3 Andhra districts on high alert as Cyclone Titli expected to make landfall tomorrow

Three coastal districts in Andhra Pradesh have been put on high alert as Cyclone Titli intensified into a very severe cyclonic storm over the west-central Bay of Bengal, an official said on Wednesday.

Srikakulam is expected to take the full brunt of the cyclonic storm as “it is very likely to move north north-westwards and cross Odisha and adjoining north Andhra Pradesh coasts between Gopalpur and Kalingapatnam around the morning of October 11”, according to the Indian Meteorological Department in its latest bulletin on Wednesday.

IMD said Cyclone Titli intensified further into a very severe cyclonic storm at 11.30 am on Wednesday as heavy rains lashed Odisha’s Ganjam, Gajapati, Puri, Balasore and Kendrapara districts. Visakhapatnam and Vizianagaram would also be affected by the cyclonic storm.

The weather office’s forecasts suggest high-velocity gales with a speed ranging between 70-80kmph along the sea coast when the cyclone will cross the coast and would cause damages to thatched houses, rooftops, paddy fields and communication network mainly in Srikakulam district.

A spokesperson of the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) said a control room has been set up at Srikakulam district headquarters with collector Dhananjaya Reddy monitoring the situation from time to time.

A team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) moved into Srikakulam district from its base point in Visakhapatnam as the Indian Navy and Indian Coastguard have been kept on high alert and fire services kept ready.

Extended summer conditions have been prevailing across Andhra Pradesh as the monsoons played truant. People have been experiencing high day temperatures associated with sultry weather conditions even in October.

In June, the state government extended holidays for schools in view of heat waves that kept sweeping across the state.

First Published: Oct 10, 2018 15:29 IST