The Odisha government on Saturday activated its disaster response and mitigation machinery as the well-marked low-pressure area was likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm and make landfall between the northern Andhra Pradesh and southern Odisha coasts on the morning of October 28.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD), in its latest bulletin, said the system over the Bay of Bengal was most likely to intensify into a depression on Saturday.
Thereafter, it is very likely to move west-northwestwards and intensify further into a deep depression on October 25 and into a cyclonic storm by October 26 morning.
"Moving west-northwestwards, it would continue to intensify further and reach west-central Bay of Bengal near the Andhra Pradesh coast around the morning of October 28," the national weather agency said.
IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said the system is "likely to make landfall on the morning of October 28 somewhere between northern Andhra Pradesh and southern Odisha coasts".
Keeping in view the impending calamity, chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi reviewed the state's preparedness and directed officials to prioritise public safety, evacuation and emergency response, stressing a zero-casualty objective.
He said the cyclone could affect Odisha, bringing heavy rainfall in southern and coastal districts along with gusty winds of 70-90 kmph.
Five districts -- Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput and Malkangiri -- are likely to be the most affected, while significant rainfall is expected in other coastal districts, the chief minister said.
He directed authorities concerned to close schools, colleges and Anganwadi centres in these five districts on October 28-29.
In other districts, collectors will decide on closing schools and colleges based on the evolving situation, Majhi said.
Asserting that Odisha has experience in handling such disasters, the chief minister asked officials to shift people from vulnerable areas to safer locations, with special emphasis on moving elderly persons, patients and pregnant women to health centres.
Majhi said rescue teams of Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Fire Services have already been positioned in vulnerable places.
"Around 60 ODRAF teams and 17 NDRF teams have been deployed, while 225 fire service teams are on high alert," he said.
Block-level officials were directed to ensure adequate stocks of anti-snake venom at health facilities in anticipation of possible snakebite cases during flooding and waterlogging, and to promptly restore electricity and road connectivity if power lines were disrupted.
The CM also advised farmers to harvest crops in advance as heavy rain and winds could damage them.
Ganjam District Collector Keerthi Vasan V said the administration has kept ready 100 cyclone centres and identified 1,000 temporary places for housing people in case of evacuation.
The Water Resources Department has been asked to constantly monitor the water level in reservoirs and rivers.
Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said the state government has already taken all precautionary measures to tackle the adverse weather conditions.
He said all departments concerned have been asked to remain alert.
The government has already cancelled the leaves of all its employees in Ganjam, Gajapati, Puri and Khurda districts, he said.
"We have asked all 30 districts to remain alert. The collectors of 16 coastal and southern districts have been advised to take precautionary measures," Pujari said.
The puja committees in Cuttack have been asked to immediately dismantle the pandals erected on the occasion of Durga Puja, the minister said.
Owners of large trawlers and vessels have also been alerted, while fishermen who have ventured into the deep sea have been advised to return to the coast immediately, Pujari said.
Meanwhile, the IMD issued a 'red warning' (take action), forecasting very heavy with isolated extremely heavy rainfall of over 20 cm for the southern districts of Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Gajapati, and Ganjam on October 28.
The downpour will be accompanied by severe thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty surface winds reaching 60-70 kmph, it added.