Bhubaneswar, Oct 24,2024: The Odisha government has evacuated about 3.62 lakh people from eleven districts likely to be affected by the severe cyclonic storm Dana, which is expected to make landfall tonight or by Friday morning.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, who reviewed the government’s preparedness with the collectors of the eleven districts, informed the press that the evacuation process would be completed within the next few hours.
He stated that 38 blocks, 1,653 villages, nine municipalities, and 26 wards across the eleven districts are likely to be affected by the severe cyclonic storm Dana.
The Chief Minister added that approximately 3.62 lakh people residing in low-lying areas of these districts are being evacuated, with 3 lakh people already moved to cyclone shelters by 11 AM. The remaining evacuations are expected to be completed in the coming hours.
He also mentioned that about 2,338 pregnant women from the affected areas have already been shifted to hospitals for their safety.
The districts likely to be impacted by the storm include Ganjam, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Cuttack, Khurdha, and Jajpur.
A total of 842 permanent cyclone shelters and 6,443 temporary shelters are currently operational in these districts, Majhi added.
The Chief Minister noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is closely monitoring the situation in Odisha and has assured full assistance and cooperation to the state.
Senior and experienced IAS officers have been deputed to oversee the evacuation process at the village and panchayat levels, with nine council ministers also supervising the preparedness measures in the affected districts.
Majhi has directed officials to ensure zero casualties. A total of 19 NDRF teams, 51 ODRAF teams, and 220 Fire Services teams have been deployed in the districts expected to be hit by Cyclone Dana. Additionally, 1,576 platoons of police forces have been mobilized in the affected areas.
