Bhubaneswar: At least 26 coastal villages in Odisha have been recognised by the IOC-UNESCO under its Tsunami Ready Recognition Programme, marking a significant milestone in the state’s efforts to strengthen coastal disaster preparedness.
Official sources said a total of 381 tsunami-prone coastal villages have been identified and are being developed as Tsunami-Ready Villages through various disaster preparedness initiatives.
To further enhance its tsunami preparedness, the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) has partnered with the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), Hyderabad, to modernise tsunami management systems and strengthen early warning mechanisms.
The progress was reviewed during a high-level meeting on urban flooding, stormwater drainage, tsunami preparedness and landslide management, chaired by Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari.
Addressing the meeting, Pujari stressed the need to reinforce Odisha’s disaster management framework through the adoption of advanced technologies and greater community participation to improve preparedness, response and mitigation capacities.
The Minister reviewed the state’s forecasting and early warning systems with officials of INCOIS and directed them to further strengthen rapid warning mechanisms to ensure timely dissemination of alerts in the event of disasters.
The meeting also reviewed the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and IIT Roorkee for addressing urban flooding caused by heavy rainfall.
IIT Roorkee presented the Detailed Project Report (DPR) prepared under the initiative.
It was decided that, in coordination with the Housing and Urban Development Department, an initial list of ten ur ban centres would be identified for implementing urban flood management and stormwater drainage projects.
Financial support for these projects will be extended from the Disaster Management Fund. Pujari directed officials to improve drainage infrastructure in Bhubaneswar and other urban centres to ensure the efficient discharge of rainwater and reduce waterlogging during heavy rainfall.
The meeting also focused on landslides, which are emerging as a new disaster challenge in Odisha.
Following the recent landslide incidents in Gajapati district, the Disaster Management Department has initiated surveys to identify vulnerable locations.
Senior departmental officials have visited northeastern states to study best practices in landslide management, while consultations are underway with national and international expert organisations to develop a comprehensive landslide risk management framework for Odisha.