Cyclone threat: CM puts departments on high alert

Hyderabad, Oct 9 : Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy has put all departments on high alert in view of the cyclone threat over the North Andhra Pradesh and Odisha Coast.

The Chief Minister on Wednesday held a review meeting with Ministers and top officials of various departments concerned on the threat of cyclone and the preparedness in this regard. Finance Minister Anam Ramnarayan Reddy, Revenue Minister Dr N Raghuveera Reddy, Social Welfare Minister Pithani Satyanarayana, Health Minister Kondru Murali, Chief Secretary Dr.P.K.Mohanty, Disaster Management Commissioner Dr.T Radha, Principal Secretaries B R Meena (Revenue), D Sambasuva Rao (Finance) and Aravind Reddy (Irrigation), Civil Supplies Corporation MD Anil Kumar and other officials attended the meeting.

The Chief Minister asked the officials to be on alert and constantly monitor the situation and can request for helicopters, boats and coast guard services etc in advance. He said fishermen should be kept informed and be asked not to venture into the see as the cyclone approaches. He also asked the officials to mobilise vehicles and rescue teams including NDRF teams if necessary and also asked the Civil Supplies Department to stock all essential commodities of one month’s requirement.

Kiran Kumar Reddy asked the Power sector officials to be on high alert since there is likelihood of power being disrupted due to gales and winds etc. He asked the officials to ask the District Collectors concerned to evacuate people to safer areas whenever and wherever necessary. He asked them to protect the life and property of the people. He wanted the departments to work in close coordination with the District Collectors and Department of Disaster Management.

The Disaster Management Commissioner said that as per IMD Bulletin the depression over North Andaman Sea moved northwestward with a speed of 13 kmph during past 6 hours, intensified into a deep depression and lay centered at 0530 hrs IST of today, the 9th October 2013 over north Andaman Sea. North-northeast of Port Blair, 1100 km east-southeast of Paradip, 1200 km east-southeast of Visakhapatnam. The system according to forecast would intensify into a cyclonic storm during next 12 hours. It would move west-northwestwards and cross Andaman islands near Mayabandar by noon of today, the 9th October 2013 as a cyclonic storm. It would then continue to move west-northwestwards for some time and then northwestwards and cross north Andhra Pradesh and Odisha coast between Kalingapatnam and Paradip by night of 12th October, 2013 as a very severe cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 175-185 kmph.

As precautionary measure, round the clock Control Room has been opened in Revenue (DM) Department in the Secretariat premises. The Telephone Number is 040-23456005/23451034, Fax No.040-23451819. District Collectors of all nine Coastal Districts are already alerted regarding the IMD’s Pre-cyclone watch bulletin and instructed to open control rooms in all vulnerable areas and to remain alert. All line departments such as Fire and Emergency services, Police, Irrigation, Transport, Electricity, R&B, RWS, MA & UD, Fisheries Departments being alerted to keep their teams in case of emergencies. INN