BHUBANESWAR: Titli was the rarest of rare cyclone in the last more than two centuries due to the recurvature after its landfall, a phenomenon that is quite uncommon. The cyclone retained its destructive potential after landfall and made a recurvature away from coastal areas for more than two days.
In its recent report on ‘forecast uncertainties and disaster management challenges of post-landfall cyclone impacts’, the Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System for Africa and Asia (RIMES) has blamed this phenomenon for Titli’s disastrous impact in Odisha.
Thailand-based RIMES is an international and intergovernmental body owned and managed by its member States for generation and application of early warning information and capacity building for preparedness and response to trans-boundary hazards.
Analysing the post-landfall impacts of ‘Titli’, the global body stated that OSDMA faced challenge in anticipating and managing the cyclone due to lack of impact-based actionable early warning information and prior experience.
“Considering the history of cyclone paths, no synthetic track projection captures Titli kind cyclones. OSDMA could evolve measures to minimise impacts in both coastal and non-coastal regions more effectively in future from the lessons learnt from Titli,” the report stated.
An assessment of cyclone post-landfall characteristics from 1737 to 2018 indicated that while 13 common cyclones dissipated after landfall and affected coastal districts and one rare cyclone in 1999 sustained for longer period but affected only coastal districts, the rarest cyclone Titli sustained for longer period and affected interior districts.
IMD’s lead time forecast issued at 11:30 pm on October 8 did not anticipate the track followed by an appreciable inland movement in North West direction upon its landfall near Palasa-Srikakulam prior to its anticipated recurving trajectory in North East direction towards West Bengal across the coastal districts of Odisha.
“The forecast information available lacked actionable early warning information on secondary hazards like landslides far away from coasts due to which the impact in interior parts could not be anticipated for public awareness and evacuation of communities. Titli’s impact was better managed in the coastal districts based on legacy of Phailin that was lauded at global platforms,” the report said.
The international body has recommended the Odisha Government to carry out detailed assessment to understand the risk and integrate it into the management system as cyclone poses threat to both coastal and non-coastal communities. The State was also advised to carry out performance audit on disaster management system every year and build community owned evacuation shelters in vulnerable locations of interior districts.
The report compared Titli with Hurricane Mitch (Central America, 1998), Tropical Storm Alison (USA, 2001), Cyclone Aila, (South Asia), Typhoon Morakot, (Taiwan, 2009), Rain Storm (China, 2010) and Typhoon Manghkut (Philippines and China this year) which caused unprecedented damage.