Cyclone Nisarga: Follow this list of Dos and Don'ts to ensure safety

Mumbai hasn’t seen a severe one in a long time. Cyclone Nisarga will be the first cyclone in more than a century to hit Mumbai. Communities in the path of Cyclone Nisarga will definitely get impacted and should be informed about the intensity to anticipate so that they can take appropriate pre-emptive actions. Since, large parts of Maharashtra, and Mumbai in particular, are already reeling badly with the existing complexities of Covid-19, there is all the more reason for them to brace for a cyclone hit. 

Measures at authority and government level:

Existing COVID hospitals, isolation wards, quarantine centres, and individuals under home quarantine need to be secured and provide assistance on priority in case there is a significant impact of the cyclone.  

The secondary and tertiary impacts of the cyclone, such as storm surges, localized flash floods, contamination of drinking water, damage to toilets, particularly in dense low-income communities using community toilets at ground floor level, waterborne diseases, livelihood losses and losses of homes and civic infrastructure are eventualities that we need to avoid, yet be braced to respond to.  

ALSO READ: Cyclone Nisarga: Everything you need to know

Measures for families to think about and act upon:

Keep your phones and battery banks fully charged. There can be a long power outage. 

Keep water stored for drinking and household usage.  When the power goes out for days, water pumping stations can also stop functioning.

Keep your emergency kit ready with essentials, and make sure you have enough of your regular medicines. You may not be able to go out and shop, or shops may be closed

Keep family or friends in another city updated on your exact location.  Many people in the past could be rescued because someone knew their situation and location and raised an alarm on social media

Secure assets on a higher level if on the ground floor, just in case water enters your house 

Keep your important documents, keys, bank cards, cash and chargers handy in a go-bag, should you have to evacuate at short notice

Remove valuables from your cars and disconnect batteries.  Do not attempt to drive in a car or two-wheeler if there is water flowing on the streets.  Do not walk in the water-filled area where you can't see the ground (and any manholes)

Stay away from electric wires and installations if you move outdoors.  When indoors during a thunderstorm and lightening, unplug any devices and stay away from electric lines.  More so if you are in a high-rise with no recently checked lightening arrestor

Keep your pets and any persons with disabilities or elderly in mind when preparing for the worst

Keep the morale high around you, and don’t allow your family or neighbours to panic or get overstressed.  Panic is the worst state of mind to be in during an emergency

By Dr Anshu Sharma, Co-Founder, SEEDS