Bhubaneswar 23: Odisha government stepped up its disaster preparedness on Wednesday as a deep depression over the Bay of Bengal continued to trigger heavy rain, with the system likely to cross the north Andhra Pradesh-south Odisha coast near Kalingapatnam by tonight.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi reviewed the situation at Lok Seva Bhavan and directed all departments to maintain the highest level of preparedness, with protection of lives and property as the top priority. Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari also held a high-level review at the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) with district collectors and senior officials.
The Chief Minister reiterated the state’s “zero casualty” approach to natural disasters and directed the administration to evacuate people from waterlogged areas to safer locations and provide necessary relief. He also asked departments to work in close coordination with district administrations and maintain continuous monitoring.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) information, the deep depression over the west-central and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal moved westwards at about 12 kmph during the preceding six hours. At 5.30 am on Wednesday, it was located near 18.0°N and 84.7°E, about 150 km south of Gopalpur.
The system is expected to move west-northwestwards and cross the coast between Visakhapatnam and Gopalpur, near Kalingapatnam, by Wednesday night. It is expected to cross as a deep depression.
The system is likely to bring heavy to very heavy rainfall to several parts of Odisha. The government has warned of localised waterlogging in urban and low-lying areas, rising water levels in rivers and drainage channels, flash floods in vulnerable hilly areas and landslides and mudslides in southern Odisha.
The government also warned that kutcha houses, standing crops and horticultural crops could be affected, while uprooted trees may disrupt power and telecommunications infrastructure.
In the 24 hours ending at 8.30 am on Wednesday, Odisha recorded an average rainfall of 37.9 mm. Koraput recorded the highest district average at 93.3 mm, followed by Gajapati at 79.2 mm, Balasore at 61.8 mm, Nabarangpur at 59.6 mm and Ganjam at 55.5 mm.
Similiguda in Koraput recorded 230.2 mm of rain, while Jeypore received 161.6 mm, Gunupur in Rayagada 160 mm, Mohana in Gajapati 145 mm, Borigumma in Koraput 138.2 mm and Tentulikhunti in Nabarangpur 138 mm.
A total of 33 ODRAF teams have been deployed, including six each in Ganjam and Koraput, three each in Gajapati, Malkangiri and Rayagada, two in Kalahandi and one in Balangir. Nine additional teams have been kept in reserve at the ODRAF unit in Chhatrapur, Ganjam.
Sea conditions are expected to remain rough to very rough. Winds of 55-65 kmph, gusting up to 75 kmph, are likely over the west-central and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal on September 23-24. Local warning signal No. 3 has been hoisted at all ports, while fishermen have been prohibited from venturing into the sea off Odisha and north Andhra Pradesh until September 24.
The government has placed Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur and Kalahandi among the priority districts, with enhanced preparedness also maintained in Nuapada, Balangir, Kandhamal, Puri, Khordha and Nayagarh.
District and block emergency operation centres have been directed to function round the clock. Shelters, dry food, baby food, drinking water and other essential supplies have been kept ready, while ODRAF, NDRF and fire services teams, rescue boats, life jackets and power boats have been readied.
The Water Resources Department is monitoring rivers, reservoirs and vulnerable embankments, while urban authorities have been asked to keep drainage systems under watch and deploy dewatering pumps in vulnerable underpasses.
