WB: NDRF, panchayat, local bodies meet to discuss Fani preparedness in Medinipur dist

By Joymala Bagchi
Digha (West Bengal) [India], May 2 (ANI): A meeting was held here on Thursday among the members of Padima 1 village panchayat in Medinipur district to discuss preparedness in the wake of  cyclonic storm Fani, which is expected to hit the coastal regions of West Bengal anytime after it hits the landmass in Odisha tomorrow.
The meeting was headed by Yogesh Singh Sengar, Deputy Commandant (Second Battalion) of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), panchayat chief Keya Dole and deputy chief Kalyan Jana.
Speaking to ANI, Yogesh Singh Sengar said: "May 3 to May 5 is going to be extremely crucial for this region as it faces the Bay of Bengal. We have asked people not to panic and help each other. Our team is fully prepared. We will be on the spot wherever needed. Awareness is most important."
In the meeting, the members were requested to move people to nearby interim shelters, with special care for pregnant women.
The immediate arrangements to be made once the cyclone hits the land have also been discussed. People are strictly advised not to be inside thatched houses during the cyclone. They should either be inside multi-purpose cyclonic shelters or inside strong buildings.
Keya Dole said: "We all need to be together to fight natural disasters. Helpline numbers have been distributed among the members. We are giving special attention to the medical aspect. Tourists have been warned as well."
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a “Yellow Alert” warning for Odisha, West Bengal and three districts of Andhra Pradesh.
The cyclone is being tracked by ‘Doppler Weather Radars’ based in Chennai, Vishakhapatnam and Machilipatnam, said IMD. (ANI)