"Help build the capacity of local communities to respond to all types of disasters, especially cyclones and Tsunamis Coastal communities; help governments at all levels, with appropriate technology and finance and monitoring systems to improve coastal zone management." - Aurobindo Behera, Odisha, India
I was at Bhubaneswar, the capital of the state of
Odisha at the time The Indian Ocean Tsunami struck. Though far away from the
maximum impact area, I was apprehensive that it might impact the Coastal
population of Odisha. Afterwards, however, we got to know the stories like the
sea at Puri and other places receding first and then, giant waves lashing the
coast, eroding infrastructure close to the sea. People saw water being thrown
up in village ponds also in the Coastal areas. Slowly the picture of damage and
destruction at various places in the Indian Ocean zone emerged.
To my mind, the key lessons were as follows.
(a) there was no early warning.
(b) population and infrastructure too close to the sea
were at maximum risk,
(c) the damage was less where barriers existed between
the sea and the habitations.
The following are the main challenges.
(a) to create a bio-shield including mangroves all
along the coat.
(b) prudent Coastal zone management and a strong
regulatory mechanism
(c) improving the early warning system ant timely
evacuation of the population at risk.
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