BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha government on Tuesday said it is working on war-footing to tackle the impact of tropical weather system which was lying as a depression about 700 km south east of Paradip on Tuesday.
"At least 250 relief centres are kept ready. This apart, 500 temporary shelters including in schools and colleges have been opened. Evacuated people will be provided cooked food and medical services,” said Revenue And Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari.
The state government has prepared a list of pregnant women. It has advised elderly people, women and children staying in the areas likely to be affected by the storm to shift to safer places. Women police officers will be deployed at relief centres. All arrangements have been made and adequate stock of ration has been kept ready, said Pujari.
The minister informed that government has sounded a red alert in all ports of the state and all efforts are being made to ensure zero casualty.
As per direction of authorities, tourists started leaving Puri on Tuesday but many complained that the travel agents are charging exorbitantly from them.
Teams of Odisha Fire and Emergency Service and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been positioned in the areas which are likely to be affected by the cyclonic storm.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said well marked low pressure area over east-central Bay of Bengal moved west-northwestwards, concentrated into a depression and persisted over the same region at 5.30 am on the day. The system is about 700 km south-east of Paradip, 750 km south-southeast of Sagar Island and 730 km south-southeast of Khepupara.
It is likely to move in west-northwest direction and intensify into cyclonic storm ‘Dana’ by Wednesday over east-central Bay of Bengal. Tracking in north-west direction, it is expected to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm over north-west Bay of Bengal by Thursday morning.
Severe cyclonic storm Dana is likely to cross north Odisha and West Bengal coasts between Puri and Sagar Island on Thursday night and Friday morning with wind speeds gusting up to 120 km/ph, said the national weather forecaster.