Malkangiri: More than 5,000 people have been evacuated from vulnerable areas of Odisha’s Malkangiri district and shifted to safe shelters as the district administration stepped up preparedness measures in view of the approaching severe cyclonic storm ‘Murasu’, an official said on Monday.
As many as 5,073 people have been relocated to 149 permanent shelters across the district, while 109 pregnant women have been shifted to nearby maternity care centres and hospitals as a precautionary measure, according to an official report.
To deal with any emergency arising out of the cyclone, one Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) team, one National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team and nine fire service teams have been deployed at vulnerable locations in the district.
Senior officers have been assigned to Kalimela, Mathili, Chitrakonda and Malkangiri Sadar areas to monitor the situation and supervise preparedness measures.
Deputy collectors and other officials have also been assigned responsibilities in Kalimela and Mathili to ensure effective coordination of relief and rescue operations.
Meanwhile, the district control room has been kept operational round the clock to monitor the situation and coordinate emergency response measures.
Malkangiri recorded an average rainfall of 2.81 mm between 8 am and 4 pm on Monday, while wind speeds remained normal, the report said.
The district administration has urged residents not to panic but remain alert and follow official advisories and instructions.
