Bhubaneswar, 28 October (H.S.): Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday chaired a high-level review meeting at Lok Seva Bhavan to assess the state’s preparedness ahead of Cyclone Montha, which is expected to make landfall near Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh later this evening or tonight.

Following the review, the Chief Minister said the state government has taken all necessary measures to deal with the impending situation, with a clear focus on achieving a zero casualty target. “Our top priority is to ensure there is no loss of life. The administration is fully prepared to handle any eventuality,” Majhi stated.

According to official updates, several parts of southern Odisha have already started receiving rainfall, and eight districts are likely to be impacted over the next 24 hours. As part of precautionary measures, 11,396 people have been evacuated to safe shelters, while efforts are underway to relocate a total of 30,594 individuals from vulnerable and low-lying areas. “If required, more people will be moved to safety,” the Chief Minister added.

Special attention has been given to the safety of pregnant women, with 1,871 already shifted to health facilities and another 822 set to be relocated soon. The state government has also restricted tourist entry to destinations in southern Odisha until conditions return to normal.

To strengthen disaster response, 30 ODRAF units, 123 Fire Service teams, and five NDRF teams have been deployed across coastal and southern districts.

The review meeting was attended by Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari, Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja, Development Commissioner and Additional Chief Secretary (Water Resources) Anu Garg, and Special Relief Commissioner (SRC).

During the meeting, the Chief Minister interacted with Collectors, senior police officials, and heads of key departments — including Agriculture, Health, Panchayati Raj, and Energy — through video conferencing to review ground-level preparedness.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Cyclone Montha has intensified into a severe cyclonic storm over the west-central Bay of Bengal and is expected to bring heavy rainfall, strong winds, and rough sea conditions along the Odisha coast.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda