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Bhubaneswar: Minister of Revenue and Disaster Management Suresh Pujari inaugurated the two-day National Workshop on Lightning Safety, organised by the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) in Bhubaneswar on October 15–16. The workshop brought together leading scientific and technical institutions, researchers, academic experts and disaster management officials from across the country to discuss strategies for reducing lightning-related deaths and damage. Addressing the inaugural session, the Minister highlighted the growing impact of lightning and emphasised the need for coordinated efforts, scientific research and knowledge-sharing to strengthen disaster risk reduction. Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, Director General of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), highlighted the importance of improving lightning detection, monitoring and forecasting through satellite data, numerical weather prediction, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML) and Panchayat-level decision-support systems. OSDMA Managing Director Rajesh Prabhakar Patil said the workshop aimed to strengthen lightning forecasting, risk assessment, early warning dissemination and public safety measures, with particular emphasis on protecting vulnerable communities, including farmers, agricultural labourers, outdoor workers and students. Experts and representatives from national scientific, technical and academic institutions, including IMD, IITM, NRSC, NCMRWF, IIT Bhubaneswar, NIT Patna, CEEW and other universities and research organisations, participated in the workshop. The initiative underscores OSDMA’s commitment to translating scientific…

Bhubaneswar, 9 October 2026: Odisha’s disaster management model continues to serve as an important learning resource for students and researchers seeking to understand effective disaster preparedness and response. As part of an educational visit, a group of 40 students from Xavier University, Bhubaneswar, visited the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) to gain insights into the state’s disaster management journey, key initiatives and best practices. During the visit, Dr. Kamal Lochan Mishra, Advisor to OSDMA, briefed the students on Odisha’s transformation in disaster management following the devastating Super Cyclone of 1999. He highlighted the state’s significant progress in strengthening early warning systems, disaster preparedness, timely evacuation, community participation and the integration of modern technology and data-driven approaches to disaster risk reduction. Emphasising the importance of learning from past disasters and practical experiences, Dr. Mishra encouraged the students to explore disaster management through research, innovation and the application of emerging technologies. He also highlighted the need to strengthen knowledge and awareness to address evolving disaster risks and build resilient communities. The visit provided the students with an opportunity to understand Odisha’s disaster management practices and the institutional and community-based measures that contribute to effective disaster preparedness and response. It also aimed…

With the objective of further expanding the exchange of experience, knowledge and best practices in the field of disaster management, a high-level delegation from Odisha, led by Hon’ble Minister Shri Suresh k pujari, is visiting Gujarat. During the visit, the delegation visited GSDMA, GIDM, and the Smritivan Earthquake Memorial and Museum in Bhuj, where experiences were exchanged on disaster preparedness, training, capacity building, use of technology, mock drills, public awareness, and rehabilitation and reconstruction. During the interaction with the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shri Bhupendrap, as well as senior officials, emphasis was placed on training, knowledge sharing, joint exercises and the organization of workshops.  This collaboration between Odisha and Gujarat will further strengthen disaster prevention, preparedness and rapid response mechanisms, while making a significant contribution towards building a better-prepared and disaster-resilient society.

BHUBANESWAR, September 28: Seventy-four more coastal villages in Odisha have been declared “Tsunami Ready” under the UNESCO-IOC Tsunami Ready Recognition Programme, taking the total number of recognised tsunami-ready villages in the state to 100, officials said. The recognition was announced at a meeting of the National Tsunami Ready Board (NTRB) and the Government of Odisha held in Bhubaneswar, following field verification of coastal villages in Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Puri and Jagatsinghpur districts. The meeting was chaired by Balakrishnan Nair, Director, Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), and Rajesh Prabhakar Patil, Managing Director,   Odisha   State   Disaster   Management   Authority   (OSDMA). The state government has identified 381 coastal villages and habitations as tsunamiprone and is implementing the Tsunami Ready Programme in a phased manner to strengthen community preparedness, early warning dissemination and response mechanisms. As part of the recognition process, the NTRB conducted field verification on September 26 and 27, assessing key preparedness indicators, including tsunami awareness, warning dissemination, evacuation preparedness and community response mechanisms. The team also interacted with local communities to assess their understanding of tsunami risks and preparedness measures. The state government has identified 381 coastal villages and habitations as tsunami-prone and is implementing the Tsunami Ready Programme…

Bhubaneswar | 2nd September 2026 The Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) signed two significant Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and CivicDataLab at the Lok Seva Bhawan Convention Centre, marking a major step towards strengthening data-driven, scientific and technology-enabled disaster management in Odisha. The MoUs were signed in the presence of Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari, UNDP India Resident Representative Angela Lusigi, and CivicDataLab Director and Co-founder Gaurav Godhwani. Executive Director, OSDMA, Susmita Behera signed the MoUs on behalf of OSDMA. Under the OSDMA–UNDP partnership, a comprehensive Hazard, Risk and Vulnerability Assessment (HRVA) will be undertaken across all 30 districts. Village-level data will be collected in 10 coastal districts, while Gram Panchayat-level assessment will cover the remaining 20 districts. The data will support a dynamic GIS-enabled platform, district-level risk atlases and evidence-based disaster risk reduction and climate resilience planning. The OSDMA–CivicDataLab partnership will facilitate the development of a Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for Disaster Risk Reduction through the Intelligent Data Solutions for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDS-DRR) platform. The system will integrate and harmonise data from multiple departments and provide dashboards and analytical insights to support evidence-based decision-making. The initial focus will be…

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