Preparing for cyclones can save lives, but to save livelihoods nations must also help people adapt to cyclones’ impacts.

This is particularly true for countries affected by tropical cyclones. While climate change does not necessarily lead to more cyclones forming, the evidence is very strong now that the rising temperatures of the sea surface will increase its intensity.

The people who suffer most from cyclones are the poorest and most vulnerable, including women, children and indigenous people. This is true even in wealthy countries.

Effective preparation for combating these disasters can significantly reduce the deaths and the overall impact of such events. And because the developing world often have to cope with cyclones, many countries are becoming better at preparing for them, and risk reduction.

But while early warning systems and reinforced shelters can help protect lives during a cyclone, they cannot stop the damage to crops, homes and infrastructure, such as roads. Economic and livelihood losses remain high.

It is not enough just to be prepared for a disaster. Countries that face future cyclones need a longer term to strengthen the capacity of local people to adapt to such events.

People are already implementing grassroots adaptation strategies independently of higher authorities- for example, in the Gpalganj district in central Bangladesh, people are adapting to flooding by growing crops on floating rafts made of water hyacinth. These can survive several feet of flood water rise.

But coping with more intense cyclones must also be considered within broad level adaptation plans for climate change.

There is a natural link between preparing for natural disasters and climate change adaptation, particularly for weather-related disasters such as cyclones and hurricanes. But to make the most of it, communities are trying to reduce the risks of disasters and have to work with climate change scientists and action groups around the world.

And the whole world, whether governments, international agencies or local communities, must focus their efforts on the poorest and most vulnerable. These are the people on the face of climate impacts.

Image to link: Library Thinkquest

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