New Delhi: The Paradip Port Trust (PPT) administration is fully geared up to meet any eventuality due to the impending cyclone ‘Yaas’. The port administration has asked all vessels to pick up anchors and move to sea, according to a statement. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the deep depression over Bay of Bengal intensified into cyclone ‘Yaas’ in the early hours of Monday. It is likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm in the next 24 hours.
“The cyclonic storm ‘Yaas’ is expected to trigger heavy downpour accompanied by high velocity wind in Paradip. The PPT administration is fully geared up to meet any eventuality,” said a statement quoting the port’s Chairman Vinit Kumar. “All vessels at Paradip anchorage have been asked to pick up anchor and move to sea,” it added.
Paradip port in Odisha is one of the 12 major ports under the control of the Centre.
According to the statement, the drains in the locality have been cleared on a war footing in order to avoid any possible water-logging. “Four teams of PPT with chain saws and Pay loader are ready to function round-the-clock during the cyclone. They will be used to clear the roads due to possible uprooting of trees. As precautionary measures, no inward movement of ships has been permitted from 2200 hrs of May 23, 2021,” the statement informed.
The Port had planned only outward movement of ships which was expected to be completed by 1200 hrs Monday, the statement said. It added all operations will be wound up and the port will be cleared of all personnel by Tuesday morning.
The statement said all Coast Guard vessels and DCI dredger XX inside the harbour have also been instructed to move out to sea. It also added that DCI dredgers ‘Aquarius’, ‘XVIII’ and ‘Ganga’ and both OSL cutter dredgers in North basin will be secured properly for extreme heavy weather.
The statement pointed out that five cyclone shelters have already been activated. More than 2,000 people from local slums and low lying areas will be accommodated with proper social distancing norms. They will be provided with dry ration, cooked food items, drinking water, face masks and sanitizers. The cyclone shelters will also be equipped with gensets for uninterrupted electric supply, the statement.