Bhubaneswar: The Ganjam district administration has identified 922 vulnerable villages and initiated relocation measures ahead of Cyclone Arnab, with around 6,500 people identified for phased evacuation, District Collector and Magistrate Keerthi Vasan V said on Tuesday.
The administration has activated round-the-clock control rooms at the district, block, urban local body and tehsil levels and deployed disaster response teams to handle any emergency arising from the cyclone, he said.
The district has 110 multipurpose cyclone shelters and 1,029 temporary shelters, all of which are being readied to accommodate people who may need to be evacuated, the collector said.
Of the 922 vulnerable villages identified based on past experience, several are located in low-lying areas and hilly terrain. Relocation operations began on Tuesday morning, he said.
So far, 678 people, including 240 men, 268 women and 170 children, have been shifted to safer locations. The administration has also made arrangements for the phased evacuation of around 6,500 people identified as vulnerable, he added.
The district has begun operations at 42 shelters equipped with kitchens, while officials are monitoring preparedness and ensuring the availability of essential facilities, the collector said.
The administration has also identified more than 1,260 pregnant women whose expected delivery dates fall within the next 15 days. Of them, 180 have been shifted to safer locations, while 117 deliveries have taken place. The remaining women are being closely monitored by the Health Department and the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), he said.
To ensure the safety of fishermen, all 1,636 boats registered in the district have returned to shore, the collector said. Thirty fishing boats near Aryapalli were reportedly intercepted and rescued, and the boats and fishermen are now at Gopalpur Port.
Special teams have been formed to monitor water levels in rivers and dams, while the Irrigation Department and the Water Resources Department are keeping a close watch on the situation.
One Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) team has been stationed in Brahmapur Municipal Corporation, another in Patrapur and a third in Bhanjanagar. Two National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been deployed in Brahmapur and Asika, respectively. Twenty-four fire service teams have also been kept on standby, he said.
Four powerboats provided by the Special Relief Commissioner have been strategically positioned for emergency response.
Roads along Kalinga Ghat and Daringbadi Ghat will remain closed until October 29 due to the risk of landslides, the collector said.
Meanwhile, the district administration is monitoring the availability and prices of essential commodities, including rice, flattened rice, jaggery and polythene sheets, to prevent hoarding and black marketing. Traders have been instructed to display price charts prominently, he said.
Commerce and Transport, Steel and Mines Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena reviewed the situation in the district on Monday night, the collector added.
The administration has also undertaken drainage-cleaning work in low-lying areas of Brahmapur over the past two days to reduce the risk of waterlogging.
Heavy rainfall is forecast in the district on Wednesday, and residents have been urged to remain cautious and follow official advisories. The collector said there was no need for panic at present.
The district administration has appealed to residents to cooperate with officials and move to designated shelters if instructed to do so.
