Heavy to very heavy rains likely to lash south coastal districts

Vijayawada: RAYALASEEMA region and south coastal districts are likely to be affected due to the Mandous cyclone. Owing to this cyclone, Erstwhile Chittoor, Prakasam and Nellore districts will receive heavy to very heavy rains with a wind speed of 65-75 Kmph.

Likewise, Krishna, Guntur, East and West Godavari districts are also likely to receive moderate to heavy rains in next 48 hours. With this cyclone effect, the sky is mostly cloudy during the past 24 hours in the State and some districts also received little drizzles to heavy rains. On the other hand, the severe cyclone weakened into a cyclone on Friday, and the landfall is likely in the early hours of Saturday between Puducherry and Sriharikota of Nellore district.

In view of the cyclone, the State government alerted all the district officers and asked them to take precautionary measures. Meanwhile, fishermen have already been advised not to venture out into the sea. The police and revenue department authorities also issued orders prohibiting bathing in the sea due to Cyclone Mandous.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) predicts that extremely heavy rainfall is likely to lash Rayalaseema and south coastal districts for two days. Besides, gales with a speed up to 75 Kmph are likely on Saturday morning. Likewise, sea conditions are likely to be very rough along south Andhra Pradesh from Friday midnight to Saturday evening for almost 18 hours.

''During the cyclone landfall the storm surge of about 0.5 m height above the astronomical tide likely to inundate low lying areas of south coastal districts. Damage expected for thatched houses, power and communication lines. Damage also expected for banana and papaya trees," IMD stated.

NDRF, SDRF teams: In view of the Mandous cyclone, the State government alerted the district authorities concerned to take measures in advance. Five NDRF and four SDRF teams have already been deployed in affected districts for relief operations. Two teams were deployed in Prakasam district, three in Nellore, two in Tirupati and another two teams in Chittoor district. Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) has been overseeing the cyclone movement from time to time and alerted the district authorities. The APSDMA so far sent alert messages to one crore subscribers in the six districts by Common Alert Protocol, AP Alert.

APSDMA Managing Director Dr B R Ambedkar said that they alerted 210 mandal employees and officers of the affected districts.

The farmers are a worried lot as their crops are likely to be affected once again by the cyclone. Actually, paddy harvesting was completed only 30 % in most of the districts in the State and around 70 per cent paddy is yet to be harvested.