Cyclone: Administration gets into combat mode

Fishermen told not to venture into the sea and those already out asked to return home

The district has been receiving heavy rainfall since Tuesday night in the wake of cyclone threat along the north coastal Andhra and Odisha. The showers brought relief from the sultry weather caused by the dry conditions. But the drop in temperature is keeping the aqua farmers on tenterhooks since such condition causes death to the fish and prawn for want of oxygen in the ponds.

Temporary relief

Crops in the upland region got temporary relief from the impending threat of withering in view of the blackouts induced by the strike in the Eastern power Distribution Company Limited (EPDCL).

Collector Siddharth Jain is holding an emergency meeting at the Collectorate with the officials from Irrigation, Revenue and the other departments as part of gearing up the official machinery to handle the situation.

Mr. Jain informed that the personnel from the Revenue and the irrigation departments were asked to keep a vigil along the coast in the district falling under Narsapur and Mogaltur mandals. Fishermen were asked not to venture into the sea and those already out were asked to return home as the sea would be rough for the next 48-72 hours.

Mr. Jain said the people in the low-lying areas were being kept informed of the situation from time to time as they might could be required to move to safer places depending on the situation.

Alert in Prakasam

Ongole Staff Reporter adds: Meanwhile, Prakasam Collector G.S.R.K.R.Vijaykumar on Wednesday sounded an alert across the coastal mandals as a deep depression over the north Andaman sea is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm later in the night.

Tehsildars and special officers were asked by the Collector to move to the coastal villages to evacuate people in low-lying areas and open relief camps, if needed.

Even as the talks with the State government failed, APNGOs association associate State president Sk.Abdul Basheer asked the employees to attend to their duties on humanitarian grounds even while continuing the indefinite strike for Samaikyandhra.

A control room with landline number 08592-281400 would function from here under the supervision of Mr.G.Gangadhar Goud, who took charge as District Revenue officer on Wednesday, disaster management officials said.