As if the ongoing Corona was not enough, now cyclone Tauktae and the impending Yass are having a more devastating effect on us. Last year too, we witnessed Nisarga and Amfan. Away from her country, US-based fashion designer and humanitarian Anjali Phougat is worried about the well-being of her family and friends in India.
“My heart goes out to everyone who has suffered so much loss. I am shocked, sad, and worried about my country. Reading up about the effects it had on living beings broke my heart all the more,” she says.
Urging everyone to be responsible and respectful to Mother Nature, she explains her point of view, “A cyclone is a natural product of our atmosphere. As per the law of conservation of mass, net downward motion (high pressure) must equal new upward motion (low pressure/cyclones) for the mass of our atmosphere to remain balanced. I don’t think that there is a way to stop the natural cyclones/anticyclones that develop in our atmosphere. This cyclone is yet another terrible double blow for millions of people in India whose families have been struck down by record Covid infections and deaths. The monsoon season has gotten more intense over the years, as climate change has made weather more extreme and unpredictable.”
Anjali shares that there is no technological intervention to carry out the prevention of natural calamities. However, it is the responsibility of every concerned individual to take certain steps to minimise the risk or loss of lives.
Elaborating how that can be done, she highlights a few things one must keep in mind. “First point is trees. Preserve existing trees, plant more trees, take care of them and maintain their growth. The second would be awareness. Maintain regular updates of weather conditions through broadcast and internet news. Third is to plan ahead. Identify the possible locations of refuge shelters and routes to take to be guided and have easy access to aid kits or survival tools beforehand. Fourth is utility management. Identify power control panels at your home, gas, piping, and control valves. All these need to be shut during such calamities. Maintain hotline numbers of hospitals, doctors, fire departments, police etc in your phonebook. Lastly, life support training helps. At least more than two family members should have training in life-saving exercises. Risk reduction and management is imperative for every family/community to upkeep preparedness in any given eventuality that might arise at any time,” she signs off.
