates
that 21,560 sq km of area has been affected in the cyclone impacting the
lives of millions of people.
o Farmers severely hit by cyclone - Apart from human and livestock casualties, the
cyclone has caused severe losses to farmers by destroying their standing crops of
paddy, mangoes, lychee when it was a time for harvest.
o Several parts of Kolkata without power, internet and water - Soon after the fury of
the storm subsided, the snapped electrical wires and damage to water pipes led to
power outages and water shortages in pockets across the state and in the state
capital of Kolkata.
o There was a risk of flying objects causing harm.
o Standing crops, plantations, and orchards suffered extensive damage.
o Palm and coconut trees were destroyed, and tall, tangled trees were uprooted.
o The strong winds even pulled huge ships and boats from their moorings.
Preparation for Cyclone Amphan:-
 The chief ministers of Odisha and Bengal reviewed the evacuation procedures.
 Power supply in the areas along the cyclone's path was cut off, except for critical
locations like hospitals and fire stations, on the day of impact.
 National Disaster Management Authority and Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force teams
were positioned in Odisha and West Bengal to assist with Amphan preparations.
 Additional units were on standby and could be airlifted to affected areas if needed.
 Due to the ongoing pandemic, PPE and N95 masks were made mandatory for first
responders.
  The Indian Navy sent a diving team and alerted navy ships for relief operations in
Kolkata.
 Fishermen were warned to suspend fishing operations from May 18 to May 20.
 Traffic on roads and railways was diverted or suspended.
 People in impacted areas were advised to stay indoors.
Evacuation plans were prepared for low-lying areas.
Small boats and motorboats were not recommended
# State Government Response:-
 The Chief Minister is monitoring the situation from State Control Room.
 State Emergency Operation Center (EOC) at Disaster Management & Civil Defense
Department, Nabanna (with toll free no. 1070), Contact No. 033 2214 3526 is functional
and monitoring the rescue and restoration work started by respective district
administrations with the help of National and State Disaster Response Force (NDRF),
Fire and Disaster Management Group (DMG), Civil Defence and Inter Agency Group
(IAG) volunteers and local police.
 Key line departments like PWD, PHED, Health and Family Welfare, Irrigation, Power,
andFisheries have been asked to initiate the preliminary assessment, as soon as the
communication channels are restored.
 Some 41 NDRF and SDRF teams are deployed in severely cyclone affected areas of
Kolkata, East Medinipur, West Medinipur, North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas
districts for rescue, relief and restoration work.
 Given the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Government has distributed more than two lakh
masks among the evacuees and personal protective equipment (PPE) kits to the State
Disaster Relief Force personnel, who are deployed in the vulnerable areas. North 24
Parganas and East Midnapore districts are two COVID-19 hotspot districts due to high
prevalence of positive cases.
Cyclone: Do's & Dont's
1. Before the Cyclone season:
 Check the house; secure loose tiles and carry out repairs of doors and windows
 Remove dead branches or dying trees close to the house; anchor removable objects
such as lumber piles, loose tin sheets, loose bricks, garbage cans, sign-boards etc.
which can fly in strong winds
 Keep some dry non-perishable food always ready for use in emergency
2. Necessary actions:-
 Listen to the radio (All India Radio stations give weather warnings).Believe in the
official information
 When your area is under cyclone warning get away from low-lying beaches or
other low-lying areas close to the coast
 During a cyclone
DO NOT venture out even when the winds appear to calm down. The 'eye' of the
cyclone might be passing. Winds might intensify and gush again and cause damage. Be
safe inside till it is officially announced that the cyclone has passed.
3. Post-cyclone measures
o You should remain in the shelter until informed that you can return to your
home.
o You must get inoculated against diseases immediately.
o Strictly avoid any loose and dangling wires from lamp posts.
o If you have to drive, do drive carefully.
o Clear debris from your premises immediately.
o Report the correct losses to appropriate authorities.

Conclusion
Disaster Management for Cyclones is an important mitigation strategy to overcome the
destruction caused by tropical cyclones. The warnings given by IMD are also beneficial to
create awareness among the people living in vulnerable areas. The government of India is
doing remarkable work in cyclone preparedness. However, there is still a need for
community awareness and effective mitigation measures.