Prelims: Current events national and International importance | Environment
Why in News?
A CDRI study found telecom towers in Assam and Tamil Nadu highly vulnerable to cyclones and floods, assessing infrastructure resilience across five disaster-prone States.
Key Findings of the Study
- Assessment framework – CDRI, assessed telecom infrastructure in Assam, Gujarat, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Uttarakhand.
- In collaboration with –
- Department of Telecommunications (DoT)
- National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
- Tamil Nadu – Of 48,416 mapped towers, 57% face high or very high cyclonic wind risk, while 33% face flood exposure. About 14% are exposed to storm surges exceeding six metres.
- Assam – Of 18,388 mapped towers, 83% are located in very high cyclonic wind zones, 43% face high flood exposure and 5% face high landslide exposure.
- Other States –
- Odisha – 57% of towers face high or very high cyclonic wind risk.
- Gujarat – 28% face very high cyclonic wind risk.
- Uttarakhand – 25% face very high cyclonic wind risk, while 10% are in areas with high landslide susceptibility.
- Multiple hazards – All telecom towers in Assam and Uttarakhand are located in high or very high seismic zones (Zones IV and V).
- Important observation – Tower exposure to hazards does not necessarily mean that every tower will be damaged.
- Power outages, fibre cuts, road damage and fuel shortages can also disrupt telecom services.
Significance of Telecom Resilience
- Disaster management – Supports early warnings, emergency response and coordination among rescue agencies.
- Essential services – Enables access to healthcare, digital payments, education and government services.
- Economic growth – Reliable connectivity supports businesses, livelihoods and digital inclusion.
- National security – Maintains communication during disasters and other emergencies.
Reference
The Hindu| Cyclonic winds, flooding are common threats to telecom towers
