PM chairs meeting to review Cyclone Remal preparedness, provides update on disaster management infrastructure
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday chaired a meeting to review preparedness for Cyclone Remal, asking the Home Ministry to monitor the situation and conduct a review after the cyclone arrives to bring the assistance needed for restoration.
At the meeting at his residence on 7 Lok Kalyan Marg, the Prime Minister directed that apart from the 12 NDRF teams already deployed in West Bengal and one in Odisha, more teams should be kept on standby and able to move at a hour, according to a press release. » said the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
« I reviewed the preparedness in the wake of Cyclone Remal. I took stock of the disaster management infrastructure and other related aspects. I pray for the safety and well-being of everyone « Modi said in a post on X.
Met officials said the landing process at Remal, whose center is about 30 km from the coast at 8:30 p.m., had begun and would continue for about four hours.
« The landfall process of severe cyclonic storm ‘Remal’ has started on the adjacent coasts of West Bengal and Bangladesh, between Sagar Island and Khepupara, near southwest Mongla in the neighboring country, » a a Met official said, adding that it would make landfall around midnight.
Prime Minister Modi was informed that the National Crisis Management Committee is in regular touch with the West Bengal government, the PMO statement said.
All fishermen have been advised not to venture into the southern Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea and around a million people are being moved to safer places, he said.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) is also extending its information support to Bangladesh with regular updates, the statement said.
PM Modi said the Center has extended full support to the state government and should continue to do so.
He said the Interior Ministry should monitor the situation and conduct a review after the cyclone arrives to provide necessary assistance for restoration, the statement said.
The Prime Minister requested that more teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) be kept on standby and be able to move within an hour. The Indian Coast Guard must also deploy its resources in the event of an emergency.
Modi said there should be high vigilance at ports, railways and highways to avoid any untoward incident, the statement said.
Principal Secretary to Prime Minister, Cabinet Secretary, Home Minister, Director General of NDRF, Director General of IMD and Member Secretary of NDMA were also present in the meeting.