Commissioner(Disaster Management) K. Kanna Babu has directed the officials of various departments to be prepared for any emergency in view of Cyclone Gulab , likely to make a landfall between Kalingapatnam and Gopalpur, around midnight, and cause extensive damage to surrounding areas.
The Commissioner held a review meeting with the District Collector, Joint Collector, Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) Commissioner and district-level officials here on Sunday.
He directed the officials and employees of AP EPDCL, GVMC, Fisheries, Revenue, Fire Services, Police and R & B Departments to be ready with the equipment to undertake emergency relief operations, based on the need. The required information should be disseminated to the people living in coastal areas from time to time. He suggested utilising the services of village/ward volunteers for this purpose.
Fishermen should be prevented from going out to sea and those already at sea should be asked to return to the shore immediately. The SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) should be followed by all departments, he said.
Collector A. Mallikarjuna said that discussions were held with the Police Commissioner and the Superintendent of Police (Rural) and the authorities were alerted on the need to be prepared for any eventuality.
A National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team with 22 members was ready with the required equipment at Gajuwaka and one SDRF team with 25 members and the necessary equipment was ready at the RDO’s office in Visakhapatnam. Heavy rain was recorded (till Sunday afternoon) only at Gajuwaka, Anakapalle and Kasimkota in the district.
GVMC Commissioner G. Srijana said that 300 water tankers were kept ready for supply of drinking water and earthmoving equipment were kept ready to clear road blockages, if needed.
Joint Collector Venugopal Reddy was present.
Published - September 26, 2021 05:29 pm IST
