Bhubaneswar: In view of the cyclone alert issued by the national weather agency, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Pradeep Jena on Thursday discussed the preparedness with collectors of 18 districts of Odisha via video conference. The focus is on emergency operation centres, shifting of people to safer places, and the readiness of cyclone shelters and temporary cyclone shelters.
The SRC had also written to the collectors of these districts to undertake all preparedness measures in advance to reduce the impacts of the possible cyclone.
The districts put on alert are Ganjam, Gajapati, Khurda, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada, Jajpur, Bhadrak, Balasore, Nayagrah, Cuttack, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Malkangiri, Rayagada, Koraput, Dhenkanal, Puri and Kandhamal.
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Notably, a low-pressure area is likely to form over South Andaman Sea and the neighbourhood by Friday under the influence of cyclonic circulation over the same region. The system is very likely to intensify into a depression in the subsequent 48 hours and move in the north-westward direction. the IMD had said, indicating that conditions are favourable for the formation of a storm next week.
“Though there is no clarity on cyclone formation yet, district collectors have been put on alert. Cyclone shelters have been kept ready,” said disaster management minister Sudam Marndi on tackling a possible cyclone.
Once IMD clears the movement of the possible cyclone, landfall, rain and wind speed, preparations to be intensified further, he added.
SUGGESTED MEASURES:
I. District Emergency Operation Centre and Control Rooms of other offices must operate round the clock with adequate manpower. Please see that all communication equipment like phone, fax, etc are in working condition. You may check the Satellite phones provided and make test calls. Besides the satellite phone, digital mobile radio communication systems have been established in six coastal districts under the EWDS project. Please make use of those communication systems also.
2. Identifying all vulnerable people and shifting them to safe shelters are the first priority. Prepare a detailed evacuation plan for people living in kutcha houses or living near the coast or in low lying areas and other vulnerable persons including the elderly, PwDs, w0men & children to designated geo-tagged shelter buildings.
3. All safe shelter buildings including permanent and temporary may be Identified. All designated shelter buildings should be geo-tagged..
4. A team comprising three local officials (two male and one woman (such as ASHA/AVVW/lady teacher/lady constable/Home guard etc) may be kept in charge of each shelter. This exercise must be completed by 6/5/22. Information on identified safe shelter buildings indicating latitude & longitude, name of the officials kept in charge &andmobile number of such team/ officials must be furnished to the SRC.
5. Safu pucca school buildings/ public buildings in the vulnerable areas may be identified as temporary shelters as per requirement.
6. All cyclone and flood shelters should be immediately checked by local BDO/ Tahsildar. They should check water supply, functional toilets, generators, inflatable tower lights, mechanical cutters and other equipment available in shelters.
7. As the power supply is cut off during the peak period of the cyclone, all offices should make their backup power arrangement for that period. Generators available in the different offices including health institutions should be immediately checked and adequate fuel stored.
