Bhubaneswar, Oct 27 (PTI) The Odisha government geared up evacuation of people from vulnerable places amid inclement weather in eight southern districts where a "red alert" has been sounded, as the deep depression in the Bay of Bengal on Monday intensified into cyclonic storm 'Montha' and rolling towards east coast at a speed of 15 kmph, officials said.

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 neighouring Andhra Pradesh coast ne

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