AP on alert as ‘Lehar’ cyclone inches closer

Hyderabad, Nov 26 : The coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh have been put on alert as the Met Department predicted that impact of very severe cyclonic storm ‘Lehar’ could be witnessed from Wednesday onwards.

According to the Met Department, the ‘Lehar’ cyclonic storm over southeast Bay of Bengal moved westwards with a speed of 15 kmph during past six hours and lay centred at 1130 AM on Tuesday over southeast Bay of Bengal about 360 km west-northwest of Port Blair, 990 km east-southeast of Machillipatnam, 920 km east-southeast of Kakinada and 870 km southeast of Kalingapatnam. The system would intensify further and move west-northwestwards and cross Andhra Pradesh coast between Machillipatnam and Kalingapatnam near Kakinada around 28th November noon.

The Met Department said that moderate rainfall at many places would commence from Wednesday afternoon over north coastal Andhra Pradesh. Intensity would gradually increase with rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy falls at a few places and isolated extremely heavy falls over north coastal Andhra Pradesh on Thursday and isolated heavy rainfall over south coastal Andhra Pradesh. The squally winds speed reaching 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph would commence along and off Andhra Pradesh from 27th evening. It would increase in intensity with gale wind speed reaching 170-180 kmph gusting to 200 kmph along and off coastal districts of Krishna, West and East Godavari and Vishakhapatnam districts and 120-130 kmph gusting to 140 kmph over Vizianagaram, Srikakulam and Guntur districts of coastal Andhra Pradesh at the time of landfall. Squally winds speed reaching 55-65 kmph gusting to 75 kmph would prevail along and off remaining districts of Andhra Pradesh at the time of landfall.

The State of Sea along and off Andhra Pradesh and south Odisha coast will be rough to very rough from 27th evening and will become phenomenal on 28th November along and off north coastal Andhra Pradesh and adjoining south coastal Andhra Pradesh. It will be rough to very rough along during the above period.

Extensive damage to kutcha houses, disruption of power and communication line, disruption of rail and road traffic, potential threat from flying debris, flooding of escape routes and extensive damage to agricultural crops is feared.

The authorities have ordered total suspension of fishing operations. Fishermen out at sea along and off Andhra Pradesh have been advised to return to coast. The district authorities have also been asked to mobilise evacuation from coastal areas and ensure judicious regulation of rail and road traffic. People in affected areas have been asked to remain indoors.

The State Government has nominated Special officers for the nine coastal districts. The Special officers of Krishna, East Godavari, West Godavari and Vishakhapatnam have been asked to be in touch with district collectors in view of today’s IMD alert and to reach the their respective districts by tomorrow. Round the clock control rooms at Secretariat- 040- 23452144 and 23451043 were opened and operating.

On Tuesday, the Collectors of Krishna, West Godavari, East Godavari and Vishakapatnam have been contacted and tentative requirement of NDRF teams has been finalized and communicated to the Commandant, NDRF. He informed that additional teams are being moved from Chennai, Bhubaneswar and Pune. The DIG, NDRF New Delhi has deputed to our state to supervise and monitor the deployment of NDRF teams.

As many as 33 NDRF teams have been placed at Vizag (6 teams), East Godavari (16), West Godavari (5) and Krishna (6). A requisition has been sent to Secretary, Defence for providing four helicopters to be stationed at Visakhapatnam. They were requested to place two helicopters at Visakhapatnam and two at Hakimpet, Hyderabad.

The Coast Guard, Coastal Security wing, Marine Police, and also SPs were informed to be alert in view of cyclone and assist the District administration. Specialized teams of Emergency and Fire Services Dept trained in DM are being sent to districts for rescue and relief operations and to assist the District administration. All fishermen in the coastal districts have been alerted through the mobile phone database available with the Fisheries Department, not to go out to the sea for fishing in view of the Cyclone alert.

The authorities have claimed that there were adequate stocks of medicines with Health Department available to meet any emergency. Medical Teams are being sent to the coastal districts. The District Collectors have been advised to open control rooms at district, division, mandal level and give wide publicity of the telephone numbers of the control rooms.

Out of 580 marine villages in nine coastal districts Fisheries Department has contacted 529 villages so far regarding ‘Lehar’ warning and for details of boats ventured into the sea. Out of 6,160 boats that have ventured into the sea 5,550 boats have returned and 610 boats are yet to return.

The Army and Railway authorities have also been alerted regarding the IMD warning on “Lehar” cyclone. INN