Bhubaneswar: Over 60,000 people were evacuated by 10:00 hours today from the vulnerable areas of coastal Odisha as severe cyclonic storm Yaas over Bay of Bengal further intensified into a very severe cyclonic storm and likely to move further close to Chandbali- Dhamra port.
Special Relief Commissioner P K Jena said the evacuation process is still going on in the most vulnerable five districts and some adjoining districts likely to be affected by cyclone Yaas.
The evacuation process, he said, received a good response and support from the people and would be completed by this evening.
He said based on IMD forecasts and some international satellite findings, the government has concentrated 40 kms areas around Dharma port and Bhitarkanika which has been described as a high-intensity zone for Cyclone Yaas.
Mr Jena said all blocks coming under the high-intensity zone are now the focus of the government for evacuating the people from the areas to safer places before this evening.
He said by this evening the government will evacuate all people from the high-intensity zone mostly in Bhadrak and adjoining Balasore districts besides parts of Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur districts.
The people would also be evacuated along the sea coast where there would be a tidal wave surge of two meters to four meters due to the cyclone.
The SRC said already 6,900 shelter homes, including 860 permanent ones, have been kept ready to accommodate about 7.5 lakh people.
This apart, the government, he said, had decided to use other public buildings to provide shelter to the people.
Adequate arrangements for drinking water have been made in the shelter homes. The government, he said, has kept 700 DG sets,813 water tankers and 1800 OVC tanks for the people to be affected by the cyclone.
The Energy Department, Mr Jena said, had already mobilized 10,000 workforces which would be increased to 12,000 to be engaged in the restoration of power supply.
As many as 27,000 electric poles,2600 km conductors, 1125 transformers and 160 generators besides 500 vehicles are kept ready to be used in the restoration work during the post-cyclone period.
On the health care front, Mr Jena said 308 CHC, 635 other health infrastructures were kept ready with 215 additional generators and adequate medicines.
The government has deployed nearly 600 engineers from the Engineering department to tackle any eventuality after the cyclone hit the coast.
The SRC said meanwhile, heavy rains started lashing several parts of Odisha this morning. As many as 37 blocks received rainfalls from 50 mm to 100 mm and 30 blocks received less than 50 mm rainfall.
The highest rainfall of 161.1 mm was recorded in Paradip followed by 115 mm in Astaranga and 110 mm in Kujang in coastal Odisha.
The SRC requested the people not to use generators in their houses from 6 AM to 6 PM on May 26 to help the electricity department staff restore the power system since using the generators would cause reverse currents hampering the restoration work.