Cyclone Montha: Odisha Evacuates People From Vulnerable Area, Deploys NDRF, ODRAF Teams

The Odisha government on Sunday started evacuating people from vulnerable places and deployed 128 team of disaster response teams in eight districts as IMD forecasts the formation of a cyclonic storm by next morning as a deep depression gains strength in the Bay of Bengal.

The IMD, in its latest bulletin issued at 9 pm, said that the deep depression over southeast Bay of Bengal formed earlier in the day moved west-northwestwards and lay about 790 km south-southeast of Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) and 900 km south-southeast of Gopalpur (Odisha).

'The system is likely to move nearly west-northwestwards and intensify further into a cyclonic storm over southwest and adjoining westcentral Bay of Bengal during the next 12 hours,' the IMD said, adding that thereafter it is likely to move northwestwards, then north-northwestwards and intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by the morning of October 28.

'It is very likely to cross the Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam near Kakinada during the evening or night of October 28 as a severe cyclonic storm,' the IMD said.

The maximum sustained wind speed would be in the range of 90-100 kmph gusting to 110 kmph during the landfall time, Dr Manorama Mohanty, the director of the Meteorological Centre, Bhubaneswar, said.

Though the cyclone would make landfall near Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh, about 200 km from Odisha's Malkangiri, the eastern state's 15 districts would be impacted in the impending calamity of which eight are likely to experience very heavy rainfall and strong winds, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said.

The minister said that 'red warning' (take action), predicting extremely heavy rainfall and strong winds (gusting up to 80kmph), were issued for Malkangiri, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam, Kandhamal and Kalahandi districts.

As a precautionary measure, the state government has deployed over 5,000 highly skilled personnel in 24 teams of Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF), five from NDRF and 99 Fire Service teams in these eight districts, the minister said, adding all the districts of the state have been directed to get ready with men and machinery for rescue operations, if at all the impending cyclone changes its trajectory.

'As landslides have emerged as a new challenge in Odisha, additional measures have been taken in the vulnerable areas. People are being shifted from hilly areas,' the minister said.

Gajapati District Collector Madhumita said, 'We have identified 139 places that are vulnerable to landslides.' As many as 12 people were killed in a landslide in Gajapati district when Cyclone Titli hit the state's coast in 2018. In view of the vulnerability, the administration has deployed modern equipment in Gajapati to clear roads in case of landslides, the minister said.

He said 'sadhus' living in the hills in some districts are being shifted to the plains in the wake of the cyclone, adding that the evacuation of people will be completed by Monday evening.

He said pregnant women and elderly persons are also being evacuated to hospitals and safe shelters.

Pujari said the authorities of coastal districts are asking fishermen not to venture into the sea and urging those already in the sea to return by Sunday. Loudspeakers and megaphones are being used to alert the fishermen.

The administrations of nine districts have cancelled the leaves of government employees, keeping in view the urgency of the situation.

All Anganwadi centres and schools will remain closed till October 30.

Meanwhile, the Puri administration has imposed restrictions on the entry of tourists to the sea beaches on October 27, 28 and 29 in view of the impending cyclone.

The minister said that though rainfall will begin on Monday, the intensity of rain and wind will intensify on October 28 and 29.

The weather office also hoisted Distant Cautionary Signal No-I (DC-1) at all ports of Odisha and advised fishermen not to venture into the sea till October 29.