Cyclone Asani: Energy Dept Fully Prepared, Says Odisha Minister Dibya Shankar Mishra
Bhubaneswar: After the Meteorological Centre here warned that the low pressure area over the South Andaman sea is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm by May 8 evening, the Odisha government on Friday said that the administration and disaster response agencies were fully prepared.
Minister of State for Energy (Independent charge) Dibya Shankar Mishra said that the Energy department was fully prepared to deal with the situation before, during and the aftermath of a possible cyclone. Praising the department for restoring power supply in a short time during past cyclones, he said that a war room had been created to monitor the current situation.
Nikunja Dhal, Secretary (Energy), said that all arrangements had been made to ensure that there was no disruption of power to hospitals and plants supplying water. In case there was a disruption, power will be restored to these places on a war-footing, he added.
Leaves of fire services personnel have been cancelled in view of the possible cyclonic storm, informed Santosh Kumar Upadhyay, DG, Odisha Fire Services.
Collectors of 18 districts have been asked to undertake all measures and stay prepared.
As many as 17 NDRF, 20 ODRAF and 175 fire services teams are on high alert.
The low pressure area that formed over the South Andaman sea on Friday morning is likely to intensify into a depression on May 7 and then into a cyclonic storm by May 8 evening, the Meteorological Centre in Bhubaneswar said on Friday.
“The Low Pressure Area over South Andaman Sea & adjoining Southeast Bay of Bengal very likely to move northwestwards, intensify into a Depression by 7th May evening and further into a Cyclonic Storm by 8th May evening,” the Met centre tweeted.
“It is very likely to continue to move northwestwards & reach Westcentral Bay of Bengal off north AndhraOdisha coasts by 10th May,” it added.
“Low pressure area to intensify into depression tomorrow, it is likely to further intensify into cyclone by evening of May 8. Exact place and time of landfall hasn’t been ascertained yet. There will be more clarity on the system after formation of depression,” IMD DG Mrutyunjay Mohapatra told a news portal.
The Met department has forecast heavy rainfall over Ganjam, Puri, Jagatsinghpur and Khurda districts on May 10 under the influence of the cyclone.
Earlier on Friday morning, the cyclonic circulation over the South Andaman Sea and its neighbourhood intensified into a low pressure area.
According to the North Indian Ocean Extended Range Outlook for Cyclogenesis, the IMD GFS is indicating that the system might intensity into a very severe category storm.
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