TOPIC OF THE DAY –
” Keeping Dry: On Kerala Floods” –
The catastrophic impact of monsoon rainfall on several districts of Kerala has come as a grim reminder that the vigil against unpredictable natural disasters must never be relaxed. More than three dozen people have died and an estimated Rs. 8,316 crore worth of economic assets have been lost in the seasonal rain, particularly over the past week. The gates of reservoirs in the Idukki system, a giant hydroelectric project, and several other dams have been opened, inundating riverside habitations downstream. At the peak of the havoc, about 60,000 people whose dwellings suffered damage were lodged in relief camps. In the northern districts, damage to houses, roads and other structures has occurred owing to landslips caused by incessant showers. There is genuine concern that a temporary respite in rainfall may be followed by another intense downpour from nascent weather systems; the India Meteorological Department has forecast rain until August 17. It is to Kerala’s credit that the deluge has led not to a partisan blame game over planning, relief and rehabilitation, but an all-round effort to look ahead and plan for reconstruction. The Centre has done well to get a first-hand estimate of the havoc from Home Minister Rajnath Singh, although the initial announcement of Rs. 100 crores towards relief is incongruous with the scale of the damage. Crucial support has come from the armed forces as well to normalise the situation. Kerala’s unusually heavy monsoon this year is in contrast to the long-period trend of rainfall. According to an analysis of data on the monsoon between 1954 and 2003 by climate researchers at the University of Cambridge, overall this part of the country had become drier in summer, but with an emerging frequency of destructive flash floods in rare events. This trend is expected to become stronger. This points to the need for governments to strengthen their resilienceplanning. It should begin with a programme to relocate people away from hazard zones along the rivers that were in spate in Kerala over the past week after the shutters of more than two dozen dams were opened. Finding suitable land is, of course, a challenge in a populous, forested State, but it is an absolute necessity to prepare for the future. It is reasonable to expect that with its efficient primary health care network, Kerala will take all measures necessary to avoid epidemics in the wake of the floods. The spectacular disaster this year also underscores the role of the government as the insurer of last resort for the average citizen. In Mumbai last year, for instance, those who had private household insurance cover against disasters discovered the limitations of such policies, since the companies were unwilling to pay many home owners for a key risk such as costly displacement from homes since the houses were not structurally damaged. All States naturally look to Kerala, with its record of social development, for evolving best practices to handle such natural disasters.
WORDS AND MEANINGS –
1) Catastrophic
Meaning: Extremely unfortunate or unsuccessful.
Example: “catastrophic mismanagement of the economy”
Synonyms: Disastrous, Calamitous
Antonyms: Fortunate, Beneficial
2) Grim
Meaning: Very serious or gloomy.
Example: “his grim expression”
Synonyms: Distant, Forbidding
Antonyms: Amiable, Pleasant
3) Vigil
Meaning: A period of keeping awake during the time usually spent asleep, especially to keep watch or pray.
Example: “my birdwatching vigils lasted for hours”
4) Inundating
Meaning: Flood.
Example: “the islands may be the first to be inundated as sea levels rise”
Synonyms: Flood, Overflow
5) Havoc
Meaning: Widespread destruction.
Example: “the hurricane ripped through Florida causing havoc”
Synonyms: Devastation, Damage
6) Dwellings
Meaning: A house, flat, or other place of residence.
Example: “the proposed dwelling is out of keeping with those nearby”
Synonyms: Residence, Home
7) Lodged
Meaning: Rent accommodation in another person’s house.
Example: “the man who lodged in the room next door”
Synonyms: Reside, Stay
8) Incessant
Meaning: (of something regarded as unpleasant) continuing without pause or interruption.
Example: “the incessant beat of the music”
Synonyms: Ceaseless, Constant
Antonyms: Intermittent, Occasional
9) Showers
Meaning: A brief and usually light fall of rain, hail, sleet, or snow.
Example: “a day of sunny spells and scattered showers”
Synonyms: Fall, Drizzle
10) Respite
Meaning: A short period of rest or relief from something difficult or unpleasant.
Example: “the refugee encampments will provide some respite from the suffering”
Synonyms: Rest, Break
11) Intense
Meaning: Of extreme force, degree, or strength.
Example: “the job demands intense concentration”
Synonyms: Great, Fierce
Antonyms: Mild
12) Downpour
Meaning: A heavy fall of rain.
Example: “a sudden downpour had filled the gutters and drains”
Synonyms: Rainstorm, Deluge
13) Nascent
Meaning: In the earliest stages of development.
Example: Everyone in this nascent business is still struggling with basic issues.
14) Deluge
Meaning: A severe flood.
Example: “this may be the worst deluge in living memory”
Synonyms: Flood, Flash flood
15) Rehabilitation
Meaning: The action of restoring something that has been damaged to its former condition.
Example: “the rehabilitation of the mangrove forests”
16) First-hand
Meaning: (of information or experience) from the original source or personal experience; direct.
Example: “first-hand accounts of activities behind the enemy lines”
Synonyms: Direct, Immediate
Antonyms: Vicarious, Indirect
17) Incongruous
Meaning: Not in harmony or keeping with the surroundings or other aspects of something.
Example: “the duffel coat looked incongruous with the black dress she wore underneath”
Synonyms: Inappropriate, Unsuitable
Antonyms: Appropriate, Harmonious
18) Flash floods
Meaning: A sudden and severe flood:
Example: The unusually heavy rain caused flash floods in several mountain villages.
19) Resilience
Meaning: The capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.
Example: “the often remarkable resilience of so many British institutions”
20) Hazard
Meaning: A danger or risk.
Example: “the hazards of childbirth”
Synonyms: Danger, Risk
21) Spate
Meaning: If a river is in (full) spate, it has more water in it and is flowing faster than it usually does.
22) Populous
Meaning: Having a large population; densely populated.
Example: “the populous city of Shanghai”
Synonyms: Congested
Antonyms: Uninhabited, Deserted
23) Absolute
Meaning: Certain; not to be doubted.
Example: Health insurance is an absolute necessity.
24) Epidemics
Meaning: A widespread occurrence of an infectious disease in a community at a particular time.
Example: “a flu epidemic”
Synonyms: Outbreak, Plague
25) Spectacular
Meaning: Strikingly large or obvious.
Example: “the party suffered a spectacular loss in the election”
Synonyms: Impressive, Splendid
Antonyms: Unimpressive
