RIMES terms Titli cyclone ‘rarest of rare’

RIMES terms Titli cyclone ‘rarest of rare’

News

1. The Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (RIMES) for Africa and Asia has termed ‘Titli’, the severe cyclonic storm that devastated Odisha in October, as ‘rarest cyclone’.

Important Facts:

2. In 200 years of history of cyclone tracks, no synthetic track projection captures the Titli type of cyclones.
3. Character which makes Titli cyclones rarest of rare

• Recurvature after landfall and retaining its destructive potential after landfall and
• Recurvature away from the coastal areas for more than two days

4. Impact on forecasting system

• The forecast information available lacked actionable early warning information such as no indication of occurrence of secondary hazards, including landslides far away from the coasts. The highest number of casualties occurred in a village called Baraghara in Gajapati were not evacuated by disaster management team, as the risk is unknown due to rare characteristics of cyclone Titli.
• Cyclone-risk management are heavily focused on the coastal areas where cyclones cross at their peak intensities. Therefore, coastal areas have been largely well managed through evacuations and other protocols, leading to zero casualties in these areas.

5. About RIMES

• The RIMES is an intergovernmental body registered under United Nations.
• It is owned and managed by 45 collaborating countries in Asia Pacific and Africa Region.
• It seeks to establish regional early warning system within multi-hazard framework for generation and communication of early warning information and capacity building for preparedness and response to trans-boundary hazards.
• It provides information related to Tsunami and extreme weather conditions. It also acts as a test bed for emerging technologies and help to enhance performance