A tropical cyclone has formed in the Bay of Bengal over the weekend and is due to hit the Indian state of Odisha. If the past is any guide, Cyclone Sitrang may bring flooding, destroyed crops, collapsed buildings and loss of life.
For a disaster to happen, hazard and vulnerability must come together. Human-caused climate change is affecting hazards now, such as decreasing the frequency of tropical cyclones while increasing their intensity. A tropical cyclone, though, does not need to harm health if people and infrastructure are ready for it and can cope with it.
The vulnerability – or how society deals or cannot deal with hazards – is what creates the disaster. Vulnerability is a societal process setting up people and places to be harmed by potential hazards. Examples are poorly constructed buildings, breaking planning regulations, not having insurance, not receiving or understanding warning messages due to language differences, being unable to evacuate due to illness or mobility difficulties, fearing assault in an emergency shelter, and many others.
