SHILLONG: The Deputy Commissioner and Chairman, District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), East Khasi Hills district has asked people to take precaution in view of the possibility of thunder squall accompanied by gusty winds and heavy rainfall occurring at isolated places in the state on May 4 and 5 while the state government has sought deployment of NDRF with Cyclone Fani approaching North East.
The deputy commissioner has asked people to ensure safe keeping of all objects such as lumber piles, loose tin sheets, loose bricks, garbage cans, sign boards etc. which might be blown away in strong winds.
On the other hand, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Kyrmen Shylla on Friday said that chances of Cyclone Fani affecting parts of the state are high and hence NDRF personnel have been asked to come to the state.
Stating that all deputy commissioners and SDRF have been asked to remain alert, he added that the former have also been directed to intimate all line departments like MeECL,Forest and PWD to be on standby.
As the cyclone made landfall at Puri in Odisha on Friday morning, Shillong witnessed heavy rain and fog.
In a statement, the Eastern Air Command said it is monitoring the situation with the assistance from Air Force headquarters .Six light helicopters
with winch for rescue work, five medium lift helicopters for deploying relief material and four AN 32 aircraft have been kept ready with medical relief teams for ferrying relief material, medical help and NDRF teams with equipment.
Helicopters have been kept ready at Bagdogra and Purnea for quick deployment in Odisha and West Bengal.
In addition, at Silchar and Kumbhigram medium lift helicopters have been kept on standby for the phase, when the storm would start to affect the states of Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur and Nagaland.
