The Odisha government planned to move at least 48,000 people from low-lying and landslide-prone areas by Tuesday, October27, evening as “very severe” Cyclone Arnab neared the Andhra Pradesh coast, officials said.
Special Relief Commissioner Rajesh P. Patil said about 11,000 people each would be shifted in Gajapati and Nabarangpur districts. Evacuations were under way in Malkangiri, Ganjam, Koraput, Rayagada, Kalahandi and Nuapada.
Patil said 135 permanent and about 1,600 temporary shelters were ready. Pregnant women, older people, children and people with disabilities are being moved first. The government has set a “zero casualty” target, he said. Schools in eight districts were shut Tuesday, October 27 and Wednesday, October 28, the officials said.
The state deployed 294 rescue teams, including nine from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and 60 from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF). It allocated Rs 19 crore for relief.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange warning of 12-20 cm of rain for Puri, Gajapati, Ganjam, Rayagada, Koraput and Malkangiri. A yellow warning of 7-11 cm covers 16 other districts.
The IMD said the cyclone should cross the Andhra coast between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, near Yanam, by Wednesday, October 28, forenoon, with winds of 125-135 kmph, gusting to 150 kmph. Gale-force winds of 60-70 kmph are likely in southern Odisha from early Wednesday, October 28 and fishermen were told to stay off the sea.
Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said the state was prepared. He warned that heavy rain in the upper catchments of rivers in Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand could trigger flash floods in western and northern Odisha.