At least 89,000 people living along the six coastal belts are being evacuated to 101 relief camps in the wake of Cyclone Arnab, expected to cross the coast near Yanam or Andhra Pradesh’s Kakinada as a “very severe” cyclonic storm on Wednesday (October 28).On Monday, the entire Hope Island off the Kakinada coast has been evacuated by rehabilitating 130 inhabitants of the island in Kakinada city. Kakinada Rural, Uppada Kothapalli and Thondangi are the major fisherfolk belts where an alert has been sounded for heavy rain coupled with winds in the next 48 hours and the inhabitants along the shoreline are advised to move to the relief camps.
The preparations are in place to provide food and safe drinking water in the relief camps under the aegis of the Revenue Department. “More than 4,602 boats that ventured into the sea from the Kakinada coast were returned to the Kakinada fishing harbour and fish landing centres safely. On being learnt about the cyclone, as many as 43 mechanised boats which engaged in deep-sea fishing landed at Paradip harbour and they are in touch with us.
They are advised to remain anchored,” Kakinada District Collector M.N. Harendhira Prasad.
At least six boats, each carrying four members, ventured into the sea on Sunday evening despite cyclone alert. However, Kakinada-based Coast Guard authorities tracked the boats and directed them to return to Kakinada fishing harbour.
No fishing boats, either for deep-sea fishing or short-distance fishing, were at sea on Monday. One battalion of the National Disaster Response Force and one battalion of State Disaster Response Force will arrive Kakinada coast on Tuesday.“Alternative arrangements for power are being made in Kakinada Government General Hospital and a two-day holiday has been declared for all educational institutions from Tuesday,” said Mr.
Prasad.Adikavi Nannaya University has declared a two-day holiday for all the affiliated colleges in the Godavari region. The district administrations of Dr.
B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema and West Godavari ordered the schools in the districts to be shut also been declared a holiday in districts.
Pregnant womenIn Dr. B.R.
Ambedkar Konaseema district, the residents of 67 villages are being shifted to relief camps, while 88 pregnant women have been shifted to nearby government hospitals. Nearly 2,000 mechanised boats have returned from the sea, suspending their fishing activity.District Collector R.
Mahesh Kumar has said that 1500 personnel from the Electricity Department will be deployed for relief operations in the 67 coastal villages. On the Narsapuram coast, the residents of 14 coastal villages are being shifted to cyclone shelters in West Godavari district, said District Collector Chadalavada Nagarani.
In the entire Godavari region, the devotees have been advised to postpone their visit to renowned temples in the next three days. In the Godavari peninsula, Chintoor Integrated Tribal Development Officer P.
Narendra Pradal has directed the tourism boat operators to suspend boating to Papikonda hills until further orders. Tourists have also been advised to postpone their scheduled visits to Papikonda hills and waterfalls in Polavaram district.