Cyclone Nivar: Karaikal fishermen stranded at sea, Puducherry to come under Section 144
PUDUCHERRY: Fishermen from Karaikal in 30 boats remain stranded in the deep sea, out of a total of 83 boats that set off for fishing. The Coast Guard has been alerted and are searching for them so that they can be taken to safety, Minister for Revenue MOHF Shajahan said. The remaining 53 boats have been brought to safety, with 48 in Kozhikode and five in Andhra Pradesh.
Addressing a press conference, Shajahan along with Secretary cum Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner A Anbarasu and other officials said that the deep depression over the south of Bay of Bengal intensified into cyclonic storm Nivar and lay centred at about 410 km east-south east of Puducherry. It is very likely to cross in and around the coastal region of Puducherry region on November 25 as a severe cyclonic storm with a wind speed of 100-110 kmph gusting to 140 kmph as projected by the IMD.
The Puducherry administration has set up a total of 196 relief camps in Puducherry region and 50 in Karaikal region to provide shelter to people residing in vulnerable and low-lying areas. As many as 16 coastal areas in Puducherry have been identified as vulnerable areas.
In all, 16 Emergency Support teams have been constituted by line departments and agencies for coordinated and cohesive disaster management along with SOPs and quick response teams. Further, teams have been constituted by the revenue department for immediate response at the village level.
Three units of NDRF teams, two in Puducherry and one in Karaikal, have been deployed. Each team comprises 45 personnel. They will work along with IRB battalion and fire service personnel in rescue and relief operations. The NDRF team is already in the field to study the vulnerable areas.
Orders under Section 144 of the Cr.P.C. prohibiting the presence or movement of persons in public places and closure of shops and establishments from 9.00 pm on November 24 to 6.00 am on November 26 have been issued by the District Magistrate Puducherry as a preventive measure.
All classes for school children are suspended on November 24 and 25. Commercial establishments and bus service will be closed from the night of November 24 and November 25. Government offices/ institutions (except those essential services and departments concerned with cyclone relief work) will be closed on November 25. Instead, all government offices will function on December 12 (Saturday).
Essential supply of milk, pharmacies and petrol bunks will function.
People can contact Helpline numbers 1070 and 1077 for assistance.