Cyclone Gulab: 7 Odisha Districts on High Alert, 24 NDRF Teams Dispatched | 10 Points

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Saturday warned of the formation of a cyclonic storm over the Bay of Bengal, which is likely to cross the south Odisha coasts and neighbouring Andhra Pradesh in the next 12 hours. IMD Director General (DG) Dr Mrutunjay Mohapatra said the wind speed of the weather system will vary between 75 kmph to 85 kmph, gusting up to 95 kmph. He further said that the intensity of ‘Cyclone Gulab’ that is likely to approach Odisha and Andhra Pradesh will be akin to ‘Titli’, the storm that battered the state in 2018.

Under its impact, many parts of Odisha is expected to receive heavy rainfall during the next few days.

Here are the 10 key points on movement of cyclonic storm and Odisha government’s advisory:

1. The Odisha government has put seven districts on high alert and rushed rescue teams to the vulnerable areas and asked officials to evacuate people from low-lying areas, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) P K Jena said.

2. As many as 42 teams of Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) and 24 squads of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), along with fire brigade personnel, have been dispatched to the seven districts: Gajapati, Ganjam, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Kandhamal. Ganjam is expected to get severely affected by the cyclonic storm, and 15 rescue teams have been deployed in that area alone.

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3. Besides, 11 fire service units, six teams of the ODRAF and eight of the NDRF are in reserve for emergency purposes. The district administrations of Gajapati and Koraput have cancelled holidays and leaves on September 25 and 26. Collectors have directed government officials and employees to be on their toes at respective headquarters to meet any exigency.

4. According to the IMD, a deep depression that lay over north and adjoining central Bay of Bengal has moved westwards at a speed of 14 kmph. At 8.30 am on Saturday, it was centred around 470 km east-southeast of Gopalpur in Odisha and 540 km east-northeast of Kalingapatnam in Andhra Pradesh.

5. The weather system is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm and move nearly westwards and cross north Andhra Pradesh and south Odisha coasts between Vishakhapatnam and Gopalpur, around Kalingapatnam, by evening of September 26, the IMD predicted.

6. Many low-lying areas will be inundated in the identified districts. Flash flood is feared in the hilly areas of Odisha’s southern region. Urban pockets in Ganjam and Puri could experience waterlogging due to heavy to very heavy and extremely heavy rainfall in parts.

7. The Odisha government has cautioned against possible flooding in rivers, landslides in certain areas, along with large-scale inundation.

8. During the landfall of the cyclone, the wind speed could hover between 90 kmph and 100 kmph. Barring that period, the wind speed all along Sunday is expected to be limited to 70 kmph. Four-five districts will receive heavy rainfall. “Southern Odisha rivers such as Rushikulya, Nagabali and Vansadhara could swell due to extremely heavy rainfall," the SRC pointed out.

9. The IMD also said that light to moderate showers at most places with heavy rainfall at isolated places are expected in Odisha and coastal Andhra Pradesh on Saturday. There is also a likelihood of light to moderate showers at most places of the state on Sunday with heavy to very heavy rainfall in a few areas and extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places in south Odisha and north coastal Andhra Pradesh.

10. Over the next three days, the sea condition will be rough to very rough and fishermen in Odisha, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh have been told not to venture into east-central and adjoining northeast Bay of Bengal for safety reasons.

(with inputs from PTI)

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