Bhubaneswar: The Gajapati administration has initiated precautionary measures amid extremely heavy rainfall warning under the influence of Cyclone Montha, brewing over Bay of Bengal, which is likely to cause landslides and sudden flooding in the district.
A red warning of scattered heavy to very heavy falls (7 to 20cm) with isolated extremely heavy rainfall (>20cm) has been issued for Gajapati, along with Malakangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, and Ganjam, on October 28. The district is also likely to experience heavy to very heavy rainfall (7 to 20cm) on October 29.
The Gajapati administration has identified 129 areas, which are prone to landslides, and is relocating people to safer places.
Collector Madhumita said that pregnant women are being shifted to health facilities and the process is likely to be completed by Monday morning. She added that all schools and colleges in the district will remain shut till October 30. She has also written to the Special Relief Commissioner’s office, seeking two ODRAF teams for relief and rescue operations.
While leaves of government employees have been cancelled, cyclone shelters have also been readied for possible evacuations. “Our nodal officers are present at all shelters with provisions for food and essentials. All department officers are on duty and senior officials have been assigned to oversee operations across the seven blocks and two urban local bodies of the district,” the collector added.
There are five official cyclone shelters in the district. In addition, school buildings and Gram Panchayat halls have been designated as temporary shelters.
On Saturday, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said that the state has activated its disaster readiness model in view of the impending cyclone that is likely to cross neighbouring Andhra Pradesh coast by evening or night of October 28. The district administrations, disaster response teams, and local bodies in Odisha are on a high alert to tackle any possible emergency situation, especially in southern and coastal districts.
District collectors have been directed to evacuate residents from low-lying and vulnerable areas, he said, adding that 15 districts in coastal and southern Odisha are likely to be most affected by the impending cyclone.