\\To effectively tackle the situation both before and after Phailin, the Indian Red Cross Society (IRS) State branch kept all its 75 cyclone shelter communities in six coastal districts in high alert.
The Red Cross disseminated the messages to the secretaries of its cyclone shelters to preposition dry food, drinking water, alternate electric system and essential medicines in the shelter for at least three days.
It was stressed that during evacuation priority should be given to the expectant mothers, elderly people, sick persons, Persons With Disability (PWD) and children. To gather information and collect situation report on the cyclonic storm and flood situation, Red Cross started operating the 24 x 7 control room at the Red Cross Bhavan, Unit – IX, Bhubaneswar since October 10 last. Besides, 1000 volunteers including National Disaster Response Team (NDRT), State Disaster Response Team (SDRT), District Disaster Response Team(DDRT), Family News Service(FNS) and Certified First Medical Responder(CFMR), life Members, Youth Red Cross and Junior Red Cross counsellors and volunteers and staff members of IRCS-OSB were informed to remain alert and prepare to support the situation.
Due to the preparedness, nearly 2, 00,000 people were evacuated with the support of 2,500 Red Cross cyclone shelter volunteers to their respective cyclone shelters as well as to school buildings situated near the cyclone shelters.
Team consisting of Utkarsh Pandey from IRCS-NHQ, Kausav Kukude and Moude Forberg from IFRC visited Gokharkuda, Sonapur and Rewakatru villages in Ganjam district on October 15 and Bedhakandola, Bandhanmunda and Tainla villages in Puri district the next day.
The WATSAN team consisting Seema Mohanty and Maria luz from IFRC visited Odisha to make an assessment on the water, sanitation and hygienic practices of the people. They interacted with the inhabitants of Bhartapur and Haladipadia slum in Bhubaneswar and Nolia Basti in Konark.
Till date IRCS-OSB distributed 3,500 dry food packets, 4,000 tarpaulin and 51,000 water pouches to the flood affected people of Mayubhanj, Baleswar, Bhadrak and Kanas in Puri district respectively.
IRCS Dr Mangala Prasad Mohanty coordinated effort in evacuating more than 2, 00,000 people to all 75 cyclone shelters and school buildings. He mobilized water purification units from IRCS-NHQ, one which is installed at Kanas in Puri district to provide safe drinking water to the flood affected people. The IRCS distributed 158 tarpaulins among the vulnerable people in Mendhasal, Paikarapur and Chandaka villages of Khordha district. An inter agency group coordination meeting was convened and rapid assessment report of the affected district was prepared for response and recovery.