Cyclonic storm may not have much impact on A.P.

North Coastal A.P. may receive heavy to very heavy rainfall on October 24 and 25, say IMD officials

The impact of the impending cyclonic storm may not be felt much along the Andhra Pradesh coast, but the districts of North Coastal A.P. may receive heavy to very heavy rainfall on October 24 and 25, said officials at the India Meteorological Department.

Senior scientist at IMD Amaravati S. Karunasagar said they felt the impact might be less on A.P., but a clear picture would emerge in the next few days. “We are not expecting extremely heavy rainfall here, but heavy to very heavy rainfall may be expected in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Parvatipuram Manyam districts,” he said.

As of October 21, Monday, the IMD has given a yellow alert (heavy rain) for the region on October 24 and 25. According to the 3.30 p.m. bulletin from the IMD, the low pressure area, formed over the Eastcentral Bay of Bengal and adjoining north Andaman Sea, on Monday early morning moved west-northwestwards and lay as a well-marked low pressure area over the same region as of 11.30 a.m.

The IMD said it was very likely to move west-northwestwards and intensify into a depression by October 22 morning and into a cyclonic storm by October 23 over eastcentral Bay of Bengal. Thereafter, it was very likely to move northwestwards and reach Odisha-West Bengal coasts by October 24 morning. By October 25 morning, it was likely to cross north Odisha and West Bengal coasts between Puri and Sagar Island as a severe cyclonic storm with a wind speed of 100-110 kmph gusting up to 120 kmph. 

Light to moderate rainfall was very likely in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Vishakhapatnam districts on October 24 and 25, it said.

Cyclone preparedness

Meanwhile, the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority has cautioned fishermen against venturing into the sea until October 25.

Special Chief Secretary (Lands, Stamps and Registration, Disaster Management) of Revenue Department R.P. Sisodia on Monday took part in a video conference organised by the National Crisis Management Committee on cyclone preparedness. The conference was attended by the Secretaries of various departments and from Odisha and West Bengal, officials from IMD, National Disaster Management Force and others.

Mr. Sisodia said the Collectors of North Coastal A.P. had been alerted and added that the NDRF and SDRF personnel had been roped in for emergency relief operations. He said arrangements had been made to shift people to rehabilitation centres if needed, and that all emergency drugs had been kept ready.

Published - October 21, 2024 09:05 pm IST