Bhubaneswar: Odisha is ready to strengthen its disaster preparedness mechanism by expanding the number of tsunami-ready villages from the current 26 to 255, with plans to expand it to a total of 381 villages. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi made this announcement on Disaster Preparedness Day on Tuesday, speaking on the state’s ongoing commitment to community resilience against natural calamities.
Odisha’ was recently recognised as having Tsunami Ready Villages while members of community centers in Bhadrak, Kendrapada, Puri, and Ganjam districts were honoured for playing an important role in helping Odisha achieve this recognition. The Chief Minister acknowledged these efforts, expressing pride in the state’s proactive disaster management measures. "The teams have worked hard and proved that they can committedly work for safeguarding lives during tsunamis and other natural disasters or calamities. They deserve all the applause," the CM said.
As part of the expansion, a local response team will be established in each designated revenue village to alert local block, district, and control room authorities during emergencies. This grassroots approach aims to empower communities with faster response capabilities and better coordination during critical events.
Plans to construct 500 new multi-purpose cyclone shelters across the state are also on the anvil. Designed for resilience, these structures will double as community halls, schools, and safe houses in emergencies. The state has begun priority-based surveys to identify optimal locations for these shelters.
Furthermore, Odisha will establish a state-of-the-art computerised control center operated by the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA), serving as a central hub for emergency management. The Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) will also see a boost with 10 new teams to enhance rapid response capacity.
“These initiatives ensure that Odisha is prepared for future challenges while safeguarding our communities,” Majhi further added. The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) had earlier informed that 24 villages in Odisha are all set to become ‘Tsunami Ready’ in addition to the existing two villages of Venkatraipur in Ganjam and Noliasahi in Jagatsinghpur district. The two villages achieved the status in 2020.
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