VIJAYAWADA/TIRUPATI: Under the impact of Cyclone Nivar, which turned into a ‘very severe cyclone’ as it moved towards the Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coast to make landfall, Nellore and parts of Chittoor district witnessed heavy rainfall since Wednesday morning. One person died in Nellore after coming in contact with a snapped live wire from an electric pole that was uprooted due to heavy winds.
At 8 pm on Wednesday, the IMD said Nivar had moved towards the northwest at a speed of 13 kmph and lay centred over the southwest Bay of Bengal about 110 km from Cuddalore, 115 km from Puducherry and 185 km from Chennai.
Nivar was very likely to cross the coast between Karaikal and Mamallapuram after Wednesday midnight. It had not yet made landfall at the time this paper was published. The IMD predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall at most places, and extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places in south coastal AP and the Rayalaseema regions on Thursday. On Friday, rainfall is likely at many places in south Coastal AP and in the Rayalaseema regions.
In Tamil Nadu, Cuddalore received the highest rainfall (98 mm), followed by Puducherry (82 mm), and Chennai and Karaikal (69 mm each). Several areas of Chennai were waterlogged.
Winds reaching 65-75 kmph and gusting to 85 kmph are very likely in Nellore and Chittoor districts. The sea is expected to be very rough in south AP, and fishing operations have been suspended. Fishermen were asked to evacuate coastal areas as heavy rains and winds are expected to damage houses and huts, snap power lines and uproot trees.
The APSRTC, which resumed bus services to Tamil Nadu on Wednesday, said it would decide on continuing services depending on the situation. The district administrations of the Rayalaseema region, Nellore and Prakasam have been put on alert.
Director General of Police Gautam Sawang told policemen to be available for relief and rescue operations, and take the initiative to evacuate people from low-lying areas. The DGP asked the public to dial 100 or 112 for assistance.
Meanwhile, heavy rains and winds battered Nellore district, affecting the lives of people in all 12 coastal mandals. In Nellore city, Sk Razak of Venkateswarapuram locality was electrocuted when he stepped on a snapped power cable while trying to escape from a falling tree at Magunta Layout. “We were taking shelter at a shop. After the tree fell on the road, Razak suddenly tried to move elsewhere and stepped on the wire,” said eyewitness Nazeer Basha.
Nellore district, on an average, received 6 cm of rainfall. Kota received 15 cm, Vakadu 13.5 cm; Naidupet, Chittmuru, Kodavaluru 12 cm; and Kovur, Muthukuru, Vidavaluru mandals received 11 cm of rainfall till 6 pm on Wednesday, officials said.
About 750 people were shifted to shelter homes in the district, and around 100 NDRF and SDRF personnel were deployed at Kota, Vakadu, Kavali, Vidavaluru, Tada, Atmakur, Nellore, Sangam and Indukurpeta. Services of the APSP 9th battalion located at Venkatagiri will also be utilised.
District Collector KVN Chakradhar Babu and other officials visited vulnerable places and evacuated people from low-lying areas. Chakradhar Babu deputed special officers to vulnerable coastal mandals to monitor the cyclone mitigation activities. Fire, medical and health, agriculture, police, irrigation and revenue wings have been put on alert and a holiday was announced for educational institutions in the district for three days, till November 27.
“We set up 100 relief centres with a capacity of 3,000 families in the district. We will also use schools and government offices as shelter homes. We have been shifting people to shelter homes and providing food and drinking water to inmates. Generators and medical equipment were kept ready at Community Health Care centres, Primary Health Care centres in the district for providing medical services to the people. Teams were deployed at all National Highways and State Highways with earth movers, tree cutters and other equipment to ensure free flow of traffic in case trees fall on the road,” Chakradhar Babu said.
In Chittoor district, the rains dampened the spirit of the farmers. Paddy farmers in the western part of the district have suspended harvesting, and tomato growers are upset as their crop has just crossed the fruit-growth stage. Tirumala received rainfall throughout the day.According to officials, the standing paddy crop in several mandal in the western part of the district would be affected due to winds rather than rains. It is learnt that about 7,500 acres of paddy fields are yet to be harvested in these mandals.
Of the nearly 35,000 acres of tomato crop sown in the district, at least 95 per cent is yet to be harvested.
Officials identified 12 mandals of the district as vulnerable and deputed special officers to monitor the cyclone relief measures. “We identified eastern mandals of the district as vulnerable. Around 2,000 people were shifted to shelter homes across the district. We had already announced holidays for government schools and colleges on Thursday and identified 669 water tanks as vulnerable and deputed special teams to monitor the situation. Sand bags and other equipment were kept ready to face any eventuality,” said Collector Dr Narayana Bharath Gupta. As many as 32 NDRF and 21 SDRF teams have been placed on standby at Tirupati.
