Cyclone Titli HIGHLIGHTS: Railway exams cancelled, NRDF teams deployed

Cyclone Titli intensified into a very severe cyclonic storm over the Bay of Bengal on Wednesday and is moving towards the Odisha coast, triggering rainfall in several parts of the state, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.IMD has predicted that the cyclonic wind will badly hit the Andhra Pradesh districts of Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam, and the Odisha districts of Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri and Kendrapara. It has advised fishermen to suspend operations and coastal hutment dwellers to shift to safe places.Here are the highlights:

11:00pm IST

Several parts of Odisha have witnessed rains. (File Picture)

Patnaik reviews preparedness

Reviewed Special Relief Commissioner’s preparedness for landfall of Cyclone Titli; with 3 lakh evacuations so far and monitoring of water reservoirs and supply of essential services and goods, we are geared up; urge people to restrain from rumours and panic: Naveen Patnaik on Twitter.

Reviewed @SRC_Odisha 's preparedness for landfall of #CycloneTitli; with 3 lakh evacuations so far and monitoring of water reservoirs and supply of essential services and goods, we are geared up; urge people to restrain from rumours and panic pic.twitter.com/opnq8PkEug

— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) October 10, 2018

9:45pm IST

Bangladesh on alert

Bangladesh on alert over cyclone in Bay of Bengal, reports AP.

9:40pm IST

Centre rushes 1,000 NDRF personnel to Odisha, AP, Bengal

The Centre rushed nearly 1,000 NDRF personnel to Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal as Cyclone Titli made its way towards the coast, besides issuing directions for storage of food, fuel and maintaining power supply and telecommunication lines, reports PTI.

9:30pm IST

3 lakh evacuated in Odisha: CM

Around 3 lakh people evacuated to safer places in Odisha ahead of landfall of very severe cyclonic storm Titli: CM Naveen Patnaik, reports PTI.

8:30pm IST

Fishermen missing

Four fishermen from Odisha’s Kendrapara district who had ventured into the Bay of Bengal three days ago are missing, police said on Wednesday.

7:10pm IST

RRB exams cancelled

Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) exam scheduled on October 11 and 12 in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Sambalpur, Khurda and Berhamapur cancelled.Revised dates and place to be sent to candidates on their registered mobile numbers and email:chairman, RRB, Bhubaneshwar, reports ANI

7:05pm IST

NDRF teams deployed

14 NDRF teams deployed in Odisha’s Balasore, Sambhalpur, Gajapati, Nayagarh, Puri, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak, Jagatsinghpur, Ganjam and Bhubaneswar. Four NDRF teams deployed in Andhra Pradesh’s Visakhapatnam, Srikakulum and Vijaynagram, reports ANI.

5:55pm IST

Odisha Cong opens help cell

The Odisha unit of Congress opened a 24-hour emergency cell to help people likely to be affected by Cyclone Titli, reports PTI

5:50pm IST

Heavy rainfall warning in Bengal ahead of Durga Puja

The Regional Meteorological Department in West Bengal warned of intense spells of thundershower accompanied by gusty wind in six south Bengal districts for the next four days, amid heightened Durga Puja preparations across the state, reports IANS.

Workers try to protect an idol of Goddess Durga by covering it with plastic sheets as sudden rain poured in as an effect of Cyclone Titli, in Kolkata. ( Samir Jana/HT Photo )

5:50pm IST

Minister advises people against panic buying

Odisha’s food supplies and consumer welfare minister SN Patro appealed to people not to go for panic buying of essential commodities as the very severe cyclone ‘Titli’ approaches the state’s coast, reports PTI.

5:45pm IST

Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik reviews preparedness

CM @Naveen_Odisha reviewed preparedness for cyclonic storm #Titli & ordered officials to target #zerocasualty. He also ordered all schools, colleges, anganwadis to remain shut for next two days; people living in low lying areas in affected districts to be relocated to safe places pic.twitter.com/MpbSDtc9P9

— CMO Odisha (@CMO_Odisha) October 10, 2018

5:30pm IST

Schools and colleges to shut on Oct 11 and 12

All schools, colleges and anganwadi centres will remain closed on October 11 and 12: Aditya Prasad Padhi, chief secretary, Odisha

5:15pm IST

Titli land fall expected at 5.30 am tomorrow: Odisha cief secy

Cyclone Titli has been upgraded to ‘very severe cyclonic storm’. Land fall is expected at 5.30 am tomorrow in south Odisha. Collectors of five districts have been directed to start evacuation of people living in low lying areas. Adequate relief provisions have been made: Aditya Prasad Padhi, chief secretary, Odisha

4:05pm IST

Restrictions on train services

In view of Cyclone Titli, down trains from Hyderabad/Visakhapatnam will not be allowed from Duvvada after 6.40pm and no movement of passenger trains will take place between Khurda Road and Vizianagaram section after 10pm till further advice, reports ANI.

4:00pm IST

Train services hit

In view of Cyclone Titli, train services between Khurda Road and Vizianagaram will not be allowed after 10 pm and up trains from Howrah/Kharagpur will not be allowed from Bhadrak after 5.15pm till further notice, reports ANI.

2:30pm IST

Odisha CM orders evacuation of coastal areas

Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik took stock of the situation and asked the collectors of Ganjam, Puri, Khurda, Kendrapara and Jagtsinghpur districts to go for an immediate evacuation of people in the low-lying areas in the coastal belt, reports PTI.