Bhubaneswar: Odisha Special Relief Commissioner PK Jena Thursday morning took a preparatory meeting on the preparedness for cyclone ‘Yaas’. Secretaries of concerned departments and the director, IMD, took part in the meeting.
The concerned departments have been asked to keep the manpower and machinery in readiness.
The SRC had also convened a similar meeting Wednesday evening with District Collectors, SPs, Fire Officers of 12 coastal districts, BMC and CMC commissioners and twin city police commissioner.
In order to minimize the casualty, the district administrations were asked to identify more alternate shelters so that evacuated people can be sheltered with strict adherence to Covid norms and to ensure clean drinking water facilities at such shelters in place. They were also asked to identify kutcha houses so that the evacuation of the occupants can be done easily, if required. In order to meet the post cyclone situations, they were further asked to keep emergency equipments like chainsaws, generators, inflatable tower lights, alert siren towers, satellite phones and VHF sets in readiness.
According to IMD sources, ‘Yaas’ will take shape of a severe cyclonic storm by the time it reaches Odisha. It is likely to make landfall anytime May 26-27.
PNN