Odisha Coastal Disaster Alert System

Odisha Government has launched an automatic public address system to warn citizens about cyclone, tsunami and floods.

Details:

• This is the first of its kind technology in field of Early Warning Dissemination System (EWDS) in India.
• The EWDS of Odisha government has been implemented under the assistance of World Bank with a cost of around 82 crores.
• Around 122 towers have been installed along the 480 km long coastline of the odisha state to produce sound and sirens during emergency situations.
• Sound produced from the towers can be heard in communities within a radius of 1.5 km.
• The button will be pressed from the state emergency centre in Bhubaneswar during an emergency situation.
• Six coastal districts named Balasore, Bhadrak, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Puri and Ganjam have been covered under the system.
• It is a part of the last-mile connectivity programme under the National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project an aimed at protecting people from the cyclone.
• The system will prove to be boon for the fisherman of the state.

Odisha and disasters:

• Odisha is vulnerable to many disasters.
• The state is prone to tropical cyclones, storm surges and tsunamis.
• A large part of the state comes under Earthquake Risk Zone-II. 
• The super-cyclone of 1999 which claimed 10,000 lives in Odisha.
• In 2013, Cyclone Phailin hit the Indian coasts.
• Cyclone Hudhud hit Odisha in 2014.
• Recently cyclone Titli hit odisha coast in 2018.

Disaster preparedness of Odisha:

• The Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) was established in 1999.
• OSDMA was the first disaster management authority centre established in India.
• Odisha has an active State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA).
• Odisha, has built close to 800 multipurpose cyclone and flood shelters in cyclone prone areas.
• All vulnerable regions in Odisha have active Cyclone Management Centres.
• Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) is a well known name in cyclone hit areas.
• With continuous focus on developing manpower, skill, and infrastructure, state of Odisha has emerged as one of the most disaster-ready states in the world today.

Question:

Q. Government of which state has launched an automatic public address system to warn citizens about cyclone, tsunami and floods?
a. West Bengal
b. Maharashtra
c. Karnataka
d. Odisha