VISAKHAPATNAM/VIJAYAWADA : Vardah, the cyclonic storm, strengthened into a very severe cyclonic storm, on Saturday, but is expected to weaken at sea itself before landfall.
However, the State government is leaving nothing to chance and is preparing for the worst. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who was scheduled to leave for the UAE and Kuwait on Sunday, cancelled his trip and is staying back to keep a close watch on the movement of the cyclonic storm and the likely impact it would have on the state.
According to the Indian Meterorological Department, VARDAH moved west-northwestwards at a speed of 17 kmph and lay centred over west central and adjoining south Bay of Bengal about 650 km from east southeast of Nellore and 600 km east southeast of Machilipatnam at 8 p.m. on Saturday.
It is very likely to continue to move west-northwestwards and maintain its peak inensity up to the evening of Dec 11. “Thereafter, it is likely to weaken gradually while moving towards south Andhra Pradesh coast.
It is very likely to cross south Andhra Pradesh coast between Chennai and Ongole around noon/evening of Dec 12,” the IMD said in its weather bulletin.Under its influence, light to moderate rainfall at many places with isolated heavy to very heavy falls over south coastal AP and adjoining areas of north coastal Tamil Nadu is very likely from Dec 11 for the subsequent 36 hours.