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Speaking to ANI, Odisha Minister Suresh Pujari said, "Such a large level of successful evacuation is rare in history. There were no casualties reported... We moved all the pregnant women safely to the PHCs and CHCs... The deployment of police officers was also the largest in the history of Odisha. The restoration work is about to be completed.'

He mentioned that the transport connections are back to normal. "The rail, road and air connectivity are back to normal. We have got the preliminary assessment of all the damage...The people can stay in the relief centres till they are not able to return to their houses," he added.

Cyclone 'Dana' hit the Odisha coast on Friday, uprooting trees, snapping power lines in several areas, and killing a person in West Bengal. The storm made landfall between Bhitarkanika and Dhamra in Odisha with wind speeds of 100-110 kmph.

Earlier, Odisha Chief Minister informed that 4431 pregnant women have been shifted to health centres, with 1600 childbirths reported, and all mothers and babies are healthy. The situation is being monitored 24/7. With Lord Jagannath's blessings, we will successfully overcome the cyclone.

Addressing a press conference, CM Majhi said that eight lakh people have been evacuated so far and restoration of electric wires is underway. He also informed me that the officials are facing problems due to continuous rain.

"Odisha is safe now. After the landfall of the cyclone, I reviewed the situation, and due to teamwork, we achieved zero casualties. We had evacuated eight lakh people. Many relief centres are still open. Restoration of electric wires is going on. We are facing problems due to continuous rain. Crops of 1.75 lakhs hector have been damaged. The Budhabalanga River is flooded but it is flowing below the danger level," he said.

Odisha Deputy CM KV Singh Deo also highlighted that there have been zero casualties and 90 percent of electricity damage has been restored.

"There has been zero casualty. One cattle was reported lost. Restoration works have been done. 90 percent of electricity damage has been restored. All government officers have done their work properly. We have given instructions to submit their damage reports," he said.

Meanwhile, CDMO Jajpur, Shibasish Moharana, said that 163 deliveries have happened during the cylone in the district. (ANI)

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"We reiterate our call to all concerned to exercise restraint and return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy. The ongoing hostilities are to nobody’s benefit, even as innocent hostages and civilian populations continue to suffer," read a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

"Our Missions in the region are in contact with the Indian community," it added.

New Delhi's reaction came after the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) announced earlier in the day that they had successfully completed "precise and targeted strikes" against multiple military targets in Iran that posed an immediate threat to Israel.

These strikes, conducted in three waves in collaboration with the Israeli Air Force (IAF), took place early Saturday in response to a ballistic missile attack on October 1, revealed IDF spokesman, Brigadier General Daniel Hagar.

"Our message is clear: anyone who threatens the State of Israel and strives to drag the region into a wider escalation will pay a heavy price. We proved today that we have the ability to act decisively, and that we are ready, in attack and defense, to protect the State of Israel and the citizens of Israel," said Hagar.

He added: "The IDF has fulfilled its mission. Should the Iranian regime make the mistake of initiating a new escalation, we will respond."

Several countries, including from the Middle East, have called for the earliest possible normalization of the military and political situation in the region while urging all parties involved to prevent the situation from developing into a catastrophic scenario.

Qatar, Jordan, UAE and Saudi Arabia condemned the Israeli airstrikes, expressing deep concern over the continued escalation and its repercussions on security and stability in the region.

The countries urged all concerned parties to exercise restraint, resolve disputes through dialogue and peaceful means, and avoid anything that could destabilise security and stability in West Asia.

The countries also called on the international community and influential and active parties to carry out their roles and responsibilities towards reducing escalation and ending the conflicts in the region.

"The Kingdom affirms its unwavering position in its rejection of the continued escalation in the region and the expansion of the conflict that threatens the security and stability of the countries and people of the region.

The Kingdom urges all parties to exercise the utmost restraint and reduce escalation, and warns of the consequences of continuing military conflicts in the region," said the foreign ministry of Saudi Arabia.

--IANS

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Lobera, who led Mumbai City FC to a historic double in the 2020-21 season, remains cherished by the West Coast Brigade, promising an emotional return for the Spaniard.

Both teams will be looking to secure a critical win, as Odisha FC seek to break their away game losing streak while Mumbai City FC hope to improve their start to the season.

The two teams have played each other 10 times in the Indian Super League (ISL). Mumbai City FC have won six games and Odisha FC have emerged victorious thrice. Only one encounter has resulted in a draw.

Mumbai City FC head coach Petr Kratky is in a pleasant mood after finally getting three points in their bag against FC Goa. He is confident that the team is on the right path and expressed happiness about the present camaraderie in their setup.

“We still need to improve a lot of football, but we are on a good pathway. The boys are together, which is very important, and fighting until the last minute. So, I'm very happy for the group, and again, it's part of the football, where we need to just go game by game, and now we have to focus on the other one,” Kratky said.

Odisha FC, much like Mumbai City, head into this game on the back of a 2-1 win. Their triumph against East Bengal FC must have come as a sigh of relief for Sergio Lobera, but he is demanding more from his players.

“Results are important but as a coach, I have to analyse. And from my analysis, I feel we need to improve. The result can't change my mentality as a coach. We need to be ambitious and we need to improve,” Lobera said.

--IANS

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