The state is bracing to face another cyclone, Lehar, and weathermen say that it will be nearly as severe as Phailin cyclone, that had left a trail of devastation in Odisha and north coastal Andhra.
As per the latest bulletin from the Met department, Lehar is 1,140 km off Kakinada coast and is moving in the predicted direction gathering intensity. Met officials predicted the cyclone to make a landfall between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam ports near Kakinada by November 28.
Under its influence, moderate rainfall is expected at many places along the coast and it will intensify as the cyclone nears. At the time of landfall, heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected at a few places along the coast. High-velocity winds will accompany the rains, increasing chances of uprooting of trees and electric poles in several coastal villages near the area where the cyclone would make a landfall.
Chief secretary PK Mohanty, along with disaster management commissioner C Parthasarathy and other higher officials, held a video-conference with district collectors, superintendents of police, commissioners of police, officials of various other departments, NDRF and defence personnel, here on Monday to discuss the preparedness to face Lehar cyclone.
Briefing mediapersons later, Parthasarathy said IMD officials would be able to predict an accurate date, possible path of the cyclone and the areas that will be affected most by Tuesday evening.
He said collectors of coastal districts were asked to suspend all fishing operations and ensure the safe return of fishermen out in the sea already. ‘’We have requested IAF to send four helicopters which will be operated from Hyderabad or Visakhapatnam to meet any contingency. In addition to the 12 existing NDRF teams in the state, we have requested NDMA and NDRF DG to deploy another 20 NDRF teams to the state, which will be sent to the places, where the impact of cyclone will be expected once IMD provides data,’’ he said.
Apart from NDRF, 450 personnel of the newly-formed SDRF will be engaged in rescue and relief operations. The services of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and marine police will be taken.
Irrigation officials have been asked to monitor in-flows and out-flows at all major, medium and minor reservoirs, tanks, canals and streams, and to develop an effective early warning system. They were asked to deploy engineers to fix any breaches to tanks.
‘’We have asked R&B officials to send sufficient equipment to clear road blocks. RTC services will be put on hold depending on the situation. Civil Supplies officials have been asked to position the required rice and kerosene in villages, and RWS officials to ensure necessry drinking water, power generators for electricity at cyclone shelters, schools and other buildings which serve as cyclone shelters. Agriculture officials were asked to educate the farmers who best to save their harvested crop,’’ Parthasarathy said.
Village sarpanchs will be involved and ham radio operators and other experienced volunteers are being roped in for rescue and relief operations. ‘’We have asked municipal officials to ensure stability of hoardings so as not to cause deaths,’’ he said. The disaster management department released a list of Dos and Don’ts before and during cyclone
source: The New Indian Express
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