With the cyclonic storm Gulab likely to hit the Gopalpur coast and affect several districts in south Odisha, including Rayagada, the district administration here took all disaster preparedness measures. Two major rivers of Rayagada, Vansadhara and Nagavali, and their tributaries are expected to be in spate due to heavy rainfall. Total 101 villages have been identified as most vulnerable. But with the strict instruction from Rayagada SP Vivekananda Sharma, the police have carried out evacuation measures in the Gudari, Kalyan Singhpur and Gunupur blocks. Priority was given to sick and old persons, besides women and children, who were put in the emergency rehabilitation centres with provision of dry and cooked food.
Loud speaker announcement was made warning the residents of villages in the bank of river Nagavali near Seiskhal and Kereda to move to the nearby community centres and schools as multi-purpose flood shelters were kept ready for lodging the evacuees. Gunupur Sub Collector J Sonal has taken all possible steps in Gunupur, which is likely to be affected the most as it shares borders with Srikakulum district where the cyclone will likely make its landfall.
Four NDRF and three ODRAF teams have been deployed in Gunupur and three more ODRAF teams were kept ready in Rayagada district headquarters. Control rooms have got functional in all the blocks and district headquarters where all the BDOs and Tehsildars have been asked not to leave their headquarters. Special instructions have been issued to health and veterinary authorities to look after the health of human beings and animals.
However, till writing of this report, except sporadic rains, there were no other indicators of a cyclone in Rayagada, which was declared by the IMD to be in the red zone.