Bhubaneswar: In view of the impending severe cyclonic storm ‘Yaas’, extensive preparations have been made for evacuating people from low lying areas, storm surge prone areas, and vulnerable households, informed SRC Pradeep Jena Monday.
“Considering the probable paths, Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj have also been included in the zone of alert. So Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, and parts of Puri, Khurda, Cuttack, Nayagarh, Dhenkanal are already under full alert and the local administrations are geared up to affect evacuation in large number,” he informed.
About the preparedness for rescue and restoration operations, he said, “The State has so far deployed 22 NDRF, more than 50 ODRAF and 175 Fire Service, and 35 specialized tree cutter teams. The NDRF has been requested to give additional 30 units which are to arrive by Monday evening and they will also be deployed.”
While various engineering departments have formed more than 500 specialized road clearance teams, the Energy Department has mobilized more than 10,000 to 12,000 manpower along with associated equipment, materials, and tools for ensuring speedy restoration if needed, he informed.
Regarding Covid management, he said, “All arrangements have been made for smooth evacuation with strict adherence to Covid norms. All district hospitals, Covid hospitals are having all required standby arrangements of power, drinking water, food materials, drugs and consumables, and oxygen. Oxygen manufacturing plants and refilling plants have been given additional alternate power backups and all strengthening has been made so that oxygen production and refilling are not impacted.”
Adequate buffer oxygen stocks are being made available to all the Covid hospitals in the cyclone prone areas so that for the next 72 to 120 hours, there should not be any problem for the treatment of Covid patients, he said.
“The preparation is in full swing and we expect with the help of the people and local administration we will be able to minimize the adverse impact of the cyclone,” said Jena.
PNN