Cyclones in Odisha

Cyclone prone area

Cyclones are one of the natural hazards that have the capability to risk lives, loss of property and infrastructure. Odisha is one of the most vulnerable states in India as far as cyclones are concerned. Odisha being located on the coast of the Bay of Bengal is very much prone to the cyclones and especially the Districts of Puri which is located the most closer to the coast of the sea.

Depressions and cyclonic storms originating in the Bay of Bengal in the pre-monsoon, monsoon and post-monsoon months pass through or in the neighbourhood of the state.

The state of Orissa is one of the most disaster prone states in the Indian Union. Odisha has encountered 10 cyclones, including the approaching Jawad, in a span of 22 years and the frequency of such natural disasters is only on the rise, official records of State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) said. From Super Cyclone in 1999, cyclone Phailin near Gopalpur in Ganjam district on October 12, 2013, followed by cyclone Hudhud in 2014, cyclone Titli in 2018, then the year that followed, two cyclones Fani and Bulbul that hit the country’s eastern coast, causing extensive damage in Odisha. Fani had reached its peak intensity a day before its landfall and reached its peak intensity on 2 May 2019. It was marked as a high-end Category-4 major hurricane, with maximum sustained wind speed ranging from 209-251 kmph. The storm killed 64 people in the state and adversely affected electricity supply and telecommunication. Cyclone Amphan in 2020 had also claimed lives and damaged property in Odisha. Cyclone Yaas hit Odisha’s districts in May 2021, followed by cyclone Gulab and Jawad in December 2021.

I System's Drawing

Children and Vulnerability

More than 4.8 million children were directly impacted by the cyclone in the state of Odisha alone, most of them residing in villages and slums deprived of even basic necessities. Critical services to children continued to be disrupted in the affected districts even after weeks.

Children are particularly vulnerable to disasters, owing to their young age, dependency requirements, and developmental status. In disasters, nearly all of the child's rights are at stake, from basic survival to freedom from abuse and exploitation, as well as access to health care and education.

Natural disaster preparedness, relief, and response policies are generally geared toward adults. Children's needs and rights are given far less attention. As a result, children, who are the most vulnerable in disasters, are always left behind and suffer greatly. As a result, policies and guidelines must be child-centered and sensitive. Children's specific survival, development, and protection needs must be addressed in emergency response, rehabilitation, and preparedness. Not just the physical infrastructure, the furniture were all damaged, the walls were cracked, moreover since the evacuation was done so hurriedly that lots of children, particularly from the villages lost all their books and stationery.

A total of 6,498 schools were damaged in cyclone Fani that ravaged 14 districts in Odisha on May 3 as per the state education department. As per initial reports, the School and Mass Education department in the state has assessed a loss of ₹417.83 crore due to cyclone Fani. A maximum number of 2,134 schools were damaged in Puri district, which was the worst affected by the cyclonic storm. A total of 1,002 schools were damaged in the Cuttack district.

II System's Drawing

Gaps Identified

Right To Education (RTE) Act, 2009, states that every child between the ages of 6 to 14 years has the right to free and compulsory education. However, it does not have a specification for education in times of disaster.

The existence of child-friendly spaces through organisations such as Save the Children are there in some places which provide an activity-learning space for children. However, it does not include a whole schooling program.

The hold on education after a major disaster (here cyclone) often extends to a long time of around 5 months.

The existing programs majorly focus on psycho-social programs leaving the academic curriculum.

Under the National disaster management policy, it states that after a disaster, the Anganwadi and schools must open as soon as possible and in case of damage to the structures, temporary/ emergency provision must be created allowing children to access the services. But there is a lack of rapid implementation which often leads to long academic breaks.

In India, there are programs for ‘Disaster management education’ but do not have a firm base in ‘Education in Disaster’.

Existing policies and schemes do not provide any legal framework for the on-hold education of children of primary age after a disaster in case of destruction of structures.

Period of Inaccessibility

Children being the most vulnerable in any disaster suffers from a period of inaccessibility including friends, belongings, and peer learning in schools.
A cyclone affects the schooling of children in various ways either by damaging the school structure or conversion of school buildings into disaster shelters or storage spaces.
The post-disaster phase is also a recovery phase where adults are focused on rebuilding their damaged livelihoods and children are at a loss of attention and emotional support.
After a major disaster, it takes almost 4-5 months of time for schools to be restructured or repaired and be back to an equilibrium position of working at a safe and efficient level.
With the gap of several months in schooling and economic pressure on households, it leads to an increase in dropout rates, especially among girls.