BHUBANESWAR: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday chaired a high-level review meeting at Lok Seva Bhavan here to assess the preparedness for tropical storm Montha as it nears the coast of Andhra Pradesh.
During the meeting, Majhi interacted with the heads of several key departments and reviewed the arrangements to handle any emergency. He also video-conferenced Collectors of southern districts likely to be impacted by the cyclone.
“Though Montha will not have any direct impact over Odisha, it will trigger very rains and gusty surface winds, especially in southern districts of the state. Eight districts - Gajapati, Ganjam, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Kandhamal, Kalahandi and Nabarangpur are likely to be most affected due to the cyclone,” said Majhi.
About 2,048 cyclone shelters have been readied and 11,396 people have already been shifted to safety. Another 30,554 people staying in vulnerable areas have been identified and they will be shifted too if need arises, he added.
Majhi also informed that around 1,871 pregnant women have been shifted to community health centres and other medical facilities and another 822 will be admitted soon. A total of 2,693 pregnant women will be shifted to various medical facilities, he said.
We will meet our zero casualty target as the state government has been making arrangements to face any eventuality since the last three days, said the Chief Minister.
Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari, Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja, Development Commissioner Anu Garg, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Deoranjan Kumar Singh, DGP YB Khurania, Fire Services DG Sudhanshu Sarangi and others were present.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said severe cyclone Montha over west-central Bay of Bengal moved north-northwestwards with a speed of 12 kmph during past six hours and lay centered at 8.30 am on Tuesday over the same region, about 160 km south-southeast of Machilipatnam, 240 km south-southeast of Kakinada, 320 km south-southwest of Visakhapatnam and 530 km south-southwest of Gopalpur.
It will continue to move north-northwestwards and cross Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam around Kakinada during Tuesday evening/night as a severe cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 90 kmph to 100 kmph and gusting up to 110 kmph, said the national weather body.
Montha brought very heavy to heavy rains in southern districts of Odisha in the last 24 hours ending at 8.30 am on Tuesday. Patrapur recorded the maximum of 120 mm rainfall, followed by Gosani 110 mm, Sanakhemundi, Paralakhemundi, R Udayagiri and Kukudakhandi 90 mm each.
The southern districts continued to experience heavy rainfall activity on the day.
Teams of various agencies like NDRF, ODRAF and Odisha Fire and Emergency Service have been mobilised in the districts likely to be affected by the severe cyclone to immediately carry out operations in case of an emergency.
At least 30 teams of ODRAF, 123 of Odisha Fire and Emergency Service and five of NDRF have been deployed in the eight districts of the state.
