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Stranded passengers at a railway station after Guwahati- Odisha and other connecting trains were cancelled following cyclone ‘Fani’ in Guwahati on Friday. (PTI)[/caption]
Guwahati, May 3 (PTI): As cyclone 'Fani' is expected to trigger heavy rains in the Northeast after hitting West Bengal, the Assam government on Friday directed all district deputy commissioners and agencies concerned to be on alert and take necessary measures to deal with the situation.
The Central Water Commission, in a bulletin, has forecast high rainfall in west and central Assam districts on May 4 and 5.
According to a release by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), state disaster response force (SDRF) personnel have been deployed in 40 locations across the state.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have reached for pre-positioning in Cachar, Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Sonitpur, Tinsukia and Jorhat districts. Dhemaji district and Patgaon in Guwahati each already have an NDRF battalion stationed there, the release said.
Toll-free numbers have been set up in the district and state control rooms which will be operational round the clock. The toll-free number for the district control room is 1077 and the those for the state control room are 1070 and 1079.
The ASDMA is in constant touch with the central government, the Central Water Commission, India Meteorological Department and disaster management authorities of neighbouring states, the statement said.
A defence release Friday said six light helicopters with winch have been kept ready for rescue work, five medium lift helicopters for providing relief materials and four AN-32 aircraft along with medical relief teams have been kept ready for medical help and ferrying NDRF teams with equipment.
Helicopters have been kept ready at Bagdogra and Purnea for quick deployment in Odisha and West Bengal, it said.
Medium lift helicopters have been kept on standby at Kumbhigram in Silchar for deployment in Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur and Nagaland. The operations are being supervised by Air Marshal Sandeep Singh, the senior air staff officer of the Eastern Air Command, it added.
Meghalaya braces for cyclone
The Meghalaya government has sought deployment of a platoon of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) in the state in view of Cyclone Fani, officials said on Friday.
One NDRF platoon, comprising 25 to 30 personnel, has been sought from Guwahati, Meghalaya Revenue and Disaster Minister Kyrmen Shylla said.
The IMD has warned of thunder squall accompanied with gusty winds and heavy rains for the next 48 hours across the northeastern states, including Meghalaya.
"We have requested the NDRF to deploy at least one platoon at the state capital. The NDRF personnel would assist the state in case of any emergency," Shylla told PTI.
The officials of all the 11 districts have been asked to be on alert, the minister said, adding, all officers, including those posted in various blocks, have been asked not to leave their places of posting, the minister said.
The State Disaster Relief Force and the Fire Services have been kept on standby, the minister added.
The district disaster management authorities have asked all residents to take precautions, he said.
"People are required to take extra care to avoid any incidences and ensure safe keeping of all objects such as lumber piles, loose tin sheets, bricks, garbage bins and signboards which could be blown away by strong winds," an advisory issued by the Disaster Management Authority of East Khasi Hills district said here.
Meanwhile, the Eastern Air Command of the Indian Air Force (IAF) has been kept on standby in view of the storm.
"Six light helicopters for rescue operations and five medium-lift helicopters for transporting relief materials are ready in case of any emergency," a spokesperson at the EAC headquarters said here.
"In addition, four AN 32 aircraft have been kept ready, with medical teams, for ferrying relief material, medical help, NDRF teams and equipment," the spokesperson said.
The IAF spokesperson said that the helicopters have been kept ready at Bagdogra and Purnea for quick deployment in Odisha and West Bengal.
The medium-lift helicopters have been kept on standby at Kumbhigram airport in Silchar. They would be used if the cyclone affects the states of Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur and Nagaland, the spokesperson said.
In addition at Silchar, Kumbhigram medium lift helicopters have been kept on standby for the phase when the storm would start to effect the states of Tripura Mizoram Manipur and Nagaland, he said.
The operation centre would be established either in Odisha or in West Bengal depending on the situation as it unfolds, he said.