The entire country is relieved that the coastal areas of Gujarat have been spared from a major natural calamity without suffering much damage. Biporjoy, which formed in the Arabian Sea and transformed into a severe cyclone, caused a lot of damage, but the precautions taken by the state government and disaster management forces largely succeeded in eliminating the loss of life. Earlier, many lives were lost in severe cyclones in the country. With weather monitoring and forecasting becoming more scientific, it is now possible to anticipate natural disasters and make necessary preparations.

More than one and a half lakh people were shifted to safe places from the coasts of Gujarat to avoid being caught by Biporjoy. Even if the people were made safe, the coastal villages could not be saved from the heavy rain brought by the cyclone. Thousands of villages were submerged in the three-day torrential rains. The power outages affected lakhs of people. The biggest challenge is to restore electricity and repair damaged roads. It is estimated that thousands of trees were uprooted by the wind. As soon as the cyclone warning was issued, the state administration started preparations for this, and as soon as the disaster passed, it was able to enter the scene on a war footing.

Every natural calamity reminds the nation that natural calamities should not be resented, but should be seen as a challenge to overcome. Two or three decades ago, the Andhra coast was regularly hit by devastating cyclones during the months of October-November. Thousands of coastal residents lost their lives in them. Later, experts found ways to save people from these cyclones. As the disaster warnings became more credible, there were plans to evacuate the entire coastal area. It became easier when the police, army and disaster management forces came together. Rescue centers have been constructed in the coastal districts for quick evacuation of people from calamities. Nowadays, no one dies due to floods in the coastal Andhra Pradesh during cyclones. It is a success of disaster management measures.

It will take time for Gujarat to recover from the devastation wrought by Biporjoy, but it is a great relief that the major calamities have been averted. The cyclone has moved from Gujarat to Rajasthan. There was no major damage as it started to weaken.

Gone are the old days of predicting whether it will rain or not, wind or not. Current weather forecasts are based on scientifically based observations. Such highly accurate predictions enable mankind to take precautions against natural calamities.