Disaster Response

The rarest of the rare extremely severe cyclonic storm Fani made landfall in Puri coast on 3rd May 2019 causing severe devastation coastal Odisha. This was the 3rd severe and rarest summer cyclonic storm in the last 150 years that devastated three districts of coastal Odisha. Nearly 1.6 crore people in 18,388 villages and 51 towns in 14 districts of Odisha were badly affected, causing massive destruction to the houses, standing crops, orchards, livelihood, access to basic necessities, and public utility system.

Adhikar in association with Yes Bank Limited and Mahashakti Foundation provided relief to the cyclone-affected people. A five-member team visited 8-gram panchayats of Puri and Cuttack districts for a rapid assessment of damage and loss. Based on the assessment we carried out the relief work in approximately 8 blocks of Puri, Cuttack, and Khurda districts reaching out to nearly 30000 people. The people were provided with relief kits consist of food and non-food items. Similarly, under the Rahat program, more than 2000 below the poverty line people in 7 blocks of Cuttack and Puri districts were provided with relief materials consist of non-food materials.

Over the years the changing climate has made the disaster more likely and more extreme which has seriously threatened the sustainable development of the poor and marginalized. Adhikar envisioned developing strategy and implementation of the action plan to reduce the gap in creating disaster-resilient infrastructure and livelihood for people.

The severe cyclonic storm Titli hit Odisha and Andhra coast on 11 October 2018 affecting mostly the Gajapati, Kandhamal and Rayagada districts of Odisha and causing massive destruction to life and property of the people. The abrupt change in the nature of Titli, which affected nearly 6 million people left the state machinery in complete awe.

Moreover, the post-cyclone heavy showers usually observed during cloudbursts, as many as 80 people lost their lives, huge crop loss, houses were destroyed, and heavy loss to livestock. Immediate after the cyclone 5 members’ team from Adhikar visited nearly 10 affected gram panchayats for a rapid assessment of loss and damage.

The poor social and economic condition of the people in this region made their lives more measurable in the post cyclonic period. As per the assessment report, Adhikar in association with Goonj New Delhi carried out the relief work in more than 90 villages of Gajapati district touching the lives of 2400 people.

Under the Rahat program, people are distributed relief kits consists of non-food materials in return to their labor in cleaning and repairing the roads, removing the debris, repairing houses, etc.45

On October 12, 2013, Cyclone Phailin hit the coast of Odisha, affecting about 13.2 million people in 171 blocks in 18 districts of the state. Though the human casualty was much less it caused severe damage to the livelihood and infrastructures of the people. The districts of Mayurbhanj and Balasore were also equally suffered from cyclones and floods caused by heavy rain. Badasahi and GB Nagar blocks of Mayurbhanj and Nilagiri block of Balasore were among the most affected areas, where, floods and the resultant loss of crops have led to acute food insecurity for affected families. The situation compelled them to reduce/compromise the quantity and nutritional aspects of the food consumed. Adhikar with support from USAID and Mercy Corps launched “Food Security for Flood-affected populations in Odisha.” The programmes aimed at improving food security of 17500 people in the affected areas and improve their resilience. A total of 2.52 lakhs human days were created to engage 3330 households in the case for work activities. Each household received around 78 days’ wage @ Rs 165/day.