Cyclonic storm Jawad to hit Indian coast on Saturday morning

Cyclonic storm “Jawad” is expected to reach India’s North Andhra Pradesh and Odisha coast by Saturday morning, an Indian official has warned.

Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba on Friday directed all state and Central agencies to follow necessary protocol to ensure “no scope for loss of lives and to minimise the damage of property”.

Gauba’s direction came while chairing National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) meeting in New Delhi.

Reviewing the preparedness of the states and central agencies, the Cabinet Secretary also directed that all fishermen and vessels which are out at sea must be accounted for by the concerned states for which required assistance would be provided by Coast Guard and other central agencies.

He advised that essential services may be restored in the shortest possible time with minimum disruption, for which advance action should be taken.

“Public messaging may be carried out to ensure that people in the path of the cyclone are provided with suitable instructions and guidance during the period. The states were also advised to ensure uninterrupted functioning of Covid hospitals,” Gauba directed.

It was the second NCMC meeting in the last two days which was reviewed by Gauba to check the preparedness of states and central ministries and agencies to deal with the storm.

India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that the cyclone is expected to reach the North Andhra Pradesh and Odisha coast by December 4 morning.

“Thereafter, it will recurve and move towards the West Bengal coast. The cyclone would bring with it heavy to very heavy rainfall. Wind speeds ranging up to 90-100kmph accompanied by tidal waves, are expected,” the IMD mentioned in the meeting.

Chief Secretaries and senior officers of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal and Andaman and Nicobar Islands apprised the NCMC of preparatory measures taken by them.

It was informed that all efforts are under way to ensure the safe return of fishermen from the sea. Cyclone shelters have been readied and evacuation of people from the low-lying areas is being carried out.

All actions have been taken to stock food grains, drinking water and other essential supplies. Teams for maintenance and restoration of power, roads, water supply and other essential services have also been positioned. Harvesting of standing crops is also being done to minimise damages.

It was said that the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has deployed an adequate number of teams in the states that would be affected and additional teams are on standby. Rescue and relief teams of the Army and Navy along with ships and aircrafts are ready for deployment as required.

Secretaries and senior officers from ministries and Department of Home Affairs, Civil Aviation, Ports, Railways, Shipping and Waterways, Petroleum and Natural Gas, Power and Fisheries along with those from NDRF, IMD, and NDMA also attended the meeting.

• India