By IANS
Bhubaneswar : Fishermen in Orissa were Wednesday warned not to venture into the sea as a severe cyclonic storm over the Bay of Bengal began moving towards the state.
“The cyclonic storm is centred about 700 km south-southeast of Paradeep and is likely to intensify further in a northerly direction,” S.N. Gouda, an official of the Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre, told IANS.
“It is likely to cross the West Bengal-Bangladesh coast near Sagar Islands. The expected time of landfall is the morning of Nov 16,” he added.
Gouda said a few places in the coastal districts of Orissa are likely to get heavy rain and thundershowers Thursday.
As a result of the cyclone, squalls and winds of 50-60 km per hour speeds are likely along the Orissa coast and the sea will remain rough, the met official said.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said the administrations of eight coastal districts have been asked to remain alert and personnel of the Orissa Disaster Rapid Action Force have been sent to the cyclone prone districts.
“We have asked the district officials to keep adequate food stocks and medicines,” Orissa Revenue Minister Manmohan Samal said.