NEW DELHI: Cabinet Secretary TV Somanathan on Saturday presided over a meeting of the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) to review preparedness for the approaching cyclonic storm brewing over the Bay of Bengal.
In the meeting, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) updated the Committee on the weather situation.
The Bay of Bengal depression has been travelling westwards at 7 kmph over the last six hours. At 11:30 hrs IST on October 25, it was at around 950 km east-southeast of Chennai (Tamil Nadu), 960 km southeast of Visakhapatnam, 970 km southeast of Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh), and 1030 km south-southeast of Gopalpur (Odisha).
The IMD prediction suggests the system will strengthen into a deep depression by October 26 and still further into a cyclonic storm over the southwest and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal by the morning of October 27.
It should be moving north-westwards, then north-northwestwards, and strengthen into a severe cyclonic storm by the morning of October 28. The cyclone is very likely to cross the Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam around Kakinada during the evening or night of October 28, with maximum sustained wind speeds of 90–100 kmph, gusting up to 110 kmph.
The Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Puducherry Chief Secretaries, and the Odisha Additional Chief Secretary informed the Committee of steps taken in readiness, such as evacuation procedures, functional shelters, and district control room activations.
The provisional status of NDRF and SDRF teams has been kept at standby, and fishermen have been cautioned against venturing into the sea from October 26 to 29 along the Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Puducherry, and Tamil Nadu coastlines.
The Central Ministries and Departments have established Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and taken all necessary precautions to prevent potential damage.
The NDRF has kept rescue units ready for instant mobilisation, whereas the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Indian Coast Guard have invoked personnel, ships, and aircraft for rescue and relief efforts. The Coast Guard has already escorted more than 900 fishing boats to safety, with the rest alerted to return.
The Union Home Secretary briefed that the Ministry of Home Affairs, NDMA, and IMD are all keeping a close watch on the situation and liaising with state governments and concerned agencies.
Assessing the overall preparedness, the Cabinet Secretary emphasised the need to ensure zero loss of life and minimum damage to infrastructure, with immediate restoration of basic services in the event of disruption.
Senior officials of the Ministries of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Fisheries, Power, Telecommunications, Ports, Shipping, and Waterways attended the meeting, along with representatives of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), NDRF, Indian Coast Guard, Integrated Defence Staff, IMD, and the Ministry of Home Affairs.