A low pressure area over South Andaman and Bay of Bengal, which is expected to intensify into a cyclonic storm by May 8, is expected to reach Odisha coast by May 10, predicted the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday. .
“This morning, a low pressure area has formed over South Andaman and southeast Bay of Bengal. We hope that it will accelerate. It will move in northwest direction and become a cyclonic storm by the evening of May 8. It will reach Odisha coast on May 10.” ANI Quoting Umashankar Das, a senior scientist IMDAs saying.
Meanwhile, teams of disaster response and fire services have been put on standby in the state, and fishermen have been warned as sea conditions will worsen with gusty winds gusting up to 75 kmph in view of the cyclone warning .
Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) PK Jena He said that 17 teams of NDRF, 20 teams of ODRAF and 175 teams of fire services have been put on high alert and the state is ready to face any situation.
Collectors of all 18 districts were asked on Thursday to be prepared for a possible cyclone and directed to send compliance reports on recommended measures along with detailed information on arrangements made by May 6.
Jena wrote to the district collectors of Ganjam, Gajapati, Puri, Khurda, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Jajpur, Bhadrak, Balasore, Nayagarh, Cuttack, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Dhenkanal, Malkangiri, Koraput, Raigarh and Kandhamal asking them to prepare in advance. is. To reduce the impact of cyclone.
He also asked the district collectors to identify vulnerable people and shift them to safe shelters and prepare a detailed evacuation plan for those living in kutcha houses, near the coast or in low-lying areas.
He directed that the elderly, disabled, women and children should be sent to designated geo-tagged shelter buildings.
All safe shelter buildings, permanent or temporary, should be geo-tagged and a team of three local officials — two men and one woman — such as ASHA workers, female teachers, women constables and home guards should be put in charge of each of them. He instructed.
Odisha has seen summer cyclones in the past three years – Yas in 2021, Amphan in 2020 and Fani in 2019.