Bhubaneswar, India: November 15, 2007 – IR Summary - A very severe cyclonic storm over the Bay of Bengal is likely to trigger surge of tidal waves up to six feet high and a high-speed gale in coastal Orissa. The State Government has started evacuating the people from the affected districts.

As per reports, the Govt. authorities have started their evacuation campaign from around  500 villages living on the 480-km strech of Orissa coast.

Though the cyclonic system, christened Sidr, skipped Orissa and moved towards West Bengal-Bangladesh region, the cyclonic warning centre here warned that under its impact tidal waves upto a height five to six feet above normal tide are likely in coastal areas of Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur districts as per PTI.

"Tidal surge might be experienced at the time of the storm crossing the coast," CWC Director Sarat Sahu said adding that a gale with wind speed of 90-120 kmph was also likely to occur very soon.

As the system approaches the coast, a gale with wind speed reaching 120-150 kmph was likely along and off north Orissa coast, while a gale with wind speed reaching 90-120 kmph along and off south Orissa is likely by Friday, Sahu said and warned that "sea condition will be very high -- over 14 metres."

The CWC forecast that the system with maximum sustained wind speed of 200 kmph was likely to cross West Bengal- Bangladesh coast east of Sagar island around mid-night on Thursday as it has shown fast movement during the last three hours.