High alert in Andhra Pradesh in view of cyclone

Amaravati, Dec 2:  Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Saturday directed the officials to be on high alert in view of the low pressure over the Bay of Bengal developing into a cyclonic storm.

The Chief Minister was informed that the cyclone is likely to cross the coast between Nellore and Machilipatnam on December 4 and head towards north.

Cyclone-affected district collectors and the disaster management officials should be ready to take necessary relief and rescue measures to help people and restore power lines and transportation facilities in affected areas, the Chief Minister said.

He told them to take steps to shift affected people from the coastal areas to safer places and arrange relief camps while maintaining enough stocks of milk, drinking water and food.

On instructions of the Chief Minister, the government released Rs 2 crore to Tirupati district and Rs 1 crore each to SPSR Nellore, Prakasam, Bapatla, Krishna, West Godavari, Dr BR Ambedkar Konaseema and Kakinada districts for relief measures.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued cyclone alert for Andhra Pradesh and adjoining North Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts.

According to the IMD, the deep depression over southwest Bay of Bengal lay centred at 0600 UTC of December 2, about 540 km southeast of Nellore, 650 km south-southeast of Bapatla and 650 km south-southeast of Machilipatnam.

It is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm over southwest Bay of Bengal during the next 24 hours. It is likely to cross south Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Machilipatnam around 0600 UTC of December 5 as a cyclonic storm.

Meanwhile, Chief Secretary K. S. Jawahar Reddy has directed the district collectors to be ready to tackle any situation arising out of the cyclone.

During a video conference with district collectors, he asked them to take all precautionary measures to avert any loss of life and minimise the loss of property.

Under the impact of the cyclone, heavy to very heavy rains are likely for next three days in Tirupati, Nellore, Prakasam, Bapatla, krishna, West Godavari, Konaseema, East Godavari, Kakinada and Anakapalli districts.

The Chief Secretary asked the district collectors to ensure that for the next three days fishermen do not venture into sea and to take steps to caution those who are already into the sea to return.