SRIKAKULAM: District Collector Swapnil Dinkar Pundkar directed the district administration to remain on high alert cyclone braces towards the coast.
Addressing the meeting at Collectorate in Srikakulam on Sunday, Collector Dinkar said that although the cyclone is expected to cross the coast between Kakinada and Anakapalle, its impact will also be felt in Srikakulam district.
He cautioned that this system is stronger than the depression that crossed over Kalingapatnam and Polaki last month, and warned of gale winds at speeds of 80-90 km per hour along with heavy to very heavy rainfall of about 150 mm on October 27 and 28. He appealed to the public to remain extremely vigilant.
Collector Dinkar stressed that to provide immediate assistance during emergencies, one control room has been opened at the district headquarters, three at division level, and 30 at the mandal level.
Residents living in thatched houses, temporary huts, hill areas, and near tanks or reservoirs were advised to move immediately to government-established rehabilitation centers or safe places such as relatives’ houses to avoid risks from heavy rains and floods, he added. Collector also assured that rehabilitation centers are equipped with all facilities, including police security.
He urged pregnant women, new mothers, the elderly, and those suffering from chronic illnesses to get admitted in nearby hospitals.
