A mock drill exercise in Kendrapara district’s Rajnagar and people evacuated from vulnerable villages arrive at a cyclone shelter building in Kendrapara district. Telegraph pictures

Paradip, Oct. 11: People living at the seaside villages of Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur districts are in no mood take chances even though the impact of cyclone Hudhud is likely to be less severe in these parts.

These areas have been experiencing continuous rain accompanied by wind since this morning. Precaution has become the prime concern for the people since the 1999 super cyclone had devastated these villages.

Be it Sandhakuda fishing village near Paradip or Kharinasi hamlet in Kendrapara, the scenario is hardly different. Local residents, for whom formation of low pressure, depression and storm has become a periodic feature, are alert to face exigencies.

“On October 29-30, 1999, the super cyclone had, quite literally, wiped out our village. Over 900 people died. People had then thrown caution to the winds and exposed themselves to the marauding tidal waves. Now, things are different. We faced Phailin stubbornly last year and have encountered cyclonic situations over a dozen of times in the past few years,” said Sandhakuda resident S. Ramamurthy, a fisherman by profession.

“There has been no power supply to our village since last night. We are tuning into the hourly radio updates of AIR Cuttack. The forecast says cyclone Hudhud would be less severe in our areas. But, we are on alert to take on extreme weather. Heavy rain is lashing our village and the wind speed is also picking up. The sea has become very rough. We are keeping a close watch on the situation. If the wind persists, we will move to the cyclone shelter,” said a former sarpanch of the seaside Ramnagar village.

“We are scared of the ingress of tidal waves. So, it is better to move to safer place, particularly for the night. Why should we wait for the government to act?” asked Kanarabadadandua villager Chandan Manna.

“The 1999 cyclone had taught us not to ignore weather warnings. Whenever there is any forecast of depression and stormy weather, the fishermen have been staying away from the sea. People here have made it a point to relocate to double-storey pucca buildings and shelter houses,” said Ambiki villager Haripad Bhuyan.

Having paid the price for ignoring the 1999 cyclone warning, people from the vulnerable pockets have grown strikingly vigilant since then, feel officials.

In another development, with Hudhud likely to intensify tonight, Paradip Port Trust authorities have relocated all vessels to a safer zone of the harbour, said security officer of the port trust Gouri Prasad Biswal.

The cyclone contingency plan of the port has been invoked. A control room has been set up at the signal station of the port to keep round-the-clock watch. The marine department has been kept on alert to meet with emergencies. Both officers and lower-ranked employees have been barred from taking leave.

Arrangements have also been made for the people staying in temporary shelters and low-lying areas. They have been moved to cyclone shelters and other suitable premises located in various areas of the port township. Adequate dry food, drinking water and first-aid kits have been provided at all these shelters, said a port official.