46 NDRF teams deployed in eastern coastal states for Cyclone Jawad

New Delhi, Dec 3 The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) on Friday said it has deployed 46 teams along the eastern coastal states ahead of Cyclone Jawad that is likely to impact the coastal areas from Saturday morning and touch Puri on Sunday afternoon.

NDRF Director General Atul Karwal said 18 teams have been deployed in West Bengal, and 12 each in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. "We have deployed as many teams as each of the three states asked for. The decision about their positioning happens with the consultation of the state government. We have pre-positioned the teams," he told a media conference here.

There were two teams each in Tamil Nadu and Andaman & Nicobar Islands, taking the total to 46 and as many as 18 teams have been kept in reserve in case there is a need for additional deployment. One team comprises an officer and 30 jawans.

The deep depression has already intensified into Cyclone Jawad (pronounced as Jowad) on Friday afternoon, India Meteorological Department Director General, Mrutyunjay Mahapatra said.

Soon after the IMD alert on November 30, the NDRF started its meeting from December 1 with the government officials in respective states to finalise the deployment plans.

There was also a National Crisis Management Team meeting chaired by the Cabinet Secretary along with the top officials from the affected states and Central ministries concerned to deliberate on the situation. The Prime Minister took a detailed review on Thursday. In the evening, Director General IMD, the Home Secretary, and the DG, NDRF briefed the ministers concerned and MPs of those states about the forecast and preparations that have been made for handling the cyclone situation.

The National Crisis Management Committee was meeting again on Friday.