I am forwarding SciDev.Net msg as it is to mark International Day for Disaster Reduction with a spotlight on tropical cyclone mitigation. This covers South Asia which will help us to build better understanding.
******************** Dear Dr V.N. Sharma, Tropical cyclones give developing countries much needed rain for agriculture. But as the earth warms, they are set to become more intense and strong cyclones can cause great loss of life and property. This is especially true in South Asia, where the Bay of Bengal's shallow coastal waters, high tides and densely populated low-lying areas make cyclones particularly deadly. Today is International Day for Disaster Reduction, and to highlight the issues facing South Asia, SciDev.Net publishes a set of articles to inform policymakers, researchers and international donors about ways of improving cyclone management. Read SciDev.Net's new spotlight on tropical cyclones in the Indian Ocean: [ http://info.scidev.net/t/488761/5879947/10572/0/ ] This free access online resource focuses on the impact cyclones have in South Asia and how countries can better forecast, prepare for and adapt to future cyclones, as well as cope with the impacts of extreme events. It highlights lessons learnt from countries like Bangladesh, India and Madagascar. Spotlight content overview An opening editorial from SciDev.Net director, David Dickson and South Asia coordinator, T. V. Padma, gives an overview of the issues at hand. [ http://info.scidev.net/t/488761/5879947/10573/0/ ] Opinions: * Preparing for cyclones can save lives, but to save livelihoods nations must also help people adapt to cyclones' impacts, says Saleemul Huq, head of the climate change group at the International Institute for Environment and Development: http://info.scidev.net/t/488761/5879947/10574/0/ * Shishir Dube, a professor at the Centre for Atmospheric Sciences at the Indian Institute of Technology suggests investing in detailed maps of potential cyclone damage will save lives in Indian Ocean countries: http://info.scidev.net/t/488761/5879947/10575/0/ * Mark Tadross, a senior research fellow in the Department of Environmental and Geographical Science at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, argues that combining statistical and physical models offers the best hope of predicting changes in local cyclone risks in the Indian Ocean: http://info.scidev.net/t/488761/5879947/10576/0/ * Disaster research can help future interventions, but urgency should never excuse exploitation of survivors, says Athula Sumathipala, honorary director of The Institute of Research and Development in Sri Lanka: http://info.scidev.net/t/488761/5879947/10577/0/ Features: * Bay of Bengal cyclones are often hugely destructive. India hopes to cut deaths in the region through improved storm prediction and research, reports T.V. Padma, SciDev.Net's regional coordinator for South Asia: http://info.scidev.net/t/488761/5879947/10578/0/ * A background feature by Greg O'Hare, a professor of geography at the UK-based University of Derby, explains how cyclones in south Asia develop, the damage they cause and what can be done to protect vulnerable populations: http://info.scidev.net/t/488761/5879947/10579/0/ Finally, we provide annotated links to key documents [ http://info.scidev.net/t/488761/5879947/10580/0/ ] and organisations [ http://info.scidev.net/t/488761/5879947/10581/0/ ] that address many of the above issues. And we have also brought together recent news [ http://info.scidev.net/t/488761/5879947/10582/0/ ] items from the website that are relevant to the same themes. Please pass this information on to colleagues and those within your network who will find it of interest. All our material is free to reproduce provided that the author and source are credited. We welcome comments on any of the issues raised in this spotlight. Please remember that, in order to post a comment on an article, you need be to be signed in. You can also email us at [EMAIL PROTECTED] Kind regards, Dr Sian Lewis Commissioning Editor SciDev.Net Please accept our apologies if you have previously received this message through cross-posting. If you are already registered with us and would like to update your details, or cancel your registration please go to http://info.scidev.net/t/488761/5879947/6307/0/ -- Dr.V.N.Sharma http://canvas.nowpos.com/vnsharma
