UN praises weather department for "Pinpoint Accuracy" on cyclone Fani

UN ncy for disaster reduction has commended Indian Meteorological Department's "almost pinpoint accuracy" of early warnings that helped authorities conduct a well-targeted evacuation plan and minimise loss of life as extremely severe cyclonic storm Fani me landfall near coastal city of Puri.

powerful cyclone, strongest to hit India in 20 years, me landfall at around 8 AM in India's eastern state of Odisha, killing at least eight people. Large areas in seaside pilgrim town of Puri and or places were submerged as heavy rains battered entire coastal belt of state affecting about 11 lakh people.

India Meteorological Department (IMD) has classified Fani as an "extremely severe cyclonic storm".

UN ncies are monitoring Fani's movements closely and taking measures to protect families living in refugee camps in Banglesh, which is on alert.

Cyclone lashed coast with maximum wind speeds of up to 175 kilometres per hour, heavy rainfall and coastal flooding, with 28 million people living along route of massive storm.

"India's zero casualty approach to managing extreme wear events is a major contribution to  implementation of #SendaiFramework and reduction of loss of life from such events," Mami Mizutori, Special Representative of United Nations Secretary-General (SRSG) for Disaster Risk Reduction, and he of Geneva-based UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR), said.

Re: Cyclone Fani Moving Towards Banglesh, Major Impact In Bengal

Mizutori was referring to Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, first major agreement of post-2015 development nda. It is a 15-year, voluntary, n-binding agreement which recognises that state has primary role to reduce disaster risk but that responsibility should be shared with or stakeholders including local government, private sector and or stakeholders.

Highlighting zero-casualty cyclone preparedness policy of Indian government, a spokesperson for UNISDR, Denis McClean said: " almost pinpoint accuracy of early warnings from Indian Meteorological Department h enabled authorities to conduct a well-targeted evacuation plan, which h involved moving more than one million people into storm shelters".

UNISDR also tweeted about visory distributed by India's National Disaster Manment Authority and local authorities days before Fani me landfall in an effort to minimise loss of life and injury.

Local authorities are accommodating evacuees in over 4,000 shelters, including 880 specially designed to withstand cyclones. "Schools were shut, airports closed and transport suspended, and although dam to infrastructure was expected to be severe, re were reports of any deaths," McClean said.

According to preliminary reports, eight people have been killed due to cyclone, which has potential to cause widespre loss of life. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' spokesperson told reporters that UN humanitarian ncies in India have met ahe of storm's arrival to take stock of preparedness measures.