Cyclone safety tips

Advances in technology, particularly satellite remote sensing, have made cyclone warnings  highly precise with cyclone path together with time and place of landfall being made public days in advance. Evacuation, and other mitigation measures based on this information has brought forth significant reduction in human life loss due to cyclones. Despite this mass awareness, and voluntary compliance of safety measures is a must for bringing forth complete resilience.   

Before the cyclone season

• Check the house; secure loose tiles and carry out repairs of doors and windows.
• Demolish condemned buildings.
• Remove dead branches, or dying trees close to the house.
• Anchor removable objects such as lumber piles, loose tin sheets, loose bricks, garbage cans, sign-boards and others which can fly in strong winds, and cause damage.
• Keep some wooden boards ready so that glass windows can be boarded if needed.
• If you do not have wooden boards handy, paste paper strips on glasses to prevent splinters flying into the house.
• Keep a fully charged solar lantern together with battery operated torches, and enough dry cells.
• Keep battery operated transistor along with some extra batteries, and listen to latest weather warnings, and advisories from the nearest AIR station. Pass the information to others.
• Pass only the official information you have got from the radio to others

When the cyclone starts

• Listen to the radio (All India Radio stations give weather warnings).
• Keep monitoring the warnings. This will help you prepare for a cyclone emergency.
• Pass the information to others.
• Ignore rumours, and do not spread them; this will help to avoid panic situations.
• Remember that rumour mongering is a punishable offence under Disaster Management Act, 2005.
• Believe in the official information
• When a cyclone alert is on for your area continue normal working but stay alert to the radio warnings.
• Board up glass windows, or put storm shutters in place.
• Provide strong suitable support for outside doors.
• If you do not have wooden boards handy, paste paper strips on glasses to prevent splinters. However, this may not avoid breaking windows.
• Stay alert for the next 24 hours as a cyclone alert means that the danger is within 24 hours.
• Get away from low lying beaches or other locations which may be swept by high tides or storm waves. Leave sufficiently early before your way to high ground gets flooded. Do not delay, and run the risk of being marooned.
• If your house is out of danger from high tides, and flooding from the river, and it is well built, it is then probably the best place. However, act promptly if asked to evacuate.
• Be alert for high water in areas where streams or rivers may flood due to heavy rains.
• Get extra food, especially things which can be eaten without cooking or with very little preparation.
• Store extra drinking water in suitably covered vessel.
• Make provisions for children, and adults requiring special diets.
• If you are in one of the evacuation areas, move your valuable articles to upper floors to minimise flood damage
• Check on everything that might blow away or be torn loose. Kerosene tins, cans, agricultural implements, garden tools, road signs, and other objects become weapon of destruction in strong winds. Remove them, and store them in a covered room.
• Be sure that a window or door can be opened on the lee side of the house i.e. the side opposite the one facing the wind.
• If the centre of’ ‘eye’ of the storm passes directly over your place, there will be a lull in the wind, and rain, lasting for half an hour or more. During this period stay in safe place. Make emergency repairs during the lull period if necessary, but remember that strong wind will return suddenly from the opposite direction, frequently with even greater violence.
• Be calm. Your ability to meet emergency will inspire and help others.
• Remain in shelters until informed by those in charge that you may return home.
• Any loose and dangling wire from the lamp post should be strictly avoided.
• Keep away from disaster areas unless you are required to assist.
• Anti-social elements should be prevented from doing mischief and reported to the police.
• Cars, buses, lorries, and carts should be driven carefully.
• The houses, and dwellings should be cleared of debris
• The losses should be reported to the appropriate authorities.
• Relatives should be promptly informed about the safety of persons in the disaster area.

When Evacuation is instructed

• Pack essentials for yourself, and your family to last a few days. These should include medicines, special food for babies, and children or elders.
• Head for the proper shelter or evacuation points indicated for your area.
• Do not worry about your property.
• At the shelter follow instructions of the person in charge.
• Remain in the shelter until you are informed to leave.

During the cyclone

• Do not venture out even when the winds appear to calm down.
• The ‘eye’ of the cyclone might be passing.
• Winds might intensify and gush again and cause damage.
• Be safe inside till it is officially announced that the cyclone has passed.

After the cyclone

• Remain in the shelter until informed that you can return to your home.
• Get inoculated against diseases immediately.
• Avoid any loose and dangling wires from lamp posts.
• If you have to drive, do drive carefully.
• Clear debris from your premises immediately.
• Report the correct losses to appropriate authorities.