VIJAYAWADA: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday issued a red alert for Tirupati and Nellore districts and an orange alert for Chittoor and Annamayya districts as heavy to very heavy rains are likely to lash the regions on Friday due to the deep depression in the Bay of Bengal.
‘Number 1’ warning is in force for all ports in the State.
The deep depression over Southwest Bay of Bengal moved northeastwards with a speed of 10 kmph during the past six hours and lay centred about 340 km east-southeast of Nagappattinam, 410 km southeast of Puducherry and 470 km southeast of Chennai at 17:30 hours IST of Thursday.
It is very likely to move nearly northwards and maintain its intensity of deep depression till Friday morning. Thereafter, it will move northwestwards, and weaken gradually into a depression by evening. It will continue to move further northwestwards and is likely to cross the north Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts between Karaikal and Mahabalipuram around the morning of November 30 as a depression with a wind speed of 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph.
On Friday, heavy to very heavy rains are likely in isolated parts of Nellore, Tirupati, Chittoor, and Annamayya districts, whereas light to heavy rain is expected to lash North Coastal and Godavari-Krishna delta regions, besides parts of Prakasam and Rayalseema districts.
Given the gales with windspeed of 55 to 65 kmph gusting at 75 kmph along the sea coast of South Andhra Pradesh, fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea. People in low-lying areas have also been put on alert. The Agriculture Department also issued an advisory for farmers.