The Odisha government initiated evacuations from vulnerable areas in eight southern districts Monday after the IMD issued a red alert for the south Odisha coast as deep depression intensified into cyclonic storm ‘Montha’ and advanced toward the eastern coast at 15 kmph.

The state government, which had earlier deployed 128 rescue teams from NDRF, ODRAF and Fire Service, further augmented it to 140 teams keeping in view of the requirement, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said after reviewing the situation in the evening.

He said 3,000 people and 1,496 pregnant women were shifted to the safer places by 5 PM of Monday ahead of the cyclone hitting the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh coast near Kakidana Tuesday evening or night.

“We have a target of evacuating 32,528 people

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