Apprehending that the impact of Nivar could be equivalent to Gaja cyclone, Inspector General of Police, Central Zone, H.M. Jayaram said the people should not come out of their homes except for emergency and unavoidable circumstances.
“Our priority is to safeguard the life of each and every individual and protect infrastructure and their properties from nature’s fury. We have taken all possible precautions with the help of volunteers,” Mr. Jayaram told The Hindu after a meeting with department officials and representatives of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) at a coastal hamlet in Nagapattinam on Wednesday.
The IGP said people had been strictly advised not to venture out for adventurous purpose. Action would be taken against such mischief mongers.
He said the policemen of respective stations had visited each and every coastal village in Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Tiruvarur, Thanjavur and Pudukottai districts and made announcement throughthe public address system to move to safer areas. Up to 3 p.m on Wednesday, 45,000 people living in coastal hamlets and low-lying areas in Nagapattinam district had moved to cyclone relief centres. Of them, 10,245 were children. The drive would continue wherever it was required.
Mr. Jayaram said 9,500 policemen had been mobilised in the central zone. In addition to them, 17,000 home guard personnel were also deployed in various places. To assist the post-cyclone rescue and relief measures, 4,000 volunteers had been identified. Nearly, 2,500 of them were from Nagappattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Tiruvarur and Thanjavur districts. They would be involved in removal of branches of trees fallen across roads.
The IGP said arrangements had been made to reach the affected areas within 10 minutes. The rescue teams would assist the revenue, Fire and Rescue Services personnel, electricity and officials of rural development to restore normalcy in the post-cyclone period.
Nagapattinam Collector Praveen K. Nair said more than 45,000 food packets had been distributed on Wednesday to those sheltered at permanent and temporary relief centres.
