Andhra Pradesh was put on alert on Sunday as a depression over the Bay of Bengal is forecast to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by October 27 and approach the state’s coast the following day, the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) said.
APSDMA Managing Director Prakhar Jain urged people to remain vigilant as the system strengthens over the coming days.
“The depression over the east-central and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal is expected to intensify further in the coming days. People should remain extremely alert,” Jain said in an official release.
At 5.30 am on Sunday, the depression was moving southeastwards at 5 kmph and lay over the east-central and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal. It was located about 440 km north-northwest of Sri Vijaya Puram in the Andaman Islands, 880 km east-southeast of Visakhapatnam and 980 km east-southeast of Kakinada. It was also 1,080 km east-southeast of Machilipatnam and 1,150 km east of Bapatla.
The Meteorological Department said the system was likely to move nearly southwards and intensify into a deep depression on Sunday before turning west-northwestwards.
It is expected to develop into a cyclonic storm over the east-central and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal by the morning of October 26 and intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm by the morning of October 27.
The system is then forecast to move northwestwards and intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm, reaching the west-central Bay of Bengal near the Andhra Pradesh coast by the morning of October 28.
The storm is likely to cross the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam by the forenoon of October 28, with maximum sustained wind speeds of 115-125 kmph and gusts reaching 140 kmph, the Meteorological Department said.
(With inputs from PTI)
