Cyclone ‘Dana’: Odisha Readies 750 Relief Shelters, Leave Of Doctors Cancelled; Check Other Measures

Bhubaneswar: With a severe cyclonic storm ‘Dana’ set to hit the Odisha coast with wind speed of 100-120 kmph by October 25, the state government on Tuesday stepped up measures to tackle the situation with an aim to ensure ‘zero casualty.’

Stating that the state government has already made arrangements for evacuation of people from vulnerable areas, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said a coordination meeting has already been held with the district Collectors. Preparedness for the cyclone will be reviewed further, he said.

A total of 250 multipurpose cyclone shelters centres have already been kept ready with necessary facilities to accommodate people when they are evacuated from vulnerable areas, the Minister said.

This apart, additional 500 temporary shelters have been prepared in suitable places, including schools and colleges, Pujari said. Cooked food and necessary medical services will be provided at the cyclone relief centres.

A list of pregnant women has also been prepared by the health department. Women, children and elderly persons are being advised to shift to safer places in the potentially affected places, while women police officers will be deployed at relief centres, Pujari said.

Meanwhile, leaves of all the doctors have been cancelled in view of the impending cyclone, Health Services Director Bijay Mohapatra said.

Stating that shifting of pregnant women to nearby health centres have already started from Monday, he said directives have been issued to keep anti snake venom injection and diarrhoea medicines.

Arrangements have been made to ensure round-the-clock power supply to hospitals, while doctors will provide treatment in affected areas in small groups. Teams will also visit cyclone shelters. Monitoring is being done from block level to state level, he said.

Noting that many people express reluctance to leave their homes apprehending theft, the Revenue Minister said the government has decided to intensify police patrolling in vulnerable areas.

He said adequate stock of ration has been kept ready along with polythene and other materials and there is no need for the people to panic.

While alert has been sounded in all ports and the fishermen have returned from the sea, the government is working in mission mode to ensure zero casualty, the Minister said, adding that the government is keeping a close watch on the emerging situation and predictions being made by the weather agency regarding the direction and intensity of the cyclonic system.

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday released a new possible track of the impending Cyclone ‘Dana’, which is likely to hit Odisha coast by October 24-25.

While the IMD had earlier predicted that the cyclone may cross north Odisha and West Bengal coasts between Puri and Sagar Island by October 24-25, the present track forecasts landfall along Odisha coast near Balasore/Bhadrak or Bhitarkanika in Kendrapada.

Currently, the depression over eastcentral Bay of Bengal is about 700 km southeast of Paradip (Odisha), 750 km south-southeast of Sagar Island (West Bengal) and 730 km south-southeast of Khepupara (Bangladesh). “It is very likely to move west-northwestwards and intensify into a cyclonic storm by October 23 over Eastcentral Bay of Bengal. Thereafter, continuing to move northwestwards, it is very likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm over Northwest Bay of Bengal by October 24 morning,” the IMD said in its latest bulletin.

The cyclone is expected to strike the coast with wind speed of of 100-110 kmph gusting 120 kmph at the time of the landfall during October 24 night and October 25 morning.