WesWorld

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The armed forces, other government departments, and foreign participants are gearing up for the first large-scale disaster preparedness exercise in Bharati history.

STORMEX 1944 will simulate a severe cyclone's path of destruction through the Ganges Delta - an area that has seen all too many real storms in the past. Just two years ago, a storm killed an estimated 28,000 people, while another in 1923 killed 23,000 and sparked an insurrection in Chittagong after relief efforts proved ineffective. Kolkata was badly battered twice in the 19th century, with up to 140,000 fatalities.

"Where and when the next big storm will strike is something that we can't predict far in advance," said Gautam Sehwag, Director-General of the Bharati Meteorological Survey. "What we can say, though, is that there will be another, and the possibility of significant damage and loss of life will be there."

The establishment of the BMS is one of several recent steps initiated by the government in an effort to mitigate against such scenarios. The survey operates weather stations across the country, from Diego Garcia in the south to the Himalayas and the Andaman islands. It also operates four meteorological observation ships, of which two to three patrol the Bay of Bengal during the peak cyclone season.

"Basically, these ships and the more distant weather stations are our early warning system. They tell us where the storms are, where they're going, and how strong they are - and by doing so, we have a day or two to start evacuations and prepare relief efforts," Sehwag noted.

Another element in the government's relief strategy is to increase its capacity to reach and assist affected areas by sea and river. While a variety of small landing craft, river hospital-boats, and even a portable diesel powerplant are now building, the most prominent units are the two Chattampi Swami class disaster relief ships built in 1942. Both will be participating in the exercise.

"The Swami is basically an all-in-one assistance program," said Commander Ambati Dhawan, the ship's commanding officer. "We have a small hospital. We have supplies. We have ambulances, trucks, and landing craft to transport them about. We've even got water purification facilities aboard. What we don't have is significant experience putting all this to work."

The Swami and her sister Abdullah Shah will hardly be alone for the exercise; the government has authorized the participation of the entire Eastern Maritime Command - including its two aircraft carriers and two battleships.

Also participating will be a small but notable list of foreign powers. While long-time allies South Africa and Persia are involved, there will also be ships and personnel from France and Indochina, and observers from the Philippines and Great Britain.

"This sort of scenario isn't strictly confined to Bharat," said Gautam Sehwag. "A cyclone could strike virtually anywhere in Asia, from Balochistan to Japan. Every nation observing or participating in this exercise knows it could be them that faces the next major crisis - and so they're wanting to learn. At the broadest level, the relief effort is a massive logistical undertaking made more complicated when one is trying to coordinate with foreign assets with equipment, doctrinal, and language differences. At the lowest level, small craft operators need to know how to operate their vessels in confined and unfamiliar waters, and how to deal with civilian passengers rather than trained military personnel."

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With STORMEX about to kick off, we speak with some of the "victims" of the hypothetical cyclone about to strike the Bharati coast.

Bankim Bose is a farmer living on the Ganges Delta, southwest of Kolkata. Though blessed with fertile soil for rice production, the delta is low-lying and frequently flooded during the monsoon season. A direct hit from a cyclone could be devastating - as it was just two years ago. "I lost a brother, his wife, and two of his children, my wife lost her mother and a sister and three of her children. Everyboy lost somebody. There are some who resent this exercise, thinking that it is disrespectful, but I am not one. I think this will happen again one day, and I want to be sure the government knows how to help us."

Consequently, Bose and family are amongst several thousand Bharatis who have signed up to play the role of victim in the STORMEX exercise. "Other than my oldest son, who stay home and take on the essential chores, the whole family will be involved. We and the other volunteers from the village will be stranded on a low rise, some of us will be sick, and somebody will come by and rescue us and treat our ailments."

A few kilometers south, Gayatri Mitra is stocking up his boat with supplies and fresh water. "My brother and I have fished the coast since we were old enough to help our father. If we had been caught at sea two years ago, I think we would have perished - but we were blessed and happened to be here when the storm came."

The Mitra brothers are amongst several hundred fisherman and small boat owners who will be "lost at sea" in the exercise. "The organizers have told us that we are to go out twenty miles and to pretend our motor has broken. If one of the navy boats finds us, they will either have to tow us back or fix our motor for us. If they don't find us, well - that's why we have all these supplies aboard. We have to wait a week and then can come back home."

The commitment means that, at least for the first few days, the brothers can't really fish, as their catch would spoil. "Of course, we explained this to the government man and they said they would pay us for our time. So it is all good."

Asked about the possibility of rescue by non-Bharati sailors, Mitra shrugs. "The Raj and the city people talked a lot of nasty words about foreigners, but we don't care about that. We would just want to be saved. It is good that the current government can accept that."

To the west, Barun Sarkar is drinking a cup of tea and looking over a map of the town of Haldia*. Sarkar has been mayor of Haldia for seven years now, and is somewhat nervous about the upcoming exercise. "The government wanted a large town or small city to be damaged by the imaginary storm and I suggested that - in return for compensation - it could be Haldia. Many of our merchants were quite opposed to the idea - hence the need for compensation for lost business."

Indeed, the script for the exercise calls for Haldia to sustain heavy flooding, wind damage, loss of electricity, looting, and a range of other problems, which will essentially shut down all but the most essential of Haldia's actual services for the better part of a week. Sarkar and the town's government and employees, meanwhile, will not just be playing victims - they'll also be carrying out their official duties at the same time.

"We have a disaster response plan. Is it good enough? I don't know - the organizers have told us in general terms what to expect, but not the specifics. I might be bitten by a snake on my way to the civic office, which would leave the deputy mayor in charge - or our chief of police might be shot by a looter, or the powerplant could burn down. It's going to be very stressful."