Balasore: More than 2,500 people living in villages around the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur, were evacuated to temporary shelters on Tuesday as a precautionary measure ahead of a missile test. The missile was successfully test-fired from Launch Complex-3 at 11.19 am. Altogether 2,524 people from four villages located within a two-km radius of the test site were shifted to designated shelters to ensure their safety during the operation. After the test, they were allowed to return to their homes.The district administration, in coordination with the defence authorities and police, made elaborate arrangements for the evacuation. Four temporary shelters were set up, including multipurpose cyclone shelters and school buildings, where arrangements for food, drinking water, medicines and other basic amenities were made.Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) reportedly bore the expenses related to the evacuation and provided financial assistance to the affected residents towards their daily wages. Special vehicles were arranged to transport villagers to the shelters.Block development officer (Sadar) Uttam Jena said six villages located within a radius of 1 to 2 km from the test site had been identified for evacuation. Around 2,500 to 2,600 people were expected to be shifted, for which six shelters were planned. “Two multipurpose cyclone shelters are located at Jayadev Kasba and Khadupahi, while temporary shelters were arranged at other locations,” Jena said.Medical teams and fire service personnel were deployed at the shelters to handle any emergency. Breakfast, lunch and other refreshments were also provided to the evacuees. The administration had taken all necessary precautionary measures to prevent any untoward incident during the missile test. Residents were allowed to return to their villages after receiving clearance from DRDO.