Cyclonic storm, ‘Helen’, which crossed the coast of Andhra Pradesh close to south of Machilipatnam yesterday, has moved west-southwestwards and weakened into a depression. It would further move in a west-southwestward direction and weaken into a low pressure in the next 12 hours.

Heavy to very heavy rainfall would occur over north coastal Andhra Pradesh and adjoining Guntur, Krishna, West Godavari districts of south coastal region of the state, during the next 24 hours. Rainfall would also occur at Telangana region.

Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy reviewed the situation with top officials and directed them to evacuate people and provide essential items like food and medicines to them.

Ten teams of National Disaster Response Force have been pressed into service. Four helicopters are ready at Hakimpet in Hyderabad and a chopper each would be moved to Vijaywada and Visakhapatnam today.

Our correspondent reports that seven people have been killed in cyclone-related incidents.