New Delhi [India], November 30 : The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has taken extensive preparedness measures to ensure telecom network resilience in view of Cyclone Ditwah over the Bay of Bengal, likely to impact coastal Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
DoT has set up a 24x7 Control Room to Safeguard Telecom Connectivity amid the Cyclone Ditwah threat, coordinate with service providers, and facilitate prompt responses through district administrations and the State Disaster Management Authority, the Ministry of Communications said.
All Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) have been instructed to ensure uninterrupted network operations, adequate fuel reserves, readiness of emergency power backups, and deployment of field response teams in vulnerable districts.
As per the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP-2020), DoT has ensured completion of Intra Circle Roaming (ICR) and Cell Broadcast (CB) testing across all networks to maintain communication continuity and Early warning during exigencies. DoT Ensures Telecom Network Resilience in View of Cyclone Ditwah. The DoT continues to closely monitor the situation through its control room and regular updates from TSPs to ensure uninterrupted connectivity during and after the cyclone.
As per the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the Cyclonic Storm Ditwah is very likely to move nearly northwards parallel to the North Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts during the next 24 hours.
While moving northwards, the cyclonic storm will be centred over the southwest Bay of Bengal within a minimum distance of 70 km and 30 km from the Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coastline by noon and evening today.
The IMD on Sunday issued a red alert for the north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts, as Cyclonic Storm Ditwah continues its northward trajectory over the southwest Bay of Bengal, steadily moving closer to the shoreline.
According to the IMD's 5:30 am update on Sunday, Cyclone Ditwah moved nearly northwards at a speed of 7 kmph over the past six hours and was centred over the southwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining North Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts.