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By Dipaneeta Das: The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) on Friday deployed 36 commanders and 200 rescuers in West Bengal’s Digha coast after Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) upped warnings over cyclone Mocha.
The IMD on Friday issued an alert that Cyclone Mocha has intensified into a severe cyclonic storm over central Bay of Bengal.
As many as 100 rescuers are also on standby, NDRF commandant Gurminder Singh told ANI. Apart from Digha, eight teams of NDRF personnel will keep an eye on coastal areas, including Haldia.
According to NDRF sources, the troops were deployed in eight teams as the tropical cyclone is shaping up to become a severe storm. The regional weather office on Thursday informed that the cyclone is predicted to convert into a very severe cyclone on May 14.
As per the latest information, NDRF teams took charge in Sunderbans and coastal areas of West Bengal to deal with cyclone Mocha.
According to the weather forecast, there is a possibility of storm and rain in the coastal areas including East Midnapore, North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas under the influence of Mocha on May 13 and May 14. For the past few days, warnings have been issued by the administration in several places of the district about the cyclone.
Meanwhile, the NDRF team landed in Digha on Thursday. Units have been placed on high alert in the Bay of Bengal, the Indian Coast Guard said in an official statement.
NDRF members have started vigilance on reaching Digha. Further, they also prevented fishermen from venturing into the sea.
The NDRF commandants have begun announcements urging tourists to stay away from coast. Apart from monitoring the coastal areas, NDRF rescuers moved to rural areas to warn the villagers.
“They have already started making arrangements to evacuate the members of the mud houses of the coastal villages to safe places,” an official told India Today.
A 25-member NDRF team also reached Gosaba in South 24 Parganas on Thursday afternoon. The work of repairing the weak embankments is going on under the supervision of West Bengal government’s irrigation department.
Besides, flood shelters have been prepared and dry food has also been stocked.
(With inputs from Chandan Senapati and Prasenjit Saha)
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