Indian media have lauded radio’s role in saving lives when Cyclone Phailin hit the country’s east coast last week.
The strongest storm in 14 years to sweep across the states of Orissa and Andhra Pradesh saw winds reach 200 kilometres per hour.
Around 40 people died during the superstorm on October 12/13, but the death toll could have been much higher without emergency radio reports provided by public broadcaster All India Radio (AIR) and community radio stations, said local reports.
Radio announcements called on local residents to evacuate areas likely to be hit by the storm and gave locations of temporary cyclone shelters.
According to a report by the news agency IANS, an estimated one million people were evacuated to safety hours before the disaster.
Local retailers reported a dramatic increase in demand for radios after the first cyclone warning was aired.
IANS reported that AIR ensured adequate diesel supplies at its transmitter sites in the region, to ensure radio services remained on air.