By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, DEC 02, 2023: NATIONAL Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) under Chairmanship of Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba met yesterday to review preparedness of State governments and Central Ministries/ Departments for impending cyclone 'Michaung' in Bay of Bengal.

Director General, India Meteorological Department (IMD), briefed the Committee about the current status of cyclone 'Michaung'. The depression over Southeast and adjoining Southwest Bay of Bengal moved west-northwestwards with a speed of 13 kmph during past 06 hour and lay centered at 1130 hours IST of today over the same region near Latitude 9.5°N and Longitude 86.0°E, about 730 km east-southeast of Puducherry, 740 km east-southeast of Chennai, 860 km southeast of Nellore, 930 km southeast of Bapatla and 910 km southeast of Machilipatnam.

It is likely to move west-northwestwards, intensify into a Deep Depression by 2nd and further into a Cyclonic Storm over Southwest Bay of Bengal around 3rd December. Further, it would move northwestwards and reach near south Andhra Pradesh and adjoining north Tamil Nadu coasts by 4th December forenoon. Thereafter, it would move nearly northwards almost parallel to south Andhra Pradesh coast and cross South Andhra Pradesh during forenoon of 5th December between Nellore and Machilipatnam as a Cyclonic Storm with a wind speed of 80-90 Kmph gusting to 100 Kmph.

Chief Secretaries of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha and Finance Secretary,  Puducherry apprised the Committee of the preparatory measures being taken to protect the public and property in the expected path of the cyclone and measures being taken by the local administration. Fishermen have been asked not to venture out into the sea. Adequate shelters, power supply, medicine and emergency services are being kept in readiness.

National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has made 18 teams available to Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Puducherry and 10 additional teams have been kept ready. Rescue and relief teams of the Coast Guard, Army and Navy along with ships and aircrafts have been kept ready on standby.

Reviewing preparedness measures of the central agencies and Governments of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Puducherry, Cabinet Secretary stressed that all necessary preventive and precautionary measures should be taken by the authorities of States Governments. The aim should be to ensure that there is no loss of lives and to minimize damage to property and infrastructure. Further, all essential services should be restored in the shortest possible time.

It should be ensured that fishermen at sea return to safety. Safety of manpower deployed in oil rigs, vessels etc. should be ensured. Cabinet Secretary assured the Governments of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Puducherry that all the central agencies are ready and will be available for their assistance.

The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, Secretary Finance, Puducherry, Union Home Secretary, Secretary, Department of Fisheries, Secretary, Ministry of Power, Additional Secretary, Ministries of Ports, Shipping & Waterways/ Petroleum & Natural Gas/ Telecom, Member Secretary NDMA, DG IMD, DG Coast Guard, DCISC IDS, IG NDRF and senior officers from the Ministry of Home Affairs.