Odisha on high alert as cyclone, floods likely to hit coastal region

The Odisha government on Monday asked all the district collectors to remain alert with the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting a cyclone and a subsequent flood-like situation in the state. The National Emergency Response Centre (NERC), under the Home Ministry, had also cautioned the Odisha government against a looming cyclonic storm in the next two to three days.

Based on the IMD forecast, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) BP Sethi asked the district administrations to remain alert and keep the administrative machinery in full preparedness to meet the eventuality.

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“All officers to remain in headquarters and not to avail leave till the cyclone situation is over. District Emergency Operation Centres to function round the clock and the situation be closely monitored,” Sethi said in a letter.

Additional Director General of the IMD, Mrutyunjay Mohapatra was quoted as saying by some Odia television channels that the depression is now moving towards the Odisha and Andhra Pradesh coast. The system will most likely intensify into a deep depression on Tuesday. Going by the satellite imagery, the deep depression is most likely to concentrate into a cyclonic storm by Wednesday morning and hit the coast on Thursday morning.

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Odisha is likely to experience a heavy rainfall on Wednesday and Thursday and the districts which are likely to be affected due to heavy rain have been identified as Ganjam, Gajapati, Puri and Jagatsinghpur.