Bhubaneswar, Oct 27 — Odisha government has so far evacuated nearly 48,000 people from high-risk zones as the state braces for heavy rainfall accompanied by strong winds due to the severe cyclonic storm Arnab, which is likely to hit the Andhra Pradesh Coast on October 28.
According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD, the system, currently lying over Westcentral Bay of Bengal and moving with a speed of 20 kmph during the past six hours, is very likely to move northwestwards and cross Andhra Pradesh & Yanam coasts between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, close to Yanam, as a very severe cyclonic storm with the maximum sustained wind speed of 125-135 kmph gusting to 150 kmph by forenoon of October 28.
While addressing the media, Odisha Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said on Tuesday that, after making landfall at Visakhapatnam, this depression will enter Andhra Pradesh and enter Odisha through Malkangiri.
As per the latest assessment, from Malkangiri it will head directly at roughly a 90-degree angle towards Chhattisgarh. The minister said that the maximum impact of the cyclone in the state will be felt in Malkangiri district.
He noted that strong winds and rain are likely to occur across Odisha, with heavy to very heavy rainfall expected in some places and extremely heavy downpours in isolated areas.
Briefing the media, the Minister informed that the state government has disbursed Rs 19 crore to eight vulnerable districts to support ongoing evacuation, food provision, and emergency preparedness to deal with this natural disaster.
The minister said that, according to reports received so far, 466 flood and cyclone shelters had been made ready, of which 27 in Ganjam, 175 in Gajapati, 35 in Malkangiri, 47 in Koraput, seven in Rayagada, 134 in Nabarangpur, 14 in Kalahandi and 17 in Nuapada have become operational.
“And in terms of evacuation, 47,830 people have been evacuated so far, as of this morning. Of them, 6,500 are from Ganjam, 11,000 from Gajapati, 9,850 from Malkangiri, 5,000 from Koraput, 300 from Rayagada, 11,090 from Nabarangpur, 2,415 from Kalahandi and 1,675 from Nuapada. Evacuation is still underway. Buses of the State Government’s Transport Department have also been deployed at various places to shift people from their homes to relief centres,” said the minister.
The minister said around 3,000 expectant mothers may need evacuation, a number that could rise. So far, 1,614 have been evacuated, and more than 20 have safely delivered their babies at CHCs and PHCs.
Additionally, 48 ODRAF teams, eight NDRF teams and 225 Fire Services teams have been deployed, while some teams are being kept in reserve at Koraput, Chhatrapur and Mundali for deployment based on requisitions or requirements identified by district collectors.
“We are monitoring the cyclone’s speed, direction, trajectory and intensity at every moment. We are also in constant touch with the IMD. Experts and scientists in the department, under the leadership of the SRC, are continuously analysing the situation and sharing their assessments with the districts. Therefore, we are keeping a close watch on the situation and are fully prepared to deal with it,” Pujari added.