Bhubaneswar, October 21: With the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting that a severe cyclonic storm with wind speed of 100-120 kmph slated to hit the Odisha coast by October 25, the Odisha government on Monday issued an advisory asking tourists to vacate pilgrim town Puri soon.

State Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari issued the advisory after a review meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Monday. "The tourists who have come to Puri should leave the seaside pilgrim town soon as the district is likely to be affected by the severe cyclonic storm," Pujari told reporters. Cyclone Dana: IMD Predicts Heavy Rainfall in Odisha As Storm Set To Make Landfall on October 24.

Pujari said that the Puri district administration has also been asked to discourage people from visiting the pilgrim town from Tuesday till after the cyclone makes landfall as it could cause damage.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)