U.N. and other experts have praised India for its early warning systems and rapid evacuation of more than 1 million people, which they said helped minimize loss of life from a deadly cyclone that battered its eastern coast.
Only 12 people have been killed by the cyclone in India — which escaped being hit by a major storm surge — and at least 160 injured, local media reported.
As soon as it became clear this week that Fani was on course to hit Odisha, emergency teams began the mammoth task of evacuating those living in low-lying regions, moving 1.2 million residents The U.N. Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) praised the government’s “effective” evacuation, saying it had “saved many lives.”
Social media users also lauded the Indian authorities for averting a mass human disaster, despite the fact that a densely populated region was in the eye of the storm.
“Credit goes to #India authorities for their aggressive pre-impact response, including massive evacuations,” wrote Josh Morgerman, a U.S.-based cyclone expert.