The State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) has drawn up a proposal to create a virtual cadre in the State service for faster emergency response and better coordination of government departments involved in disaster relief activities.
The proposed virtual cadre will have a core team of 15 young officials from each department, with 14 from each district and one nodal officer at the State level. The team trained in disaster preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation would function without any additional office setup.
“The idea is to have a network of trained officials with institutional memory and exposure to disaster risk reduction in all departments over a period of three or four years,” says Sekhar L. Kuriakose, Head (Scientist), State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC). The proposal is likely to be taken up for discussion at the next meeting of the SDMA.
Training
SEOC has already tied up with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to train officials from various departments in disaster management. A 47-member NDRF team, currently stationed at the Civil Defence Institute, Thrissur, is training officials and local-self governments in disaster relief and emergency operations. The first batch comprising officials from the Excise Department has completed the five-day training. “Officials from the other departments will also be covered by the training programme in due course,” Dr. Kuriakose said. Meanwhile, SEOC has confirmed a second gustnado in the State within a month, this time at Marayoor in Idukki, indicating the likelihood of more freak weather events.
Analysis of data from the stricken area showed that trees were uprooted and whipped around in all directions. Local residents reported that the transient phenomenon that occurred on July 4 was preceded by dark skies and a roaring wind, accompanied by rain.
“The intense damage was confined to a small area,” says Dr.Kuriakose. Several houses and standing crops were damaged by the gustnado. A localised vortex, the gustnado is a rotating column of air triggered by a thunder cloud.
