Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government is fully prepared to deal with the impending cyclonic system, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari assured people of the state on Friday.
Pujari urged the public not to panic as the state has a great deal of experience in handling severe storms and cyclones, and is ready to face such challenges.
The coastal states of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh are bracing for severe weather as the low-pressure area that formed over the east-central and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal early on Friday is expected to intensify into a cyclonic storm and head northwestward.
Speaking to mediapersons, Pujari said the administration is prepared for the worst-case scenario regardless of the final intensity of the storm or landfall location. The minister stated that all concerned departments of the state government as well as district administrations are fully prepared to face any eventuality posed by the probable Cyclone Arnab.
“There is no need to worry, nor is there any need to be perturbed. This cyclone will also come and pass. And to ensure there is no significant damage, the state government has put in place whatever arrangements are necessary,” said Pujari.
“Our preparation is mostly complete as discussions started 2-3 days ago,” Pujari said, adding that district-level preparedness would be reviewed at a meeting involving the Chief Secretary, senior officials and Collectors from 16 districts.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) alerted that a Low Pressure Area has formed over southeast and adjoining east central Bay of Bengal under the influence of the upper air cyclonic circulation in the region.
“It is most likely to persist over the same region and intensify into a depression on 24th October. Thereafter, it is very likely to move west-northwestwards and intensify further into a deep depression on 25th October, into a cyclonic storm over the westcentral Bay of Bengal by 26th October morning. It would then continue to intensify further and move west-northwestwards towards North Andhra Pradesh and adjoining South Odisha coasts during the subsequent 2 days,” the IMD informed.
Also Read: Cyclone Arnab Tracking: Check Latest GFS & ECMWF Landfall Projections For Oct 28 [Watch]