With Cyclone Titli likely to cross the coastal areas of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal on October 11 morning, the Centre has deployed 21 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams in the three states along with necessary rescue equipment, and put Army, Navy and Coast Guard on standby. Union Cabinet Secretary PK Sinha shared the information while chairing a National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) meeting in New Delhi on Wednesday.
The meeting was attended by senior officers from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Defence, National Disaster Management Authority, National Disaster Response Force, India Meteorological Department (IMD) and Integrated Defence Staff (IDS). Chief Secretaries and Additional Chief Secretaries from Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal participated in the meeting through video-conference.
The states informed the NCMC about the measures taken for evacuation, warnings issued to the fishermen, and preventive decisions such as closure of schools and colleges.
READ | Odisha: Cyclone Titli landfall likely in Gopalpur around 5.30 am
The India Meteorological Department has classified Titli as a very “severe cyclonic storm” with very high wind speeds and forecast.
“The wind speed at the time of landfall is predicted in the range of 145-165 km per hour. After the landfall, the cyclonic storm is expected to re-curve north-eastwards and move long Odisha coast towards Gangetic West Bengal and will cause heavy to very heavy rainfall,” the IMD said.
Cyclone Titli: IMD warnings
Wind forecast: Gale wind speed reaching 120-130 kmph gusting to 145 kmph prevails over west-central and adjoining southwest Arabian Sea. It is likely to increase becoming 135-145 kmph gusting to 160 kmph by 11th October 2018 evening.
Sea condition: Phenomenal around the system centre. Likely to remain same over west-central Arabian Sea till 13 October and over Gulf of Aden during 11th to 13th October.
Warning for fishermen: The fishermen have been advised not to venture into deep sea areas of west-central Arabian Sea and Gulf of Aden till 14 October and adjoining southwest Arabian Sea till 11 October.
Cyclone Titli checklist: Dos & don’ts
According to the National Disaster Management Authority, the actions that are required to be taken in the event of a cyclone threat can broadly be divided into:
- Immediately before the cyclone season
- When cyclone alerts and warnings are communicated
- When evacuations are advised
- When the cyclone has crossed the coast
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Immediately before the cyclone season:
- Secure loose tiles in the house and get doors and windows repairs, it required
- Remove dead branches or dying trees close to the house; anchor removable objects such as lumber piles, loose tin sheets, loose bricks, garbage cans, sign-boards etc.
- Keep some wooden boards ready so that glass windows can be boarded if needed
- Keep a hurricane lantern filled with kerosene, battery operated torches and enough dry cells
- Keep some extra batteries for transistors
- Keep some dry non-perishable food always ready for use in emergency
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When the cyclone starts
- Listen to radio for weather warnings
- Keep monitoring the warnings to prepare for a cyclone emergency
- Pass on the information to others
- Ignore rumours and do not spread them; this will help avoid panic situations
- Believe in the official information
- When a cyclone alert is issued for your area, continue normal working but stay alert to radio warnings
- A cyclone alert means that the danger is within 24 hours, so stay alert for the next 24 hours as
- Get away from low-lying beaches or other low-lying coastal areas; leave before your way to high ground or shelter gets flooded
- If asked to evacuate, do not hesitate to leave
- Board up glass windows or put storm shutters in place
- Provide strong suitable support for outside doors
- Store extra food that can be eaten without cooking, extra drinking water in suitably covered vessels
- In case of evacuation, move your valuable articles to upper floors to minimise damage from floods
- Ensure your hurricane lantern, torches or other emergency lights are in working condition and keep them handy
- Be sure a window and door can be opened only on the side opposite to the one facing the wind
- Make provision for children and adults requiring special diet
- There will be a lull lasting for half an hour or so if the centre of the cyclone is passing directly over your house. Do not go out during this time, because very strong winds will blow from the opposite direction immediately after that
- Switch off the electrical mains in your house
- Remain calm
Turn off the electricity supply to your house, because electric short circuits are the worst of all. #CycloneTitli #TheCycloneChecklist pic.twitter.com/ccZSLLp2Qn
— Odisha Police (@odisha_police) October 10, 2018
Cyclone Titli evacuation: Reluctant villagers forced to shift to shelters
After evacuation order
- Pack essentials, including medicines, special food for babies and children or elders, to last a few days
- Head for the proper shelter or evacuation points
- Do not worry about your property
- At the shelter follow instructions of the person in charge
- Remain in the shelter until you are informed to leave
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Post-cyclone measures
- Remain in the shelter until informed that you can go back
- Get inoculated against diseases immediately
- Avoid any loose and dangling wires from lamp posts
- Drive carefully
- Clear debris from your premises immediately
- Report correct losses to appropriate authorities
Cyclone Titli: Weather forecasts
- Very heavy rainfall in coastal Odisha districts over the next two days
- As many as 13 districts — Ganjam, Gajapati, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Khurda, Nayagarh, Cuttack, Jajpur, Bhadrak and Balasore, Kandhamal and Dhenkanal — are likely to be affected
- Landfall likely in Odisha’s Gopalpur around 5.30 am
- Tidal surge of about 1 meter predicted during the landfall
- After landfall, the cyclonic storm it is likely to re-curve northeastward, move towards Gangetic West Bengal across Odisha and weaken gradually
Cyclone Titli preparedness
- Navy, Coast Guard and Army put on alert
- Flights from Bhubaneswar cancelled
- Train services on southern section towards Vijayanagaram cancelled
- Evacuation process on in low-lying areas of coastal belt
- NDRF, Orissa Disaster Rapid Action Force positioned in vulnerable districts.
- All schools, colleges and anganwadi centres closed on Thursday and Friday
- College student union elections put off
- Total suspension of fishing operations
- Hoisting of local warning signal LW-4 at all ports of Odisha
- Around 300 motor boats arranged to assist in rescue operation
- All 836 cyclone and flood shelters kept in state of preparedness and adequate relief materials arranged