Parlakhemundi/Chhatrapur: With cyclone Gulab set to make landfall Sunday evening between Gopalpur and Andhra Pradesh’s Kalingapatanam, several districts of Odisha are on high alert to meet any eventualities.
Gajapati district is already experiencing increased wind speeds. Under influence of the cyclone, heavy to very heavy rains are also being experienced across the district. The streets are nearly empty.
The district administration, meanwhile, has asked people to not panic and said that it is well prepared to face the cyclone.
While a 30-member team of Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) has camped at Paralakhemundi, the district headquarters of Gajapati district, Gumma and Gosani blocks each have a National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team, it was learnt.
According to several sources, as many as 1,737 people from low lying and vulnerable areas have been shifted to safer places by 11:00 am. The evacuated people include 40 from three villages of Gosani block, 185 from three villages of Gumma block, 90 from three villages of Kasinagar block, 357 from nine villages of Mohana block, 93 from four villages of Nuagarh block, 840 from 14 villages of Rayagada block and 32 from two villages of Udaygiri block.
The Ganjam district administration is also deploying all its resources to face the cyclone. District Collector Vijay Amruta Kulange recently convened a meeting through video conferencing at OSWAN hall. He directed all the district level officers, police, fire department and ODRAF teams to be on standby.
In Ganjam district, a target has been set to evacuate more than 61,875 people to safe places such as cyclone shelters and schools at higher places by evening. The concerned officials have been directed to provide them cooked food.
Notably, Gulab is the third cyclone after Tauktae and Yaas to make landfall this year.
PNN