Phailin: no impact on India's key missile launch facilities

"All equipment at the missile launch stations in Chandipur and Wheeler Island are safe. Our scientists and personnel are also safe," said an official at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) that manages these sites. Rahul Singh reports.

Cyclone Phailin has had no impact on India's missile launch stations at Chandipur and Wheeler Island off the coast of Odisha, defense officials said on Sunday.

People-watch-as-waves-from-the-Bay-of-Bengal-approach-the-shore-in-Visakhapatnam-district-in-Andhra-Pradesh-Reuters

Chandipur lies about 300 km north of Gopalpur, where the severe cyclonic storm made landfall on Saturday night packing winds at a speed of over 200 km per hour. Although Chandipur was not in the path of the storm, armed forces had swung into action to protect their vital assets along the Odisha coast, which also include a naval base at Chilika lake and an air defense training center at Gopalpur.

"All equipment at the missile launch stations in Chandipur and Wheeler Island are safe. Our scientists and personnel are also safe," said an official at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) that manages these sites.

He said the organisation was hoping to carry out the training and missile launches scheduled for November.

On Saturday, DRDO had secured telemetry equipment and radars deployed along the coastal areas. Such equipment are used by the DRDO for tracking missiles and monitoring the accuracy of a mission.

High-speed infrared cameras to capture the sequence of a missile launch at the two facilities were also secured from any potential damage.

Scientists and personnel manning these stations were moved to safer places, as a precautionary measure.