VIJAYAWADA: A depression over the southeast Bay of Bengal and adjoining Andaman Sea has intensified into a deep depression and is likely to develop into a cyclonic storm, Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) Managing Director Prakhar Jain said on Saturday.
The system is moving west-northwestwards and is currently centred about 330 km from Sri Vijaya Puram, 300 km from Nicobar Islands, 1,140 km east-southeast of Chennai and 1,200 km southeast of Machilipatnam.
It is likely to intensify into a deep depression over the southeast Bay of Bengal in the next 12 hours and further strengthen into a cyclone over the southeast, adjoining southwest and west-central Bay of Bengal during the subsequent 12 hours. It is expected to reach the west-central Bay of Bengal, close to the Andhra Pradesh coast, by Monday evening.
Under its influence, several districts in coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema are likely to receive heavy to extremely heavy rainfall over the next three days. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea until Wednesday.
According to the APSDMA officials, Krishna, Guntur, Bapatla, Prakasam, Markapuram and Nellore districts are likely to receive moderate to heavy rainfall on Sunday (November 1).
On Monday, heavy to extremely heavy rainfall is expected in Eluru, West Godavari, NTR, Krishna, Guntur, Bapatla, Palnadu, Prakasam, Markapuram, Nellore and Tirupati districts. East Godavari, Konaseema, Nandyal, Kadapa, Annamayya and Chittoor districts may receive heavy rainfall.
On Tuesday, very heavy rainfall is forecast in Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli, Vizianagaram, Kurnool, Nandyal, Kadapa, Annamayya, Nellore, Chittoor and Tirupati districts, with heavy to extremely heavy rain likely in several other coastal districts.
The IMD has also warned of rough sea conditions over the southeast Bay of Bengal. Its latest bulletin confirmed that the depression intensified at 11.30 am on Saturday.
IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra indicated that the potential cyclone could bring winds of 80-90 kmph, with gusts reaching 100 kmph, and could cross the AP coast on Tuesday morning.