Question

A cyclone warning has been issued for a coastal village in Odisha. List the safety measures people should take (a) before the cyclone arrives, (b) during the cyclone, and (c) after it has passed. Give at least one for each.

In May, a severe cyclonic storm formed over the Bay of Bengal. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) tracked it for several days using weather satellites and radars and issued warnings to the coasts of West Bengal and Odisha. Fishermen were told to return to the shore, and lakhs of people were moved to cyclone shelters. When the storm hit the coast, winds of over 150 km/h uprooted trees and a sudden rise of sea water (storm surge) flooded low-lying villages. Because of timely warnings, very few lives were lost.