BHUBANESHWAR: Severe cyclonic storm 'Dana' was set to hit the Odisha coast early Friday morning even as several parts of the state experienced heavy rain and squally winds, with the sea condition remaining rough, the IMD said.
The cyclone is likely to make landfall between Bhitarkanika National Park and Dhamra Port in Odisha in the wee hours on Friday with wind speeds of up to 120 kilometres per hour (kmph), the Met Department said.
The weather system over the Bay of Bengal moved north-northwestwards with a speed of 12 kmph during past the six hours, and lay centred about 210 km southeast of Paradip (Odisha), 240 km south-southeast of Dhamra (Odisha) and 310 km south of Sagar Island (West Bengal), the IMD said its latest bulletin.
"It is very likely to move north-northwestwards and cross north Odisha and West Bengal coasts between Puri and Sagar Island close to Bhitarkanika and Dhamra during midnight of 24th to morning of 25th October as a severe cyclonic storm with a wind speed of 100-110 kmph gusting to 120 kmph," it said.
Reports about uprooting of trees have been received from some areas of Balasore, Bhadrak, Bhitarkania and Puri, leading to blocked roads, officials said.
CM Majhi said that the state government has decided to evacuate 3.62 lakh persons from 1653 villages of 38 blocks and 26 wards of nine urban local bodies of 11 districts to safer places due to the cyclonic storm Dana.
The CM reviewed the preparedness for the cyclone with the collectors of Ganjam, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Cuttack, Khurda and Jajpur districts. The chief minister told mediapersons that so far three lakh persons from low-lying areas of these districts have been shifted to the nearest cyclone shelters. All the identified persons will be shifted to cyclone shelters within the next few hours, he added.
Similarly, 2338 pregnant women from vulnerable places have also been shifted to the nearest hospitals and other safe places. The chief minister has asked the district collectors to expedite the evacuation process.
Evacuated people from the vulnerable areas have been accommodated in 7285 shelters including 842 cyclone shelters and 6443 temporary shelters opened by the government. He directed the district collectors to ensure that people in the cyclone shelters were provided cooked food regularly. Police would be deployed in cyclone shelters for the security of the people.
Reviewing the preparedness, the chief minister asked the district collectors to ensure 100 per cent evacuation, zero casualties, uninterrupted power supply to hospitals, and sufficient stock of kerosene and diesel in the affected areas. He also emphasised on sanitation in the cyclone shelters. He reiterated that care should also be taken to ensure clean toilets in the cyclone shelters.
The chief minister also reviewed the preparedness for the restoration of power and drinking water supply after the cyclone. He said that additional teams should be deployed for the repair of power transformers after the cyclone to restore electricity. The government has deployed 19 NDRF, 51 ODRAF and 220 fire service teams for relief and rescue operations in the 11 districts. Besides, 157 platoon police, 92 medical and 58 veterinary teams have been deployed in the vulnerable areas.
Meanwhile, a hoax bomb threat was received through 'X' by an Akasa Air flight in Bhubaneswar airport, according to an airport official.
Security was beefed up at the Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) after the incident, the official said.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said that the administration identified over 3.5 lakh people to be evacuated from low-lying areas of the state in the wake of the approaching cyclone Dana.
Urging people to take precautionary measures and cooperate with the administration and the police, she said 2,43,374 people have taken shelter in camps. The Bengal CM said that she would be staying the entire Thursday night at the state secretariat and personally monitor the situation.
"For the purpose of evacuation from low-lying areas, we have identified 3,56,941 people," she told reporters at the state secretariat. The chief secretary and home secretary would also be monitoring the situation from their respective residences and rejoin her on Friday morning. Banerjee also urged the people not to spread rumours and create panic in this connection.
She said that a 24X7 helpline (2214 3526) and some associated phone numbers have been made functional for monitoring and sharing information.
The Bengal CM said that the educational institutions were closed down to ensure the safety of the students.
"I seek your cooperation. Be alert. If the police or the administration ask you to evacuate a place, please pay heed to their advice. Do not venture into the waters. Fishing is prohibited now," she said.
(With inputs from PTI)