Cyclone Pethai: Andhra Pradesh on high alert, declares 2-day holiday for schools

Amaravati, Dec 16: Andhra Pradesh was on high alert as Cyclone Phethai accompanied by heavy downpour is likely to intensify as a 'severe cyclonic storm' and cross the coast between Ongole and Kakinada on Monday. The government has positioned NDRF and State Disaster Response Force in as many as five districts.

The MeT department said that coastal Andhra Pradesh and north Tamil Nadu are likely to experience rainfall in the next two days.

The deep depression over southwest and adjoining the southeast Bay of Bengal moved north-northwestwards with a speed of 17 kmph and intensified into a cyclonic storm on Saturday. The depression is likely to intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm on Sunday, news agency ANI quoted the Meteorological officials as saying.

Indian Meteorological Department stated that the cyclonic storm is very likely to move north-northwestwards and cross Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kakinada during December 17 afternoon.

As the storm makes a landfall between Ongole and Kakinada on Monday, the coastal regions of Andhra Pradesh and north Tamil Nadu are expected to receive downpour for the next two days. Therefore East Godavari district collector Kartikeya Misra has announced two days of holiday for the schools in eight coastal mandals.

Meanwhile, the Odisha government has asked the district collectors to take steps to protect paddy from the unreasonable rain. Farmers have been advised to reap the paddy in their field and bring it to a safe place. They have also been asked to collect the paddy stacks kept in the field for drying to safe place and cover the paddy stacks.