VIJAYAWADA/VIZIANAGARAM: North Coastal Andhra Pradesh has been placed on high alert as the depression over the Bay of Bengal has intensified into a deep depression, with meteorologists predicting that it will cross the North Andhra–South Odisha coast between Wednesday night and the early hours of Thursday.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) Cyclone Warning Centre in Visakhapatnam, the system lay centred near latitude 18.0°N and longitude 85.4°E — about 140 km east-southeast of Kalingapatnam, 150 km south-southeast of Gopalpur, 210 km south-southwest of Puri, and 220 km east of Visakhapatnam.
Holiday declared for schools, colleges in N. Andhra
Current maximum sustained surface wind speeds of 45–55 kmph, gusting to 65 kmph, are expected to escalate to 55–65 kmph with gusts up to 75 kmph over the next 12 hours as the system approaches landfall between Visakhapatnam and Gopalpur.
The IMD has warned of severe, widespread rainfall across Coastal Andhra Pradesh and extremely heavy rainfall is forecast for isolated places in Srikakulam, Parvathipuram Manyam and Vizianagaram districts on Tuesday, extending into Alluri Sitarama Raju district on Wednesday.
Heavy to very heavy rainfall will cover Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli, Kakinada, East Godavari and Eluru districts, before spreading South into NTR, Krishna, Guntur and Bapatla districts by Thursday.
Authorities have issued warnings for a low-to-moderate Persistent Flash Flood Threat (PFFT) and Flash Flood Risk (FFR) across saturated watersheds in the northern districts. Sea conditions along the North Andhra coast will remain rough to very rough through September 24 with high surface current speed of 1.5 to 1.6 m/s.
Local Cautionary Signal Number III (LC-III) has been hoisted at Kalingapatnam, Bheemunipatnam, Visakhapatnam, Gangavaram and Kakinada ports, while Distant Cautionary Signal Number I (DC-I) remains hoisted at Machilipatnam, Nizampatnam and Krishnapatnam ports. Fishermen have been strictly prohibited from venturing into the sea until September 25.
Reviewing the State preparedness at the AP State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) headquarters, Home and Disaster Management Minister Vangalapudi Anitha instructed district administrations—particularly across North Andhra—to maintain a round-the-clock vigil.
APSDMA Managing Director Prakhar Jain briefed the Minister on the system trajectory and real-time tracking integration with the Real-Time Governance Society (RTGS). She ordered the immediate deployment of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams in vulnerable areas to execute preemptive relief, monitor low-lying habitations, and conduct evacuations if necessary.
The public has been advised to avoid standing near trees, hoardings, or dilapidated structures due to strong squally winds.
Responding to IMD warnings of heavy to extremely heavy rainfall and surface winds of 50 to 70 kmph, Vizianagaram Collector S Ramsundar Reddy and Parvathipuram Manyam Collector N Prabhakar Reddy heavy declared a high alert.
The administrations have announced a holiday for all public and private educational institutions in ASR, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam, Visakhapatnam and Anakapalli districts. All government employee leaves have been cancelled.