What did it take Odisha to save a million lives from Cyclone Fani? National Geographic’s exclusive new documentary reveals it all
Featuring Odisha’s Hon’ble Chief Minister – Naveen Patnaik, the production chronicles the disaster management and mammoth evacuation of over one million people in record time
On May 03, 2019, as one of the worst storms hit the eastern Indian state – Odisha, the authorities demonstrated its disaster management preparedness that resulted in saving over a million lives in record time. National Geographic, a brand with a rich legacy of inspirational storytelling, chronicles nerve-racking 48 hours before the landfall in its exclusive documentary ‘Mega Cyclone Fani: Rescuing a Million.’
From gripping accounts of tracking the path of storm by ‘Cyclone Man’ Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, the OSDMA’s Special Relief Commissioner and Odisha’s Hon’ble Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, the film take viewers behind-the-scenes of the meticulous evacuation plan of the Odisha government.
Highlighting the importance of the documentary, Odisha’s Hon’ble Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, said, “Cyclone Fani was the rarest of rare summer cyclones in two decades to hit the eastern coast of India. True to its name Fani wreaked havoc in Odisha inflicting colossal and unprecedented losses. Yet, the state geared up and met the devastating cyclone – saving precious lives and getting back on its feet in record time. Having learnt a hard lesson after the super cyclone of 1999 Odisha’s disaster preparedness has been unmatched. Our efforts, I understand, have set a global benchmark for evacuation and disaster preparedness. I hope the lessons we learnt from Fani will provide a basis to safeguard lives and minimise the impact of such extreme weather occurrences.”
Commenting on the documentary, National Geographic spokesperson said, “Odisha government’s extremely effective disaster management system is a success story of years of preparedness. It is also a testament to the power of individuals including evacuees, volunteers, officials who worked tirelessly to move around so many lives to safety. We are delighted to bring this success story to our viewers with our upcoming film Mega Cyclone Fani.”
Mega Cyclone Fani: Rescuing a Million will premiere on September 27 at 9 pm on National Geographic and Hotstar.