Rayagada, October 27: Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida on Tuesday chaired a high-level review meeting in Rayagada to take stock of the administration's preparedness for Cyclone Arnab, as the state stepped up measures to deal with the potential impact of the cyclonic storm which is expected to make landfall make landfall within the next 24 hours before crossing the coast between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, close to Yanam.
The meeting was attended by Senior IAS officer K. Sudarshan Chakravarthy, Rayagada collector Ashutosh Kulkarni, district-level officials, NDRF and Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) personnel, and the fire services team.
"Every possible measure has been taken to ensure that the state achieves its zero casulty mission during the cyclone. A detailed discussion was held on disaster response, administartive preparedness and response," said Parida.
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Meanwhile, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) said it had deployed 31 teams across five states and the Union Territory of Yanam to assist with evacuation, rescue and relief operations.
NDRF Deputy Inspector General Mohsen Shahedi said meetings had been held at the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and at the level of the Cabinet Secretary to formulate a strategy aimed at preventing loss of life during the cyclone.
A total of 31 NDRF teams had been requisitioned and deployed across Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Telangana, Chhattisgarh and Yanam, said Shahedi.
"In Andhra Pradesh, we have deployed 12 teams followed by nine teams in Odisha four teams in Chhattisgarh, three in Telangana and two in Yanam," he said.
Apart from the NDRF deployment, 60 ODRAF teams have been mobilised in Odisha, while around 11 State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams have been deployed in Andhra Pradesh and other areas. SDRF teams have also been deployed in Chhattisgarh, Shahedi added.
Cyclone Arnab is approaching the Andhra Pradesh coast, with the IMD forecasting landfall near Yanam on Wednesday morning, accompanied by winds reaching 135 kmph and gusts of up to 150 kmph, as heavy rainfall triggers waterlogging and transport disruptions.