Bhubaneswar: With extreme weather events becoming frequent in Odisha, it is imperative for leaders in the society to understand the phenomenon and inform others to spread awareness about climate change, experts said at a two-day workshop on ‘Weather, Climate and Natural Hazards’ at the SOA (Deemed to be University) here on Friday.
Odisha’s tryst with cyclones, heavy precipitation leading to floods, heat wave conditions, drought and lightning is well known and it has been taking a heavy toll of human lives and property, said Emeritus at the School of Earth, Ocean and Climate Sciences Professor of IIT Bhubaneswar, Professor Uma Charan Mohanty, while addressing the workshop.
“It is difficult to prevent natural disasters, but the lives of people and property can be protected with adequate and timely measures and spread of awareness,” he said.
Around 60 school teachers who teach science and geography attended the workshop, organised by the Bhubaneswar chapter of the Indian Meteorological Society (IMS) and SOA’s Centre for Environment and Climate (CEC).
“We thought of educating the teachers as they could train students and the society about the change in climate we are experiencing as also the method to cope with the same,” said Professor, Emeritus at IIT-Delhi and president of IMS, Professor SK Dash.
Professor Mohanty also said Odisha experienced severe heat wave in 1998 causing several hundred deaths followed by the super cyclone in 1999 in which around10,000 people perished.
“The two events had caught the state unawares but we were better prepared when such hazards returned,” he said.
“When Phailin cyclone hit the state with a gale force of 220 kmph, barely 20 people died,” Professor Mohanty said, adding “the government was better prepared because of early information and evacuation of people from the vulnerable areas.”
The administration could evacuate one million people in quick time which drew praise from the UN, he said.
Referring to the causes of global warming, which was being fuelled by human lifestyle and development activities, Professor Mohanty said the global mean temperature had risen by more than one degree C and the 17 year period between 1990 and 2006 had witnessed 12 of the warmest years.
Scientist-E of Indian Meteorological Department, Professor DR Pattnaik also made a presentation on heat waves during the day.
Dean (Research and Development) of SOA, Professor PK Nanda said the CEC, which began functioning a few months ago, had been providing accurate forecast of weather conditions to the government.
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