Andhra Pradesh seeks federal help to tackle cyclone

SEVERE STORM LIKELY TO CROSS THE COAST NEAR KAKINADA TOMORROW

With severe cyclonic storm Lehar raging towards its coast, the Andhra Pradesh government has sought more assistance from the central government in dealing with the third cyclone in less than one and a half months.

The Indian Meteorological Department ( IMD) has warned that Lehar would be more powerful than the cyclone in 1996. The state government has requested the centre to send 15 more teams of National Disaster Relief Force ( NDRF) and also asked the Navy and the Air Force to be on standby. The state government has also written to the centre to provide helicopters to be stationed at Visakhapatanam. They will be deployed wherever necessary.

The administration was put on alert in all the coastal districts but special focus was on four districts of Krishna, West and East Godavari and Visakhapatanam.

Heavy rains

The severe cyclonic storm was likely to cross the coast near Kakinada tomorrow. Weather officials said that coastal Andhra will start feeling the impact of the cyclone from today with gale winds of 45 to 65km per hour along the coast. The region will start receiving heavy rains from Wednesday night.

Gale wind will reach a speed of 170 to 200km per hour at the time of the system crossing the coast. Subsequently the cyclone will weaken over Chattisgarh.

Major disaster

In East Godavari district, which lies in the direct path of the storm, the administration was gearing up for a possible major disaster. District collector Neetu Prasad said that the cyclone had potential to cause more damage than the cyclone of 1996.

In a precautionary move the administration had ordered the schools and colleges, business establishments and shops to remain closed on November 27 and 28. The road and rail traffic will also be stopped, she said.

Private business and commercial establishments, road and rail traffic will also be closed in the district on the day.

Severe cyclonic storm Leher was stable in southeast Bay of Bengal and it lay centred 1030km southeast of Machlipatanam and 900km south east of Kalingapatanam. It was likely to cross the coast tomorrow near Kakinada.

It was moving in west- northwesterly direction.