Of Biparjoy And Beyond
- connect2783
- Jul 10, 2023
- 2 min read
Updated: Jul 18
When Cyclone Biparjoy struck Gujarat in June 2023, the state’s preparedness plan proved vital in minimising damage and saving lives. Despite its strength, the early warning system, evacuations, and coordinated rescue efforts from local agencies made a significant difference. As cyclones become more frequent, is your city prepared to handle such a disaster? What lessons can be learned from Gujarat’s example to improve disaster resilience?
On 15 June 2023, the Gujarat coast was hit by Cyclone Biparjoy. It was categorised as a ‘very severe cyclonic storm’ with a maximum wind speed of 115-125 km/h gusting to 140 km/h. Cyclone was also associated with heavy rainfall in several cities of Gujarat.
Biparjoy, which means ‘disaster’ in Bengali, was expected to have devastating impacts, but effective implementation of the cyclone preparedness plan by State government helped in saving lives and minimizing damages.
The State’s preparedness included early warnings, evacuation of vulnerable populations, setting up emergency shelters, identifying hospitals for medical aid, deployment of NDRF and SDRF teams for rescue operations, medical aid and provision of essential supplies. Prompt detection of cyclonic storms by IMD and effective coordination among agencies played a key role. Response actions were as per the Cyclone Preparedness Response Plan prepared by the State’s Disaster Management Authority – GSDMA in 2014.
As per the plan, the Revenue Department is the primary agency responsible for emergency response and relief, while GSDMA is the nodal agency for the formulation of policies, planning, coordination and monitoring. Local government coordination was crucial for providing assistance wherever needed, boosting relief distribution and last-mile dissemination of alerts. For e.g., Fire and Emergency services of Dwarka Municipality were involved in rescue efforts. Surat MC’s Garden Department was responsible for trimming trees to avoid accidents.
Yearly, nine cyclones hit the Indian coastline on average. Studies find that the east coast is more vulnerable compared to the west. With increasing frequencies, the government’s approach towards disasters is slowly changing from post-disaster relief to pre-disaster preparedness to ensure zero casualties.
Gujarat’s response is a good example that highlights the importance of an early warning system and coordination of agencies in disaster risk reduction. But to build resilience, India needs to improve technology integration, address issues related to community engagement and improve the vulnerable coastal infrastructure that poses a challenge in evacuation.