Odisha, Bengal to evacuate people; Coast Guard on high alert

As Odisha and West Bengal are bracing for a severe cyclonic storm governments of both states have decided to evacuate people and close educational institutions in vulnerable areasThe Indian Coast Guard on Tuesday said it was on high alert and had mobilised its vessels and aircraft to respond swiftly to any contingency owing to the cyclone that will bring torrential rain in the two neighbouring statesIMD DG Mrutunjay Mohapatra said that the entire eastern coast from Puri and West Bengal coast is likely to be impacted by the impending cyclone DanaA depression over the Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm and cross the OdishaWest Bengal coasts between Puri and Sagar Island in the early hours of October 25 with a wind speed of 100110 kmph gusting to 120 kmph according to the IMDOdisha which is likely to bear the brunt of the cyclone has kept ready around 800 cyclone shelters for people to be evacuated from vulnerable areas according to a ministerThe states Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said officials have so far visited 250 cyclone relief centres where the people will be housed after evacuationFood water medicine electricity and other essentials are kept in readiness for the people to be evacuated due to the impending cyclone he saidApart from 800 cyclone shelters an additional 500 temporary shelters have been made ready including in schools and collegesAll educational institutions including schools colleges and universities will remain closed in 14 districts of Odisha from October 23 to 25 in view of the impending cyclone that would hit the state by October 25West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said her government is ready to face the cycloneSchools will remain closed in seven districts from October 23 to 26 as a precautionary measure We do not want to take any risk Schools and colleges are sometimes used as shelters for people Banerjee said in KolkataShe said that the administration of coastal districts of have been asked to shift all those residing in lowlying areas of these districtsThe Indian Coast Guard said in a statement that it is on high alert with its dedicated personnel and assets ready to provide assistance rescue and reliefThe ICG has mobilised its vessels and aircraft positioning them strategically to respond swiftly to any emergency situations the statement saidCoast Guard personnel are working in coordination with the local administration and disaster management authorities in West Bengal and Odisha to ensure a coordinated and effective response it addedThe ICG deployed helicopters and remote operating stations at Haldia in West Bengal and Paradip in Odisha to broadcast regular weather warnings and safety advisories to fishermen and marinersThe Odisha government sought 10 more additional teams of the National Disaster Response Force NDRFThe existing NDRF teams are already on the move to the possible affected districts Pujari saidThis apart 17 Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force ODRAF teams will be deployed in 10 districts which are likely to be affected by cyclone Dana Additional Special Relief Commissioner SRC Padmanav Behera saidThree other ODRAF teams will be kept on standbyIn West Bengal the NDRF has deployed 13 teams so far to respond to any situationAdvising fishermen not to venture into the sea from October 23 to 25 the IMD warned that wind speed is likely to reach 60 kilometres per hour kmph along and off OdishaWest Bengal coasts and gradually increase after thatPujari said Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has stressed on 100 per cent evacuation of people from vulnerable areas to ensure zero Casualty in the impending cycloneThe minister said the government has also prepared a list of pregnant women who are expected to deliver in a fortnight All those women are being shifted to the nearby hospital in order to avoid any difficulty during the calamityReplying to a question the minister said that some people are reluctant to vacate their houses for the reasons of theft The police have been directed to intensify patrolling in villages where the people will be evacuated to cyclone shelters he saidAuthorities of the Kolkata airport have started preparations to tackle any situation arising out of a possible cyclonic storm that could hit coastal areas of West Bengal and Odisha on October 25 a senior official said on TuesdayThe standard operating procedures such as inspection of the airport infrastructure and the drainage system checking and servicing of all installations are being carried out he saidSouth Eastern Railway has cancelled several mail and express trains connecting West Bengal and Odisha with various parts of the country in view of the impending cyclone an official saidThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to 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