13 teams of NDRF have been deployed in Odisha and five in Andhra Pradesh.
New Delhi:
Coastal districts of North Andhra Pradesh and adjoining Odisha are on alert in view of Cyclone ‘Gulaab’, which is going to make landfall this evening. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned that the cyclonic storm is very likely to gusting up to 95 kmph between Gopalpur and Kalingapatnam in Andhra Pradesh.
Currently, Cyclone ‘Gulaab’, designated by Pakistan, lies about 270 km east-southeast of Gopalpur in Odisha and 330 km east of Kalingapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, the IMD said in its latest update on the cyclonic storm.
Cyclonic Storm ‘Gulaab’ moved westwards into northwest and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal at around 0530 hrs IST on September 26, covering northwest and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal about 270 kms from Gopalpur. It was centered east-southeast and 330 km east of Kalingapatnam. pic.twitter.com/Omgo0MkdBe
— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) September 26, 2021
Thirteen teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed in Odisha and five in Andhra Pradesh, Director General of Relief Force Satya Narayan Pradhan was quoted by news agency ANI.
Train services on the east coast have been cancelled, diverted or rescheduled as a precautionary measure.
In view of the impact of Cyclone “Gulaab” in South Odisha and North Andhra Pradesh, it has decided to cancel, divert, reschedule, regulate and short terminate the trains as mentioned below, as per the following: @DRMWaltairECoR@DRMKhurda Road@drmsambalpurpic.twitter.com/lIOj8z75eV
— East Coast Railway (@eastCoastRail) September 25, 2021
Odisha government’s initiative evacuation operation In seven identified districts in the southern parts of the state. The maximum focus is on Ganjam and Gajapati districts, which are likely to be severely affected by the cyclonic storm.
At least 15 rescue teams have been deployed in Ganjam alone, an official said.
Cyclone ‘Gulaab’ will be the second cyclonic storm to hit Odisha after ‘Yes’, which came barely four months back. The intensity of cyclone ‘Gulaab’ is likely to be similar to that of storm ‘Titli’ that hit the state in 2018.
Meanwhile, the IMD has predicted heavy rains for the next Tuesday and Wednesday in Kolkata and its adjoining areas of West Bengal, which are still battling the effects of torrential rains earlier this week.
With inputs from PTI and ANI
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