As the Cyclone Gulab formed in the Bay of Bengal is expected to make landfall between north Andhra Pradesh and south Odisha coast around midnight, the Indian Navy is closely monitoring the movement of the cyclonic storm. Headquarters, Eastern Naval Command, and Naval Officers-in-Charge, Odisha Area, have carried out preparatory activities to combat the effects of the cyclone and are in constant liaison with the State administrations for rendering assistance as required.
As part of the preparedness, flood relief teams and diving teams are positioned in Odisha and are ready at Visakhapatnam to render immediate assistance. Two naval ships are at sea with Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) material and medical teams to render assistance in the most affected areas. Naval aircraft are kept ready at Naval Air Stations, INS Dega, in Visakhapatnam and INS Rajali, near Chennai, to undertake an aerial survey of the most affected areas, casualty evacuation, and airdrop of relief material, as required.
