Cyclone Michaung: Odisha Govt Cancels Leave Of Field Officials For 5 Days

Bhubaneswar: Odisha government has cancelled the leave of the employees of Agriculture and Farmers Empowerment department of 5 districts likely to be affected by cyclone Michaung for 5 days.

The department, in an official order on Saturday, said Malkangiri, Gajapati, Ganjam, Koraput and Rayagada districts are likely to receive heavy rainfall on the impact of the cyclonic storm in Bay of Bengal, as per the special bulletin of the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD).

“In view of possible heavy rain, all the field officials of these districts are informed to remain on high alert during the warning period from December 2 to 6. They should sensitise the farmers about the rain and ensure necessary measures as per government advisory,” the order stated.

Considering the forecast, no field official is allowed to take leave while the holiday on Sunday (December 3) has been cancelled, the department said in the order.

Earlier, the IMD said the deep depression over southwest Bay of Bengal had gained momentum and was likely to intensify into cyclonic storm ‘Michaung’ by Sunday. Heavy to very heavy rain of 115.6 to 204.4 mm is likely in Odisha during the expected landfall between Nellore and Machilipatnam along Andhra Pradesh coast on December 5.

The system is likely to cross South Andhra Pradesh coast with a maximum sustained wind speed of 80-90 kmph gusting to 100 kmph, squally wind speed reaching 35-45 kmph gusting to 55 kmph may prevail along and off Odisha coast (Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, and Jagatsinghpur) from December 4 evening and gradually increase becoming 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph from December 5 evening for subsequent 12 hours, the IMD forecast.