Daijiworld Media Network - Visakhapatnam
Visakhapatnam, Oct 25: Extremely heavy rainfall is likely over coastal Andhra Pradesh on October 27 and 28 under the influence of an impending very severe cyclonic storm over the west-central Bay of Bengal, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Sunday.
The IMD issued a cyclone alert for the Andhra Pradesh and adjoining South Odisha coasts, placing both states under an Orange alert. Extremely heavy rainfall has also been forecast in Odisha and Telangana on October 28 and in Chhattisgarh on October 28 and 29.
According to the latest IMD bulletin, the depression over the east-central and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal moved southwestwards at a speed of 5 kmph during the six hours preceding the bulletin and intensified into a deep depression.
At 11.30 a.m. on Sunday, the system was centred over the same region, about 420 km north-northwest of the Andaman Islands, 870 km east-southeast of Visakhapatnam, 960 km east-southeast of Kakinada, 1,060 km east-southeast of Machilipatnam and 1,130 km east of Bapatla.
The system is very likely to move nearly southwestwards and intensify further into a cyclonic storm over the east-central and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal by the early morning of October 26.
It is then expected to move west-northwestwards over the east-central and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal, intensifying into a severe cyclonic storm over the west-central Bay around the morning of October 27.
Thereafter, the system is likely to move northwestwards, strengthen into a very severe cyclonic storm and reach the west-central Bay of Bengal near the Andhra Pradesh coast around the morning of October 28.
The cyclone is very likely to cross the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam as a very severe cyclonic storm by the forenoon of October 28. The maximum sustained wind speed is expected to be 115-125 kmph, with gusts reaching 140 kmph.
The Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority has advised fishermen not to venture into the sea. Those with boats and fishing nets have been urged to secure them at safe locations.
Authority Managing Director Prakhar Jain cautioned people against going near high waves on beaches to take selfies and urged everyone to remain extremely vigilant.
Authorities have issued a Red alert for Kakinada, Konaseema, Eluru, East Godavari, West Godavari and Krishna districts for October 27.
An Orange alert has been issued for Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, Alluri Sitharama Raju, Anakapalli, Guntur, Prakasam, Bapatla and Nellore districts.
A Yellow alert has been issued for Kadapa, Kurnool, Nandyal, Sri Sathya Sai, Chittoor, Annamayya, Tirupati and Anantapur districts.