New Delhi, Sept 25: The National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) under the Chairmanship of Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba met here today and reviewed the preparedness of Central Ministries/Agencies and State Governments to deal with the situation arising out of a Cyclonic storm developing in the Bay of Bengal.

Director General, India Meteorological Department (IMD), briefed the Committee about the current status of the Deep Depression in the Bay of Bengal, which is likely to develop into a cyclonic storm by today evening. It is expected to cross the North Andhra Pradesh and South Odisha coasts by the evening of September 26, with wind speeds ranging from 75-85 kmph, gusting to 95 kmph, accompanied by heavy rainfall in the coastal districts of the states. It is likely to affect the districts of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Vishakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh and Ganjam and Gajapati in Odisha.

Chief Secretaries of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh apprised the Committee of the preparatory measures being undertaken to protect the population in the expected path of the cyclonic storm as also measures being taken to ensure that there is minimal damage to infrastructure such as telecom and power and other infrastructure in the aftermath of the cyclonic storm. Necessary arrangements have been made to ensure that Covid-19 protocols are followed.

NDRF has deployed 18 teams in these states and additional teams are also kept in readiness.  Rescue and relief teams of the Army and Navy along with ships and aircrafts have also been deployed.

Reviewing the preparedness measures of the States and Central Agencies, Rajiv Gauba stressed that all preventive and precautionary measures should be taken by the concerned authorities of the State Governments and concerned agencies of the Centre, before the cyclonic storm makes landfall, as the aim should be to keep loss of lives to near zero and minimize damage to property and infrastructure. The Cabinet Secretary assured the State Governments that all Central agencies are ready and will be available for assistance.

The meeting was attended by the Chief Secretaries of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, Secretaries of Ministries of Home Affairs and Power. Member (Telecom), DG NDRF, DG IMD, CISC IDS and senior officers from the Ministry of Home Affairs also attended the meeting.