Odisha evacuates 1.6 lakh people as Cyclone Murasu approaches coast
The state government has shifted over 1.6 lakh people to safer locations across five districts ahead of the impending storm.
The Odisha government on Monday evacuated 1,60,021 people across five districts as the state prepares for the impact of Severe Cyclonic Storm Murasu. According to The Hindu, the evacuations took place in Gajapati, Ganjam, Malkangiri, Koraput and Kandhamal districts, where normalcy has not yet returned following damage from Cyclone Arnab.
Ganjam district recorded the highest number of evacuations with 1,51,434 people shifted to safer locations. In Malkangiri, 5,073 people have been moved against a target of 10,000, while 2,394 people were shifted in Kandhamal. Gajapati and Koraput districts reported 620 and 500 evacuations, respectively, according to The Hindu.
Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said the state government is fully prepared to deal with the cyclone. He stated that the storm is expected to make landfall along the southern Andhra Pradesh coast on the intervening night of November 2-3, with windspeeds of up to 100-110 kmph, gusting to 120 kmph.
The administration has identified 1,068 pregnant women across the five districts and shifted them to hospitals or relief shelters. The state has prepared 2,441 shelters across these districts, with 552 currently operational, according to The Hawk.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow warning for isolated heavy rainfall in Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput and Malkangiri districts on November 2 and 3. IMD Bhubaneswar Director Manorama Mohanty said rainfall activity across the state is expected to decrease significantly after this period.