Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Ready for the worst: on government’s better preparedness for cyclones

Ready for the worst: on government’s better preparedness for cyclones

Governments and agencies have shown better preparedness (तत्परता, मुस्तैदी) for cyclones (चक्रवात, बवंडर)

That Cyclone Mandous, which had its landfall (भूस्खलन) near Mamallapuram, near Chennai, in the early hours of Saturday, did not cause much damage has come as a huge relief (राहत) to the people of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. At one stage, it was expected to develop into a “severe (गंभीर, कठोर) cyclonic storm”, but did not gain much strength. Called a “textbook cyclone”, the storm, as predicted by the India Meteorological Department, crossed the coast with all the attendant features, to the satisfaction of professional meteorologists. Though Cyclone Mandous was similar to Cyclone Vardah which made landfall in Chennai in mid-December 2016, this event dumped (To empty out as from a container) heavy rainfall that was far more than what occurred under Vardah. This time, not only parts of north Tamil Nadu but also areas in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh experienced heavy rainfall. For instance, Vembakkam in Tiruvannamalai district of Tamil Nadu and Srikalahasti in Tirupati district of Andhra Pradesh bore the brunt, recording rainfall of 25 cm and 23 cm, respectively, during the 24-hour-period that ended at 8.30 a.m. on Saturday. But more noteworthy (ध्यान देने योग्य) was the way the official machinery in Tamil Nadu steered the disaster management system. Despite (इसके बावजूद) the cyclone crossing the coast at almost midnight and causing a number of trees and structures to fall, the response of the administration was swift (तीव्र, जल्दी करनेवाला) and the common man’s life hardly disrupted (Interrupt (an event, activity, or process) by causing a disturbance or problem). Five lives were lost, a count much lower than during disasters of a similar magnitude.

After drawing flak (If you get a lot of flak from someone, it means that they criticize you severely) in November 2021, and, subsequently (बाद में, इस के बाद), when Chennai and its vicinity (आस-पास, निकटता) experienced inundation (सैलाब, जलप्लावन) following spells of heavy rain, the Tamil Nadu government has been paying greater attention this time to improving the storm-water drain network and such other works. Though one of the reasons cited for many areas being spared of flooding was that the core parts of the city did not receive as much rain as the interior parts of north Tamil Nadu, the State government’s coordination (समन्वय, तालमेल) with the Meteorological Department and its preparedness in tackling the post-landfall situation made a difference to the situation this time. Otherwise, as in the past, citizens would have suffered even in light rain. Technology too, both in terms of forecast (पूर्वानुमान, भविष्यवाणी) and information dissemination (प्रसार, प्रचार), has been playing a key role. The authorities, i.e., the State government and the Meteorological department, should continuously work to improve their ways of functioning, making use of technology, and helping people to be ready to face a natural disaster of this nature or even of greater strength. Ideally, the official machinery should set a goal of ensuring (To make sure of) no loss to life. Such a task would not be impossible, given the availability of resources, both hardware and software, and empirical (आनुभविक, प्रयोगसिद्ध) data on cyclones and severe cyclones crossing the coast of Tamil Nadu.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.Preparedness (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - तत्परता, मुस्तैदी
English Meaning - The state of being prepared.

2.Cyclone (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - चक्रवात, बवंडर
English Meaning - A storm or system of winds that rotates about a center of low atmospheric pressure and advances at a speed of 20 to 30 miles an hour.

3.Landfall (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - भूस्खलन
English Meaning - A sighting of land after a flight.

4.Relief (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - राहत
English Meaning - A means that relieves pain or distress.

5.Severe (Adjective)

Hindi Meaning - गंभीर, कठोर
English Meaning - (of something bad or undesirable) very great

6.Noteworthy (Adjective)

Hindi Meaning - ध्यान देने योग्य
English Meaning - Worthy of attracting attention especially because of some special excellence.

7.Despite (Preposition)

Hindi Meaning - इसके बावजूद
English Meaning - In spite of

8.Swift (Adjective)

Hindi Meaning - तीव्र, जल्दी करनेवाला
English Meaning - Capable of moving with great speed.

9.Subsequently (Adverb)

Hindi Meaning - बाद में, इस के बाद
English Meaning - Later in time.

10.Vicinity (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - आस-पास, निकटता
English Meaning - The area near or surrounding a particular place.

11.Inundation (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - सैलाब, जलप्लावन
English Meaning - The condition of being flooded.

12.Coordination (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - समन्वय, तालमेल
English Meaning - The act of coordinating.

13.Forecast (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - पूर्वानुमान, भविष्यवाणी
English Meaning - An estimate of a future happening in advance.

14.Dissemination (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रसार, प्रचार
English Meaning - The act of spreading something.

15.Empirical (Adjective)

Hindi Meaning - आनुभविक, प्रयोगसिद्ध
English Meaning - Originating in or based on observation or experience

16.Dump (Verb)

English Meaning - To empty out as from a container.

17.Disrupt (Verb)

English Meaning - Interrupt (an event, activity, or process) by causing a disturbance or problem.

18.Flak (Noun)

English Meaning - If you get a lot of flak from someone, it means that they criticize you severely.

19.Ensure (Verb

English Meaning - To make sure of.