Why Odisha Leads India in Disaster Management: A Case Study by a 9th-Grader
Imagine wind so loud it drowns out your own screams, and even at peak afternoon heat, the sky turns as black as night; that is the reality of a cyclone. The worst cyclone to ever hit Odisha was the 1999 super cyclone, also known as the Paradip Cyclone.
The wind speed during this cyclone was around 250 kilometres per hour; the sound level that people in this cyclone would have heard was around 120 to 140 dB. Have you ever heard a chainsaw? For anybody near Odisha’s super cyclone, it would have been over 1,000 times more intense than that.
It caused people to temporarily lose hearing, but most of them reported that the damage from the noise was more psychological than actual hearing loss. Many reported being easily startled by loud noises or wind for years, a symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which affected an estimated 44.3% of survivors.
Cyclone Paradip caused 9885 human casualties, with 40 people missing and 2507 others injured. After this disastrous calamity, Odisha’s government shifted from a ‘reactive’ to a ‘proactive’ approach towards disasters.
Why Odisha Faces Frequent Natural Disasters
Odisha suffers from natural disasters frequently due to its geographical location. It is close to the Bay of Bengal in the east. It has a 480 km coastline, making the coastal regions extremely vulnerable to tropical cyclones and tidal surges. These coastal areas are also at high risks for severe flooding. Records of previous cases in the state show that about 80% of the state is prone to some form of natural disasters.
This means that Odisha’s government must be highly aware and actively prepared for these disasters. For this purpose, Odisha State Disaster Mitigation Authority (OSDMA) was set up by the state government as an autonomous organisation. This means that OSDMA is an organisation that functions independently to ensure rapid decision-making in disaster preparedness, so they don’t have to wait for permissions or follow exact government department procedures in emergency situations. This saves time and ensures aid reaches those who need it.
How OSDMA Strengthened Odisha’s Disaster Preparedness
ODSMA has applied multiple strategies to decrease casualties and prevent property and land damage during its frequent disasters. One such improvement has been investing in resilient infrastructure and long-term mitigation strategies, such as coastal embankments and shelter belt plantations. A coastal embankment is an artificially raised earthen ridge used in fluvial, tidal, and coastal environments for flood defence, erosion protection, or channel containment. Shelterbelt plantation for disaster management refers to the planting of one or more rows of trees or shrubs, designed as a living barrier to protect against natural disasters such as high-velocity winds, coastal storms, and cyclones, as well as soil erosion.
By collaborating with multiple international partners, such as the Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (RIMES), they have also enhanced their early warning system.
They have also implemented a community outreach system that helps ensure people are reached on time. This community outreach system has a network of 450 cyclone shelters, and each cyclone shelter has a maintenance committee with personnel trained in search and rescue and first-aid. They are also trained in giving cyclone warnings to locals so they can be prepared.
Global Partnerships That Transformed Odisha’s Response System
The World Bank has been incredibly helpful in assisting these projects. They helped create the way to carry these warnings to the most remote areas. In Odisha, they introduced the cyclone mitigation project, which has been in place for the last 12 years. They have provided significant loans and funding to Odisha to build cyclone shelters and enhance disaster resilience. Through the National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project (NCRMP) and the Odisha Disaster Recovery Project, the bank has funded hundreds of multi-purpose shelters, evacuation roads, and early warning systems. They have made similar efforts in other Indian states, such as Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.
UN Recognition: A Model the World Now Studies
Odisha also carried out one of the biggest evacuations in human history, moving around 1.2 million people just before Cyclone Fani in 2019. The United Nations approved of the way local authorities helped evacuees in over 4,000 shelters, including 800 specially built to withstand cyclones and tsunamis. The UN also recognised Odisha’s preparedness and made plans to use it as a model for other cities.
What else Odisha could focus on
Odisha has done magnificently in minimising the loss of lives in case of disasters, but I feel they should also pay attention to how they can minimise the loss of infrastructure and livelihoods. You can see a cyclone every two years on the coast of Odisha. Even with these frequent cyclones, coastal housing remains vulnerable to cyclones and heavy rains. The power infrastructure is also completely above ground, leaving it exposed during natural disasters. During natural disasters, if the electrical system is damaged, it can have a domino effect on the health systems, water supply, and communication systems. Fixing these flaws will help save the funds needed to recover household assets destroyed during these catastrophes.
Technology and Innovation Driving Odisha’s New Disaster Strategy
Overall, Odisha has improved its disaster management on an impressive level. They are constantly working to improve by shifting from ‘zero casualty’ to ‘zero infrastructure loss’ by using AI, predictive analytics, and enhanced community-based, tech-driven systems to minimise loss during natural disasters.
For example, the Early Warning Dissemination System (EWDS) is an automated communication system that transmits disaster alerts to coastal communities through sirens, strobe lights and mobile alerts. The system enables last-mile communication to protect public safety in dangerous zones.
The SATARK App (System for Assessing, Tracking and Alerting Disaster Risk) is a specialised tool developed by the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) with rimes.int that provides real-time, location-based early warnings for disasters such as floods, lightning, heatwaves, and droughts. The system uses machine learning with data analysis to deliver practical advisories that help communities improve their emergency readiness while reducing potential hazards.
The Odisha Disaster Resource Network (ODRN) functions as a centralised Web-GIS platform that enables users to manage natural resources and disaster situations through its spatial data capabilities for resource inventory, monitoring, activities, and decision-making. The system allows the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) to efficiently manage disaster response resources through its mapping and resource analysis capabilities.
Lessons from Odisha in Disaster Management
Odisha’s success lies in its transformation from a disaster-prone region into the global standard for disaster management. The rest of India’s coastal states, such as Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu, can learn from its proactive, community-based model to better protect their own coastlines.
Overall, Odisha’s disaster management is exemplary. The way the state handles disasters shows that systems like targeted community outreach are key to saving millions of lives. Odisha has turned its geographical vulnerability into a world leader in disaster preparedness and management.
They have proved that while natural calamities are inevitable, loss of lives is not. They should continue to improve their systems, and others should look to Odisha’s government’s approach to disaster management and adopt similar measures.
Advika Karve
Grade 9, JBCN International School, Mumbai
About our Writing Program Student
Advika is a 13-year-old who loves breakdancing, art, and listening to music. She also enjoys spending time with animals and playing the guitar.
References
What states can learn from Odisha in disaster preparedness and mitigation
What the world can from learn from Odisha, India’s most disaster-ready state
Following the Odisha example for developing community based disaster management in India
ODISHA STATE DISASTER MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY | Functions and Responsibility
The ‘Odisha model’ for disaster resilience
ODISHA STATE DISASTER MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY | Early Warning Dissemination System (EWDS)
Odisha Disaster Resource Network (ODRN) and SAMARTH Portals launched | Informatics News
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