Phailin: 2,000 NDRF personnel deployed in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal: NDMA

NEW DELHI: Bracing for cyclone Phailin which is expected to hit the east coast this evening, NDMA today said it has deployed nearly 2,000 personnel of the National Disaster Response Force in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal.

Nearly 4.4 lakh people have been evacuated from danger zones so far in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. "This might be the second biggest evacuation exercise undertaken since 1990 when six lakh people were evacuated in Andhra Pradesh," National Disaster Management Authority Vice-Chairman M Shashidhar Reddy told reporters here.

He said over 50 rescue teams with nearly 2,000 personnel have been put in place in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal.

Rescue and relief teams have been positioned in vulnerable coastal areas of the three states. Some additional teams have also been kept as reserve.

29 teams of NDRF have been deployed along with rescue equipment in Odisha. In Andhra Pradesh, 15 teams have been deployed and four additional teams are also being rushed from Tamil Nadu, while seven teams have been deployed in West Bengal.

The teams have been equipped with satellite phones and wireless sets to maintain smooth communication, in case normal communication lines are affected due to the cyclone.