This Article is From Oct 12, 2014

Cyclone Hudhud: PM Narendra Modi Chairs Emergency Meeting

Cyclone Hudhud: PM Narendra Modi Chairs Emergency Meeting

File photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

New Delhi: As heavy rains accompanied by winds lashed parts of north coastal Andhra Pradesh on Saturday evening, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired an emergency high-level meeting to review the preparedness for Cyclone Hudhud.

After reviewing the emerging situation, the prime minister asked Home Minister Rajnath Singh to remain in touch with chief ministers of the states likely to be affected by the cyclone.

PM Modi instructed senior officers of the Union government to maintain close contact and coordination with officers of the affected states, to ensure that relief and rescue operations proceed smoothly. According to an official statement, he said suitable arrangements should be made to inform people about the cyclone on a real-time basis.

The prime minister was also briefed on evacuation and other ongoing precautionary and preparatory measures being undertaken for the cyclone. These include deployment of teams from the Armed Forces and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), depletion of reservoirs to accommodate cyclonic rainwater, positioning of boats, swimmers and relief camps and standby systems to restore power and telecom services, the statement added.

The meeting was attended by the Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth, the principal secretary to the prime minister, the home secretary, the defence secretary and other senior officials from the India Meteorological Department and the Prime Minister's Office.

High alert has been sounded in the northern coastal districts of Srikakulam, Vijayanagaram and Visakhapatnam and adjoining districts of East Godavari and West Godavari which are bracing for the cyclone, which is all set to make a landfall around Visakhapatnam on Sunday forenoon.

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