The NDRF has deployed a total of 56 teams in five states, including Odisha and West Bengal, in view of cyclone 'Dana', which is expected to make landfall along the Odisha coast between October 24 and 25.
Mohsen Shahedi, deputy inspector general (operations) of the NDRF, told PTI that the teams are equipped with pole and tree cutters, inflatable boats, basic first-aid tools and other flood rescue equipment.
"The focus areas for us, and as informed by the IMD and other agencies, are the states of Odisha and West Bengal," the officer of the federal disaster contingency force said.
A senior officer added that a total of 45 teams were sought by the states in view of the cyclone. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has earmarked a total of 56 teams, out of which 45 are on active deployment right now.
Those in reserve will be positioned on active duty as the situation develops, he said.
There are 20 teams in Odisha, out of which one is in reserve, while of the 17 in West Bengal, 13 are in reserve. Apart from the NDRF, the respective state disaster response forces are also deployed in these areas, the second officer said.
The NDRF has also deployed nine teams each in Andhra Pradesh and Jharkhand while one has been based in Chhattisgarh as these states may face heavy rains and flooding post the landfall of the cyclone in the intervening hours of Thursday and Friday.
The rescue teams, along with the state forces and local administration, are currently evacuating people from the coastal and affected areas, the officer said.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Wednesday said the cyclone is likely to make landfall between the Bhitarkanika National Park and Dhamra port, around 70 km away, early Friday.
It said that the landfall process will start from the night of October 24 and continue till the morning of October 25. The maximum speed during the landfall process is likely to be around 120 kmph, as per the IMD.
Dana means "generosity" in Arabic and the name for the cyclone was chosen by Qatar as per the standard convention of naming tropical cyclones in the region.
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