Cyclone Titli: Odisha govt directs to start evacuation of people in 5 districts

Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday directed the concerned district collectors to start evacuation of people in low lying areas in Ganjam, Puri, Khurda, Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapada as severe cyclone Titli inching closer towards Odisha coast.

The state government also declared that schools, colleges and Anganwadi centres across Odisha will be closed for two days starting Thursday.

The Chief Minister took a review meeting over the cyclone situation and directed the officials to ensure ‘zero casualty’.

The government has also cancelled students’ union poll across Odisha scheduled on October 11, said chief secretary AP Padhi.

He said so far, 10 teams of NDRF and eight teams of ODRAF have been deployed in various coastal and interior districts.

Engineering departments in Odisha have been asked to be in readiness for restoration work, especially essential services like water supply, road connectivity and electricity supply after the cyclone is passed.