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New Delhi, Oct 28 (IANS) As Cyclone Month moves towards the Andhra Pradesh coast, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has deployed 25 teams to the affected states including Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Tamil Nadu and its Inspector General Narendra Singh Bundela on Tuesday stressed that the force is fully prepared to mitigate the impact of the cyclone.
Speaking to IANS, IG Bundela said, “To deal with this cyclone, the Cabinet Secretary himself convened and chaired a meeting a few days ago to review the preparedness and coordinate efforts to ensure minimal impact.”
He said that NDRF teams have already been deployed in strategically sensitive coastal areas.
“We have deployed 25 NDRF teams in the likely affected states – Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Tamil Nadu. Cyclone Montha is expected to make landfall in coastal areas and the NDRF will immediately respond to any situation that may arise thereafter,” he said.
The IG further said that state disaster management teams have also been deployed and advisories have been issued by the respective governments to ensure public safety.
Meanwhile, the Cyclone Warning Center in Visakhapatnam has issued its highest alert as the storm approaches the coast. Major danger signal number 10 was hoisted at Kakinada port, indicating severe cyclone conditions. This signal is the highest warning issued to ports, replacing the existing danger signal number seven.
Additionally, major danger signal number nine was hoisted at Visakhapatnam, Gangavaram, Kalingapatnam and Bheemunipatnam ports as the system continued to intensify over the Bay of Bengal.
The cyclone is expected to cause strong winds and heavy rains, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu urged leaders and party members to help the public at this critical time.
During a teleconference with NDA MPs, ministers and MLAs, Naidu directed that everyone from cadre to senior leaders should be available to assist people in the cyclone-affected areas.
“Cyclone Montha is moving towards the state, which is currently about 270 km from Kakinada and is moving at a speed of 15 km per hour,” the Chief Minister informed the participants.
In Tamil Nadu, Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin also inspected the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) Command and Control Center at Ripon Buildings to assess the city’s preparedness. Along with senior officials of the corporation and revenue department, Stalin reviewed real-time data on rainfall intensity, vehicular movement in subways and water level in canals, rivers and estuaries.
–IANS
JK/VD