A UNICEF team, led by the Chief of Field Office, William Hanlon, recently paid a visit to the Bhadrak district in Odisha to review tsunami preparedness in the coastal areas. The team was accompanied by representatives of Reliance Foundation, along with participants from Kerala, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, who visited various disaster risk reduction initiatives in the region.
The team visited several coastal villages, particularly focusing on local initiatives such as mangrove plantations. And other natural barriers that have helped Odisha’s coastline largely in combating tsunamis and other natural calamities. Hanlon said, “We want to see how effective these local initiatives are. And also learn from Odisha’s experience in disaster preparedness.”.
The field trips to the coastal areas were among other practical, on-the-ground efforts to see mangrove plantations. And other natural barriers designed to protect the coastline,” said Hanlon. “The main goal is to understand local preparedness and responses. And share ideas with international participants that will help improve disaster preparedness strategies.
This visit has been part of the wider UNICEF effort to advance disaster risk management across tsunami. And other natural calamity-prone coastal areas. “Commendably, Odisha managed to get on track since the 1999 supercyclone,” he said. The state has made significant strides in disaster risk reduction, and this model could be shared globally.
The work done here in Odisha, particularly in Bhadrak, since the supercyclone in 1999 is truly impressive,” added Hanlon. “That acts as a model for other regions, and that is why we are here to learn from their experience. We would also like to take these best practices to an international level for people to inform future disaster preparedness efforts.
Except for the field visit, the team attended the wrap-up meeting with the locals. Bhadrak Collector and District Magistrate Dilip Routrai briefed them on the tsunami preparedness works in place. These include tsunami evacuation drills being conducted in four coast villages aimed at training them for a quick response in case a warning is issued.
Routrai also mentioned that the district received recognition for its disaster preparedness efforts, especially during National Disaster Preparedness Day. As he said, “What has emerged from this visit as most important, is a strong interface between the local community and the district administration. Cooperation between government and nongovernment sectors is crucial in managing risk arising from disasters effectively.”
The UNICEF-led team expressed satisfaction with the level of preparedness done by the community. While collaboration between the local authorities and residents was lauded. The visit concluded with an emphasis on improving collaboration between all sectors for better disaster management to protect lives, especially in high-risk areas.
ANI
