Cyclone Yaas: Shift to shelter homes, wear double masks, Odisha CM tells people in coastal areas

Bhubaneswar, May 24: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday urged people residing in the coastal belts, especially the ones living in low-lying areas, to cooperate with the administration and shift to shelter homes, while adhering to all COVID-19 protocols, as cyclone ''Yaas'' approaches the state.

The cyclonic storm, which lay 540 km south-southeast of Paradip, is very likely to cross Odisha-Bengal coast on Wednesday, and the Met department has anticipated that it will make a landfall somewhere in Balasore district.

The chief minister, in a video message, said, "Cyclones are nothing new to us, but a slight negligence can trigger huge problems. Lives of all 4.5 crore people are precious to me as I consider them my family members. Please cooperate with the administration and shift to shelter homes."

Maintaining that the state will have to deal with the twin challenges of cyclone and COVID-19 pandemic, Patnaik said, "Officials will provide masks in the multi-purpose shelters. Please wear double masks. One mask is not sufficient to prevent the spread of infection."

The CM requested people to wash hands frequently with soaps and sanitisers.

"We have to be extra cautious during this cyclone. Last year, too, we had experienced cyclone Amphan amid the pandemic. It was handled well as people cooperated," he said.

Odisha has "all along successfully tackled calamities" with help of panchayati raj institutions, other local bodies, and civil societies, Patnaik maintained.

"This time, too, we will all work in tandem to combat the calamity and the pandemic," he added.