IMD Warns of Heavy Rain and Strong Winds Along Andhra Coastline

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of extremely heavy rainfall along the Andhra Pradesh coast on October 27 and 28, as a cyclonic storm develops over the west-central Bay of Bengal.

The weather office has issued a cyclone warning for Andhra Pradesh and the neighbouring coastal areas of south Odisha. Orange alerts are in effect in both states, signalling the need for close monitoring and preparedness.

The IMD has also predicted extremely heavy rain over Odisha and Telangana on October 28. Chhattisgarh is expected to receive similar rainfall on October 28 and 29.

In its latest update, the IMD said a low-pressure area over the east-central and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal has moved south-westward at about 5 kmph over the last six hours. It has turned into a deep depression, centred at 11:30 am about 420 km north-northwest of the Andaman Islands. The system was also located 870 km east-southeast of Visakhapatnam, 960 km east-southeast of Kakinada, 1,060 km east-southeast of Machilipatnam and 1,130 km east of Bapatla.

The system is very likely to continue moving south-westward until October 26 morning, becoming a cyclonic storm in the process. It is then expected to move west-northwestward over the same region.

The storm may become a severe cyclonic storm around the morning of October 27 as it reaches the west-central Bay of Bengal. It is then likely to advance north-westward, strengthen into a very severe cyclonic storm and approach the Andhra Pradesh coast around the morning of October 28.

By the afternoon of October 28, the storm could become an extremely severe cyclonic storm while crossing the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam. Maximum sustained winds may reach 115 to 125 kmph, with gusts up to 140 kmph.

The Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority has advised fishermen not to go out to sea. They have been asked to make sure their boats and fishing nets are tied securely in safe places.

Prakhar Jain, chief manager of the authority, has warned people against taking selfies near high waves at beaches and urged everyone to stay extremely vigilant.

Officials have declared a red alert for October 27 in Kakinada, Konaseema, Eluru, East Godavari, West Godavari and Krishna districts. Orange alerts apply to Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, Alluri Sitarama Raju, Anakapalli, Guntur, Prakasam, Bapatla and Nellore districts. A yellow alert is in place for Kadapa, Kurnool, Nandyal, Sri Sathya Sai, Chittoor, Annamayya, Tirupati and Anantapur districts.