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• Tropical Cyclone (TC), also known

as ‘Cyclone’ is the term used
globally to cover tropical weather
systems in which winds equal or
exceed ‘gale force’ (minimum of
34 knot, i.e., 62 kmph). These are
intense low pressure areas of the
earth atmosphere coupled
system and are extreme weather
events of the tropics.

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• Vulnerability to natural disasters like cyclones can be conceptualised as the exposure to
hazard (cyclone) and coping capacity of the people, and the institutional support (e.g., early
warning systems and capacity-building) to adapt and reduce adverse impacts.
• Broad scale assessment of the population at risk suggests that an estimated 32 crore
people, which accounts for almost a third of the country’s total population, are vulnerable
to cyclone-related hazards.
• Climate change and its resultant sea-level rise can significantly increase the vulnerability of
the coastal population.
• Further, analysis combining storm risk and poverty suggests that Orissa is most vulnerable
due to its low coping capacity (per capita income of Rs 6,767 and cyclonic vulnerability).
• Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal are also vulnerable because they lie in the
high cyclone hazard zones and also have low per capita incomes.
• Maharashtra and Goa are the two states which are also affected by cyclones but they are
less vulnerable as cyclones are less frequent and people living there have better coping
capacity because of higher incomes (per capita income is more than Rs 18,365).
•

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• Impact
• Cyclones are characterized by their destructive potential to damage structures such as houses, lifeline
infrastructure such as power and communication towers, hospitals, food storage facilities, roads, bridges, culverts,
crops, etc., due to high velocity winds.
• Exceptionally heavy rainfall causes flooding. Storm surge inundates low-lying areas in the coastal areas resulting in
loss of life and destruction of property, besides eroding beaches and embankments, destroying vegetation and
reducing soil fertility.
• The dangerous dimension of cyclone disasters over the Indian subcontinent is evident from the number of deaths
due to cyclone disasters from 1737 onwards.
• Besides the loss of lives and livestock, cyclones have high destructive potential due to the strong winds that
damage structures, and heavy rainfall which causes floods and storm surge that inundates low-lying coastal areas.
• Although it is not possible to completely avoid natural disasters, their effects can be minimised by taking some
known long- and short term structural and non-structural mitigation measures such as developing proper early
warning systems, creating awareness at all levels in the concerned communities, coastal afforestation,
construction of shelters, embankments, dykes, coastal roads, bridges, canals, etc., through better preparedness,
mitigation measures and improved response mechanisms

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• Storm Surge
• Storm surge, which is a coastal phenomena, is the inherent
catastrophic feature of cyclones the world over.
• The degree of disaster potential depends on the storm surge
amplitude associated with the cyclone at the time of landfall,
characteristics of the coast, phases of the tides and vulnerability of
the area and community
• When a cyclone approaches the coast, the right forward sector of the
cyclone experiences wind from ocean to land (on-shore wind) which
pushes the sea water towards the coast and finally appears as storm
surge.
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Early Warning Systems

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National Remote Sensing Agency
Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services

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• It is very important to provide safe shelters to protect human life at the time of cyclones.
• Many cyclone shelters constructed earlier were not connected by all-weather roads with nearby habitats from
where affected people need to be shifted during emergency evacuation.
• There is a need to improve the existing road network and provide at least one link road, in all-weather
conditions, for each village that is accessible during cyclone or flooding periods as well. The importance of
coastal canals need not be over-emphasised as it serves as an alternative to road communication in the event
of a cyclone or flood.

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• Loss of life due to cyclones is largely due to the lack of an adequate number of safe
shelters which can withstand the fury of cyclones, including wind and storm surge.
• Circular cyclone shelters were initially constructed but they deteriorated very soon due
to lack of proper usage and maintenance. While most of them have been dismantled,
others that remained are in a dilapidated condition, unfit for use.
• Shelters constructed at a later stage were designed differently but were largely meant to
be used only as cyclone shelters. It is only in recent years that the concept of multi-
purpose cyclone shelters has come into vogue.
• Apart from the cyclone shelters, many other buildings have been used to provide shelter
to people evacuated from affected areas.
• These include schools, places of worship, community halls, etc. An inventory of all such
available buildings is generally maintained by the district administration. However, with
more multi-purpose cyclone shelters being constructed, the relief operations can get
streamlined.

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• General Design Considerations for Buildings
• i) The design to be carried out for 1.3 times the basic wind speed as
recommended in the IS 875 - 1987 part 3.
• The basic wind speed as per the code in most parts of the coastal zone is
50 m/s (180 km/hour) up to 10 m above ground level.
• Further, a number of corrections are to be applied based on the
importance of the structure (risk assessment), topography, size and shape
of the building.
• ii) The design will also be able to withstand seismic forces in regions which
are additionally vulnerable to earthquake hazard, such as Kandla, etc.
• iii) The local community will be encouraged to construct houses which will
be cyclone resistant. Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and Panchayati Raj
Institutions (PRIs) will be asked to ensure this
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Management of Coastal Zones

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• Colour- Coded Weather Warning
It is issued by the IMD whose objective is to alert people ahead of severe or hazardous weather which has the
potential to cause damage, widespread disruption or danger to life.
• Warnings are updated daily.
• The IMD uses 4 colour codes are:

• Green (All is well): No advisory is issued.

• Yellow (Be Aware): Yellow indicates severely bad weather spanning across several days. It also
suggests that the weather could change for the worse, causing disruption in day-to-day activities.
• Orange/Amber (Be prepared): The orange alert is issued as a warning of extremely bad weather with
the potential of disruption in commute with road and rail closures, and interruption of power supply.
• Red (Take Action): When the extremely bad weather conditions are certainly going to disrupt travel and
power and have significant risk to life, the red alert is issue

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• मौसम $वभाग क* चेतावनी को म2 ु यतः तीन 5े6णय8 म9 बाँटा जाता है (1)
येलो वा◌ॅFनGग (Yellow Warning) (2) ऑर9 ज अलटK (Orange Alert) (3) रे ड
अलटK (Red Alert)
• ‘येलो’ (Yellow Warning) अथवा ‘साई*लोन अलट. ’ (Cyclone Alert) तट(य *े,- म/
01तकूल मौसम क7 संभावना से कम-से-कम 48 घंटे पव ू @ जार( क7 जाती है ।
• ‘ऑर1 ज अलट. ’ (Orange Alert) अथवा ‘साई*लोन वा4न.ग’ (Cyclone Warning)
तट(य *े,- म/ 01तकूल मौसम क7 संभावना से कम-से-कम 24 घंटे पव ू @ जार( Hकया
जाता है ।
• ‘रे ड अलट. ’ (Red Alert) चJवात के लKडफॉल (Landfall) के पOचात ् चJवात क7 ग1त
क7 संभाRवत Sदशा और भभ ू ागीय *े, म/ 01तकूल मौसम क7 संभावना को दशा@ता है ।
•

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