Cyclone Titli: The Odisha government has alerted all district authorities to prepare for relief work
Cyclone Titli is very likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by noon today. The situation is being monitored at the highest level. The national weather office IMD had issued a red alert yesterday over a deep depression present for some time over the Bay of Bengal that has intensified into a cyclonic storm and was heading towards the Odisha and Andhra Pradesh coast. Titli is very likely to intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm during the next 24 hours, the IMD had added. The Odisha government has alerted all district authorities to prepare for emergency relief work. The IMD has also warned of heavy rain in West Bengal and north Andhra Pradesh. The Odisha government has announced the closure of all schools and colleges from today in four districts of the state as a precautionary measure against Cyclone in Odisha.
Here are the live updates on cyclone Titli:
As a result, the gale wind speed of 60-90 kmph is very likely to prevail over interior districts adjacent to south coastal Odisha during 11th morning to 11 afternoon & wind speed of 60-70 kmph over the interior districts adjacent to north coastal Odisha from 11 noon to night: IMD
The very severe cyclonic storm, Titli is being monitored by the coastal Doppler Weather Radars at Visakhapatnam, Gopalpur, and Paradip. The latest observations indicate that the Severe Cyclone Titli over the west central Bay of Bengal moved northwestwards.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik held a high-level meeting over Titli Cyclone in Bhubaneswar, today.
The state has put the districts on high alert and asked the authorities to evacuate those living in low-lying areas and in 'kutchha' houses along the coast. Teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the Orissa Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) along with Fire Service personnel have been sent to various districts.
Around 300 motor boats have been arranged to assist in rescue operation as there is a likelihood of flood situation due to possibility of heavy rains till October 11. All the 879 cyclone and flood shelters have also been kept in a state of preparedness, he said.
The district collectors have been asked to remain alert and make necessary arrangements to shift people living in low-lying areas, the officials said. Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) B P Sethi said steps have been taken for shifting people in vulnerable and low-lying areas to multi-purpose shelters.
In view of the adverse weather conditions, it has advised hoisting of local warning signal LW-4 at all ports of Odisha. The Odisha government was also cautioned about the possible floods in view of the heavy rainfall across the state. The state government has already issued high alert in all districts, particularly those in the coastal region, to face the ensuing situation. The government geared up to face the situation setting a target of "zero casualty".
BREAKING: Cyclonic storm Titli intensified into Severe Cyclonic Storm. The cyclone is to cross between Gopalpur & Kalingapatnam tomorrow morning. Severe cyclonic storm Luban intensified into Very Severe Cyclonic Storm at 5:30am today; to move west-northwestwards.
The IMD advised total suspension of fishing operations and shifting of coastal hut dwellers to safe places. Fishermen along the Odisha coast, and central and north Bay of Bengal were advised not to venture into sea till Friday.
Storm surge of height of about 1 metre above astronomical tide is very likely to inundate low lying areas of Ganjam, Khurda and Puri districts.
The sea condition is very high over the west-central Bay of Bengal. It is very likely to be phenomenal over the west-central and the adjoining north Bay of Bengal and along and off the south Odisha coast till Thursday, an IMD bulletin said.
The IMD said rainfall would be accompanied by gale wind speed reaching 60-70 kmph and gusting to 80 kmph along and off Odisha and north Andhra Pradesh coasts.
While some areas in coastal Odisha recorded rainfall Wednesday, the IMD has forecast "heavy to very heavy rainfall" at several places and "extremely heavy rainfall" at isolated areas till Thursday under the impact of the severe cyclonic storm.
The districts like Ganjam, Gajapati, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Khurda, Nayagarh, Cuttack, Jajpur, Bhadrak and Balasore are expected to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall till Thursday, the IMD said. It also forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall for Kandhamal, Boudh and Dhenkanal district from Thursday.
The cyclonic storm is likely to make a landfall between Gopalpur in Odisha and Kalingapatanam in Andhra Pradesh early Thursday morning at a wind speed of 145 kmph, it said. The cyclone Titli is very likely to intensify further into a very severe cyclonic storm during the next 18 hours. The storm is likely to move north-northwestwards and cross Odisha and adjoining north Andhra Pradesh coast between Gopalpur and Kalingapatnam around Thursday morning, IMD said in a bulletin.
"Zero casualty is part of the state government's disaster management policy. Stocking of food and shifting of people to cyclone shelters are also included in the policy," Chief Secretary AP Padhi said.
The IMD said rainfall would be accompanied by gale wind speed reaching 60-70 kmph and gusting to 80 kmph along and off Odisha and north Andhra Pradesh coasts.
Meteorological Center Bhubaneswar issues heavy rainfall warning for next three days in the state of Odisha in the light of cyclonic storm:
Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority said that the storm will form at 11.30 pm today. The wind speed will gradually increase to 120-130 kmph and gusting to 145 kmph from Wednesday night along and off south Odisha coast and 70-80 kmph gusting to 95 kmph along and off north the Odisha coast, an IMD bulletin said. The severe cyclone will continue till tomorrow.
Cyclone Titli over west-central Bay of Bengal: Cyclone Warning for districts of north Andhra Pradesh and south Odisha coasts. Very Severe Cyclonic Storm expected. Cyclone Luban is over westcentral Arabian Sea, India Meteorological Department said.
There has been sea water inundation in low lying areas after erosion of kutcha embankments.
Some damage has been caused to paddy crops, banana, papaya trees and orchards.
Minor damage to power and communication lines due to breaking of branches and uprooting of trees. Major damage caused to dirtroads and minor damage to good roads.
Damage expected over districts of Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam of Andhra Pradesh, Gajapati, Ganjam, Khurda, Nayagarh and Puri districts of Odisha.
Storm surge of height of about 0.5 m above astronomical tide is likely inundate low lying areas of Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh; Ganjam, Khurda and Puri districts of Odisha at the time of landfall.
The cyclone is likely to cross Odisha and adjoining north Andhra Pradesh coasts between Gopalpur & Kalingapatnam around the morning of 11th October. Thereafter, it is very likely to re-curve northeastwards, move towards Gangetic West Bengal across coastal Odisha and weaken gradually.
The Indian Coast Guard had yesterday tweeted that boats at sea will return to harbour to safety in the wake of Cyclone Titli.
The MeT department shared satellite images of the cyclone:
Sand artist Sudarshan Pattnaik worked a sand art depicting cyclone Titli and asked people not to panic and have courage.
Cyclonic storm Titli very likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by noon. Union Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan is taking an urgent review and situation being monitored at highest level, the Press Information Bureau tweeted.
The Health Department has asked the officials to keep power back-up and generator sets ready at health facilities to meet any eventuality.
It also asked for a contingency plan for medical relief centre, which should be opened as early as possible.
"Cyclonic storm Titli is likely to intensify further by tomorrow and is expected to make a landfall near Gopalpur on October 11. Keeping in mind heavy to very heavy rainfall forecast, we have decided to declare holidays for schools and educational institutions in four districts from tomorrow," chief secretary Padhi said
It was decided in a meeting chaired by the chief secretary that all schools, colleges and Anganwadi centres in the districts of Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri and Jagatsinghpur in Odisha will remain closed on October 10 and October 11
The Odisha government has ordered the closure of all schools, colleges and Anganwadi centres till October 10-11 in four districts of the state as a precautionary measure against Cyclone Titli
Special Relief Commissioner Bishnupada Sethi directed to take steps to identify the people living near the coast in the districts of Ganjam, Khordha and Puri, and shift them to safe shelters. "Since damage to thatched huts is expected in the districts of Gajapati, Ganjam, Khordha, Nayagarh and Puri, people living in kutcha houses who are likely to be affected by the cyclone shall also be evacuated to cyclone/ flood shelters and other safe pucca buildings," Mr Sethi said
Cyclone Titli's eye has been located at 530 km southeast of Gopalpur in Odisha and 480 km east-southeast of Kalingapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, the IMD said
The cyclone over west-central Bay of Bengal moved west-north westwards at a speed of 8 kmph during the past six hours and intensified into cyclonic storm Titli, the IMD said