BHUBANESWAR: The Puri district administration has urged elderly women devotees to stay away from the Jagannath Temple on Thursday and Friday on account of Cyclone Dana, set to hit the state within the next 24 hours.
Popular tourists sites like the Konark Sun Temple as well as the beaches in Puri, Konark and Jagatsinghpur districts have also been made out of bounds for visitors for the next two days.
“In view of the safety of elderly devotees who have come from across the state to perform Kartik Brata, the district administration has cancelled their trip to Jagannath Temple from their respective accommodations. Other devotees can go to the temple,” Puri collector Siddhant Sekhar Swain said.
According to the IMD forecast, severe cyclonic storm Dana is expected to make landfall between Bhitarkanika and Dhamra between Thursday night and Friday morning. The approaching cyclonic storm is likely to batter seven coastal districts with extremely heavy rain and wind speed of 100-120 km per hour.
The govt has also postponed the Odisha Civil Services (OCS) prelim exam, scheduled on Oct 27. The next date of examination will be announced in the next seven days, an official source said.
Jagatsinghpur administration has imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) on beaches and coastline areas of the district in view of impending cyclone.
“As per the weather forecast, there will be significant impact of the cyclone on the district. So, as a precautionary measure, we have asked people not to venture to the sea beaches and river mouths as storm surge is expected,” said J Sonal, district collector of Jagatsinghpur.
In view of Cyclone Dana, the Odisha State Museum, Odisha State Archives and Harekrushna Mahatab State Library will remain closed for the public for the next two days. Furthermore, places such as Rabindra Mandap, Utkal Mandap and Bhanjakala Mandap in the city will remain closed during this period.
Orissa high court in Cuttack will also remain closed on Oct 24 and 25 as will the lower courts in the affected areas. Among those to stay closed will be the Nandankanan Zoological Park, Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary and Similipal Tiger Reserve.
Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India. Don't miss daily games like Crossword, Sudoku, and Mini Crossword.Minati Singha is a correspondent at The Times of India, and cover...
Read MoreMinati Singha is a correspondent at The Times of India, and covers education, health, art, culture and lifestyle trends. She is fun-loving and adventurous, with a ‘never say no’ attitude. Her hobbies include reading novels, listening to music and watching movies.
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