VIJAYAWADA: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a ‘red message’ alert late on Tuesday, urging the authorities to initiate urgent steps even as the severe cyclonic storm, Asani, moved close Andhra coast.In an 11.15 pm bulletin, IMD predicted light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places.
It also warned of likely isolated extremely heavy rainfall over coastal Andhra Pradesh under the influence of Cyclone Asani on Wednesday.
The weather department also predicted that the prevailing squally wind will gain more speed touching 75-85 kmph gusting to 95 kmph along and off Krishna, East and West Godavari, Visakhapatnam districts and Yanam in Puducherry by noon. The IMD has raised the red message alert to Odisha and West Bengal also.
The sea condition would be high over westcentral and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal on Wednesday, and would turn rough to very rough over the same region the next day.
The IMD advised “total suspension of fishing operations over westcentral Bay of Bengal” from Tuesday to Thursday. Fishers out at sea were asked to return to the coast.
Storm surge of about 0.5m above astronomical tide might inundate low-lying areas in Krishna, East and West Godavari, Visakhapatnam districts and Yanam in Puducherry, the IMD warned.
The cyclone over westcentral and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal moved northwestward at 10 kpmh may shift nearly northeastward to reach westcentral Bay of Bengal close to Andhra coast on Wednesday morning.
Later, it is likely to recurve north-northeastward and move along Machilipatnam, Narsapur, Yanam, Kakinada, Tuni and Visakhapatnam coasts by evening.
Thereafter, it is likely to move north-northeastward towards northwest Bay of Bengal and gradually weaken into a cyclonic storm on Wednesday morning, before fizzling out into a depression the next morning.
Administrations in all coastal districts in the State have been put on alert and disaster management personnel have been asked to be on standby to take up rescue and relief works at any given movement.
The National Disaster Response Force has deployed nine teams and kept seven teams on standby in Andhra Pradesh. Additional teams have also been readied, if required. The Indian Navy, too, is closely monitoring the cyclone’s path.
As part of the preparedness, 19 flood relief teams and six diving teams along with necessary gear have been stationed at Visakhapatnam. Five Indian Navy ships with relief material are on standby.
Besides, medical teams to render assistance along the coasts of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha have also been put on standby. Andhra Pradesh Eastern Power Distribution Company Limited (APEPDCL) has put 73 teams on standby to restore power supply in case of an emergency.
Heavy rains lash Nellore, Tirupati & Vizag
Heavy rains lashed several parts of Nellore and Tiurpati districts on Tuesday morning. Heavy rains coupled with gales disrupted power supply, particularly in rural areas, as trees and electric poles were uprooted at several places.
In Nellore, Kovur, Kodavalur, Vidavaluru and Manubolu mandals experienced heavy rainfall for over three hours. Sea waves eroded the shore at Kodur, Mypadu, Dugarajapatnam, Tummalapenta.
Visakhapatnam and other parts of North Andhra region also received moderate to heavy rains since afternoon. Several low-lying areas in Vizag city were inundated. Till 8 pm, Visakhpatnam received an average rainfall of 2 cm while the city got 5.78 cm.
Flight operations disrupted
As many as 19 flights, including two non-scheduled flights, were cancelled on Tuesday. All flights, both arrival and departure, from Vizag to various destinations including Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Tirupati, Vijayawada and Rajahmundry were cancelled.
As many as 46 Indigo flights (23 arrivals and as many departures ), six SpiceJet, two Air India and two Air Asia were cancelled. Airport director Srinivasa Rao said Indigo has suspended its services on Wednesday as well.GVMC commissioner G Lakshmi Sha visited the command control centre at GVMC to identify low-lying areas prone to inundation.
Inter exam postponed
As heavy to extremely heavy rainfall is expected on Wednesday, intermediate first-year examination (Maths, Civics and Botany) scheduled to be held on Wednesday (May 11) has been postponed to May 25. Orders to this effect were issued by Board of Intermediate (BIE) secretary MV Seshagiri Babu
Control room numbers
Prakasam - Cyclone Desk: 1077; CPDCL- Help Desk: 1912.
Guntur: 0863 2234014.
Bapatla: 8712655878, 8712655881, 8712655918.