Bhubaneswar: Asserting that all required arrangements are in place to deal with any situation caused by cyclone Montha, the Odisha government on Monday advised people to ignore rumours about the storm.
Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari, who reviewed preparedness for the cyclone, urged people not to panic over the cyclone. All necessary preparations to tackle possible impact of the cyclonic storm have been completed, he told reporters.
After a high-level meeting of various departments and agencies, the Minister said that final preparations at all levels, including the state government, district administration, block, and panchayat levels, have been completed.
“There is no reason for the people to panic. We will face this cyclone together and ensure zero casualties. No one should move out of house unless there is an emergency,” Pujari said.
Noting that the cyclonic system is currently moving at a speed of 18 km per hour, he said it is a positive sign as experts suggest that the faster a system moves over the sea, the less its impact would be.
After making landfall in Andhra Pradesh, the system is likely to move towards neighbouring Chhattisgarh, crossing the Malkangiri district of the state. The system is likely to trigger heavy rain in Chhattisgarh, which may cause a rise in the water level of the Mahanadi River, he said.
The Water Resources Department has started releasing water from reservoirs, which are around 88 per cent of their capacity, to accommodate the additional inflow.
Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) will also talk to the Indian Coast Guard authorities to seek their assistance in dealing with the cyclone. The Indian Coast Guard’s helicopter may be used to keep an aerial watch on the situation.
Meanwhile, over 200 expectant women have so far been shifted to the nearest primary health centres. Tourists and pilgrims residing in higher spots in hilly regions have been instructed to move to safer places, the Minister said.
The evacuation of people from low-lying and vulnerable areas to safer locations is underway. The Minister also appealed to people in these areas to move to nearby cyclone/relief shelters and school buildings and assured that the Odisha Police will ensure the safety of their properties during their absence.
Schools and Anganwadi centres in the eight districts in the red zone — Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Ganjam, Gajapati, Kandhamal, Kalahandi, and Nabarangpur — have been closed till October 30.
As many as 128 teams of the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and Fire Services have been deployed in these.