Odisha is once again on high alert as the month of October brings another impending cyclonic threat to the region.
A low-pressure system formed over the East-Central and adjoining Southeast Bay of Bengal on Friday morning is steadily gathering strength. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the system is projected to intensify into a Depression, turn into a Deep Depression by October 25, and escalate into a full-fledged Cyclonic Storm by the morning of October 26.
Moving in a west-northwest direction, the cyclone is expected to head toward the North Andhra Pradesh and South Odisha coasts by October 28. Winds are forecasted to reach speeds of 70–80 km/h, gusting up to 90 km/h along the coastal belts by October 27.
Heavy Rain Warning: Red Alert for Coastal Districts
While dry and clear weather will prevail across Odisha for the next two days, conditions are expected to change rapidly starting October 26, with light-to-moderate rain and thunderstorms expected across coastal and northern districts.
From October 27 to 29, coastal and southern Odisha are set to experience heavy to extremely heavy rainfall.
- Red Alert (Oct 27): Issued for Puri, Ganjam, and Gajapati districts, where rainfall could exceed 30 cm.
- Orange & Yellow Alerts: Issued for 16 other districts including Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, and Kalahandi.
IMD Director-General Dr. Mrutyunjay Mohapatra advised fishermen currently in deep waters to return to the shore immediately and urged those preparing to venture out to postpone their trips due to extremely rough sea conditions.
High-Level Government Meeting: Focus on “Zero Casualty”
In response to the IMD’s advisory, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari chaired a high-level review meeting at the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) in Bhubaneswar. The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Anu Garg, Additional Chief Secretary Dr. Aravinda Kumar Padhee, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Rajesh Prabhakar Patil, senior OSDMA officials, and District Collectors via video conferencing.
Key directives issued during the meeting include:
- Zero Casualty Target: District Collectors have been instructed to prioritize life safety above all else.
- Government Staff Leave Canceled: Leave for all government officials across the state has been canceled. Staff are required to remain at their stations, with disciplinary action warned against unauthorized absence.
- Evacuation & Shelter Readiness: Pre-identified vulnerable and low-lying areas are being prepared for timely evacuations. Multipurpose cyclone shelters are being equipped with power backups, drinking water, and dry rations.
- Special Healthcare Directives: Pregnant women near their delivery dates are being identified and shifted ahead of time to local hospitals or community health centers to ensure uninterrupted care.
- Property Protection: Odisha Police will deploy dedicated patrols in evacuated villages to safeguard homes against theft and looting while families stay in shelters.
- School & College Closures: District Collectors have been given the authority to declare local holidays for schools and colleges depending on ground conditions.
NDRF, ODRAF, and Odisha Fire Services teams have been put on standby for immediate deployment in high-risk zones.
Global Models and October’s Historic Trend
While the IMD forecasts the system as a standard cyclone, international meteorological models—including the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) and Windy—suggest it could potentially intensify into a severe cyclonic storm, predicting a landfall near Machilipatnam in Andhra Pradesh around October 27–28 before veering northward.
Historically, the month of October has witnessed several devastating storms striking the Odisha shoreline:
- 1999 Super Cyclone (Oct 29): Devastated Ersama and Paradip with wind speeds over 260 km/h, taking thousands of lives.
- Cyclone Phailin (Oct 2013): Struck Gopalpur with winds of 200 km/h, causing widespread destruction.
- Cyclone Titli (Oct 2018): Landed near Palasa, causing massive landslides in Gajapati and Rayagada.
- Cyclone Dana (Oct 2024): Landed near Bhitarkanika National Park, impacting 8 coastal districts without loss of human life due to proactive administrative preparation.
Minister Pujari urged the public not to panic or spread unverified rumors, assuring that the administration is fully prepared to handle all eventualities. Further administrative steps will be announced once the exact track and landfall location of the system become completely clear.
