Odisha Cyclone Alert: Schools Shut in Five Districts

Odisha has stepped up its cyclone preparedness, with schools, colleges and Anganwadi centres in five southern districts ordered to remain closed on October 28 and 29 as a developing system over the Bay of Bengal threatens to bring heavy rainfall and strong winds. The state government has placed disaster response teams on alert, prepared shelters for possible evacuations and directed officials to prioritise the safety of vulnerable residents.

The precautionary measures come as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasts that a depression over the Bay of Bengal could intensify into a cyclonic storm by Monday morning before moving towards the Andhra Pradesh coast. The exact landfall location remains undetermined, while parts of southern Odisha are expected to experience heavy to very heavy rainfall.

The districts facing school and college closures are Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput and Malkangiri. The cyclone threat has also prompted the postponement of President Droupadi Murmu’s scheduled two-day visit to Odisha on October 28 and 29. The visit has been rescheduled for November 4 and 5.

Five Southern Odisha Districts Order Educational Institutions Closed

Schools, colleges and Anganwadi centres in Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput and Malkangiri will remain closed on October 28 and 29 as authorities prepare for the possibility of severe weather associated with the developing cyclone.

These districts are expected to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall, with the Odisha government warning of wind speeds of 80–90 kmph in the likely affected areas. Several coastal districts are also expected to receive rainfall beginning October 27.

The closures are a precautionary measure intended to support public safety as the weather system develops. Officials in other coastal districts have been authorised to decide whether schools should close based on changing weather conditions and local assessments.

District administrations have also been instructed to identify vulnerable locations and prepare cyclone and flood shelters for possible evacuations. Particular attention has been directed towards moving patients and pregnant women to health centres when necessary.

The extent of the eventual impact will depend on the cyclone’s development, movement and landfall location. Authorities are therefore preparing for changing conditions while monitoring the IMD’s forecasts.

IMD Tracks Developing Depression Over the Bay of Bengal

According to the IMD, a low-pressure area over the east-central and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal is expected to intensify into a depression and then a deep depression over the following 24 hours. The system is forecast to strengthen into a cyclonic storm by Monday morning.

The weather system is expected to move west-northwest towards the Andhra Pradesh coast, with landfall anticipated by Wednesday morning. However, meteorologists have not yet determined the precise location where the system could cross the coast.

The forecast places southern Odisha among the areas requiring close monitoring because of the possibility of heavy rainfall and strong winds. Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput and Malkangiri have been identified by the state government as districts likely to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall.

Rainfall is also expected in several coastal districts from October 27, according to the information provided by the state government. The developing system could therefore affect areas beyond the five districts where educational institutions have already been ordered to close.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said, citing IMD inputs, that the cyclone was more likely to make landfall along the Andhra Pradesh coast. This remains a forecast rather than a confirmed landfall location, and authorities are continuing to prepare for possible impacts in Odisha.

Odisha Places 60 ODRAF, 17 NDRF and 225 Fire Service Teams on Alert

Odisha has placed a substantial emergency response force on alert as part of its preparations for the approaching cyclone. The deployment plan includes 60 Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) teams, 17 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams and 225 fire service teams.

These teams are expected to assist with rescue and relief operations in districts likely to be affected by heavy rainfall, strong winds or related emergencies. Their readiness is intended to help local administrations respond as conditions evolve.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi reviewed the state’s preparedness and directed officials to work towards ensuring zero casualties. The government is drawing on Odisha’s experience in managing previous cyclones as it prepares for the developing weather system.

District collectors have been instructed to identify vulnerable areas, ensure that cyclone and flood shelters are ready and prepare for evacuations where required. The instructions also emphasise prioritising people who may need assistance reaching safe locations, including patients and pregnant women.

The availability of response teams is one part of the preparedness effort. Local officials are also expected to coordinate shelter arrangements, medical support and restoration work so that essential services can be addressed if the weather causes disruption.

Fishermen Warned as Strong Winds Threaten Coastal Areas

Authorities have warned fishermen against venturing into the sea as the system intensifies. The precaution follows forecasts of strong, gusty winds along the coastline and heavy rainfall in parts of the region.

Fishermen and coastal communities are among the groups that may face increased risks as weather conditions deteriorate. The restrictions are intended to reduce exposure to dangerous sea and wind conditions while the system moves towards the coast.

The state has also directed health centres in vulnerable areas to maintain adequate stocks of anti-snake venom, medicines and medical kits. These preparations are intended to ensure that medical facilities can respond to emergencies during periods of heavy rainfall and possible flooding.

Officials have been asked to consider the needs of residents who may require medical assistance or evacuation. The focus on medicine supplies and access to health centres forms part of the broader effort to protect vulnerable populations.

Departments Prepare for Road Clearance and Restoration Work

Engineering departments in Odisha have been instructed to prepare for immediate restoration work if the cyclone causes damage or disrupts transport links. One of the priorities is clearing roads blocked by fallen trees so that movement and emergency access can be restored as quickly as possible.

Road clearance can be particularly important during severe weather because blocked routes may delay rescue operations, medical assistance and the movement of essential supplies. The government’s instructions are aimed at ensuring that the relevant departments are ready to respond if such problems arise.

Officials have also been asked to alert farmers as the harvesting season approaches. Chief Minister Majhi directed authorities to raise awareness about harvesting and safely storing crops ahead of the expected adverse weather.

The agricultural precautions are significant because heavy rainfall and strong winds during the harvesting period could create challenges for farmers. The instructions focus on informing farmers and encouraging preparations before the weather system reaches the coast.

The actual impact on crops will depend on the timing and intensity of the rainfall and winds in individual areas. The government has not provided an estimate of potential agricultural losses in the information available.

President Droupadi Murmu’s Odisha Visit Postponed

The developing cyclone threat has also led to a change in President Droupadi Murmu’s travel schedule. Her planned two-day visit to Odisha on October 28 and 29 has been postponed, with the revised dates set for November 4 and 5.

The rescheduling comes as the state prepares for heavy rainfall and possible cyclone-related disruption. The original visit coincided with the period when authorities expect adverse weather conditions in parts of Odisha.

No further details about changes to the President’s programme were provided in the supplied information. The confirmed change is that the visit has been moved to the first week of November.

Andhra Pradesh Also on Alert as Heavy Rain Forecast

Neighbouring Andhra Pradesh is also preparing for the developing weather system, which the IMD expects to move towards its coast. However, officials said authorities in the state had not yet ordered school closures or evacuations at the time of the report.

Prakhar Jain, managing director of the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority, said widespread rainfall was expected to begin on Monday under the system’s influence, followed by heavy to very heavy rainfall on Tuesday and Wednesday.

“Strong, gusty winds will prevail along the coastline,” Jain said.

His remarks underline the potential for adverse weather along the Andhra Pradesh coast as the depression strengthens. The forecast also helps explain why officials in both states are monitoring the system closely, even though the exact landfall location has not yet been determined.

Odisha’s Chief Minister has said that, based on IMD inputs, a landfall along the Andhra Pradesh coast is more likely. Nevertheless, the system’s eventual path and the distribution of rainfall will determine which districts experience the most significant effects.

District Administrations Asked to Prepare for Possible Evacuations

Odisha’s preparedness measures extend beyond the closure of educational institutions and the deployment of emergency teams. District collectors have been authorised to make decisions about school closures in other coastal areas as the forecast changes.

They have also been directed to identify vulnerable areas and ensure that cyclone and flood shelters are ready to accommodate residents if evacuations become necessary. Special priority has been given to shifting patients and pregnant women to health centres.

These preparations are intended to allow local administrations to respond according to conditions on the ground. Because the precise landfall location remains uncertain, officials are being asked to monitor developments and ensure that facilities are ready before severe weather arrives.

The state’s instructions also cover medical supplies, fisheries safety, agricultural precautions and road restoration. Together, these measures are designed to prepare government departments for several possible consequences of heavy rainfall and strong winds.

What Happens Next as the Cyclone System Develops?

The next stage will depend on whether the system intensifies as forecast and how it moves across the Bay of Bengal. The IMD expects the depression to strengthen into a deep depression before becoming a cyclonic storm by Monday morning, with a west-northwestward movement towards the Andhra Pradesh coast.

Landfall is expected by Wednesday morning, but the exact location has not been determined. The Odisha government is preparing for heavy to very heavy rainfall in five southern districts, while several coastal districts may also experience rain from October 27.

Residents in potentially affected areas should follow official announcements from district administrations and weather authorities as forecasts are updated. School closures, evacuation arrangements and other local measures may vary according to the evolving situation.

For now, Odisha remains on high alert, with disaster response teams prepared for deployment, shelters being readied and departments instructed to prepare for emergency operations. Andhra Pradesh is also monitoring the system as it approaches the coast.

The immediate priority for both states is to prepare for the forecast rainfall and strong winds while awaiting greater clarity on the cyclone’s path and landfall location. Odisha’s government has set a target of zero casualties, with its preparedness efforts focused on protecting residents and ensuring that emergency services are ready if conditions worsen.