Meanings of Words/Phrases from the ARTICLE:
1.Preparedness(noun:तत्परता)- forethought, forward planning, watchfulness/attentiveness.
2.Trail(noun)- series, sequence, chain/line.
3.Toll(noun)- suffering, loss, damage.
4.At last count(phrase)- At the time when something was last counted or tallied.
5.Battered(verb:चकनाचूर)- damage, impair, mar/spoil.
6.Flattened(verb)- raze (a building or settlement) to the ground.
7.mortality(noun:मृत्यु-दर)- (in a particular time/for a cause) the rate of death.
8.struck(verb)- come into forcible contact or collision with.
9.bring down(phrasal verb)- to cause someone in a position of power to lose their job.
10.in spite of(phrase)- despite, notwithstanding, regardless of.
11.resilience(noun)- strength, toughness; the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties.
12.vulnerability(noun:अतिसंवेदनशीलता)- weakness, frailty, susceptibility.
13.framework(noun:ढांचा)- structure, scheme/system, organisation.
14.mitigation(noun:शमन)- alleviation, reduction; lessening.
15.paramount(adj.:आला दर्जे का)- most important; supreme, of prime importance.
16.outbreaks(noun:शमन)- outburst, epidemic, sudden appearance/occurrence.
17.in the midst of(phrase)- in the middle of.
18.Looking ahead(phrasal verb)- to think about what will happen in the future.
19.adaptation(noun:अनुकूलन)- the process of changing to suit different conditions.
20.hold the key(phrase)- to have control.
21.commendable(adj.:सराहनीय)- admirable, praiseworthy, laudable.
22.coincides(verb:मेल खाना)- coexist, concur, correspond.
23.devastation(noun:तबाही)- destruction, damage, havoc/wreckage.
24.keenly(adverb:गौर से)- eagerly, tensely, enthusiastically.
25.convening(verb:आयोजन)- meet, assemble, gather together.