Cyclone Sitrang To Hit Odisha Coast? Odisha SRC Tweet Leaves Twitterati Confused

Bhubaneswar: A ‘dummy message’ from the verified Twitter account of Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) caught people of Odisha off-guard on Sunday morning. It was about an ‘impending’ Cyclone ‘Sitrang’, which the tweet said is likely to cross north Odisha close to Dhamra as a very severe cyclonic storm with a maximum wind speed of 155 kmph, and this was enough to press the panic button.

It included heavy rainfall, storm surge, fishermen and port warning while elaborating on the expected damage and suggested action for North Odisha and adjoining districts.

Left confused, several Twitter users sought clarification over the post from the SRC. “Is some mock drill going on near Dharma? the SRC may clarify this ‘dummy message’,” wrote a user. “Why is this a Dummy Message? Is this posted by mistake?” asked another user.

A letter to collectors of 18 districts later lifted the veil over the confusion. It was indeed a dummy message for a mock drill for cyclone.

The SRC also tweeted a clarification:

Such dummy messages are usually part of table-top exercises on cyclone and flood and are conducted to clarify roles and responsibilities and to identify additional campus mitigation and preparedness needs.

In 2019, SRC and Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) conducted mock exercises on flood and cyclone management across the state to strengthen the disaster management capabilities of different stakeholders and also to test the preparedness at different levels. As part of the exercises, a dummy warning message was sent by the Regional Office of the India Meteorological Department at Bhubaneswar to the State Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) functioning in the office of the SRC.

To deal with possible Tsunami in the state effectively and enhance the ability to respond faster and better in an organised manner, a mock drill was conducted along Odisha coast in November 2017. The SRC had then clarified that it was a dummy drill and that the public should not panic.