The Odisha government on Sunday initiated large-scale preparations, including evacuating people from vulnerable places and deploying 128 disaster response teams, as the IMD forecast that the deep depression in the Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm by Monday morning.
IMD forecast and landfall details
In its latest bulletin issued by 9 am on Sunday, the IMD stated that the deep depression over the southeast Bay of Bengal formed earlier in the day, moved west-northwestwards and lay about 790 km south-southeast of Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) and 900 km south-southeast of Gopalpur (Odisha).
“The system is likely to move nearly west-northwestwards and intensify further into a cyclonic storm over southwest and adjoining westcentral Bay of Bengal during the next 12 hours,” the weather office said, adding that thereafter it is likely to move northwestwards, then north-northwestwards and intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by the morning of October 28.
“It is very likely to cross the Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam near Kakinada during the evening or night of October 28 as a severe cyclonic storm,” the IMD stated.
During the landfall time, the storm is predicted to have maximum sustained wind speeds of 90-100 kmph, gusting up to 110 kmph, Dr Manorama Mohanty, the director of the Meteorological Centre, Bhubaneswar, said.
Cyclone Montha: Impact and warnings for Odisha
Though the cyclone is expected to make landfall near Andhra Pradesh’s Kakinada, approximately 200 km from Odisha’s Malkangiri, the eastern state’s 15 districts would be impacte din the impending calamity. Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari stated that eight districts—Malkangiri, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam, Kandhamal, and Kalahandi—are likely to experience very heavy rainfall and strong winds.
A ‘red warning’ (take action) has been issued for these eight districts, predicting extremely heavy rainfall and strong winds gusting up to 80 kmph, the minister.
Disaster preparedness and safety measures
As a precautionary measure, the state government has deployed a substantial force of over 5,000 highly skilled personnel, including 24 teams of Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF), five NDRF and 99 Fire Service teams, across these eight districts, the minister said, adding all the districts of the state have been directed to get ready with men and machinery for rescue operations, if at all the impending cyclone changes its trajectory.
“As landslides have emerged as a new challenge in Odisha, additional measures have been taken in the vulnerable areas. People are being shifted from hilly areas,” the minister said.
Gajapati District Collector Madhumita said, “We have identified 139 places that are vulnerable to landslides.”
Earlier when Cyclone Titli hit the state’s coast in 2018, as many as 12 people were killed in a landslide in Gajapati district. In view of the vulnerability, the concerned administration has deployed modern equipment in Gajapati to clear roads in case of landslides, the minister said.
The minister informed that ‘sadhus’ living in the hills in some districts are being shifted to the plains in the wake of the cyclone, adding that the evacuation of people will be completed by Monday evening.
He said pregnant women and elderly persons are also being evacuated from vulnerable areas to hospitals and safe shelters.
Authorities in coastal districts are using loudspeakers and microphones to warn fishermen not to venture into the sea and urging those already out to return by Sunday, Pujari said.
The leaves of government employees in nine districts have been cancelled keeping in view the urgency of the situation. All Anganwadi centres and schools will remain closed till October 30.
Meanwhile, the Puri administration has imposed restrictions on the entry of tourists to the sea beaches on October 27, 28 and 29 in view of the impending cyclone.
The minister said that though rainfall will begin on Monday, the intensity of rain and wind will intensify on October 28 and 29.
The weather office also hoisted Distant Cautionary Signal No-I (DC-1) at all ports of Odisha and advised fishermen not to venture into the sea till October 29.
