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Response teams asked to stand ready for Lehar impact

The very severe cyclonic storm Lehar over southeast Bay of Bengal has moved westwards with a speed of 15 kmph during past six hours

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BS Reporter Bhubaneswar
Last Updated : Nov 26 2013 | 10:17 PM IST
Anticipating flash floods in the southern parts of the state due to the cyclonic storm Lehar, which is heading towards Andhra Pradesh coast, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has directed deployment of Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) in the vulnerable areas.

Patnaik has asked the concerned authorities to move the ODRAF teams to ten districts that are likely to get rain fall due to Lehar.

The response teams are on their way to Gajapati, Ganjam, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Malkangiri and Koraput, said an official of Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA).

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The district collectors have been asked to take necessary steps to protect the standing crops, said Injeti Srinivas, Development Commissioner.

The very severe cyclonic storm Lehar over southeast Bay of Bengal has moved westwards with a speed of 15 kmph during past six hours and lay centred this morning over southeast Bay of Bengal about 925 km southeast of Gopalpur.

“The system would intensify further and move west-northwestwards and cross Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam near Kakinada around November 28 noon,” said a bulletin of the meteorological centre at Bhubaneswar.

The met department has requested the government to take necessary steps to protect the standing crops in the field in the districts of south and western Odisha.

Paradip port in Jagatsingpur district  and Gopalpur port in Ganjam district have been asked to hoist the  Distant Warning Signal Number Two (DW-II).

Weather will be mostly dry over Odisha during next 24 hours, the met department predicted.

Fishermen who are in the deep sea are advised to return to the coast immediately as the sea will be rough to very rough after 12 hours.

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First Published: Nov 26 2013 | 8:19 PM IST

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