Cyclone Phethai to cross AP coast

Vijayawada: Cyclone Phethai, expected to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm, was moving on Sunday night towards East Godavari and may make a landfall on Monday afternoon between Kakinada and Tuni, accompanied by heavy rains and gales with speeds reaching up to 100 kmph.

Keeping in view the warnings being issued by Indian Meteorological Department, the State government has geared up its machinery to face the threat and minimise the loss it could cause to life and property.

The storm lay centred about 280 km East of Sriharikota, Nellore district on Sunday night, according to Real Time Governance Society (RTGS) of the AP government. Accordingly, RTGS has sounded alert that heavy rainfall may occur in East Godavari, Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts.

Teams from the National Disaster Response Force and the State Disaster Response Force have been deployed mainly in these districts to meet any eventuality. The state police forces too are on high alert, having been deployed at various places to assist the district administration.

Meanwhile, the IMD has predicted that Phethai could further intensify into a severe cyclonic storm with wind speed reaching up to 110 km per hour and cross the coast on Monday. The North and Central Coastal districts, from West Godavari to Srikakulam, are on high alert as the cyclone has been changing direction frequently.

The potential impact of the cyclone was felt on Sunday itself in some mandals of a few coastal districts, with the temperatures dipping and cold weather conditions prevailing. Light drizzle was experienced in Central Coastal districts on Sunday evening due to the influence of the system.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu held a review over teleconference and instructed the official machinery to be on high alert and take measures for the safety of people in the vulnerable areas.

He directed the officials of Roads and Buildings, Water Resources, Transport, Energy, Revenue and other departments to work in coordination and minimise the potential damage. He directed officials to take measures to ensure that power is restored at the earliest in areas where it is disrupted by the cyclone.

The district collectors and joint collectors are monitoring the arrangements in Krishna, Guntur, West Godavari, East Godavari, Prakasam, Nellore, Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam in view of the impending cyclone, which may cause devastation.

Cyclone shelters have been opened in some coastal districts and transportation facility has been arranged to evacuate people. The Energy Department is geared to quickly instal electric poles and restore power lines in case of disruption in power supply. In this context, Principal Secretary (Energy) Ajay Jain held tele-conference with officials of SPDCL and EPDCL and asked the latter to be on high alert.

Third stage warning flags have been hoisted at the ports in all Coastal districts and sirens arranged in vulnerable areas to alert the people. Krishna District Collector B Lakshmikantham visited the Manginapudi beach and spoke to officials there.

He said on Sunday that the impact of cyclone Phethai will be very less in Krishna district. Several towns, including Kakinada, are already witnessing rains and power supply has been cut off as a preventive measure.

The Guntur district administration has identified 47 cyclone shelters and steps have been taken to evacuate people living in low lying areas to safer places in case of heavy rains and gales. Guntur district collector Kona Sasidhar appointed special officers and Guntur rural S P S V Rajasekhara Babu visited the cyclone centres and reviewed the arrangements.

The IMD is sending weather forecast regularly and officials are on their toes to face any eventuality. Top officials of the State government are issuing instructions to the district collectors, detailing the precautionary measures to be taken in respective districts.

Prakasam district administration is on high alert in 14 coastal mandals of the district, though there was no impact of the cyclone till Sunday night.
Since the cyclone changed direction on Sunday evening, the Central and North Coastal districts were put on high alert.

The North Coastal districts experienced Titli cyclone recently and the devastating Hud Hud cyclone in 2014. In Visakhapatnam district, high alert has been sounded in the coastal mandals viz Payakaraopeta, S Rayavaram, Rambilli, Nakkapalli and Atchutapuram due to cyclone warning.
Indian Navy, Coast Guard & AP Marine Police are also monitoring the situation.

District Medical and Health department is making arrangements to deploy special medical teams and move medicines. Superintendent of Police, Visakhapatnam Rural A Babuji deployed 100-member disaster relief team to help the revenue and other rescue teams.

An alert has been sounded in Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts also. Officials have made elaborate arrangements in Bhogapuram and Pusapatirega mandals. Revenue, Police, Fisheries, Panchayat Raj and other departments have been put on high alert to face any eventuality. Srikakulam district Collector K Dhanunjaya Reddy reviewed the situation with officials on Sunday.

He told reporters that arrangements have been made to prevent loss of lives and minimise the damage. East Godavari district collector Kartikeya Mishra reviewed the arrangements on Sunday night and asked the officials and staff to be on high alert.