GOPALPUR (ODISHA) : The ‘very severe cyclonic storm’,
Titli, which made landfall near Gopalpur district in
Odisha this morning will weaken gradually and is expected to turn into a “deep depression” by Friday morning,
India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Thursday.
“It (
cyclone Titli) is very likely to move northwestwards for next 12 hours and then re-curve northeastwards towards Gangetic West Bengal across Odisha. It is very likely to weaken gradually becoming severe cyclonic storm around noon, cyclonic storm around evening of today and a deep depression by morning of tomorrow, October 12, 2018,” IMD stated.
Earlier on Thursday, Odisha’s Gopalpur and Andhra Pradesh’s Kalingapatnam reported surface wind speed of 126 kmph at 04:30 am and 59 kmph at 03:30 am respectively.
The cyclonic storm caused ‘heavy to very heavy rainfall’ in Ganjam, Gajapati and Puri districts of Odisha. Damage of thatched and asbestos house, street lights, roads blockage due to falling of trees, has been reported in Ganjam district. Further, minor damage to power and communication has also been reported in the district.
Meanwhile, 13 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been deployed in several districts of Odisha, including Ganjam, Gajapati, Puri, Kendrapada, Nayagarh, Bhadrak, Jagatsingjpur, Balasore, Jajpur, Khurdha and Sambalpur.
Orissa Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) has also deployed its teams in nine districts--Ganjam, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Khordha, Cuttack, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Boudh and Kalahandi. Fire services team are also on alert to respond at short notice of the district administration. Several preparedness measures have also been taken to ward off any untoward situations.