BHUBANESWAR: Odisha government has geared up to face the possible impact of a cyclone that is likely to hit Odisha coast near Gopalpur around Thursday midnight. Five coastal districts including Ganjam, Gajapati, Puri, Nayagarh and Khurda have been put on alert with all preparedness to meet any eventualities.Taking a review of the preparedness chief minister Naveen Patnaik asked officials to ensure zero causality and to keep stock of adequate amount of relief material.The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast said, a deep depression lay centred in the west central Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm on Thursday.“It is likely to cross south Odisha and north Andhra Pradesh coasts between Kalingapatnam and Puri, close to Gopalpur in the intervening night of September 20-21 as a cyclonic storm with wind speed of 60-70 kmph gusting to 80 kmph,” said IMD’s special bulletin.In the wake of the forecast of heavy rain in southern and coastal districts of the state, Odisha government has cancelled holidays of all government staffs for September 21. Collectors of other districts have been asked to take action according to the situations, official sources said.The CM has also asked the electricity distribution companies to be ready for repair and maintenance immediately after the damage caused due to the cyclone. Hospitals have been asked to make arrangements for electricity and drinking water during the emergency.“It is a cyclone with low intensity so there is nothing to panic but to remain alert and be prepared. If required the district administrations has been asked to make evacuations,” said chief secretary A P Padhy after taking stock of the situation.He said, to meet any kind of disaster due to the cyclone or eventual flood after heavy rain several platoons of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) and fire services are kept ready.According to the IMD, except heavy rain squally wind reaching 50-60 km per hour gusting to 80 km per hour will blow in the Odisha coast in the next 12 hours. People living in thatched huts could be more vulnerable while there could be minor damage to power and communication lines due to breaking of branches and roads, and some damage to paddy crops, banana, papaya trees and orchards.The Met office has also sounded a storm surge warning for the coastal areas, emphasizing that low-lying areas of districts of Gajapati, Ganjam, Khurda and Puri could face inundation at the time of landfall. Highlighting that the condition of the sea will be very rough over central and North Bay of Bengal and along Odisha fishermen have been asked not to venture into the sea and to suspend all fishing activities.Incessant rain continuing since Wednesday night has affected normal life in several coastal and southern districts. Several low lying areas in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar got inundated leading to traffic congestion on Thursday.

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