Odisha CS To Hold High-Level Meeting To Review Cyclone Preparedness

Bhubaneswar: A high-level meeting will be held under the chairmanship of Odisha Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mahapatra on Thursday evening to review preparedness to deal with possible cyclonic storm ‘Sitrang.’

The crucial meeting, convened by the Chief Secretary at 5 PM, will be attended by the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) and other senior officials from different departments and agencies.

Different stakeholders including district collectors are slated to participate in the meeting as the MeT department has forecast likelihood of the formation of cyclone ‘Sitrang’ over the Bay of Bengal around October 24.

The SRC has already alerted the Collectors of seven districts that may face the wrath of cyclone Sitrang.  Districts such as Ganjam, Puri, Khurda, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak and Balesore are likely to be affected.

According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), a low pressure area has already formed over the southeast and adjoining Eastcentral Bay of Bengal. The system is likely to move west-northweswards and concentrate into a depression by October 22 morning and deep depression on October 23 over the central Bay of Bengal (BoB).

Subsequently, it is very likely to intensify further into a cyclonic storm over westcentral and adjoining eastcentral Bay of Bengal by October 24.

While the IMD has said that the cyclone is likely to move gradually north-northeastwards & reach near West Bengal – Bangladesh coasts on October 25, skirting Odisha coast, the state will experience heavy rain from October 23 and the intensity will increase further in the next two days. So far, yellow alert has been sounded for Puri, Kendrapada and Jagasinghpur on October 23.

While the weatherman has advised fishermen not to venture into the Bay from October 22 and along and off Odisha coast from October 23, a forecast on the intensity and wind speed of the cyclone is yet to be made.