ABSTRACT
Odisha located on the east coast of India is highly vulnerable to tropical cyclones of various intensities. The frequency, intensity and magnitudes of these cyclonic storms have increased in the recent past leading to heavy loss of life and property. It has been observed that very severe cyclonic storms have changed their timing of occurrence from post monsoon to pre monsoon season. In this paper an attempt has been made to study the impact of the most recently occurred super cyclonic storm amphan in Odisha. The research work is based on the information of the Special Relief Commissioner, Odisha, IMD and, NRSC. The composite index has been used to assess the vulnerability of the districts to super cyclone Amphan. Amphan, after its origin in the Bay of Bengal made a land fall across Sunderban in West Bengal on the evening of 20th May 2020. The cyclone passed the Odisha coast with heavy rainfall and high wind speed. Due to its impact northern coastal and adjoining districts were affected with damages of infrastructure, power and agriculture. The state government took a lot of preventive measures to reduce the impact on the loss of life and hardship of likely affected people after getting the information from the IMD. The major steps taken were communication of warnings to the people through mass media, electronic media and local announcements, evacuation of vulnerable people to safer places, mobilization of manpower and machine and relief materials. Due to effective preventive measures loss of life could have been minimized and standing crops were saved.
