Kendrapara: The people of coastal Kendrapara district, especially Rajnagar and Mahakalapada blocks, are now in panic as the district is under red alert with cyclone Fani approaching.
The district administration and the fisheries department are warning people through public address systems to move to safer places.
The people here fear that Fani would play havoc in the district with heavy rains and winds blowing at 205 km an hour as it hits the land between Puri and Chandabali. There is also a possibility of seawater ingress as waves of 1.5 metres to 2.5 metres are expected.
The government has appointed Pradeep Kumar Jena, IAS, the Principal Secretary of the Water Resource Department and Hemant Kumar Padhi, the Director of Estates and ex-officio Additional Secretary in charge of GA & PG, to oversee relief and rehabilitation after Fani.
The government has also engaged nine OAS officials for all the nine blocks of the district to supervise evacuation and relief. IPS officer Arun Bothra has also come to the district to ensure smooth relief and rescue operations.
In the last 24 hours, several meetings were organised by the district administration under the chairmanship of Pradeep Kumar Jena. Officials have been asked to ensure zero casualties in the district, and to evacuate people from all endangered habitations near the coast, low-lying areas and from Mahakalapada, Marshaghai and Pattamundai blocks.
Around one lakh people from 101 blocks, including 97 villages of Mahakalapada and Rajnagar blocks and four villages of Rajkanika block, are going to be evacuated before Thursday evening.
All BDOs and PRI members have been asked to evacuate people from vulnerable areas to safer places, and if required the police will be deployed to evacuate people, said Jena.
Three NDRF teams from Banaras and two ODRAF teams have reached Kendrapara. One team of the NDRF and an ODRAF team have been sent to Mahakalapada and Rajnagar blocks. Another NDRF team has gone to Pattamundai block.
The evacuated people will be kept in 116 cyclone shelters, including the 97 cyclone shelters of OSDMA and 19 cyclone shelters of the Red Cross.
If people cannot reach cyclone shelters due to the distance involved, arrangements have been made for them in schools and Angawadi centres. Free kitchens will be provided at the shelters.
The Women and Child Development Department has been asked to provide sattu to pregnant woman and biscuits to children at the cyclone shelters. ASHA and anganwadi workers and women constables have been posted at the cyclone shelters.
The cyclone shelters have been asked to keep power generators, medicines and first aid equipment. The shelter staff has been asked to use bleaching powder and phenyl to ensure hygiene and supply drinking water in pouches.
Keeping in mind the magnitude of possible damage that can be caused by Fani, expectant women from all parts of Kendrapara district were shifted to hospitals Thursday.
Arrangements have been made to shift those falling ill to hospitals. 22 rapid response medical teams have been set up to provide medical services. Priority will be given to evacuate the elderly and the disabled, Collector Dasarathi Satapathy said.
Rice, beaten rice and jaggery have been sent to cyclone shelters. When last reports came in, only around 3,000 people have been evacuated till 5 pm Thursday. Orders have been issued to keep NH-5(A) and other major roads free for smooth relief and rescue operations, the Collector said.
As Fani is going to hit Odisha coast Friday, the district administration has made elaborate arrangements.
After the Fani warning there is a mad rush to grocery shops as people are stocking up flattened rice, kerosene, jiggery, potatoes and other grocery items along with cooking gas. Shopkeepers are making money by hiking the prices of essentials.
The CSO has been asked to conduct raids to check skyrocketing prices of essential commodities, the Collector said.