A STUDY ON MEDIA USE, INFORMATION SEEKING BEHAVIOUR AND CYCLONE PREPAREDNESS WITH REFERENCE TO COASTAL AREA OF CHENNAI AND THIRUVALLUR DISTRICTS OF TAMILNADU

Author Name: 1. V.P. Thandapani 2. Dr. D. Devanathan

Volume/Issue: 02/11

Country: India

DOI NO.: 08.2020-25662434 DOI Link: https://www.doi-ds.org/doilink/07.2022-69962169/UIJIR

Affiliation:

1. Research Scholar, Dept. of Political Science & Public Administration, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar, Tamilnadu, India
2. Professor, Dept. of Political Science & Public Administration, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar, Tamilnadu, India

ABSTRACT

This study presents an overview of the Vardah cyclone and its impact assessment along the coastal districts of northern Tamil Nadu. The cyclone formed over south-east Bay of Bengal and crossed north of Tamil Nadu near Chennai on December 12, 2016, with a wind speed of about 100 to 110 kmph gusting to 120 kmph. The severe cyclonic storm Vardah caused significant damages along the coast of Chennai, Kanchipuram, and Thiruvalluvar districts. It brought severe damages to buildings and uprooted almost 75% trees. This study revealed various damages to buildings and properties during the cyclone through a field study, which is supported by published secondary data. Further, the article explores the causes of damages and remedial measures to avoid those in future cyclones. The instances of cyclones are becoming more frequent as well as intense in the recent times which raises a pressing need for disaster preparedness. Information plays a crucial role in the context of disasters and the same is disseminated through media. People seek information from media to become aware as well as adopt precautionary measures to safeguard themselves and their property from cyclones to the extent possible. A question arises as to how frequently people use media in the context of disaster, the pattern of information seeking, what are the factors that determine the information seeking behaviour and whether they pave way for the adoption of disaster preparedness. The thesis proposes the disaster preparedness model that conceptualizes structural relationships among media use, information seeking behaviour and disaster preparedness. The proposed structural relationships are empirically investigated in the context of tropical cyclones in the coastal districts of the state of Tamil Nadu, India.

Key words: media use, information seeking behavior, cyclone preparedness, chennai and thiruvallur districts