The 1999 super cyclone in Odisha, India: a systematic review of documented losses

Abstract

Climate-related hazards accounted for over 90% of disasters over the past two decades and cause massive losses every year worldwide. In the face of the climate crisis, we are confronted with unprecedented challenges that require transformational change. The Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Agreement and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction set ambitious global goals and targets. Monitoring and reporting are fundamental towards their achievement. We are, thus, faced with an urgency to step up accountability efforts. India is one of the top ten countries by cumulative disaster losses, with the most intense recorded event being the 1999 Odisha super cyclone. Twenty years later, there is still no comprehensive documentation of the losses caused by the cyclone at the micro-level, nor an understanding of long-term post-disaster recovery patterns. To fill this gap, a systematic review has been conducted to gather evidence of recorded losses by type and their spatial distribution. Results show that satellite remote sensing has contributed to a finer and more localised estimation of losses compared to official records from 1999; that coastal and riverine districts are proven to be the worst impacted; and that we now have an understanding, albeit partial, of the non-physical impacts associated with the 1999 cyclone. This review provides the most comprehensive catalogue of documented losses induced by the 1999 super cyclone and is the best estimate of a baseline of impacts which can serve to investigate long-term recovery trends.

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