News from Odisha

With a view to instill confidence and social security among the Anganwadi workers, supervisors and helpers engaged in Covid-19 duty, the State government on Tuesday announced a financial assistance of Rs 50 lakh for the kin of these frontline warriors in case of death due to the contagious virus in the line of duty.

Cyclone Yaas is likely to hit Odisha's coastline between Balasore and Bhadrak district somewhere near Dhamra, the Director-General of India Meteorological Department Mrutyunjay Mohapatra informed OTV. The storm will turn into a very severe cyclonic storm before making landfall around the forenoon of May 26.

The daily spike in Covid-19 cases saw a marginal dip in Odisha as the State reported a total of 10939 virus infections in the last 24 hours. The addition of the new positives takes the cumulative Covid tally to 714380. With 11614 recoveries reported late on Monday, the total number of recovered cases has risen to 601224. The active Coronavirus cases meanwhile have surged to 110554.

As the severe cyclonic storm is fast approaching the coast, which is likely to make landfall between North Odisha and West Bengal tomorrow, the government has started evacuating people from vulnerable areas to safe places in sensitive districts with taking measures for rescue, relief and restoration works.

At least one person was killed while several still missing after two boats capsized in Seleru river in Chitrakonda area. A total of 11 people stated to be labourers were returning to their homes in two boats after work in Telangana when the mishap occurred.

The cyclonic storm over east-central Bay of Bengal intensified into a severe cyclonic storm late on Monday night. It will intensify further and transform into very severe category storm in next 12 hours.

Water from Hirakud reservoir will be released into Mahanadi after June 1, informed the Additional Chief Engineer, Hirakud Head Works & Additional Spillway at Burla in Sambalpur.

The Odisha government on Monday fixed special labour rate and food allowance for labours engaged in post cyclone restoration works.

During electrical restoration work in the aftermath of cyclone or other disaster, use of generator sets for private purposes from 6 AM to 6 PM is prohibited as the back current from the generator may endanger the lives of electrical workers engaged in repair/ restoration of electrical supply lines and infrastructure

The special weather bulletin issued by the Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre on Monday evening further confirmed the likely landfall area of Cyclone Yaas between Paradip and Sagar islands, around Balasore district.

Persons coming to Odisha for the purpose of relief, repair, restoration and any other associated activities of cyclone management shall be exempted from producing RT-PCR negative report and Covid final vaccination certificate for entering into the State

It is imperative that all the State Government offices and officials remain in a state of readiness

As Cyclone Yaas comes closer to make a likely landfall in Balasore district, the Odisha government has suspended the ongoing COVID vaccination, testing and door to door survey in three sensitive districts from May 25 to 27.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday said the State is facing two major threats- Covid-19 and cyclone 'Yaas'- and sought full cooperation of all to tackle the twin challenges.

With the latest update from Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) that the Cyclone Yaas is likely to make landfall somewhere around Balasore district, the State machinery is gearing up to evacuate vulnerable people from its path.