Click to play videoNew Delhi: Lakhs of people are being evacuated as the government of West Bengal and Orissa gear up for a massive cyclone that is headed for the coastline. The cyclone, called Sidr, is expected to hit the coast by midnight on Thursday night.
Officials say the South and North 24 Parganas and East and West Midnapur districts of West Bengal are currently in the cyclone's path. Control rooms have already been set up
Six to seven metre high tidal waves and heavy rainfall can be expected in six coastal districts of Orissa as well, including Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur and Ganjam.
Tens of thousands of people are being evacuated from the coastal districts in the two states.
The cyclone, which packs winds of speed upto 120-180 km per hour, is the most severe after the super cyclone of 1999 in Orissa. More than 10,000 people were killed in that cyclone.
The Union Home Ministry has issued alert advisories to both states. However the Meterological Department in Kolkata believes that the intensity of this cyclone will not be that of a super cyclone.
"Super cyclone starts at a wind speed of 220 kilometre per hour and above. Now we are expecting the storm to hit at a speed of 150 - 180 kilometre per hour,” says Director, Regional Meteorological Centre, Kolkata, G C Debnath.
Meanwhile, the Army is also on standby to assist the civil administration as a super cyclone with a windspeed of 180 to 100 kilometre is moving towards the coastal districts of West Bengal and Orissa.
The Indian Air Force and Navy have invoked disaster management drills. These forces will be the first responders if the cyclone hits Indian shores.
Among the military assets mobilised is the gigantic Jalashwa the recently acquired warship from the US, which is being readied as a floating hospital.
Seven warships loaded with relief material have already set sail from Vishakaparnam and Kolkata.
Teams of naval divers and medical personnel on board these ships will be critical to the operations. Maritime reconnaissance aircraft are also on stand-by to assist in search and rescue.
The Eastern Air Force bases of Kalaikunda, Jorhat and Mohanbari will be the focal points for the relief effort from the air.
IAF bases as far inland as Gorakhpur are on alert for ensuring the safety of aircraft on the ground during the storm.
The military mobilisation for disaster management is being coordinated by the Integrated Defence Staff Headquarters.
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