CYCLONES AND CLOUDBURST

Published on 23 Feb 2025

Cyclones are characterized by a low-pressure centre and strong rotating winds that can cause heavy rain, storm surges, and strong winds. The country experiences the most cyclones during the pre-monsoon (April to June) and post-monsoon (October to December) periods.

Cloudburst is an intense and sudden downpour of rain over a small area within a short period, often leading to flash floods and landslides.

Vulnerability of India

• Geographical vulnerability

• Long coastline: India’s over 7500km long coastline along the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea exposes it to the frequent passage of tropical cyclones.

• Mountainous terrain: Mountain ranges, such as the Himalayas and the Western Ghats enable sudden uplift of warm moist air resulting in cloudbursts.

• Monsoon climate: Both cyclonic and cloudburst events could become frequent and intense during the Monsoon season.

• Socio-economic vulnerability:  India's coastline is densely populated, with many major cities and towns located in the coastal regions. Besides, vulnerable communities often do not have enough resources.

• Structural vulnerability: Inadequate drainage systems exacerbate the impacts of cloudbursts and cyclones due to flash flood events. In the case of cyclones, weak coastal protection mechanisms create vulnerability.

Effects

• Economic effects

• Damage to infrastructure: Cyclones can damage or destroy buildings, roads, ports, and other critical infrastructure, disrupting daily life and economic activities.

• Damage to agriculture: Cyclones can cause extensive damage due to their powerful winds, heavy rainfall, and widespread flooding.

• Example: Cyclone Biparjoy caused loss of cash crops in Gujarat.

• Impact on tourism: Regions affected by cyclones and cloudburst may experience a decline in tourism, leading to a loss of revenue for local economies.

• Example: Cloudburst and landslides affect tourism in Himalayan states.

• Social effects

• Loss of life and injuries: Cloudbursts can lead to flash floods and landslides, resulting in the loss of human lives and injuries to people caught in the affected areas.

• Example: More than 6000 people died in 2013 Uttarakhand flood and landslide.

• Displacement and homelessness: Cloudbursts and cyclones can cause extensive damage to homes and infrastructure, leading to the displacement of communities.

• Example: Cyclone Amphan resulted in displacement of 2.4 million people in India alone (IPCC report).

• Environmental effects

• Landslides and soil instability: Cloudbursts and cyclones can trigger landslides and destabilize slopes, leading to further environmental degradation and hazards.

• Example: Landslide in Kinnaur valley (Himachal Pradesh), 2023.

• Flood: While cloudbursts trigger flash floods, cyclones can cause storm surges and coastal flooding.

• Example: Uttarakhand flood, 2013.

• Erosion and sedimentation: Both cloudbursts and cyclones can cause erosion and sedimentation, leading to soil degradation and loss of fertile land.

• Habitat destruction: Cyclones can damage natural habitats, including mangroves, wetlands, and coral reefs, disrupting ecosystems and endangering biodiversity.

• Example: Destruction of coral reefs in Lakshadweep during Ockhi cyclone, 2017.

• Water pollution: The rapid flow of water during cloudbursts and cyclones can carry pollutants into water bodies, contaminating water sources.

Challenges in mitigation

• Early warning challenges: This includes technological limitations, communication gaps, and dissemination of information to vulnerable communities.

• Technological challenges: No satisfactory technology tools available for prediction of cloudbursts well in advance.

• Infrastructure resilience: Financial constraints and inadequate building standards can hinder efforts to construct disaster-resistant buildings and infrastructure.

• Environmental degradation: Deforestation, land degradation, and improper land-use practices can exacerbate the impacts of cyclones and cloudbursts.

• Climate change: IPCC sixth assessment report highlights increase in size, intensity, and frequency of extreme events of cyclones and cloudbursts. Rising sea surface temperatures intensify cyclones.

• Limited resources and funding: In many cases, resource constraints can limit the scale and scope of mitigation efforts.

India’s current preparedness

Cyclone

• NDMA guidelines

• Early warning systems: They should include observations, predictions, warnings, and customised local-scale advice for decision-makers (national/state/district level) for managing the impact of cyclones.

• Commissioning of Aircraft Probing of Cyclone Facility (APC): This would fill gaps in critical observational data by facilitating a better understanding of structure and movement of cyclone.

• National Disaster Communication Infrastructure (NDCI): Government would commission NDCI at the NDMA/MHA, SDMAs of coastal states/UTs and District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMAs) of the 84 coastal districts vulnerable to cyclones.

• Community-based disaster management system (CBDM): Involvement of PRIs, NGO and SHGs to ensure percolation of preparedness and mitigation knowledge.

• Structural measures: Ensuring cyclone resistant design standards are incorporated in the rural/ urban housing schemes in coastal areas.

• National cyclone risk mitigation project: The objective of the project is to strengthen the structural and non-structural cyclone mitigation efforts and reduce the risk and vulnerability of the coastal districts.

• Integrated Coastal Zone Management Project: To improve national capacity for the implementation of comprehensive coastal management in India.

• Color coding of cyclones: IMD uses 4 color codes Red, Orange, Yellow and Green to alert people ahead of cyclones.

Cloudburst

• Doppler Weather Radar Network: Recently four doppler weather radars were established in Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh. India is planning to cover to entire country by the network by 2025.

• Flash flood guidance services: It is designed to provide the necessary products in real-time to support the development of warnings for flash floods about 6- 12 hours in advance.

Way Forward

• Strengthening Early Warning Systems: This includes investing in advanced meteorological technologies, satellite monitoring, and radar systems to detect and track cyclones at their initial stages.

• Robust infrastructure: Despite reduced casualties, safeguarding critical infrastructure remains challenging. Structural measures like building cyclone shelters, reinforcing buildings, and designing infrastructure to withstand cyclonic winds and storm surges are essential.

• Land use zoning and coastal regulation zone: In both cyclone and cloudburst vulnerable zones, proper land use zoning is needed to prevent encroachment and destruction of natural ecosystems.

• Reforestation and Watershed Management: This is to enhance the natural ability of ecosystems to absorb excess rainfall and reduce soil erosion, which can exacerbate cloudburst effects.

• Ecological Conservation: Preserving and restoring coastal ecosystems such as mangroves, wetlands, and coral reefs can act as natural buffers against cyclone impacts.

• Climate Change Adaptation: Assessing the changing patterns of extreme weather events and developing adaptive strategies accordingly is needed for effective disaster management.

Solutions / Best Practices

• Odisha model of cyclone management: Despite its intensity, the death toll from Cyclone Phailin (2013) was remarkably low compared to previous cyclones of similar strength. This success can be attributed to accurate prediction, information dissemination, building relief structure and timely evacuation.

• Bio-shields: Mangroves can act as bio-shield by protecting coastal areas from disasters such as cyclones and tsunami.

• Example: Sundarbans played a key role in protecting embankments during cyclone Amphan.

• Bangladesh’s Cyclone Preparedness Program: An early warning system with more than 76000 trained volunteers (half of whom are women) involved in mobilizing community participation for risk reduction.

• Doppler radar system: It can provide real-time data on precipitation intensity and movement, aiding in early detection of cloudburst conditions.

• Intelligent Drainage Systems: Sensor-based drainage systems can efficiently manage stormwater during cloudbursts, reducing flood risk in urban areas.

Tags:
Disaster Management

Keywords:
CYCLONES CLOUDBURST disaster disaster management CYCLONES AND CLOUDBURST Vulnerability of India Effects of cyclone and cloudburst Challenges in mitigation India’s current preparedness Cyclone Solutions / Best Practices mitigating cyclone

Syllabus:
General Studies Paper 3

Topics:
Disaster and Disaster Management