Odisha, Andhra, Bengal brace for cyclone ‘Jawad’
BHUBANESWAR/ NEW DELHI/ KOLKATA: As cyclonic storm ‘Jawad’ rolled towards the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh coast on Friday, a day before landfall in Odisha’s Puri district, the NDRF kept in readiness its 64 teams to meet any eventuality in the aftermath of the tempest which is likely to also affect Bengal.
The cyclonic storm is likely to reach the west-central Bay of Bengal off the coast of north Andhra Pradesh and Odisha by Saturday morning, the India Meteorological Department said.
It will then move north northeast ward along the coast of Odisha and adjoining Andhra Pradesh and touch the coast around Puri by December 5 noon, according to the weather department.
Going by the projected trajectory of cyclone, as issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the system may strike the Puri coast and return to the sea, the state’s Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) PK Jena
According to the deployment map shared by him at the press conference, out of the 46 teams, 19 are based in Bengal, 17 in Odisha, 19 in Andhra Pradesh, apart from seven in Tamil Nadu and two in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
told reporters in Bhubaneswar, adding winds gusting at 90-100 kmph will likely impact the district at landfall.
The speed may gradually decrease after touching the Odisha coast, he said.
“There’s also a possibility of the cyclonic system changing its course avoiding landfall in Odisha. It could just pass along the coastline, with Puri experiencing a rub-off effect,” he said.
NDRF Director General (DG) Atul Karwal told reporters in New Delhi while 46 teams have been deployed or pre-positioned in the vulnerable states, 18 teams have been kept in reserve.
According to the deployment map shared by him at the press conference, out of the 46 teams, 19 are based in Bengal, 17 in Odisha, 19 in Andhra Pradesh, apart from seven in Tamil Nadu and two in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
All teams have been made available as desired by the various state governments and they will be deployed in consultation with local authorities, the NDRF DG said.
A single NDRF team has about 30 personnel who are equipped with pole cutters, electric saws to clear uprooted trees, inflatable boats and some other relief and rescue gadgets.
“We are confident of taking care of the situation in the best possible manner,” Karwal said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on Thursday reviewed the preparedness to deal with the situation and directed officials to take every possible measure to ensure people are safely evacuated.