HYDERABAD: Coastal areas in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu are on high alert as severe cyclonic storm Phethai on Monday afternoon made its landfall around Kakinada.
Authorities from Andhra Pradesh have sounded a red alert in seven out of nine coastal districts and opened over 300 relief camps to provide shelter to people evacuated from coastal villages and low-lying areas.
One person was killed in a landslide caused by heavy rains in Vijayawada city, but no other casualties have been reported from elsewhere so far, according to sources in the State Disaster Management Authority.
A holiday has been declared for educational institutions in the coastal districts of the state as a precautionary measure.
⚡️ #AndhraPradesh and #TamilNadu coastal areas on high alert as #CyclonePhethai is set to make landfall around Kakinada today. https://t.co/nGRcJSUGVz
— The New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) December 17, 2018
Many places in Odisha such as Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Nuapada, Baragarh, Balangir, Jharsuguda and Sambalpur districts would experience heavy rainfall on Monday.
Kolkata, which has had an overcast sky since Sunday with intermittent drizzles, is likely to experience light to moderate rain. In West Bengal, heavy rain is likely to occur over one or two places in Howrah, East and West Midnapore, Purulia, Bankura, West Burdwan, Jhargram and Hooghly district on Monday.
LIVE | According to IMD, #CyclonePhethai is very likely to move northwards and cross the #AndhraPradesh coast around Kakinada on 17th December afternoon.
— The New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) December 17, 2018
Full report here: https://t.co/PE0neFoKn9 pic.twitter.com/EJ2Vi8o7Dz
In view of heavy rain due to Cyclone Phethai, the following passenger trains are cancelled on Monday (December 17):
1. Train No. 57225 Vijayawada-Visakhapatnam passenger scheduled to depart Vijayawada on 17th December, 2018 is cancelled.
2. Train No. 57226 Visakhapatnam-Vijayawada passenger scheduled to depart Visakhapatnam on 17 th December, 2018 is cancelled.
3. Train No. 77271 Kakinada Port-Kotipalli DMU passenger scheduled to depart Kakinada Port on 17 th December, 2018 is cancelled.
4. Train No.77272 Kotipalli-Kakinada Port DMU passenger scheduled to depart Kotipalli on 17 th December, 2018 is cancelled.
5. Train No. 67262 Rajahmundry-Vijayawada passenger scheduled to depart Rajahmundry 17 th December, 2018 is cancelled.
6. Train No. 67263 Vijayawada-Rajahmundry passenger scheduled to depart Vijayawada today 17 th December, 2018 is cancelled.
7. Train No. 67257 Ongole-Guntur passenger scheduled to depart Ongole 17 th December, 2018 is cancelled.
8. Train No. 67259 Guntur-Vijayawada passenger scheduled to depart Guntur 17 th December, 2018 is cancelled.
9. Train No. 67261 Vijayawada-Rajahmundry passenger scheduled to depart Vijayawada 17 th December, 2018 is cancelled.
10. Train No. 77231 Vijayawada-Bhimavaram passenger scheduled to depart Vijayawada 17 th December, 2018 is cancelled.
11. Train No. 77243 Bhimavaram-Nidadavolu passenger scheduled to depart Bhimavaram 17 th December, 2018 is cancelled.
12. Train No. 77244 Nidadavolu-Bhimavaram passenger scheduled to depart Nidadavolu 17 th December, 2018 is cancelled.
13. Train No. 77265 Narsapur-Nidadavolu passenger scheduled to depart Narsapur 17 th December, 2018 is cancelled.
14. Train No. 77266 Nidadavolu-Bhimavaram passenger scheduled to depart Nidadavolu 17 th December, 2018 is cancelled.
15. Train No. 77203 Vijayawada-Narsapur passenger scheduled to depart Vijayawada 17 th December, 2018 is cancelled.
16. Train No. 77241 Narsapur-Rajahmundry passenger scheduled to depart Narsapur 17 th December, 2018 is cancelled.
17. Train No. 77202 Narsapur-Vijayawada passenger scheduled to depart Narsapur 17 th December, 2018 is cancelled.
18. Train No. 77293 Bhimavaram-Rajahmundry passenger scheduled to depart Bhimavaram 17 th December, 2018 is cancelled.
19. Train No. 77263 Vijayawada-Narsapur passenger scheduled to depart Vijayawada 17 th December, 2018 is cancelled.
20. Train No. 77234 Machilipatnam-Gudivada passenger scheduled to depart Machilipatnam 17 th December, 2018 is cancelled.
21. Train No. 77211 Gudivada-Machilipatnam passenger scheduled to depart Gudivada 17 th December, 2018 is cancelled.
22. Train No. 77216 Machilipatnam-Gudivada passenger scheduled to depart Machilipatnam 17 th December, 2018 is cancelled.
23. Train No. 77235 Gudivada-Machilipatnam passenger scheduled to depart Gudivada 17 th December, 2018 is cancelled.
East Godavari district collector Kartikeya Misra has announced that schools would remain shut in eight coastal mandals.
#TamilNaduRainfall report for the last 24 hours on 17th Dec'18 pic.twitter.com/1IS8viBWQ7
— TN SDMA (@tnsdma) December 17, 2018
#MissionAccomplished. Amidst #Choppy Sea & #CyclonicWeather Conditions @IndiaCoastGuard Ships safely evacuated all 707 stranded people including tourists from #Havelock & #Neil Island of #SouthAndaman by early hours today. @DefenceMinIndia @SpokespersonMoD @ndmaindia pic.twitter.com/zRL409HVVS
— Indian Coast Guard (@IndiaCoastGuard) December 16, 2018
Andhra Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu reviewed the situation with district collectors through video-conference from Amaravati. He directed them to treat this as an emergency situation and gear up the district administration to prevent loss of life.
According to the latest forecast, Prakasam, Guntur, Krishna, and districts to the East of Nellore will receive moderate rainfall on late hours of 16th Dec. Heavy rainfall is expected over Visakhapatnam, coastal region of East Godavari, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam on 17th Dec.
— Andhra Pradesh CM (@AndhraPradeshCM) December 16, 2018
The Met office warned that storm surge of height of about 0.5 to 1.0 metres above the astronomical tides may inundate the low lying areas of East Godavari, West Godavari, Vishakhapatnam and Krishna districts and Yanam district of Puducherry at the time of landfall.
The bulletin said there shoul be total suspension of fishing operations along & off Andhra Pradesh coast on December 17. Those, who are out in deep sea areas are advised to return to the coasts, the bulletin added.
The sea condition is very rough along and off south Andhra Pradesh Coast and will become high along & off central Andhra Pradesh coast and Yanam district of Puducherry till this evening, an IMD bulletin said.
The sea condition is very likely to be high to very high over west-central & adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal till December 17.
The cyclonic storm is very likely to increase gradually becoming gale wind speed of 80-90 kmph gusting to 100 kmph along & off central Andhra Pradesh coast (East & West Godavari, Vishakhapatnam, Krishna, Guntur, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam Districts and Yanam district of Puducherry) today.
Rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy falls at a few places over coastal Andhra Pradesh and extremely heavy falls at isolated places over North Coastal Andhra Pradesh (East & west Godavari, Vishakhapatnam, Krishna, Guntur, Vizianagaram & Srikakulam Districts) and Yanam district of Puducherry.
Cyclone Phethai is the seventh cyclone this year. According to the India Meteorological Department, it is the highest number of cyclones in a year since 1985. READ FULL REPORT HERE
#Cyclone #Pthetai: #Goddess #KanakaDurga temple on #Indrakeeladri ghat road closed in view of landslides due to rains lashing #Vijayawada @NewIndianXpress
— Phareesh_TNIE (@Phareesh_tnie) December 17, 2018
Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu tweeted that he conducted a teleconference on Cyclone Phethai while he was in Rajasthan. The CM instructed the officials to expedite the rescue operations in areas where the storm is surging.
#CyclonePhethai electric poles uprooted in East Godavari dist @NewIndianXpress pic.twitter.com/Xj2Xd5uZtD
— Kalyan Chakravarthi (@Kalyan_TNIE) December 17, 2018
Machilipatnam - 08672 252486
Gudivada - 08674 243697
Nuzvid - 08656 232717
Vijayawada - 0866 2574454
Assistance Control Room in East Godavari district: 1800 425 3077. Railway Helpline Control to monitor the situation has been put into operation at Vijayawada with helpline numbers 9121271340, 9121271447, 0866-2576924.
We are bracing up to face #CyclonePhethai. Response teams and officials numbering more than 10000 are stationed as part of disaster preparedness. Hoping that the loss of life and property will be minimal!
— Lokesh Nara (@naralokesh) December 17, 2018
Real-Time Governance Society, Andhra Pradesh: #CyclonePhethai has made a landfall at Katrenikona in East Godavari district. Heavy rains and winds experienced in many areas in the district. Entire Konaseema region is receiving heavy rainfall. Govt alerts people to be careful.
— ANI (@ANI) December 17, 2018
