Bhubaneswar: As the very severe cyclonic storm Yaas is all set to cross the Odisha coast through Paradip in Jagatsinghpur district and Dharma and Chandbali in Bhadrak district in less than 12 hours, the state government on Tuesday said that the evacuation of people from the low-lying and seaside areas will be completed by 9 pm today.
Briefing the mediapersons here, Special Relief Commissioner Pradeep Jena said as per the forecast by the India Meteorological Department, the landfall of the cyclonic storm is expected in Bhitarkanika in Kendrapada district and Dhamra and Chandbali in Bhadrak district.
He said as the wind velocity is expected to rise from the afternoon on Tuesday, the evacuation of the people living in the low-lying and sea-side areas is going on in full swing.
“Out of about 7.5 lakh people to be evacuated from the low-lying areas of 10 districts by 9 pm tonight, 2.10 lakh have been evacuated by 4 pm of which 74,132 people have been evacuated in Balasore, 73,103 in Bhadrak, 41,685 in Kendrapada, 9122 in Jagatsinghpur, 3500 in Puri, 3382 in Mayurbhanj, 3059 in Jajpur, 1915 in Cuttack, 420 in Dhenkanal, 303 in Keonjhar.
He said that apart from the coastal districts, three adjoining districts of Sundargarh, Keonjhar, Dhenkanal and Angul districts are asked to remain on high alert as the cyclonic storm after the landfall will pass through some blocks of these districts towards Jharkhand.
Claiming that the evacuation by the district administrations is going on smoothly with the cooperation of the people, Jena said apart from the cyclone shelters, arrangements have been made to accommodate the evacuees at other places.
Also Read: Cyclone Yaas: Odisha In The Eye Of Storm, Landfall Likely Between Dhamra & Chandbali
