MAUSAM. 4lI, 4 (Octobe r 1997). 609-620 502.58: 65.012.2 Cyclones and disaster management PHILIP STENCHION Overseas Emu gency Management Officer Emergency Management. Australia - 3ll'ro 'IRI U\lffi t, ill; 'lK"lft<!; ffl It ilf<I;rn . l6r ll'lIflrct 'O«lT i I t >tl t 'IiWli t fl1Q {l1'li1 lWl tAt fI1ltt;( r II ij;f{UJ, 3lf.I'Il'l 6, ilf<I;rn t ffi'l f I t JltzllR\ 6 !W'I M 'fllT m'l 3ll'ro lI'tlR t llffiflFl; ill 'It! t, 'lW {l1'li1 'Wti t 3IR {If<t\ M $ 1l\ I i!llil li 'SIJ >tl lllW! ;fit q( to 'liB! <@t , <fI1ll; 6 ijf<I ;fit li>lT<Fll 'li'I fI I i!llil li, {'I :fA 4lf<14i li 6 !P.r<l; t lRtit JI"I'l'I t '!&<it <m, li, 'fllT il ABSTRACf . Disaster management needs to be a long-term. multi-sector responsibility which interacts with. and contributes significanLly to, national development It should be intimately concerned with the root causes of community vulnerability lO hazards, and these root causes areinevitably the targe ts of devel opment programmes .Expert knowledg e gained through studies of cyclones is not only relevant to disaster management. but is an important component and crucial to its success. This article out lines some of the disaster management strategies that all of us should be trying to implemen t so that cyclones have less potential for harm. The article also show s the importance o f cyclo ne related studies. in the proper context. to each of these strategies. Key words - Disaster, Cyclone. Development. Hazard. Vulnerability. Programme. habitats. Disaster management is not about responding to serio us circumstances when they occ ur. Disaster manage ment instead must be viewed as a comprehensive system of coordina ted effons aimed at reducin g the probabili ty of serious circumstances occurring in tbe first place, as well as effectively responding when they do occur . I. In trodu ction Most readers of this journal are familiar with tropical cyloncs. No doubt you ' have more than a passing acq uittance with cyclone frequency, loca tion. s, tracks, eye diameters. annular rings. pressure gradients, wind speeds, outer boundaries. wave interactions. shearing effects. and other associated subjects. When invited to contribute to this issue. 1 realised that I was I am honoured by the invitation to contribute. not very familiar with these, Perhaps some of you arc specifi cal ly on disaster management, to this special equally less familiar wit h the subject of disaster issue of "Mau sam", Given the dimen si on s and management. which is oflen associated exclus ively complexity of comprehensive disaster management and (though incorrectly) with those actions taken after a us relationship to almost every fibre of a nation 's cyclone has had damaging effects on people and their being, this article is a superficial look at a deep and (609)

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MAUSAM. 4lI, 4 (Octobe r 1997). 609-620

502.58: 65.012.2

Cyclones and disaster management

PHILIP STENCHION

Overseas Emu gency Management OfficerEmergency Management. Australia

~ - 3ll'ro ~lR ~~, ~·m~ 'IRI U\lffi t , ~ ill; 'lK"lft<!; ffl It~ilf<I;rn .l6r ll'lIflrct 'O«lT i I~ t ~ "'~ I1~lqi >tl~~llffin t ~ 'IiWli t fl1Q {l1'li1~

lWl tAt fI1ltt;( r II ~ ij;f{UJ, 3lf.I'Il'l ~ 6, ilf<I;rn~ t ffi'l f I ~ t JltzllR\ 6!W'I M 'fllT ~m m'l 3ll'ro lI'tlR t ~ llffiflFl; ill 'It! t,~ 'lW {l1'li1 ~~ 'Wti

t 3IR {If<t\ M $ ~ ~ 1l\ ~ I ~ i!llil li 'SIJ ~ ~ ~lR ~~ >tl ~,lllW! ;fit q( to ~ ~ ~~ 'liB! <@t , <fI1ll;~ 6 ijf<I ;fit li>lT<Fll 'li'I fI I ~ i!llilli, {'I :fA4lf<14i li 6 !P.r<l; t ~ ~ lRtit JI"I'l'I t '!&<it <m, ~ ~ li,~ 'fllT i l

ABSTRACf. Disaster management needs to be a long-term. mu lti-sec tor responsibi lity whichinteracts with. and contributes significanLly to , national development It should be intimately concernedwith the root causes of community vulnerability lO hazards, and these root causes are inevitably thetargets of development programmes. Expert knowledge gained through studies of cyclones is not onlyrelevant to disaster management. but is an important component and crucial to its success. This articleout lines some of the disaster management strategies that all of us should be trying to implemen t sothat cyclones have less potential for harm. The article also show s the importance of cyclo ne relatedstudies. in the proper context. to each of these strategies.

Key words - Disaster, Cyclone. Development. Hazard. Vulnerability. Programme.

habitats. Disaster management is not abo ut respondingto serio us circumstances when they occ ur. Disas termanage ment instead must be viewed as a comprehensivesystem of coordina ted effons aimed at reducing theprobabili ty of ser ious circumstances occurring in tbe

first place, as well as effectively responding when theydo occur .

I. Introduction

Most readers of this journal are familiar withtropical cyloncs. No doubt you ' have more than apassing acq uittance with cyc lone frequency, loca tion.s,tracks, eye diameters. annular rings. pressure gradients,wind speeds, outer boundaries. wave interactions.shearing effects. and other associated subjects. Wheninvited to contribute to this issue. 1 realised that I was I am honoured by the invitation to contribute.not very familiar with these, Perhaps some of you arc specifi cal ly on disaster management, to this spec ialequally less familiar with the subjec t of disaster issue of "Mausam", Given the dimension s andmanagement. which is oflen associated exclus ively complexity of comp rehensive disaster management and(though incorrectly) with those actions taken after a us relationship to almost every fibre of a nation 'scyclone has had damaging effects on people and their being, this article is a superficial look at a deep and

(609)