Odisha government moves 2.5 lakh people to safety before landfall of cyclone Yaas

BHUBANESWAR: With Yaas inching closer to the north Odisha coast and set to make landfall somewhere between Dhamra port and south of  Balasore with wind speed topping 140-150 kmph early on Wednesday, the State government in a massive evacuation operation shifted over 2.5 lakh people from the vulnerable districts to cyclone shelters by Tuesday evening.

Special Relief Commissioner PK Jena said, the government has targeted to shift 7.5 lakh people from 10 coastal and adjoining districts to safer places including 6,891 cyclone shelters. The SRC said that Balasore and Bhadrak will be in the eye of the storm and 79,588 and 73,103 persons have been evacuated from these two districts respectively.

As large areas of Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur districts will be inundated because of an expected storm surge between two and four feet, over 60,000 and 11,184 persons have been shifted from these two districts respectively.

Besides, evacuation of people residing in low lying and vulnerable areas have also been made in Cuttack, Jajpur, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Puri, Dhenkanal and Khurda districts. "Evacuation is going on in full swing. The process will be completed by tonight. Response forces and restoration teams are on the ground," he said. 

Arrangements for providing temporary shelter materials (polythene sheets) have been made for the households if houses will be damaged by cyclonic wind/ heavy rain in the affected areas. The SRC said expecting mothers are being shifted to Maa Gruha or community health centres. The high-risk pregnant women are being shifted to nearest hospitals.

He added that all COVID guidelines are being followed in cyclone shelters.  Three ply masks are being provided to each evacuee to use during the entire period of stay in the shelter. He also urged youths not to put their lives at risk by taking selfies during the cyclone.

The State government has also made massive deployment for rescue, restoration and relief measures in the areas to be affected by the cyclonic storm. 

Odisha moves 2.5 lakh people to safety 

The SRC said 52 NDRF, 60 ODRAF, 206 Fire Service and 86 wood cutting teams of Forest and Environment department, a total of 404 teams, have been pre-positioned in 10 coastal and adjoining districts for search, rescue and road clearance.  

As Balasore, Bhadrak, Mayurbhanj and Kendrapara will be the worst affected, large deployments have been in these four districts. The SRC said that 84 teams have been positioned in Balasore district while 45 teams are in Bhadrak. Besides, 47 and 30 teams have been deployed in Mayurbhanj and Kendrapara districts respectively.

Stating that nothing is left to chance in preparations to tackle the cyclonic storm, the SRC said that satellite phones of all collectors are in readiness for communication if telecommunication fails.

Besides, collectors have been instructed to make back-up power arrangement/generator arrangements with adequate fuel at different utility services like drinking water supply, petrol pumps, health institutions, telecom facilities, electrical grid/sub stations and police stations.

Adequate power back-up, stock of essential medicines and food have been arranged in all hospitals, Covid care centres, Cluster TMCs and TMCs. 

Engineering departments like Works, Rural Development, Housing and Urban Development, Energy, Water Resources and Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water have made arrangements for immediate restoration of infrastructure damaged in the cyclone. Works and Rural Development departments have formed 154 and 313 quick response teams respectively for road clearance. 

Besides, the Energy Department has deployed 9,990 employees for restoration work with stocking of additional poles, wires and transformers. Around 308 health teams have been mobilised and 635 medical relief centres opened in areas to be hit by the cyclone.