By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The East Khasi Hills district administration has issued a cyclone alert and has got in place several measures in view of the Mahasen cyclone that is scheduled to hit the North Eastern states including Meghalaya.
The cyclonic storm Mahasen made a landfall in Bangladesh on Thursday with wind speed of 100 kmph that lashed the coastal areas of the country and resulted in heavy rainfall in several parts of the north eastern region including Meghalaya.
As per a weather advisory issued by the North Eastern Space Application Centre (NESAC), Umiam, the cyclonic storm lay centered near Latitude 20.0 N and Longitude 89.5 E over northwest Bay of Bengal (as on May 16, 0530 hrs, IST), about 990 km northnorthwest of Portblair. It moved northeastwards and crossed Bangladesh near Chittagong on Thursday night. The system will move further northeast ward and cross Mizoram, Southern Assam, and Manipur before dying over eastern Manipur. Meteorological officials based in Shillong have informed that moderate to heavy rainfall is likely in the next three days.
Goyal informed that the district’s disaster management committee has been put on alert for any eventuality.
“A control room has been set up with telephone number 0364- 2225289 has been set up while Block Development Officers and Gram Sevaks have been directed to camp in their respective areas for the next 48 hours,” he said.
Goyal said personnel from the Civil Defence and other authorities have also been put on alert.
“An assessment of the available stock of relief material, including food items, has been undertaken in the event of the need to dispatch material on short notice,” he informed.
Goyal said it is unlikely that the cyclone will have a direct impact on Meghalaya except for heavy to very heavy rainfall in various pockets.
The Border Security Force, manning the Indo-Bangla border, has also put its troops under alert and doctors have been placed in various border outposts in case medical help is required to be rendered, an official informed.
In West Garo Hills District, the district administration has declared holiday for all lower primary and upper primary schools on Friday.
“We have declared holiday for all schools tomorrow and a few schools have been requisitioned, in case affected people need to be accommodated,” West Garo Hills District Deputy Commissioner Pravin Bakshi informed. (With inputs from agencies)