Titli’ puts coastal Odisha on high alert

Titli’ puts coastal Odisha on high alert

News:

1. IMD has forecasted that the cyclone Titli may further intensify into a severe cyclonic storm and make landfall between southern Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.

Important Facts:

2. The deep depression over the Bay of Bengal intensified into cyclonic storm Titli and is moving towards the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh coast.
3. This severe cyclonic storm is expected to move west-northward and make landfall between Gopalpur in south Odisha and Kalingapatnam in Andhra Pradesh by October 11 morning.
4. According to India Meteorological Department (IMD) this severe cyclonic storm is expected to have a wind speed of 100 to 110 km/hr with gusts of up to 125 km/hr during the landfall on Odisha’s coast.
5. Precautionary measures by state government:

• The Odisha government announced the closure of all schools and colleges from Wednesday in four districts of the state as a precautionary measure.
• The vulnerable areas are being identified and people of these areas are being evacuated to safe multi-purpose shelters as a precautionary measure to minimize loss of life and property.
• It has also set a target of “zero casualty”. The state has put the districts on high alert and asked the authorities to evacuate those living in low-lying areas and in ‘kuchha’ houses along the coast.

Note

“Zero casualty is part of the Odisha’s government’s disaster management policy. Stocking of food and shifting of people to cyclone shelters are included in the policy.

• The regional meteorological department has sounded ‘Red’ warning for several coastal districts where heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely to occur and ‘Orange’ alert for other areas.
• Threat to thatched houses and snapping of power and communication lines due to uprooting of trees and branches have also been on the alert list for the administration.
• 300 boats have been kept ready while NDRF teams have been despatched to Puri, Kendrapara, Jajpur, Gajapati, Bhadrak and Nayagarh districts.
• The Durga puja organisers have decided to postpone several pending works including construction of pandals as cyclone ‘Hudhud’ had caused large-scale destructions at several pandals in 2014.

Note

• Odisha is prone to multiple and recurring natural disasters. Almost every year, the state experiences floods, cyclones or droughts.
• In 1999, Odisha was devastated by a super cyclone, and the Phailin and Hudhud cyclones in 2013 and 2014, respectively.