Study report on Gaja cyclone 2018
In India, tropical cyclones are one of the common hydro-meteorological hazards. Owing to its long coastline, high density of population and large number of urban centers along the coast, tropical cyclones over the time are having a greater impact on the community and damage the infrastructure. Secondly, the climate change is warming up oceans to increase both the intensity and frequency of cyclones. Hence, it is important to garner all the information and critically assess the impact and manangement of the cyclones.
Cyclone Gaja was one of the major cyclones to hit the Tamil Nadu coast in November 2018. It lfeft a devastating tale of destruction on the cyclone path damaging houses, critical infrastructure for essential services, uprooting trees, affecting livelihoods etc in its trail. However, the loss of life was limited. This has been achieved over time with targeted mitigation, better preparedness, swift response and community awareness.
This report documents the actions taken by the state government of Tamil Nadu in order to cap the number of mortality and efforts put in place for faster restoration of essential services and infrastructure. It also critically analyses these efforts to identify gaps for making a cyclone-resilient society. Finally, it draws upon the best practices and lessons learnt to suggest the future course of action.
We acknowledge the support and cooperation extended by the government of Tamil Nadu in our efforts to document the best practices adopted during the Cyclone Gaja. We are hopeful that this study will help other state Governments in cyclone mitigation, preparedness and response.