Summary:
It asked fishermen not to venture out into the sea.Since Wednesday night, incessant rain lashed many coastal and southern districts, affecting life. District officials have been asked to make arrangements for quick evacuation of people. Many areas in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar saw traffic congestion following accumulation of rainwater. He asked electricity distribution companies to keep their personnel ready for repair and maintenance of power supply lines.State chief secretary A P Padhy added, "There is nothing to panic about. BHUBANESWAR: As a cyclonic storm threatened to hit the south Odisha coast around midnight on Thursday, chief minister Naveen Patnaik asked officials in five coastal districts to ensure "zero casualty" and "keep adequate relief material".Ganjam, Gajapati, Puri, Nayagarh and Khurda districts, all situated along the coast, have been on red alert since Wednesday when initial weather reports predicted heavy to very rainfall in the state..