Climate change brings unpredictable and often severe weather events. Whether it's hurricanes, floods, or heatwaves, communities need to be prepared for these shifts in weather patterns. This session looks at how communities can anticipate, cope with, and recover from these events.
We'll explore the impacts of rising ocean temperatures, the importance of biodiversity, and how these changes can have dramatic effects on our societies. We'll also discuss how to create a disaster preparedness plan and how to consider strategies like stormwater management that can help a community better prepare for extreme weather events. We'll also look at the resilience thinking framework to help us better understand how cities bounce back from extreme natural disasters.
Case Study - Odisha's Cyclone Preparedness:
In 1999, a devastating super cyclone hit the Indian state of Odisha, resulting in the loss of more than 10,000 lives. However, when Cyclone Fani hit the state two decades later in 2019, the loss of life was significantly lower. This change is largely attributed to the state's improved disaster preparedness and early warning systems.
Odisha had learned from the 1999 disaster and invested heavily in disaster management, which included improved early warning systems, the construction of cyclone shelters, better communication systems, and community-based disaster preparedness activities.
When Cyclone Fani approached, the state swung into action, evacuating over a million people to cyclone shelters, distributing dry food packets and essential medicines, and keeping the public informed through regular updates. The preparation paid off, demonstrating the power of community preparedness.
Reading: Case Study: Odisha's Cyclone Preparedness