By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: The Low-Pressure Area persists over the East-central Bay of Bengal and adjoining north Andaman Sea. It is very likely to move west-northwestwards and intensify into a depression by the 22nd of October morning and into a cyclonic storm by the 23rd of October 2024 over the East-central Bay of Bengal. Thereafter, it is very likely to move northwestwards and reach the northwest Bay of Bengal off the Odisha-West Bengal coasts by 24th October morning.
Continuing to move northwestwards, it is very likely to cross north Odisha and West Bengal coasts between Puri and Sagar Island during the night of 24th and early morning of 25th October 2024 as a severe Cyclonic Storm with a wind speed of 100-110 mph gusting 120 kmph.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi chaired a high-level meeting at Lok Seva Bhawan to deal with possible Cyclonic Storm and advised to ensure ‘Zero Casualty’. Along with this, the Odisha CM ordered officials to identify all the vulnerable areas and ensure 100% evacuation of people.
Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari, Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja, Development Commissioner Anu Garg, Additional Chief Secretary to CM Nikunja Dhal and Special Relief Commissioner, Revenue and Disaster Management Deo Ranjan Kumar Singh, Director General, Fire Servic Sudhansu Sarangi and heads of various departments were present in the meeting. Principal Secretaries and secretaries of various departments were present while District Magistrates participated through virtual mode.
“There is no need to be afraid of the cyclone. All concerned departments of the state government are fully prepared. Fire brigade, ODRAF team and NDRF team are all ready,” the Chief Minister told media persons after the meeting.
In the meeting, the Chief Minister gave instructions to keep essential food items, drinking water, essential medicines, baby food immediately available in the cyclone shelters.
Immediately after the storm, he advised to be prepared to clear the blockages on various roads so that basic services like electricity, water and telecommunication can be made functional. The CM also ordered uninterrupted power supply in hospitals and other important institutions.
He directed to monitor black marketeering and hoarding so that the prices of essential commodities stay stable. Along with this, he advised to pay attention to coordination between different districts so that vegetables and other essential items can come from unaffected areas.
Advising the agriculture department, the chief minister said that it is necessary to make an advance estimate of the damage after the cyclone. Along with this, the department’s ‘Contingency Plan’ needs to be implemented immediately. He said that all kinds of inputs and other facilities should be provided to the farmers for Agua Rabi cultivation.
He said that it is necessary to regularly inform the media on behalf of the SRC to prevent any kind of rumors and misinformation during the cyclone. In addition to this, there is a need to regularly post information on social media handles of SRC, OSDMA, I&PR, Revenue and Disaster Management Department, Agriculture Department, Home Department.
He said that the most vulnerable areas should be identified and stocked with cattle feed and poultry feed.
The Chief Minister stated that despite no fatalities from the wind recently, other factors have caused loss of life, such as the collapse of clay walls. To prevent such incidents, it is crucial to identify all at-risk houses and relocate them to safer locations.
Similarly, people get killed due to the collapse of billboards or Signboards in urban areas. Therefore, he directed to immediately identify and remove all the weak billboards from all urban areas, especially Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Puri and Brahampur.
