Disaster Risk Reduction & Climate Change
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Odisha is vulnerable to multiple natural hazards. Due to its sub-tropical littoral location, the state is prone to tropical cyclones, storm surges and tsunamis. It has a 480 km coastline. There are eleven major river systems in Odisha and its densely populated coastal plains are the alluvial deposits of its river systems. The rivers in these areas with heavy load of silt have very little carrying capacity, resulting in frequent floods, only to be compounded by breached embankments. About two-third of the total cultivated area being rain-dependent, drought poses a serious threat at regular intervals due to failure of Monsoon. Although the coast of the State was not affected by the tsunami of December 2004, it remains a potential hazard for the State. Apart from these, loss of life due to lightning has remained the highest of all natural calamities over the last decade. Heat-wave conditions during summer months also lead to heat-stroke death and other suffering to the people. Fire accident is common in the State which occurs round the year.
Reducing Disaster Vulnerability and Addressing Climate Change Concerns
OSVSWA’s response to any disaster is two-fold; when there is any kind of disaster. The organization’s ‘Humanitarian Aid Volunteers’ immediately rushes to the victims with relief and with necessary support, and facilitate a quick response to salvage the situation. Secondly, the team facilitates a collaborative civil society response to the emergency by various stakeholders active in the state for wider impact. Primarily, the thrust remains on Relief, Restoration/ Reconstruction and Rehabilitation to reduce disaster risks and vulnerability through a coordinated effort. Creating awareness and preparedness through Community based planning & capacity building programmes is key to its effort.
OSVSWA has been continuing its role as strong regional player in disaster response, preparedness and enhance its effort towards innovating climate change adaptation practices and research. As a National Coordinating Organization of the Global Network of CSOs for Disaster Reduction, OSVSWA has carried out the study research in Odisha, Bihar, Sikkim and Gujarat with GNDR’s partners organization in India. During the course of action, OSVSWA has formed a National Advisory Committee at the National Level, who are guiding disaster risk reduction plan and action time to time.
Efforts have been made towards strengthening institutional capacities at different levels right from Village Level to the State level; preparing communities in disaster prone areas with life skills, like rescue operations, safety norms, social solidarity features, etc; promoting school safety in disaster prone areas; and facilitating the development and maintaining the disaster resilient infrastructures, like cyclone shelters, etc. More importantly, the organization makes effort to contribute to alliance building of government and non-government agencies, and charities active in the areas of emergency preparedness and response; document key learning and best practices; and facilitate monitoring of disaster entitlements with a clear focus on poor, women, children and physically challenged groups.
Engaging in Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation measures
The organization is endeavoring to foster technical innovation and community adaptation measures at the community level; standardize and upscale effective adaptation measures and mainstream them in long term adaptation planning at the State and national level; document traditional climate resilient practices and to promote them as State development and poverty reduction strategies; and build understanding about climate change mitigation actions, global protocols and instruments like REDD+, voluntary carbon market, etc
OSVSWA has initiated key actions in its operational districts with significant tribal populations, to promote climate resilient models in agriculture, adapt System of Rice Intensification (SRI) practice, apply water conservation techniques, practice climate resilient agriculture, and bring about regeneration of forests, use of renewable energy, carbon sequestration initiatives, clean and green energy promotion through local communities
Strengthening Ecological Farmers Producer Groups
With the intention of ensuring environment friendly livelihoods for the tribal and marginal farmers, village level training programmes are for Farmers’ Group members have been organized. The training covers regarding creation and maintenance of community water bodies, solid waste management, organic farming, use of plantation (social forestry and orchard) techniques, etc. resulting which there will be reduction in adverse impacts of climate change. The participants are mainly encouraged to adopt climate friendly livelihoods and to promote water conservation system, like rainwater harvesting, check dams, organic farming, land bonding, plantations, and corner pits in agricultural lands, especially in the context of sustainable agricultural practices and for optimal use of water resources
Programme Interventions in earlier years
Odisha Floods 2020
In September 2020, floods in rivers caused a devastating situation in the State, badly affecting 1.4 Million people in 3256 villages of 896 GPs in 112 Blocks of 20 districts of Odisha. Bari Block of Jajpur district was the worst affected geography in the state. In Bari block, more than 10000 houses got damaged, 75737 hectares of farmland in 13 of the 29 flood-affected GPs got submerged and sand was deposited by the flood water.
Cyclone AMPHAN 2020
Super Cyclonic Storm Amphan was an extremely powerful and catastrophic tropical cyclone that caused widespread damage in Eastern India, specifically in West Bengal and Odisha, in May 2020. It was the strongest tropical cyclone to strike the Ganges Delta. It caused severe damage to the costal population of Blasore and Bhadrak Districts of Odisha.
FANI Response 2019
The extremely sever cyclone ‘FANI’ hit Odisha coast on May 3, 2019 with a wind speed of 200 to 240 Kmph, is a rarest of rare summer cyclone, the first such to hit Odisha in 43 years. The monstrous cyclone blew away not just lives (64 human casualty reported with many injured are admitted in different hospitals), but livelihoods, houses, household assets, livestock, uprooted around 14 lakhs trees, 1.5 lakhs electricity pools, damaged over 6500 educational and 1000 health institutions, and left the localities with deserted look.
Phailin Response 2013
A severe cyclonic storm “Phailin” with wind speed of more than 220 km per hour struck Odisha on 12th October 2013 resulting in massive devastation and severe floods in many districts. Incessant rain followed the cyclone brought floods in two phases.
Floods in September, 2011
During 1st phase of floods in September, 102 blocks of 19 districts were affected covering 4897 villages of 1067 GPs, with a population of 34.44 lakh.
Tornado Response 2009
A tornado struck at Rajkanika block in Kendrapara district of Orissa on 31 March 2009 at 4.30 PM that entailed large scale devastation in 11 villages belonging to 5 gram panchayats of the block throwing life out of gear. The tornado took a toll of 17 lives and injured over 300 persons that include mostly women and children.
Flood Response 2008
Odisha has always been a victim of disasters. Apart from the natural disasters such as floods and cyclones, persistent droughts also affect the interiors of the state. CYSD’s new stragic plan calls for strategic interventions and initiatives for strengthening disaster response both in the civil society space and across other sectors.
Flood Response 2006
Odisha witnessed a severe spate of floods in 2006 affecting 12 districts with a loss of 22 lives. The worst hit district was kendrapada with a total 4, 98,854 people affected in 612 villages. Sustain ed water logging posed a serious threat on an epidemic with no access to basic human health services and safe drinking water, and livestock were stranded with little or no access to water, fodder, and veterinary medicines.
Flood Response 2001 & 2003
The state witnessed severe floods caused by unusually heavy rains in 2001 and 2003 affecting many districts of Odisha. The affected villages were cut up from main cities, the flooding damage to property, destruction of crops, and loss of livestock, deterioration of health conditions owing to waterborne diseases.
Supper Cyclone 1999
Odisha was battered by a Super Cyclonic Storm on 29 October, 1999 that made landfall near Paradip (43976). The estimated maximum wind speed reached 260-270 kmph in the core area which produced a huge storm surge that led to sea-level elevation of more than 20 feet and took away valuable lives of nearly 10,000 people.