AMARAVATI: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy held a review meeting on the preparedness in wake of the weather office report on Cyclone Gulab alert and directed the officials to take all necessary steps. 

The Deep Depression over north and adjoining central Bay of Bengal moved westwards and lay centered at 08:30 Hrs IST of 25th September 2021, over northwest and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal, about 470 km east-southeast of Gopalpur (Odisha) and 540 km east-north east of Kalingapatnam (Andhra Pradesh).

It is likely to intensify into a Cyclonic Storm during the next six  hours. It is likely to move nearly westwards and cross north Andhra Pradesh -south Odisha coasts between Vishakhapatnam and Gopalpur around Kalingapatnam by the evening of 26th September, 2021.

Light to moderate rainfall at many places with heavy rainfall at isolated places likely over Coastal Andhra Pradesh on 25th September and heavy to very heavy falls at a few places and extremely heavy falls at isolated places very likely over north coastal Andhra Pradesh on 26th September 2021.

The officials informed the Chief Minister that they have alerted district collectors and suggested taking all necessary steps. 

Date 26.09.2021
Government of India
India Meteorological Department
Meteorological Centre, Amaravati.
Past 24hrs (Upto 08:30 hrs IST of 26.09.2021) Maximum Temperature and departure (°C) in Telugu pic.twitter.com/3c1j1oK5kQ

— MC Amaravati (@AmaravatiMc) September 26, 2021

Preparedness measures taken: 

Advisories to District Collectors

The District collectors of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam have a shared coastline of 378 Kms and house 59,496 fishermen families. 68 mandals lie on their coastline.

The District Collectors of these 3 districts have identified 86,000 families living in low lying areas and mapped them with specific high ground cyclone shelters.

They have been intimated about the impending cyclonic Storm in the Bay of Bengal to take up all necessary preparedness measures and to issue necessary instructions to the line departments to follow Standard Operating Procedure on  Cyclone Management.
Accordingly, District Collectors have taken measures and instructed the RDOs, MROs and line departments to take immediate precautionary measures to face the current situation. 

Activating Emergency Operation Centers

At State level, State Emergency Operations Center is monitoring the situation and functioning 24x7.District Emergency Operation Centers are also activated and functioning with all communication systems.

All 76 Mandal Emergency Operation Centres (MEOCs), 145 Multipurpose Cyclone Centers,16 Fish Landing Centers, 8 Tourist Locations which are connected to DEOCs and SEOC with  emergency warning communication systems are activated.

Early Warning communication systems as ISAT Phones (16 Nos), VAST (4 Nos), DMR (40 Nos), SBMDVT (20 Nos) etc., are available with Emergency Operation centers have been activated.

Engaging the services of Grama/Ward Volunteers

Apart from 1.26 Lakh Village/Ward Secretariat staff, the State government has a robust voluntary system with 2.56 Village/Ward volunteers in the entire State. The services of the said volunteers in the areas likely to be affected are being utilized for Disaster Management and related activities.
Village/Ward Secretariat functionaries also were instructed to open the control rooms at the village level.

Positioning of Search & Rescue Teams

One SDRF Team is positioned at Visakhapatnam, 2 NDRF teams are deployed at Srikakulam and one NDRF Team is deployed at Visakhapatnam

Identifying Temporary Shelters/Relief Camps

The District Collectors have been instructed to keep the cyclone shelters in good condition.
The district collectors are specifically informed to prepare evacuation plans for shifting of communities to be affected areas to safer places a short time.

Maintenance of Essential Services

Officers of Essential services like police, transport, telecommunications, power, drinking water, etc. are fully geared up to handle any eventuality.
Telecommunication: Instructions are issued to all the telecom service providers to keep ready Diesel Generator sets to ensure a seamless communication network even if power fails.

Drinking-Water: Instructions are issued to make available diesel generator sets at source and sufficient number of water tankers for uninterrupted supply of drinking water in case of power outages

Stocking of Essential Commodities: Instructions have been issued to all districts to identify the vulnerable locations for pre-positioning of necessary stocks of essential commodities like Food grains, Kerosene oil, Salt, Editable Oil at different strategic places and locations.

Restoration of traffic:

The roads and Building department is alerted to take up restoration of traffic, wherever affected on war footing basis. Dept., is geared up to take up mitigation measures by deploying sufficient manpower, tools, and equipment at strategic points.

Warning to fishermen: Fishermen are advised not to venture into the sea from 25th to 27th September 2021.

Covid-19 protocols: Keeping in view of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, instructions are also issued for taking additional precautionary measures in all coastal districts. Keeping ready buffer stock of oxygen.

Making alternate arrangements for evacuating Covid-19 patients in the health facilities falling in the area of influence of impending cyclone.

Observance of COVID appropriate behaviour which includes wearing of face masks, maintaining social distance, and regular hand sanitization in all relief camps and other operations.

Advisory may be given to DoT for allowing us to use SAVADHAN platform for disseminating early warning alerts to the communities in the areas to be affected.

Also Read: AP CM Holds Review Meet Ahead of Cyclone Alert