Impact of Cyclones On Odisha Economy

Gopabandhu Mohapatra

Odisha is a common landfall destination of tropical cyclones over the Bay of Bengal. Tropical Cyclones are those that are formed between the two tropics and rotate in the anti-clockwise direction. It is due to Sun’s warm air and moisture rise up from the surface of warm oceanic waters. Air rushes to fill the space in and this air, in turn, rises with humidity, creating a cycle of warm, moist air rising up. This system grows in height and size, spreading out and causing a tropical cyclone.

Evidence shows that many cyclones are highly seasonal, with pre-monsoon season (April and May) and post-monsoon season (mid- September to December). A few cyclones are also formed during monsoon months (June and September). The post-monsoon (October–December) season sees many more cyclones than the pre-monsoon (March–May) season, as hot dry air moves from land to ocean.

The geography and topography of Odisha plays a big role in acting as a magnetic field for tropical cyclones. Such cyclones and storms in the Bay of Bengal region, mainly travel in the northwest direction, upward owing to the shape of the Indian landmass.  The Bay of Bengal usually records at least five cyclones in a year, out of which one is formed during the May-June period and the other four are formed during October-December period.

Sea surface temperature (SST) is one of the key elements that determine the formation of cyclones. Since SSTs are high during summer months and conditions are favorable for cyclone formation in May and June. The vulnerability is mainly for the coastal districts as Odisha.

The Odisha Super Cyclone 1999, remains the strongest cyclone in the history of cyclones in this region. The severity of the Super Cyclone of 29 October, 1999 was devastating. The State of Odisha, gets hit by an average of one major aggressive storms every year. Last year it was hit by one Fani –  caused huge damage. This year Cyclone Amphan which was formed in the North Indian Ocean, covered around an area of 700 km and measured 15 km in height.

Cyclone Amphan was expected as a massive in size, as it moved at a very high speed. This cyclone, which took a path parallel to the Odisha coast, has brought heavy to very heavy rainfall over districts of Jagatsinghpur, Balasore, Kendrapara, Bhadrak and Mayurbhanj along coastal Odisha. The Cyclone Amphan, which barrelled through the Odisha coast on 20^th May, leaving behind a trail of destruction in the shape of damaged houses, uprooted trees and flattened electricity poles, has compounded the miseries.

At last Cyclone Amphan made landfall in between Digha and Sundarban Delta of West Bengal and Banglagesh by the evening of May 20. The wind speed when it hits land was 165-175 kmph gusting to 195 kmph. Districts in West Bengal, including east and west Mednipore, south and north 24 Parganas, Howrah, Hoogli and Kolkata would be affected severely.

The cyclone’s strong winds cause significant damage to infrastructure like electricity. 30 lakhs consumers are affected for days. This kind of damage causes huge losses to livelihoods and the local economy. Recovering from these losses is a big challenge. People don’t have insurance to claim on damage that is done to crops, goods or livestock.

Coastal areas are the first areas to get hit and the impact is immediately felt as homes are mostly built using local, cheap material – like wood, woven mats, mud or metal sheets. These building techniques can make hundreds of thousands homeless if the cyclone is of higher category.

Odisha is one of the poorest State in the Country. Though it has huge marine, mineral, and tourism potential, it’s very much dependent on primary resources, like agriculture, fishing, forestry, and mines. Despite the frequency and damages caused by the cyclones, very little has been done to track and understand their economic impact.

The most important economic unit is the village. Over the years, Orissa has witnessed a trend decline in the incidence of poverty. But, years of development have not changed its economic condition. Natural calamities like Cyclone, flood, drought etc. are one cause or the other.

Nevertheless, a lot has changed since the 1999 Odisha Cyclone. Improved weather forecast and early evacuation has consistently reduced damage caused by cyclones throughout the state. ‘Construction of Cyclone Relief Centres’, is a lesson from the instance of the Super-Cyclone of 1999. It is very clear that the Odisha state is losing a huge amount of capital in almost every year due to the natural calamities and thereby causing poverty in the State.

Even though the Government of Odisha has taken a major step by formulating Orissa State Disaster Mitigation Authority (OSDMA) soon after the Super Cyclone, yet this concept needs more intensive research, skilled and experienced personnel, a deliberate debate and high level discussion to find out an effective solution in order to cater to the ill effects of natural calamities on the economy of the state. Odisha needs to invest more strategically, for prevention and to decrease the costs of future disasters.

(The writer is a former banker. Views expressed are personal)