National: In preparation for the upcoming Cyclone Dana, the Odisha government said it has kept around 800 cyclone shelters for people who will be evacuated from vulnerable areas. Odisha Revenue and Disaster Management minister Suresh Pujari on Tuesday said officials have so far visited 250 cyclone relief centres where the people will be housed after evacuation.

Low pressure intensifies into depression 

The development comes as a well-marked low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal intensified into a depression on Tuesday and moved towards the eastern coast with the likelihood of turning into a severe cyclonic storm.

The Odisha minister said food, water, medicine, electricity and other essentials are kept in readiness for the people to be evacuated due to the impending cyclone, he said.

500 temporary shelters made ready 

Apart from 800 cyclone shelters, the minister said an additional 500 temporary shelters have been made ready including schools and colleges. The officials at the ground level have been instructed to make arrangements for women in cyclone shelters where women police will be deployed, he said.

He said Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has stressed on 100 per cent evacuation of people from vulnerable areas to ensure "zero Casualty" in the impending cyclone.

Pregnant women evacuated to safer places

The minister said the government has also prepared a list of pregnant women who are expected to deliver in a fortnight. All those women are being shifted to the nearby hospital in order to avoid any difficulty during the calamity.

Replying to a question, the minister said that some people are reluctant to vacate their houses for the reasons of theft. The police have been directed to intensify patrolling in villages where the people will be evacuated to cyclone shelters, he said.

Asked about the situation if the cyclone changes its track as forecast by the IMD, the minister said the state government has also studied that aspect. "In the past it has been noticed that cyclones change its anticipated track, Therefore, keeping in view the possibilities, the state government has already identified certain places and made equal arrangements in vulnerable places.

Red alert issued to nine districts in Odisha 

A red alert has been issued for nine districts and orange warning for heavy rain in some districts, Therefore, there should be no fear in this regard," the minister said.

The state government has already ordered closure of schools in Ganjam, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Dhenkanal, Jajpur, Angul, Khurda, Nayagarh and Cuttack districts for three days from Wednesday, as a precautionary measure against the cyclone, an official said.

The Odisha government has also cancelled the leave of all staff from October 23 to 25.

In a letter to all the departments, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) DK Singh has asked them to remain prepared to tackle the challenges of the impending calamity.