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Amid red and orange alerts issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) for heavy to extremely heavy rainfall, authorities in Odisha have stepped up precautionary measures as Cyclone Arnab approaches, suspending boat and ferry services in Chilika Lake and providing shelter to fishermen at Paradip Port.
The Paradip Port Authority has provided safe shelter to fishing boats and fishermen inside Paradip Harbour as a precautionary measure amid adverse weather conditions. At Eastern Quay-1 (EQ-1) berth, 305 fishermen have been accommodated to ensure their safety during the challenging weather conditions. In Khordha district, boats have been anchored along the coast amid strong winds, while tourist boat operations and ferry services in Chilika Lake have been suspended. Most passenger boats have been shifted to safer locations. The district administration has imposed restrictions on boat movement from October 26 to 29 in view of the cyclone. Chilika Wildlife Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Amlan Nayak said that all boat movements in the lake had been restricted during this period, including fishing vessels and forest department boats, except for emergencies. "Some restrictions have been imposed by the district administration, including a ban on boat movement. Fishing vessels will also not move inside Chilika. The movement of forest department boats will be restricted and they will be used only in emergencies," Nayak said. He said the department had taken precautionary measures to protect its boats and ensure that infrastructure and wildlife remained safe during the cyclone. "Our boats have been anchored at their respective docks so that they are not affected when the cyclone hits or its impact is felt. We have also sent awareness messages to all our rangers," he said. Nayak added that ferry services had been suspended as per the district administration's directions and would resume only after further orders. He said awareness messages had also been circulated on social media to inform tourists about the suspension of ferry and other boat services until October 29. The forest department would coordinate with the district administration, police and disaster management teams for emergency rescue operations, if required, he added. Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast adverse weather conditions along parts of the Andhra Pradesh coast. Moderate rainfall accompanied by squally winds reaching 50-60 kmph, with gusts up to 70 kmph, is likely at several places in Anakapalli, Srikakulam, Visakhapatnam and Vizianagaram districts over the next three hours, according to the weather bulletin. The IMD has warned that Cyclone Arnab is likely to intensify further and cross the Andhra Pradesh coast near the Bapatla-Visakhapatnam stretch by the forenoon of October 28. (ANI)
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