The Odisha government on Wednesday asked collectors to prepare to evacuate from 13 areas, as Hurricane Javad is predicted to reach the coast on December 4. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) stated that the low pressure area formed in the South Andaman Sea will intensify into a low pressure on December 4 and move towards the coast of Orissa in the form of a cyclone storm.

As part of extensive pre-emptive measures, the government has developed disaster management strategies for rescue and relief operations. The National Disaster Response Force, Orissa State Disaster Rapid Action Force and fire department personnel have been requisitioned for operations.

State Relief Commissioner P K Jena stated in an advisory report that as wind speeds reach 45 to 55 km/h and gusts reach 65 km/h on Friday, sea conditions may become very severe. After the low pressure forms a cyclone storm, the system will move northwest and reach the northern coast of Andhra Pradesh-Odisha around Saturday morning. In the morning when Cyclone Javad makes landfall, wind gusts are likely to reach 80 kilometers per hour and gusts to 90 kilometers per hour. “Although it is clear that the cyclone storm will approach the coast of Odisha, it is too immature to say where it will land and other details.

However, under its influence, several coastal areas of Odisha will be reduced from 12. There will be light to moderate rains starting on 3rd. South Odisha may also experience heavy rains on 3rd December,” said Mrutunjay Mohapatra, Director General of IMD.

“Only after the formation of low pressure, we can predict the path and location of the hurricane across the coast and its intensity,” Mohapatra added.

But the rainfall intensity in Orissa will pick up from Saturday, because coastal and inland areas are expected to experience heavy to very heavy rainfall. IMD has issued red warnings to Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri and Jagatsinghpur areas. On Saturday, the Kendrapara, Cuttack, Khurda, Nayagarh, Kandhamal, Rayagada and Koraput districts issued orange warnings.

News Source : Hindustan Times