Severe cyclonic storm to hit AP coast on 28 October night: Nature’s fury likely to impact eight Odisha districts
Bhubaneswar, Oct 27 (UNI) The low-pressure area formed over the South Andaman Sea, which had developed into a deep depression, will intensify into a cyclonic storm today, the Centre for Environment and Climate (CEC) of SOA Deemed to be University here, said.
It will further intensify into a severe cyclonic storm tomorrow, Dr. Sarat Chandra Sahu, Director of CEC, said.
The system which was moving in a west- west-west-northwesterly direction over the past 12 hours will move in a north-westerly direction from tomorrow and cross the Andhra Pradesh coast south of Visakhapatnam in the night, he said.
After landfall, the system is likely to weaken rapidly and is expected to move through Malkangiri district of Odisha towards south Chhattisgarh parallel to the western border of Odisha.
The system could trigger heavy to very heavy rainfall in the Odisha districts of Balangir, Sonepur, Boudh, Bargarh, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda and Sambalpur on Wednesday and Thursday, Dr. Sahu said.
Heavy to very heavy precipitation may also occur in the districts of Malkangiri, Rayagada, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Gajapati, Nuapada, Kalahandi and Kandhamal on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The wind speed is likely to be around 80 to 90 km per hour at the time of landfall but it will get reduced to 45 to 50 km per hour in the south Odisha districts of Malkangiri, Gajapati, Koraput, Rayagada and Nabarangpur.
Light to moderate rainfall may be experienced in the coastal belt of Odisha, accompanied by 25 to 35 km per hour wind tomorrow, he said.
With the possibility of deep depression intensifying into a severe cyclone looming large, Odisha will bear the brunt of heavy rain and squally wind, flooding of vulnerable pockets and landslides, prompting the government to place eight southern districts on red alert.
The districts of Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam, Kalahandi, and Kandhamal are most likely to be impacted by the brewing cyclone.
In view of it, the State Government has geared up its machinery to ensure the safety of human life, livestock and property, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said.
The Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) units in these districts to tackle the exigencies of the situation, as the government has resolved to ensure zero casualties, and as and when required, the district collectors have been directed to evacuate people to around 200 cyclone and flood relief shelters, Pujari said.
Besides, the Government schools will operate as shelters to house the evacuees. The schools in eight cyclone-prone districts in south Odisha have been shut from 28 October till 30 October. The school teachers of these districts are being deployed for cyclone relief management work, he added.
The minister also appealed the people not to resort to panic buying while warning the traders of stern action under Essential Commodities Act if found hoarding or black-marketing of essential commodities.
