Bhubaneswar, 27 October (H.S.): Odisha has planned to evacuate around 48,000 people from vulnerable areas across eight districts as the state steps up preparedness for the expected landfall of Very Severe Cyclonic Storm ‘Arnab’, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Rajesh Prabhakar Patil said on Tuesday.

District administrations have been directed to make all necessary arrangements to protect residents in vulnerable areas, with district collectors overseeing evacuation operations and other precautionary measures. Some evacuations have already been carried out, and the process will continue throughout the day, Patil said.

According to the SRC, Nabarangpur and Gajapati districts account for around 11,000 people each identified for evacuation. Malkangiri has identified 9,850 people, followed by Ganjam with 6,500 and Koraput with 5,000.

The evacuation figures for the other districts include 2,415 people in Kalahandi, 1,675 in Nuapada and 300 in Rayagada.

The district administrations have been instructed to ensure that evacuation arrangements are in place and that people living in vulnerable locations are moved to safer places as required.

Senior IAS officers and ministers have also been assigned to oversee preparedness measures in the districts and coordinate with local administrations.

The state government has released Rs 19 crore to the districts to support cyclone preparedness and relief operations, Patil said.

Ganjam has received Rs 5 crore, while Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi and Kandhamal have been allocated Rs 2 crore each.

The funds are intended to support necessary preparedness and relief measures as the state braces for the potential impact of the cyclone.

To ensure the availability of fodder for livestock in affected areas, around 4,000 metric tonnes of cattle feed have been arranged and pre-positioned at Koraput and Cuttack.

The feed will be distributed to areas requiring assistance, depending on the situation and local needs, the SRC said.

The state has strengthened its emergency response arrangements by deploying 48 Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) teams, eight National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams and 225 fire and emergency services teams.

Additional teams have been kept on standby at Koraput, Chhatrapur and Mundali to respond promptly to emergencies, Patil said.

The deployment is aimed at ensuring a coordinated response to potential emergencies arising from the cyclone, including rescue operations and assistance to affected residents.

Patil said the state government was closely monitoring the evolving situation and coordinating with district administrations to ensure that all necessary precautionary measures were implemented in time.

He appealed to residents of vulnerable areas to cooperate with officials during evacuation operations and strictly follow advisories issued by the authorities. He stressed the importance of taking precautionary measures to ensure public safety.

The SRC also urged the media to disseminate accurate information based on official sources and refrain from circulating unverified reports about the cyclone.

With evacuation planning, emergency response teams and relief resources being mobilised, the state government is focusing on minimising risks to human life and ensuring a coordinated response in the districts likely to be affected by Cyclone Arnab.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda