Odisha closes schools in five districts as cyclone nears

Odisha has announced school and college closures in five districts and mobilised emergency teams as a developing Bay of Bengal system is forecast to approach the coast around October 28. The state government is preparing for possible heavy rain and wind, while the storm’s track and strength remain subject to forecasts. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said schools, colleges and Anganwadi centres in Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput and Malkangiri will close on October 28 and 29. District collectors will decide whether to order closures elsewhere based on conditions. Majhi described preventing casualties as the government’s objective. The government reported deploying about 60 Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force teams and 17 National Disaster Response Force teams. Another 225 Fire Services teams are on high alert, officials said. Cyclone and flood shelters have been prepared, and authorities are prioritising the relocation of people in vulnerable areas, including patients and pregnant women, to safer locations or health facilities. Majhi said the system was expected near the north Andhra Pradesh-south Odisha coast on October 28, with a greater probability of landfall along...