Cyclone Dana: Ensure ‘zero casualty’ during disaster, Odisha CM advises officials

BHUBANESWAR: With the threat of cyclone looming over Odisha, chief minister Mohan Majhi asked officials to strive for ‘zero casualty’ while reviewing preparedness on Monday.

Majhi also instructed officials to identify places that could be affected and relocate people from vulnerable areas.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast, a well-marked low-pressure that has formed over the Bay of Bengal is expected to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by Thursday and cross the land between Puri and Sagar Island on the night of Oct 24, with wind speed likely to reach 100 to 110 km per hour.

“Cyclone shelters in districts likely to be affected have been kept ready with all basic amenities. Govt is trying to make 100% evacuation from vulnerable areas. Although no casualties have occurred due to strong wind in the recent past, other causes have led to loss of life, such as deaths owing to the collapse of mud walls. To prevent this, all vulnerable houses must be identified and residents moved to safe locations,” Majhi said.

In the wake of the cyclone, President Droupadi Murmu’s two-day visit to Odisha, scheduled from Oct 23, has been cancelled. Murmu was supposed to visit Bangiriposi, Rairangpur, Puri and Bhubaneswar to participate in a number of events.

The Board of Secondary Education has also postponed the National Rural Talent Scholarship (NRTS) and primary school scholarship exams, scheduled on Oct 23 and 25.

Asking people not to panic, the CM also said, fire services, ODRAF and NDRF teams are ready to move to districts likely to be affected due to the cyclone.

All relevant departments are fully prepared and emergency teams are ready with essential supplies like food, water, medicines, and baby food being stocked at cyclone shelters even as sanitation arrangements have been strengthened.

The CM instructed immediate readiness for post-cyclone road clearing and restoration of essential services. Majhi also instructed officials to ensure uninterrupted power supply to hospitals and other critical establishments.

In urban areas, people have been injured or killed by falling billboards or signboards. Therefore, the CM has instructed immediate identification of such billboards and remove them, especially in cities like Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Puri.

Apart from a 24x7 control room at the SRC office, round the clock control rooms have been opened in vulnerable districts. To prevent rumours and misinformation during the cyclone, Majhi stressed the need for regular updates to the media from the SRC office.