BHUBANESWAR: The
Odisha government mobilised rescue personnel and relief material as the
India Meteorological Department (IMD), in a special bulletin issued on Tuesday said, the deep depression over the Bay of Bengal has intensified into cyclonic storm ‘Titli’ and is moving towards the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh coast
The cyclone, which is likely to make landfall between Gopalpur and Kalingapatnam early on Thursday morning, may trigger heavy rain accompanied by strong winds blowing at 125kmph. The IMD has issued a red alert in the state for Wednesday and Thursday, forecasting “heavy to very heavy rainfall” at several places and “extremely heavy rainfall” in isolated areas in the state.
Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, the additional director general of IMD, said, “The severe cyclonic storm will cause heavy to very heavy rain in several parts, while some pockets may experience very severe rainfall that may cause widespread damage.” The Odisha government has announced the closure of schools, colleges and anaganwadi centres in Puri, Ganjam, Gajapati and Jagatsinghpur from Wednesday. “We will take a call on whether to ask educational institutions in other districts to remain shut,” Aditya Prasad Padhi, the state’s chief secretary, said.