Cyclone Hudhud: 67,752 people evacuated so far in Odisha, says Naveen Patnaik

Asserting that the administration was closely monitoring the situation and bracing for the aftereffects of Cyclone Hudhud in Odisha, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday said that an estimated 67,752 people have been evacuated so far from various districts and brought to safe locations.

"All preparations have been made in the districts to counter the effects of the cyclone and the heavy rainfall that will follow the cyclone. As per the latest information received, 67,752 people have been evacuated in Gajapati Ganjam, Koraput, Rayagada, Malkangiri, Puri, Kendrapara and Khurda districts to 604 safe shelters," Patnaik told a press conference here.

"More evacuation is likely. We are monitoring the situation and are taking all precautions," he added. Earlier today, a number of buildings were damaged in Vizag as the cyclonic storm made landfall in the city.

Five diving teams have been dispatched to Srikakulam and 10 teams to low lying areas in and around Vizag for rescue and relief operations.

Meanwhile, Director General of Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) L S Rathore predicted that the southern districts of Odisha will get heavy to very heavy precipitation with pockets of extremely heavy precipitation in coming 24 hours and even in 48 hours at some places. The districts which will receive this kind of weather include, Malkangiri, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Rayagada, Kandahal and Phulbani. This is besides two coastal districts of Ganjam and Gajapati.