The very severe cyclonic storm ‘Lehar’ over westcentral and adjoining south Bay of Bengal moved west-northwestward and lay centred at about 570 km east-southeast of Machilipatnam and 510 km southeast of Kakinada. All the 9 coastal districts are put on high alert as the system would cross Andhra Pradesh coast near Machilipatnam around tomorrow evening.
Under its influence rainfall would commence at many places in coastal Andhra Pradesh from tonight or early morning. The intensity would gradually increase with rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy falls at a few places and isolated extremely heavy falls on 28th November. Squally winds with speed reaching 45-55 gusting to 65 kmph would commence along and off the coast. It would increase in intensity with speeds reaching upto 170 kmph along the coastal districts of Guntur, Krishna West and East Godavari and Visakhapatnam at the time of land fall.
The State Chief Secretary, P.K. Mohanty who reviewed the preparedness of the coastal district administrations today, said around two lakh people from the seven districts of Guntur, Krishna, West and East Godavari, Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam would be shifted to relief camps.
A DIG rank officer of National Disaster Response Force from Delhi has been deputed to the State to supervise and monitor the deployment of NDRF teams. About 33 NDRF teams were being deployed in the coastal districts besides four columns of Army and 450 members of State Disaster Response Force.
The very severe cyclonic storm ‘Lehar’ changed its course and is currently heading towards Machilipatnam in Krishna district like its predecessor ‘Helen’ which too had its landfall near south of Machilipatnam on Friday last.The State government is deploying additional rescue teams to Guntur, Krishna, West and East Godavari districts in the changed senario.The Southern Power Distribution Company has set up emergency control rooms at its circle office and divisional offices.Officials in coastal mandals have been told to remain on high alert and take adequate measures to minimise loss of lives and property.
