IMD sounds cyclone Gulab alert for Andhra and Odisha
NEW DELHI: A deep depression over east-central Bay of Bengal intensified into a cyclone on Saturday and an orange alert has been issued for north Andhra Pradesh and adjoining south Odisha coasts, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
Gulab is likely to cross the north Andhra Pradesh-south Odisha coasts between Kalingapatnam and Gopalpur, with a wind speed of 75 to 85 kmph gusting to 90 kmph on Sunday evening, the weather body added.
According to scientists, cyclones are formed often at the end of monsoon or during the post-monsoon period. The orange alert is issued as a warning of extremely bad weather with the potential of disruption in commute with road and rail closures, and interruption of power supply.
The depression over Bay of Bengal was formed on Friday and gradually intensified on Saturday morning. The system is expected to bring widespread rainfall to parts of east India on Sunday and Monday and to centical tral India after it weakens into a well-marked low pressure system, officials in the weather department familiar with the developments said.
The weather body has predicted tidal waves of about 0.5 m height which are likely to inundate low lying areas of Srikakulam, Sompeta, Vizianagaram and Ganjam districts when the cyclone makes landfall. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into east-central and adjoining northeast Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea on Saturday and Sunday.
In view of the weather alert, the Andhra Pradesh government hoisted the “First Warning Flag” at Visakhapatnam port while in Odisha, the district administration began evacuations in several districts. Two teams of national disaster response force have been deployed in Srikakulam district, which is expected to have more impact from the cyclone, and another in Visakhapatnam. A state disaster response force team has been positioned in Visakhapatnam for emergency response. The Odisha government has directed collectors of seven districts to evacuate residents in vulnerable areas. It has already initiated deployment of 173 teams of Odisha disaster rapid action force, NDRF and fire services.