India, Oct. 23 -- The Odisha government has stepped up preparations to deal with a possible cyclone, placing all 30 districts on alert and keeping a special watch on 16 districts likely to be more vulnerable to the developing weather system. The preparedness measures were discussed at a high-level meeting chaired by Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari at Lok Seva Bhawan on Friday. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has not yet provided a clear indication of where the system is likely to make landfall.Buy Maps

As part of the preparedness measures, leave for government officers and employees has been cancelled. District collectors will decide whether schools and colleges should remain closed, depending on the loc...