Mass evacuation as Odisha braces for severe cyclone
bhubaneswar — India deployed emergency personnel on Wednesday and ordered the navy on standby as it braced for an extremely severe cyclonic storm barrelling towards the eastern coast.
Tropical Cyclone Fani, located in the Bay of Bengal and packing wind speeds up to 205km per hour, is expected to make landfall at Odisha state on Friday.
Authorities have also ordered the evacuation of thousands of people from coastal districts likely to bear the brunt of the storm.
The neighbouring coastal states of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu states have also been put on a high alert.
India’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said the sea conditions were “phenomenal” over the west-central Bay of Bengal area.
“Fishermen are advised not to venture into these areas,” NDMA warned on Twitter.
The office of the state’s special
Arrangements have already been made for free kitchen, safe drinking water, lighting, health and sanitation,”
National Disaster Management Authority
Fire Service and Disaster Response personnel prepare for emergencies in Bhubaneswar as Fani is set to hit Odisha. —
relief commissioner said local authorities had been told to identify “all vulnerable people... and shift them to multipurpose cyclone/ flood shelters.”
“Arrangements have already been made for free kitchen, safe drinking water, lighting, health and sanitation,” it said in a statement.
Local media reports say there are over 850 shelters in the state that can accommodate around one million people.
H.R Biswas, director of the meteorological centre in state capital Bhubaneshwar, said at least 11 districts would be affected by severe rainfall.
“We have suggested people to stay indoors,” he told reporters.
Coastal Puri town, some 62km from Bhubaneshwar, has also been put a high alert.
Puri is home to Shree Jagannath, one of Hinduism’s holiest temples, which receives millions of pilgrims each year.
India’s election commission has eased its restrictions in Odisha’s coastal districts to allow the state authorities to carry out swift relief and rehabilitation work.