Cyclone Dana alert: Minister announces 800 cyclone relief shelters ready in Odisha for evacuated residents

By Team Asianet Newsable | First Published Oct 22, 2024, 3:40 PM IST

Odisha's Revenue and Disaster Management Minister, Suresh Pujari, said that officials have already inspected 250 cyclone relief centers, ensuring they are ready to house evacuees. Food, water, medicine, electricity, and other essentials are being stocked at these centers to provide for those displaced by the impending cyclone.

As a well-marked low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal intensified into a depression on Tuesday (October 22), the Odisha government is bracing for the possibility of a severe cyclonic storm hitting its eastern coast. The state has mobilised resources, preparing around 800 cyclone shelters to accommodate residents from vulnerable areas who will be evacuated.

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In addition to the 800 permanent shelters, the government has prepared 500 temporary shelters, which include schools and colleges, to handle the large number of evacuees. Special arrangements are also being made for women in the cyclone shelters, with the deployment of female police officers to ensure their safety and comfort.

To this end, the government has also identified pregnant women expected to deliver in the next two weeks, and they are being relocated to nearby hospitals to avoid complications during the cyclone.

One challenge the government is facing is the reluctance of some people to leave their homes due to concerns over theft. To address this, the police have been directed to increase patrols in villages where residents will be evacuated.

Addressing concerns about the cyclone's track potentially changing, as forecasted by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Pujari assured the public that the government has studied such possibilities. A red alert has been issued for nine districts, with an orange warning for heavy rainfall in several others.

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As a precaution, schools in 13 districts, including Ganjam, Puri, Bhadrak, and Kendrapara, have been ordered to close for three days starting Wednesday. Additionally, the state has canceled all staff leaves from October 23 to 25, directing them to be on standby to tackle the impending calamity.

Personnel from the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) and Fire Services have already been dispatched to areas deemed most vulnerable. The central government has also agreed to send 11 additional teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to assist in relief and rescue operations.

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