Boat capsizes in Odisha’s Jharsuguda: Woman dead, seven missing
A 35-year-old woman was killed, and seven others, including three children, are missing after a boat they were travelling in capsized in Odisha's Jharsuguda, police said on Saturday.
With the coastal state often exposed to vagaries of cyclonic strikes in October-November, the state government has directed the district officials in vulnerable pockets to stay in preparedness to successfully tackle exigencies of the situation.
Odisha faces severe cyclonic storms in October and November, sometimes even till December 15. This two-and-a-half month is considered the “cyclone season” in the state, Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mohapatra said while reviewing at the state-level cyclone preparedness meeting on Monday.
Presiding over a state-level cyclone preparedness meeting in Bhubaneswar on Monday, the state chief secretary said due to its geographical position and climate, the state is always prone to floods and storms. But there is no cyclone forecast in the next 15 days.
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While speculations are rife regarding cyclone threat in October, India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) Regional Centre in Bhubaneswar said no forecast has been received for cyclone in the next 15 days.
Though conditions are favorable for the formation of cyclone, no information has been received for cyclone in the next 15 days.HR Biswas, Director of IMD’s Regional Centre said.
All the government departments have been asked to be prepared to deal with any situation arising during the cyclone-season and make all arrangements including equipment and human resources as per the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP).
Besides, directions have been issued to make sure that all the tube-wells are in functioning condition in all rural and urban areas. It has also been directed to keep provision of adequate stock of medicines, bleaching powder, halogen tablets, ambulance and doctors’ team in full preparedness, Chief Secretary Mohapatra said.
Meanwhile, IMD forecast that formation of a fresh cyclonic circulation over the Bay of Bengal is likely in the second half of this month (October 14 to October 20). Under its influence, another heavy spell of rain is forecast in the state during the period, IMD said.
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