JAGATSINGHPUR/KENDRAPARA: On the projected path of cyclone Fani, which is expected to make landfall on Friday morning, Jagatsinghpur district on Thursday braced itself to face the strongest storm after 1999 Super Cyclone.
Leaving nothing to chance, the district administration launched a massive exercise to evacuate the population from the low-lying, seaside and other vulnerable areas. By evening, as many as 25,000 people from eight vulnerable blocks and two municipalities of the district had been shifted to safer places. They have been sheltered in 172 cyclone shelters and free kitchens opened in 39 shelters to provide food to 10,744 people.
Collector Guha Poonam Tapas Kumar said the administration was working with the aim of zero casualty and ensuring not a single person was left behind in the high risk zones. The evacuation from vulnerable blocks will continue till midnight, she said.
Apart from cyclone shelters, people will be kept in schools, colleges, angawandi centres and Government buildings. “People in some areas who are unwilling to shift to safety will be forcibly evacuated”, she said.
The Collector held discussions with IAS officer Saswat Mishra, who is in charge of overseeing relief and restoration work in Jagatsinghpur district, about preparedness of the district administration for facing the severe cyclonic storm Fani. Mishra laid stress on clearing the roads after cyclone and advised the administration to keep tree cutting equipment and manpower ready to clear the roads as soon as possible.
Fire fighters, NDRF, ODRAF and Coast Guard personnel have been stationed in different part of the district and boats kept ready to take up rescue operations. The BDO and Civil Supply officials have been asked to check price rise of vegetables and other essential commodities by unscrupulous traders. The district administration has readied 40 water tankers and stocked 2.5 lakh water pouches to supply drinking water to affected people.
The administration has also shifted the EVMs from ground floor to first floor of SVM Collge in Jagatsinghpur town where a strong room has been set up for safety of the machines.
Seaside villagers evacuated
With only hours left for Fani to make landfall, hundreds of seaside villagers have started heading for safe areas in Kendrapara. Sub-Collector of Kendrapara Sanjay Mishra informed that around 20,000 people living in low-lying areas were evacuated to cyclone shelters, schools, colleges and other safer places on Thursday. “We have engaged 50 country and power boats for relief and evacuation works. District officials are using public address systems to warn people of the impending danger. Adequate dry food, rice and medical teams have been stocked and ambulances put on standby,” he said.
The district administration is also working with local sarpanchs and panchayat body members to help people prepare for the cyclone. “Since coastal areas of the district regularly bear the brunt of cyclones, nothing is being left to chance,” said the Sub-Collector.
The Odisha State Disaster Mitigation Authority (OSDMA) has identified 64 seaside villages of the district and 28 coastal villages of Jagatsinghpur as tsunami-prone.
Meanwhile, an eerie silence prevailed in almost all the seaside villages which wore a deserted look on Thursday. Arjun Mandal of Batighar said a large number of people have already left the villages after the district administration arranged their stay in nearby cyclone shelters.
Cyclone preparations
Panic buying in Jajpur
JAJPUR: The fear of impending extremely severe cyclone Fani has triggered panic buying in the district. People on Thursday flooded ration shops and vegetable markets to stock adequate quantities of essential commodities ahead of Fani’s landfall in the State. While the impact of the cyclone is expected to last for a maximum of three days, people were seen buying commodities to last at least for a week. Serpentine queues were also witnessed at petrol pumps with people making last minute rush to fill fuel tanks of their vehicles.
Meanwhile, prices of flour, sugar, flattened and puffed rice, potato, onion and other essential items have skyrocketed in the last two days after the Met department’s prediction of Fani impacting 11 districts in the State, including Jajpur. Potato, which was being sold at Rs 11 per kg three days back, is now priced at Rs 20 per kg. Similarly, the price of onion in the retail market has increased to Rs 25 per kg from Rs 15. Besides, flattened rice, which was being sold at Rs 27 per kg just three days back, is now priced at Rs 35 per kg. Sources said shopkeepers are hoarding stocks and selling them at a higher price. Taking advantage of the situation, vendors and black marketers are also making a huge profit. Many vendors have increased prices of vegetables by a significant margin. Revenue Divisional Commissioner, Central Anil Kumar Samal said the State Government is taking steps to check hoarding of essential commodities in the wake of the extremely severe cyclone.