In view of cyclone Jawad that is taking shape in Bay of Bengal, Odisha government has asked district administrations of coastal districts to evacuate people living in kutcha houses and low lying areas, an official said on Friday.
Briefing mediapersons about here, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) PK Jena said, "We have asked the district administrations to evacuate people living in kutcha houses and low lying areas of Ganjam, Khurda (Chilika area), Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara and Niali area of Cuttack district."
With the help of local volunteer organisations and elected representatives, the BDO, Tehsildar and police officials will be engaged in the evacuation process, Jena said.
The evacuation process will start from this afternoon and will end by midday tomorrow. The people will be shifted to a safer building including cyclone centres in nearby areas, he said.
"However, we have not issued a blanket evacuation as the expected wind speed to be 90-100 kilometers per hour with gusting 100 kmph. Maximum people will be evacuated from the villages located close to the coast," the SRC informed.
As per the morning bulletin of IMD, he said, the deep depression lay centered over the west central and adjoining south Bay of Bengal near about 580 km south-southeast of Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), 670 km south-southeast of Gopalpur (Odisha) and 760 km south-southwest of Paradip (Odisha).
The cyclone will take a re-curve and is likely to hit northern parts of Puri district, Jena said, adding, the coastal areas of Ganjam, Puri, Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara are likely to experience the impact of the cyclone. He advised people of the likely impacted area to remain indoors and not to visit the seaside.
The SRC further informed that all fishermen have been returned from the sea and no one will enter into the sea till the sea condition normalises. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF), fire service personnel are being deployed in the likely impacted districts, he added.
Meanwhile, the state government has cancelled the weekly holiday this Sunday (December 4) in view of the impending cyclone Jawad, officials said.
As per the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), the deep depression is centered at 0530 hrs away, about 580 km south-southeast of Vishakhapatnam.
It is likely to move northwestwards and intensify into a cyclonic storm during the next 12 hours, the IMD bulletin issued at 0850 hrs said. It is likely to reach the west-central Bay of Bengal off north Andhra Pradesh - south Odisha coasts by Saturday morning.
"Thereafter, it is likely to recurve north-northeastwards and move along north coastal Andhra Pradesh and Odisha coasts during the subsequent 24 hours with a maximum sustained wind speed of 80-90 kmph gusting to 100 kmph," the IMD said.
The met office has forecast light to moderate rainfall at many places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places over south coastal Odisha and heavy rainfall at isolated places over north coastal Andhra Pradesh on Friday. Heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places over north coastal Andhra Pradesh are likely on Saturday.
Windspeeds likely at 60kmph
The IMD has forecast squally wind speed reaching 50-60 kmph gusting to 70 kmph over west-central and adjoining southeast and east-central Bay of Bengal during next 12 hours. Squally wind speed reaching 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph likely to commence along and off North Andhra Pradesh - Odisha coasts from the mid-night of December 3 and increase gradually becoming 80-90 kmph gusting to 100 kmph from December 4 evening, for the subsequent 12 hours.
Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea. Authorities have also declared a two-day holiday for educational institutions in coastal areas.
Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh commissioner for disaster management K. Kannababu said the deep depression may move closer to the north Andhra-Odisha coast on Saturday morning. He said the people should remain alert in view of the forecast of heavy rains and squally winds. He advised people to take all precautions in view of the likely flooding of low-lying areas.
Visakhapatnam district collector A. Mallikarjuna has asked Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC), revenue and irrigation departments to remain alert. He said with heavy rains likely under the influence of the deep depression, the officials should take all precautionary measures.
The collector said 66 personnel of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and 55 personnel of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) were ready for rescue and relief work.
